COWBOYS AND DEMONS

                                                                  September 10, 1966

LEXINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA

60 Years Ago

TONI ROSE

THE MASKED RED DEMONS

with MGR. GEORGE 'TWO TON' HARRIS

TEX McKENZIE

KLONDIKE BILL

NELSON ROYAL

ABE JACOBS

A lumberjack match has been scheduled to see if two top wrestling teams, TEX McKENZIE and NELSON ROYAL on one side, and THE MASKED RED DEMONS on the other, can settle their differences.

Six other big wrestlers will spot themselves around the ring to prevent any run outs of a type taken by the RED DEMONS two weeks ago. With one of the masked men dangerously close to having his identity exposed, the DEMONS bolted to the safety of their dressing room, and the Texans won that match on a count out.

The lumberjack match is set for the best two-out-of-three falls within a one hour time limit.

Huge KLONDIKE BILL, with lumberjack experience, will pair up with the fast New Zealand native ABE JACOBS to meet two big men, GEORGE 'TWO TON' HARRIS and 'BIG BOY' BLONDELL in the other best-of-three falls tag match of the evening.

A special event will send girl grapplers TONI ROSE and DIXIE JORDAN against one another in what should be a crowd pleaser. These two ladies have a history.

Newcomer DON KENT, who debuted here last week, meets the veteran CORSICA JEAN in a singles match, which kicks off the card at 8:15.

THE ASSASSIN #2 AND WAHOO McDANIEL

 

HEAT UNDER THE HOOD

 

THE INFERNOS with Manager J.C. DYKES

JIM CROCKETT PROMOTIONS, throughout the 1960s, was known in the professional wrestling world as the top territory for tag team wrestling. Probably more than ninety percent of the time, a JCP card was topped off with a tag match.

The list of main event teams who worked the MID-ATLANTIC area is a 'Who's Who' of the greatest combos ever in the business.

Other than THE BOLOS, the best masked team to ever hit the Carolinas and Virginia was a couple of guys who went by the ring name of THE INFERNOS. Along side them was a red-headed manager J.C. (Jimmy) DYKES.

There were, through the years, several incarnations of the INFERNO team (and countless impersonators), but the original two 'blue tigers' (as Dykes often called them) were FRANKIE CAIN and ROCKY SMITH. Neither men were big in stature by wrestling standards, but could they ever work!

In interviews, DYKES claimed the duo was European and spoke little English. He was the only person who could really communicate with them well, and did much of it by the use of blowing a whistle during their matches to give them strategic commands.

The wrestling fans, to create problems for the evil trio, soon began bringing their own whistles to the matches. The areas would become deafening with several hundred whistles being blown at the same time. A great way for the fans to be involved in the match.

DYKES also carried a metal canteen to the ring, giving his men a needed refreshment between falls of their matches. Naturally, the metal canteen often found its mark on the noggins of many a 'babyface' opponent.

And it was not beneath the dignity of J.C. to throw an occasional fireball at their adversaries. I recall George Becker and Les Thatcher at the receiving end on two different occasions.

But the 'gimmick' of THE INFERNOS that got the most heat (and this team's heat was as hot as the sun) was the loaded boot.

THE INFERNOS and DYKES drew big money in every territory they appeared, be it the Carolinas and Virginia, Florida, Texas, etc. They headlined countless wrestling cards facing each area's top teams (including other 'heel' teams).

J.C. DYKES died in 1993, FRANKIE CAIN in 2026. ROCKY SMITH has also passed away. FRANKIE CAIN was the first to leave the team when he became pro wrestling's THE GREAT MEPHISTO. Cain was replaced by Rocky's brother CURTIS, who has passed as well.

#1 PAUL JONES AND RICK RUDE

 

FLYING SCOTTS MEET THE BOLOS

                                                  LEXINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA

JANUARY 5, 1963

THE FLYING SCOTT BROTHERS - SANDY and GEORGE

THE GREAT BOLO and BOLO

P.Y. CHUNG

A four match card returns professional wrestling to the LEXINGTON YMCA tonight following a two week holiday layoff.

The Canadian duo of GEORGE and SANDY SCOTT, known in wrestling as THE FLYING SCOTTS, return as a team after a very long abscence. They have a tall order ahead of them as they are paired against the masked terror combo of THE GREAT BOLO and BOLO in the evening's best-of-three falls main event.

Midget stars will also be on hand in a special event when LITTLE BOY BLUE faces PEE WEE LOPEZ.

Two single bouts are also scheduled with the Oriental craftsman P.Y. CHUNG meeting DON WHITTIER, and JOHNNY HEIDEMAN tackles EDUARDO CASTILLIO in the 8:15 opener.

PAMPERO FIRPO

 

HOMER O'DELL IN TIGHTS

                                                                       July 11, 1964

LEXINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA

CHIEF BIG HEART

ALDO BOGNI and BRONCHO LUBICH

GEORGE BECKER

RONNY ETCHISON

NICK KOZAK

MIKE CLANCY

FRANK VALOIS

HOMER O'DELL

Professional wrestling returns to the LEXINGTON YMCA with a bang tonight following a week's layoff because of the Fourth of July holiday.

A six man tag team match, with grudge ingredients thrown in, features the program.

Heroes GEORGE BECKER, RONNIE ETCHISON and CHIEF BIG HEART will battle top bullies ALDO BOGNI, BRONCHO LUBICH along with their arrogant manager, 'COLONEL' HOMER O'DELL, in a best-of-three falls encounter. This time out, O'DELL will don wrestling attire instead of the usual tuxedo and will participate as a legal wrestler.

'IRISH' MIKE CLANCY returns after a long absence and will meet tough Canadian FRANK VALOIS in the semi-final match of the evening.

Newcomer NICK KOZAK battles TOMMY O'TOOLE, and in the 8:15 opener, BOB BOYER faces PANCHO GOMEZ.

PENNY BANNER

 

63 YEARS AGO IN LEXINGTON

                                                            Lexington, North Carolina

February 10, 1963

SIX MAN TAG TEAM action tops tonight's big wrestling card at the LEXINGTON YMCA.

The hero trio of GEORGE BECKER, JOHNNY 'RUBBERMAN' WALKER * and Indian great BILLY TWO RIVERS will clash with the rugged threesome of SWEDE HANSON, PANCHO VILLA and 'BIG' IKE EAKINS in the two-out-of-three fall main event.

GEORGE BECKER

BILLY TWO RIVERS

'BIG' IKE EAKINS

JOHNNY 'RUBBERMAN' WALKER

SWEDE HANSON


TONY 'CRUSHER' ANGELO, a big name in the wrestling profession and a big man at three hundred pounds, meets Frenchman FELIX LAMBAN in the night's semi-final attraction.

LOUIS BONE, a popular star, makes his debut when he meets Japan's YASHINO SATO ** in the 8:15 opening match.



* JOHNNY 'RUBBERMAN' WALKER later wrestled as MR. WRESTLING 2.

** YASHINO SATO later wrestled as THE GREAT KABUKI.

BLACKJACK MULLIGAN