Thinking back through all of my MID-ATLANTIC CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING memories, I recall that JIM CROCKETT PROMOTIONS was synonymous with our nation's INDEPENDENCE DAY.
The point during the summer season in which JCP held BIG shows all over their territory.
In the final years, it was THE GREAT AMERICAN BASH, a virtual month-long tour throughout the United States.
In the earlier years, the JULY 4th shows were limited to the Carolinas, Virginia and West Virginia. But they were still BIG cards at the big venues.
My territory was limited to Greensboro, Charlotte and Winston-Salem, N.C., so let's go back and revisit some of the great FOURTH OF JULY shows JCP provided...
GOD BLESS AMERICA
GREENSBORO, N.C.
July 4, 1963
GEORGE BECKER and ARGENTINA ROCCA topped BRONCHO LUBICH and ALDO BOGNI with HOMER O'DELL.
GEORGE and SANDY SCOTT bested DOC and MIKE GALLAGHER.
JOHNNY WEAVER and RIP HAWK wrestled to a draw.
LITTLE BOY BLUE stopped CHICO SANTANA.
BRENDA SCOTT pinned OLGA MARTINEZ.
July 4, 1963
GEORGE BECKER and ARGENTINA ROCCA topped BRONCHO LUBICH and ALDO BOGNI with HOMER O'DELL.
GEORGE and SANDY SCOTT bested DOC and MIKE GALLAGHER.
JOHNNY WEAVER and RIP HAWK wrestled to a draw.
LITTLE BOY BLUE stopped CHICO SANTANA.
BRENDA SCOTT pinned OLGA MARTINEZ.
GREENSBORO, N.C.
July 5, 1962
HANS SCHMIDT defeated PAT O'CONNOR to become the NWA U.S. HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION.
GEORGE BECKER and ARGENTINA ROCCA whipped P.Y. CHUNG and TARO MYAKI.
RIP HAWK defeated JOHNNY WEAVER via DQ.
PENNY BANNER pinned ANN LAVERNE.
DICK STEINBORN topped ANGELO SAVALDI.
ABE JACOBS and ROCK HUNTER wrestled to a draw.
GREENSBORO, N.C.July 4, 1964
HAYSTACK CALHOUN and JOHNNY WEAVER won over THE GREAT BOLO and BOLO via countout.
PENNY BANNER and JUDY GLOVER toppled CORA COMBS and KATHY O'BRIEN.
TIM WOODS defeated FRANK VALOIS.
NICK KOZAK and JOHN HEATH wrestled to a draw.
BOB BOYER and LORD LITTLEBROOK got past PEE WEE LOPEZ and PEDRO GODOY.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.July 1, 1967
THE INFERNOS with J.C. DYKES defeated GEORGE BECKER and JOHNNY WEAVER via DQ.
RIP HAWK and SWEDE HANSON lost to THE KENTUCKIANS via DQ.
P.Y. CHUNG and HARU SASAKI topped DON CHUY and JERRY LONDON.
PENNY BANNER pinned DONNA CHRISTIAN.
LUTHER LINDSAY won over BULL RAMOS.
GREENSBORO, N.C.
July 3, 1975
JOHNNY VALENTINE defeated HARLEY RACE to become the NWA U.S. HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION.
GENE and OLE ANDERSON topped ANDRE THE GIANT and PAUL JONES.
RUFUS R. JONES was the winner of the 21-MAN BATTLE ROYAL.
Winners of single matches were KEN PATERA, RUFUS R. JONES, BORIS MALENKO, STEVE KEIRN, KLONDIKE BILL, RON STARR and SANDY SCOTT.
July 3, 1975
JOHNNY VALENTINE defeated HARLEY RACE to become the NWA U.S. HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION.
GENE and OLE ANDERSON topped ANDRE THE GIANT and PAUL JONES.
RUFUS R. JONES was the winner of the 21-MAN BATTLE ROYAL.
Winners of single matches were KEN PATERA, RUFUS R. JONES, BORIS MALENKO, STEVE KEIRN, KLONDIKE BILL, RON STARR and SANDY SCOTT.
GREENSBORO, N.C.
July 4, 1976
TERRY FUNK retained the NWA WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP over WAHOO McDANIEL.
BLACKJACK MULLIGAN lost to RUFUS R. JONES via DQ.
ANDRE THE GIANT and PAUL JONES topped GENE and OLE ANDERSON.
JOHNNY WEAVER won over 'CRUSHER' JERRY BLACKWELL.
STEVE BOLUS and ANGELO POFFO wrestled to a draw.
JOHNNY EAGLE topped DR. FUJIANI.
HANS SCHROEDER pinned KLONDIKE BILL.
July 4, 1976
TERRY FUNK retained the NWA WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP over WAHOO McDANIEL.
BLACKJACK MULLIGAN lost to RUFUS R. JONES via DQ.
ANDRE THE GIANT and PAUL JONES topped GENE and OLE ANDERSON.
JOHNNY WEAVER won over 'CRUSHER' JERRY BLACKWELL.
STEVE BOLUS and ANGELO POFFO wrestled to a draw.
JOHNNY EAGLE topped DR. FUJIANI.
HANS SCHROEDER pinned KLONDIKE BILL.
GREENSBORO, N.C.
July 3, 1977
GREG VALENTINE retained the MID-ATLANTIC HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP via DQ over WAHOO McDANIEL.
ANDRE THE GIANT and THE MIGHTY IGOR defeated THE MASKED SUPERSTAR with BORIS MALENKO and BLACKJACK MULLIGAN.
RICKY STEAMBOAT retained the MID-ATLANTIC TV CHAMPIONSHIP over RIC FLAIR.
(Flair won the match but not within the 15-minute TV time limit.)
BOBO BRAZIL and TIGER CONWAY JR. bested THE MISSOURI MAULER and KIM DUK.
BRUTE BERNARD lost to JOHNNY WEAVER.
DANNY MILLER (subbing for FRANKIE LAINE) topped 'CRUSHER' JERRY BLACKWELL.
STEVE KOVAKS wrestled the masked MR. X to a draw.
(Illustrations from CLASSIC CLIPS, compiled by MARK EASTRIDGE)
July 3, 1977
GREG VALENTINE retained the MID-ATLANTIC HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP via DQ over WAHOO McDANIEL.
ANDRE THE GIANT and THE MIGHTY IGOR defeated THE MASKED SUPERSTAR with BORIS MALENKO and BLACKJACK MULLIGAN.
RICKY STEAMBOAT retained the MID-ATLANTIC TV CHAMPIONSHIP over RIC FLAIR.
(Flair won the match but not within the 15-minute TV time limit.)
BOBO BRAZIL and TIGER CONWAY JR. bested THE MISSOURI MAULER and KIM DUK.
BRUTE BERNARD lost to JOHNNY WEAVER.
DANNY MILLER (subbing for FRANKIE LAINE) topped 'CRUSHER' JERRY BLACKWELL.
STEVE KOVAKS wrestled the masked MR. X to a draw.
(Illustrations from CLASSIC CLIPS, compiled by MARK EASTRIDGE)
