2009...IT'S A WRAP!

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JANUARY 31, 1966

LEXINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA

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43 Years Ago

A brief Christmas hiatus from wrestling ends tonight when four matches, including a SIX MAN TAG TEAM contest, helps ring in 1967 at the LEXINGTON YMCA.

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Popular KLONDIKE BILL and young BOBBY SHANE will be joined by big and rough IKE EAKINS for six man action against rugged opponents ALDO BOGNI, BRONCHO LUBICH and "COLONEL" HOMER O'DELL, who will be making an infrequent appearance as a wrestler. These two threesomes will battle it out for the best two falls out of three, with a one hour time limit.

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Three singles contests compliment the big main event.

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JESSE JAMES battles tough PEDRO ZAPATA.

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Rough operator BIG BOY BLONDELL clashes with fellow meany PEDRO GODOY.

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TINKER TODD and EL GAUCHO kick things off at 8:15.

AULD LANG SYNE...

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December 30, 1963

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA

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46 Years Ago

Some of the roughest tag team action of the winter is expected in the two top bouts that head up 1963's final professional wrestling card tonight at PARK CENTER.

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The big number has THE KENTUCKIANS, BIG BOY BROWN and TINY ANDERSON, tackling bullies ALDO BOGNI and BRONCHO LUBICH for one hour, two-of-three falls. Meddlesome manager "COLONEL" HOMER O'DELL will be in the BOGNI / LUBICH corner.

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The semi-windup affair pits the rugged German brother duo of KURT and KARL VON BRAUNER against the equally rough combo of IKE EAKINS and TARZAN TYLER. This match is set for forty-five minutes, also the best-of-three falls. TYLER and EAKINS will have to keep an eye peeled for the German's manager, "GENTLEMAN" SAUL WEINGROFF, who will accompany his men to the ring.

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Newcomer ALEX MEDINA tops the prelim bouts with a one fall match against GEORGE "TWO TON" HARRIS.

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The 8:15 opener has a pair of fast-moving midgets going at it. CHICO SANTANA and MAURICE CEMARD are the participants.

HOT RING ACTION EVERY NIGHT IN JCP...

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RIC FLAIR and HARLEY RACE battle for the WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP.

A TRIPLE THREAT...

RIP HAWK, "PLAYBOY" GARY HART, SWEDE HANSON

An INDIAN STRAP MATCH featuring RIC FLAIR and WAHOO McDANIEL

A familiar sight for wrestling fans...

DUSTY RHODES out cold.

JERRY BRISCO relaxes...

A battle of masked men...

THE ASSASSIN versus MR. WRESTLING 2

Referee ANGELO MARTINELLI raises the hand of LES THATCHER.

CHRISTMAS AT THE COLISEUM...

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December 25, 1968

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA

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41 Years Ago

A total of eighteen professional wrestlers will participate in a charity program at the CHARLOTTE COLISEUM tonight, presented by JIM CROCKETT PROMOTIONS.

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A FENCE MATCH is the top attraction this Christmas. SAILOR ART THOMAS, GEORGE BECKER and JOHNNY WEAVER face THE MISSOURI MAULER, HIRO MATSUDA and HOMER O'DELL in this specialty. A seven-foot chain link steel fence is to be rigged around the squared circle. Contestants will do-or-die to the finish in this match, as neither team will be able to escape before the match is over.

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The MINNESOTA WRECKING CREW, GENE and OLE ANDERSON, will tangle with JIMMY and BILLY HINES in the semi-final best-of-three falls match. Fans may recall that the HINES brothers wrestled a few years back as THE MASKED RED DEMONS.

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There will be a special ladies wrestling contest.

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Midgets are also on this holiday variety card. LORD LITTLEBROOK will defend his mighty honor against THE MIGHTY ATOM.

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"BULLDOG" LEE HENNING will be out to take down NELSON ROYAL in a one-fall contest.

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The opener sends TINKER TODD against PAUL JONES.

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Tickets are available at the NATIONAL HAT SHOP and the COLISEUM box office. Doors open at 7:00 and the matches begin at 8:15.

A JIM CROCKETT STOCKING STUFFER...

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December 25, 1969

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA

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40 Years Ago

Promoter JIM CROCKETT has slated another CHRISTMAS DAY spectacular for the CHARLOTTE COLISEUM, starting at 8:15 p.m.

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It is a charity card with a FENCE MATCH set as the headliner.

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This type of match takes place inside a seven-foot high steel barrier, which eliminates any escape routes by the combatants.

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The two teams confined will be fan favorites GEORGE BECKER and JOHNNY WEAVER and the angry twosome of SKULL MURPHY and BRUTE BERNARD.

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In their last meeting, MURPHY enlisted the aid of a steel chair, smashing WEAVER's head into a bloody mess, then bolting to the dressing room. The fence will prevent MURPHY (or anyone else) from doing it this time.

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This main event is set for two-out-of-three falls, within a one-hour time limit.

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"Two other tag team matches are booked on tonight's card," said CROCKETT.

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ABE JACOBS and LES WOLFE will face KURT VON STROHEIM and ART NELSON in one of them.

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In the other, SAILOR ART THOMAS and LUTHER LINDSAY will collide with GENE and OLE ANDERSON, the MINNESOTA WRECKING CREW.

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"It's a wrestling card with something for everybody," said CROCKETT, pointing to the Christmas spirit of the event. "We'll also have midgets and girls as well."

'SNO FUN...

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EVEN WRESTLERS LIKE TO PLAY IN THE SNOW

Here we have PAUL JONES, DICK "THE DESTROYER" BEYER and NELSON ROYAL

building a snowman.

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The guys were on a tour of Japan in 1969 when Tokyo was hit with a snowstorm.

RIP AND THE MASKED MEN...

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December 18, 1961

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA

---48 Years Ago

There's an old adage that "nice guys finish last," and that's the promise of the mystery team of THE MASKED MEDICS and RIP "The Profile" HAWK, joining forces to take on three "nice guys" at tonight's PARK CENTER wrestling card.

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Opposing "The Profile" and THE MEDICS will be ABE JACOBS, LENNY MONTANA and DON McCLARITY, three tough cookies who prefer to wrestle cleanly. Just whether each trio will stick to its tested methods, and what the opposition will do if this is the case, will make for an interesting two-out-of-three falls main event.

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The semi-final will send Indian CHIEF BIG HEART against rugged GYPSY JOE, and the main prelim squares off BILL PARKS against tough LAVERNE BAXTER.

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The 8:15 opener bills HENRY PHILLIPS against "Roughhouse" SONNY FARGO for a one fall, twenty minute match.

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DECEMBER 16, 1967

LEXINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA

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42 Years Ago

Wrestling will observe a week's hiatus at the LEXINGTON YMCA at the completion of tonight's star-packed holiday card.

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The traditional Christmas holiday break will be observed on Saturday, December 23, with action returning December 30.

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Two tag team main events feature tonight's festive card. Both are set for the best-of-three falls.

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THE FLYING SCOTTS, GEORGE and SANDY, will meet the rough and rowdy duo of THE MISSOURI MAULER and PAMPERO FIRPO. These two teams have battled each other here before, with nothing really being settled. Perhaps that will change in tonight's contest.

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Ruffians TINY MILLS and STEVE STANLEE, fresh from a victory here last week, might find the going very tough this time when they meet prize grapplers ABE JACOBS and LUTHER LINDSAY, back together after ABE's recent return to the area.

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Two single matches will open the holiday program, the first at 8:15.

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ROGER KIRBY will meet THE MATADOR, and DENNIS HALL faces CHUCK CONLEY.

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The youthful and popular KIRBY and HALL are cousins.

CROCKETT PROMOTIONS GAVE US THE BEST...

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RIP HAWK shows he could wrestle as well as break rules.

JOHNNY WEAVER in control of his match.

Russian "bad guy" NIKITA MULKOVICH prepares for his match.

SKULL MURPHY having a bad day at the office.

A bloodied GREG VALENTINE and partner RIC FLAIR puttin' it to RUFUS R. JONES.

GENE ANDERSON and DUSTY RHODES trading blows.

The match over, RIC FLAIR hops into his Caddy and heads back to Charlotte.

ED CAPRAL interviews #1 PAUL JONES on TV's WIDE WORLD WRESTLING.

Referee SONNY FARGO tries to get GREG VALENTINE and RIC FLAIR off WAHOO MCDANIEL.

A MAIN EVENT OF INTERNATIONAL FLAVOR...

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December 10, 1966

LEXINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA

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43 Years Ago

Two tag teams plus a battle between two pretty girl grapplers give interest to tonight's LEXINGTON YMCA mat card, kicking off at 8:15.

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The popular duo of KLONDIKE BILL and ABE JACOBS are rematched tonight against KURT and HENRY VON STROHEIM. The German brothers made demands for this return match after a disputed loss to BILL and ABE here last Saturday.

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PAUL DEMARCO and LUTHER LINDSEY, hero winners last week, return to face top competition in the likes of RIP HAWK and SWEDE HANSON, wrestling's "BLONDE BOMBERS."

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Both tag team battles are set for the best two-out-of-three falls.

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PENNY BANNER, the most popular girl wrestler around these parts, faces stiff competition when she faces TAMMY JONES, a not-so-nice lady, in a special one fall event.

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TINKER TODD clashes with EL GAUCHO in the opening bout of the night. Don't look for many rules to be followed in this one.

DOWN AND DIRTY...

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December 10, 1962

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA

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47 Years Ago

A rematch of the tag team bout between two rowdy combos, THE GREAT BOLO and BOLO and RIP HAWK and ROCK HUNTER, headlines tonight's wrestling card at PARK CENTER.

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The two teams collided last Monday night, with HAWK and HUNTER receiving a disqualification loss for going beyond the rule limitations allowed. RIP and ROCK apparently entered the ring with that intention, and maybe were willing to take the DQ in order to wreck havoc on THE BOLOs, which they did. When the BOLOs exited the ring, one was a bloody mess, and the other's mask was ripped half-way off his head.

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HAWK and HUNTER have vowed they will finish the job tonight, and the reign of terror of THE BOLOs will be over. This week's two-out-of-three falls match, however, will be fought under a NO DISQUALIFICATION stipulation, meaning either team can do virtually anything they choose without risk of penalty.

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In the evening's other tag battle, GEORGE and SANDY SCOTT, both winners in individual competition last Monday, are reunited as "THE FLYING SCOTTS" when they collide with IKE EAKINS and PANCHO VILLA in a best-of-three falls encounter.

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Single actions finds popular JOHNNY WEAVER facing BILL PARKS, and RAY VILLMER battling FELIX LAMBAN.

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Action begins at 8:15.

THE "BAD GUYS" WILL PROBABLY WIN...

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December 9, 1968

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA

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41 Years Ago Today

Promoter JIM CROCKETT has announced the complete wrestling card set for tonight at PARK CENTER starting at 8:15.

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The headliner finds two of the nation's toughest tag teams opposing one another. GENE and OLE ANDERSON, known as the "MINNESOTA WRECKING CREW", will go hammer and tong with the brutal combination of THE MISSOURI MAULER and HIRO MATSUDA. As usual, HOMER O'DELL will second the MAULER and his Japanese partner. It's set for two-out-of-three falls.

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Since the ANDERSONs and O'DELL's team have both been steady winners at tag team efforts, the outcome will be interesting for the fans. It will also provide a key to future main event shots for the winning combination.

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Towering ART THOMAS, the wrestling sailor from Arkansas, and THE AMAZING ZUMA will test the talents of the brother duo TERRY and RONNIE GARVIN. This one is also for the best-of-three falls.

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JESSE JAMES grapples with LEON BAXTER in one of the prelims.

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The opener offers SILENTO RODRIGUEZ, the Mexican swifty, against EL GAUCHO in a "south of the border" contest.

TWO BRUTES AND TWO KENTUCKIANS...

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December 5, 1964

LEXINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA

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45 Years Ago

A SIX MAN TAG TEAM MATCH, growing out of a disputed finish of a tag battle last week, features tonight's wrestling card at the LEXINGTON YMCA, kicking off at 8:15.

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GEORGE BECKER, who served as referee last week after the assigned official was injured and who was involved in the final fall, will join last week's winners THE KENTUCKIANS, TINY ANDERSON and BIG BOY BROWN, to form one team. The two angry losers of the same match, BRUTE BERNARD and SKULL MURPHY, will be joined by THE BRUTE to form what should be one of the roughest trios ever to enter the Lexington ring.

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The battle will go for the best two-out-of-three falls with a one hour time limit.

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Girl wrestlers PENNY BANNER and MARGIE RAMSEY will square off in a special attraction.

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The opening match sends GEORGE "TWO TON" HARRIS against young DOUG GILBERT.

IT COULD GET MESSY...

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December 3, 1962

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA

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47 Years Ago

A pair of tag team matches will headline tonight's big PARK CENTER professional wrestling program starting at 8:15.

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The main event is a long-awaited skirmish of THE GREAT BOLO and BOLO meeting RIP HAWK and ROCK HUNTER. The two masked men have yet to taste defeat in Charlotte as a team, and HAWK and HUNTER claim they're the two men who are tough and rugged enough to put down the hooded duo. They'll have one hour and two-of-three falls to do the job.

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The other team contest sends THE KENTUCKIANS, TINY ANDERSON and BIG BOY BROWN, against JOHN SCOTT and IVAN KAMEROFF. This one is also for two-out-of-three falls with a one-hour time limit.

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THE FLYING SCOTTS, GEORGE and SANDY, are also scheduled, but in individual competition.

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SANDY faces big IKE EAKINS, and GEORGE will take on GEORGE "TWO TON" HARRIS.

"LEGEND" - A WORD SOMETIMES OVER-USED...

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BUT NOT WHEN SPEAKING OF THE FOLLOWING...

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These guys did it all in the world of professional wrestling. They were all impact players in every territory they worked, and that certainly includes the JIM CROCKETT PROMOTIONS area.

RIP HAWK and SWEDE HANSON

WAHOO MCDANIEL

SKULL MURPHY and BRUTE BERNARD

JACK BRISCO