THE INFERNOS CANTEEN ONE OF THE MEDICS

 

RIC FLARES AT THE GARDEN

 For nearly half a year now, the world-famous Madison Square Garden wrestling shows have been topped off with a very special cherry - - - some of the greatest wrestlers now in the business who, for various reasons, had never before been seen in the WWWF, were being booked as special guest attractions. The effect was twofold: the New York fans got to see a different style of wrestling, as well as a look at some of the heavy-duty talent that's fascinating fans in other territories of the grappling world.

From the announcement at ring center during the February, 1976 card, as to the name of the wrestler guest-starring the following month, excitement began to build among fans and press alike. It would be none other than RIC FLAIR, the much-heralded, peroxide blond "Nature Boy", with a line of self-developed hype slicker than a greased pencil.

The following month, as he strode down the ramp towards the MSG ring, the majority of New York fans weren't even sure who Flair was. He wore a long, gold-encrusted robe, white trunks, and the most magnificent patent-leather boots ever to grace the royal blue Garden mat. Across the back of his robe was emblazoned the legend: "Nature Boy", and he stalked back and forth within his corner, looking sullen and anxious as he awaited his opponent.

The man Ric was to wrestle would be no pushover. "Pistol" Pete Sanchez was a well-experienced grappler who can go by the book or duke it out, whichever way it lays. Pete drew the appluase of the crowd, and Flair disdainfully disrobed. At the sight of his excellent physique, Flair immediately won over a goodly portion of the female audience.

Ric looked like an excited young kid, howling with delight at his own prowess and at being able to demonstrate it in the biggest arena in the country. But while he looked like a handsome young kid, he wrestled pure pro, taking Sanchez with much greater ease than the ringsiders expected.

Finally, looking like a surfer about to hit the waves, Flair ignited and was all over Sanchez in a matter of seconds. After delivering a series of rights to the jaw, Ric bent Pete's head forward, hooked his arms and lifted him straight up into the air for a perfectly-executed symmetrical suplex. Grinning from ear to ear, the "Nature Boy" pinned his man and leaped up into the glare of the behemoth Klieg lights, basking in the golden glow of victory.

Ric Flair had come a long way, and he's come all that way in a few short years. There aren't many wrestlers who have done that. And as Flair had his hand raised in victory, center-canvas at Madison Square Carden, you were seized with the feeling that you were looking at one of those very special wrestlers.

(WRESTLING TRAINING ILLUSTRATED - September, 1976)

DINO BRAVO AND MR. WRESTLING (TIM WOODS)

 

LEXINGTON DEBUT OF TAG TEAMS

                                                     LEXINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA

60 Years Ago

A speedy team of popular heroes meets brutal and deliberate opponents in featured tag team wrestling at the LEXINGTON YMCA tonight starting at 8:15.

GEORGE and SANDY SCOTT, the "FLYING SCOTTS" as they are known in the wrestling business, pit their spectacular offense against the skin-headed bullies SKULL MURPHY and BRUTE BERNARD in the main event match. These two teams are long-time rivals.

The other tag battle matches the flashy RUDY KAYE and ABE JACOBS against rugged ruffians THE GREAT MALENKO and THE MISSOURI MAULER, teaming here for the first time.

Both tag encounters are set for the best two-of-three falls.

A special attraction tonight matches two top-ranked Negro girl stars, as SWEET GEORGIA BROWN takes on PRINCESS UBANGI.

Popular STEVE BOLUS meets big JOHN GUDISKI in the opening match.

BRUTE BERNARD VERSUS JOHNNY WEAVER

 

THE ASSASSINS (HAMILTON/HERNANDEZ) and ANGELO MOSCA

 

GEORGE BECKER AND JOHNNY WEAVER - WBTV STUDIO WRESTLING

 

THE INFERNOS (ROCKY SMITH, FRANKIE CAIN) WITH MGR. J.C. DYKES

 

UNDER CHARLOTTE'S BIG DOME

                                                                  October 28, 1963

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA

KURT and KARL VON BRAUNER and SAUL WEINGROFF

BRONKO LUBICH, HOMER O'DELL, ALDO BOGNI

The match the fans have been begging for will take place tonight as professional wrestling moves to the CHARLOTTE COLISEUM.

Promoter JIM CROCKETT, who is co-sponsoring this card along with the CAROLINAS CAROUSEL, says the main event on this big card has drawn "more requests than any other match since I have been promoting in Charlotte. And that's been more than twenty-five years."

The big match everyone has been asking for is a SIX MAN TAG TEAM battle. On one side are the vicious German brothers, KURT and KARL VON BRAUNER, along with their equally villainous manager, 'GENTLEMAN' SAUL WEINGROFF. Across the ring will be the threesome ruffians of ALDO BOGNI, BRONKO LUBICH and their manager, cane-welding 'COLONEL' HOMER O'DELL. The war is scheduled for the best two-of-three falls with a one hour time limit. These conditions should give the hated bunch time enough to do away with each other in the proper way.

GEORGE BECKER and JOHNNY WEAVER

RIP HAWK and SWEDE HANSON

Another tag team match is scheduled in the semifinal contest, normally any wrestling card's main event.

Fan favorites GEORGE BECKER and JOHNNY WEAVER will face a long-time nemesis in the guise of wrestling's "BLONDE BOMBERS" RIP HAWK and SWEDE HANSON. To say these two teams have their differences would be a gross understatement. This one is also scheduled for the best two-out-of-three falls with a one hour time limit.

'COWBOY' BOB ELLIS

'BIG' IKE EAKINS

Yet another specialty sees 'COWBOY' BOB ELLIS, who many say is a probable future World's Heavyweight Champion, taking on the tough and burly 'BIG' IKE EAKINS, straight from Harlan, Kentucky.

For the fans of the girl grapplers, PENNY BANNER faces newcomer JESSICA ROGERS, making her Charlotte debut, in a special event.

Two other newcomers also brighten the giant card which kicks off at 8:15.

BOBBY RED CLOUD, a Sioux Indian, takes on the crafty GEORGE 'TWO TON' HARRIS, and rugged DOCTOR MENENDEZ, a 250 pounder from the Caribbean, meets Canada's rugged FRANK VALOIS.

BRONCHO LUBICH AND CHRIS MARKOFF WITH MGR. GEORGE "TWO TON HARRIS"