SWEET EBONY DIAMOND (ROCKY JOHNSON)

 

THE SIZZLIN' SIXTIES

   From West Virginia to South Carolina, JCP fans had no trouble finding great wrestling entertainment...

ABE JACOBS

CHARLESTON, W.V. - 1969

ABE JACOBS, GEORGE and SANDY SCOTT topped LARS, GENE and OLE ANDERSON in six man action.

LITTLE BRUISER pinned COWBOY LANG.

PAUL DEMARCO and BOB RAMSTEAD lost to THE MASKED RED DEMONS.

LES WOLFE toppled TINKER TODD.

GEORGE and SANDY SCOTT

LYNCHBURG, VA. - 1968

GEORGE and SANDY SCOTT bested HARU SASAKI and P.Y. CHUNG.

BOBBY RED CLOUD and CHIEF LITTLE EAGLE won over THE INFERNOS with J.C. DYKES via DQ.

CHUCK CONLEY topped THE MATADOR.

ROGER KIRBY pinned ALEX MEDINA.

JOHN and CHRIS TOLOS

GREENVILLE, S.C. - 1966

JOHNNY WEAVER defeated JOHN and CHRIS TOLOS in a Handicap Match.

GEORGE and SANDY SCOTT bested MIKE GALLAGHER and PEDRO ZAPATA.

'THE BIG O' BOB ORTON stopped RON REED. *

*RON REED later wrestled as BUDDY COLT.

LUTHER LINDSAY pinned 'ROWDY' RED ROBERTS.

'THE BIG O' BOB ORTON

RICHMOND, VA. - 1966

KURT and HENRY VON STROHEIM beat GEORGE and SANDY SCOTT.

GEORGE BECKER and JOHNNY WEAVER won from 'THE BIG O' BOB ORTON and THE GREAT MALENKO.

IKE EAKINS topped JIM GRABMIRE.

DON CHUY pinned MIKE PAIDOUSIS.

TEX McKENZIE

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - 1966

ALDO BOGNI and BRONCHO LUBICH with HOMER O'DELL lost to TEX McKENZIE and NELSON ROYAL.

RIP HAWK and SWEDE HANSON defeated ABE JACOBS and RUDY KAYE.

PAUL DEMARCO topped GENE ANDERSON.

GEORGE 'CATALINA' DRAKE pinned GORY GUERRERO.

JESSE JAMES

ROANOKE, VA. - 1969

ALDO BOGNI, BRONCHO LUBICH and GEORGE 'TWO TON' HARRIS won over GEORGE and SANDY SCOTT and LES WOLFE in six man action.

GREG PETERSON and JESSE JAMES bested TOM BRADLEY and JOHNNY HEIDEMAN.

RANDY CURTIS defeated GEORGE GRANT.

EL GAUCHO topped RON CHARLES.

THE BOLOS (JODY HAMILTON AND TOM RENESTO)

 

RIP HAWK'S OTHER SIDE

 

This is the way JIM CROCKETT PROMOTIONS wrestling fans saw RIP 'The Profile' HAWK...entering the ring to do battle and to win any way he could. Hair pulling, trunk pulling, piledriving...any way.

RIP was a 'heel' mainstay for JCP for nearly fifteen years and was at the top of many fans' "Most Hated" list.

But there was a wrestling side of 'The Profile' the general public never saw, and with the aid of this article which originally appeared in the September, 1975 issue of Sports Review WRESTLER, I'd like to share it with you...

RIP HAWK oversees a group of high school wrestlers. RIP generously gives his time to these youngsters.

Every man is a combination of things. When you think you know someone, he or she will very often do something that is as uncharacteristic as it is unexpected. Rip Hawk was no exception to that rule.

Most of the world knew HAWK as one of the most ruthless rulebreakers in wrestling, a man incapable of mercy or honor. Instead of denying these charges, HAWK would boast of his cruelty with glee.

Yet, when the spotlights were turned away from him, RIP could be found in a local high school gym teaching members of the school's wrestling team. RIP would go over the fundamentals of the sport and correct the youngsters when necessary. And one thing that RIP stressed above all else is that the grapplers must be scrupulously clean !

"Before you break the rules," HAWK said when no students were present, "you've got to master the rules. What I hope to do is give these kids a sound base from which they can grow. And who the hell wants kids bleeding and crippled anyway? For professionals, it's different. We earn a living by winning - - at all costs. Kids wrestle to develop a team spirit, a physical discipline and a sense of fairness. Though the basics may be the same, the goals are completely different."

Wrestler TERRY SAWYER also lends a helping hand.

Yet, why did a man who tortured his opponents with animal abandon want to help youngsters at all? RIP hesitated before he answered the question, and one got the feeling he wasn't quite sure himself.

"Someone was needed," RIP said, "and I was available. Anyway, if a sport gives you a lot, you owe it something in return. This is my way of paying some long outstanding dues.

If one wasn't familiar with RIP HAWK, it would be easy to swear that the wrestling instructor and the wrestler were two different people. HAWK the wrestler strutted arrogantly, whereas HAWK the instructor moved with unassuming grace.

When grappling for money, RIP would explode at any slight provocation. When teaching the kids a complicated hold, he would become the most patient of men, calmly going over and over the maneuver until the youth felt comfortable executing it.

After devoting time at the high school, RIP went straight to the arena to wrestle. He was his vicious self, making his opponent a bloody mess. If you had told the victim about what HAWK had done hours earlier, he'd have called you crazy. And as the doctor stitched up his wounds, who could blame him?

RIP instructs the students in technique.

Amazingly, thirty-five years after this article was originally published, RIP HAWK, at the local YMCA in the Texas town in which he resided, was still instructing kids the art of wrestling.

NIKITA KOLOFF

 

EVERY MATCH A MAIN EVENT

                                                                   AUGUST 10, 1959

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA

67 Years Ago

Many wrestling fans are saying that promoter JIM CROCKETT has outdone himself with tonight's pro wrestling card. Every match on the program could headline any wrestling show anywhere in the United States.

But it is the fans in the CHARLOTTE area who shall reap the benefits.

In tonight's headliner at PARK CENTER, the devious duo of MR. MOTO and DUKE KEOMUKA will face another challenge for their SOUTHERN TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP. The Japs, who have protected their titles at any cost against all comers in the month they have had the belts, will face a severe challenge when they meet fan favorites GEORGE BECKER and BILLY TWO RIVERS, the top-ranked contenders. The championship encounter is set for the best two-of-three falls, with a one hour time limit.

The semi-final squares off PAT O'HARA and THE GREAT BOLO. Perhaps tonight will be the lucky night for the Irishman in his quest to unmask the hooded ruffian. O'HARA has come close a few times, but THE GREAT BOLO has managed to hang on to his mask...so far. This one's also two-out-of-three falls, forty-five minute limit.

The main prelim sends popular DANO O'SHOCKER against the rugged LARRY 'CRUSHER' HAMILTON for one fall, thirty minutes.

And the 8:15 opener, set for one fall and twenty minutes, has REGGIE PARKS, the handsome Canadian scraper from Ontario, meeting CYCLONE ANAYA.

Fans are encouraged to arrive early to guarantee a seat.

TONY ATLAS

 

INFERNOS HEAT VERSUS FLYING SCOTTS

                                                                        May 11, 1968

LEXINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA

58 Years Ago

"THE FLYING SCOTT BROTHERS" GEORGE and SANDY, have decided that it's time someone puts an end to the destruction caused by the masked duo of THE INFERNOS.

And they will get their chance tonight when the SCOTT BROTHERS meet THE INFERNOS in the middle of the ring in the headline wrestling contest at the LEXINGTON YMCA.

THE INFERNOS, the bullies managed by J.C. DYKES, have been causing lots of problems for lots of wrestlers since coming to this wrestling area. DYKES is one problem, constantly interfering in his men's matches. The other is the controversial wrestling boot worn by one of the masked men. Many wrestlers are claiming that there is something, other than a foot, in that boot.

GEORGE and SANDY SCOTT are cautiously optimistic about tonight's two-out-of-three falls match. "These guys wear masks, keeping their identities secret. We don't know why. But we have to admit that these men are great wrestlers. Add in their constant rule breaking, and DYKES' involvement in their matches...it's going to be tough. But we face tough teams all the time. We'll be ready. And who knows, maybe we'll get an opportunity to get our hands on that boot and maybe even find out who these INFERNOS are by removing their masks. We're sure going to give it our best."

Another best-of-three falls tag match sends the popular duo of THE AMAZING ZUMA and LES THATCHER against tough BULL JOHNSON and Russia's NIKITA MULKOVICH.

A favorite of the wrestling fans, BOB NANDOR meets rugged veteran JOHNNY HEIDEMAN.

JACK RICO challenges local star SONNY FARGO in the 8:15 opening contest.

KEN PATERA

 

BECKER BATTLES BOLO

                                                                  September 12, 1960

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA

66 Years Ago

The long-awaited return bout between fan favorite GEORGE BECKER and the much-hated masked man, THE GREAT BOLO, will headline tonight's PARK CENTER wrestling card starting at 8:15.

Hero BECKER, who recently returned to the ring after a six month absence due to a severe knee injury, has won three straight matches here preparing for his return tussle with the hooded BOLO.

In their first meeting, BECKER won the first fall, and then the pair fought a standoff the remainder of their one hour time limit.

Perhaps a technical BECKER victory, it was not an official one as two winning falls were not recorded, therefore THE GREAT BOLO was NOT required to unmask. BOLO has a stipulation in his contracts stating that he will unmask in the ring after losing two-out-of-three falls to a pin fall or submission.

Tag team action makes up the semifinal tonight when GEORGE and SANDY SCOTT face JAN MADRID and GYPSY JOE in another best-of-three falls contest.

Singles action opens the card with FARMER JONES returning to Charlotte to meet TOM BRADLEY, and JACK CURTIS goes against LOUIS TILLET in the opening contest.