THEY "ENHANCED" THE SHOW

Not every wrestler who worked for JIM CROCKETT PROMOTIONS could headline a wrestling card.

Someone had to work underneath at mid-card or lower level to fill out a show.

But that certainly didn't mean that these guys didn't give their all, night after night, to give the audience their admissions' worth.

And because of their great efforts, I would like to give recognition to some of the many guys who fit into this category, at least, during their tenure with JCP.

RANDY CURTIS

Worked in JCP during his rise in the business, achieved higher success in other territories.

LUTHER LINDSAY

Very popular with the fans. Often teamed with ABE JACOBS or GEORGE 'Catalina' DRAKE in tag team action at mid-card level, or worked as a single lower down the card. Did headline some lesser cards in tag matches in the smaller towns. Sadly, Lindsay died immediately following a match at Charlotte's PARK CENTER.

LES WOLFF

Also was a mid-card tag partner with ABE JACOBS and one of the better "young lions" (as David Crockett would say). A semi-final singles competitor as well.

'Big' JIM GRABMIRE

Never really got any push at all with JCP, worked in single and tag matches. I'm sure I saw Grabmire in person and on TV fifty times, and he never got his hand raised. But he always did a great job of selling and losing to guys much smaller than he.

THE VIKING

Many may not know or remember that this man worked as a tag team partner with 'Sir' NELSON ROYAL when Nellie first came to JCP in the early-mid sixties. Royal did his 'babyface' turn while tagging with THE VIKING. With or without ROYAL, THE VIKING was a good mid-card heel, either in singles or team contests.

'LEAPING' LANNY POFFO wrestled as a single and tag teamed with his brother RANDY POFFO.

(Randy, of course, went on to become a superstar in that northern wrestling company as 'Macho Man' Randy Savage.)

KILLER KARL KRUPP
(a face only a mother could love)

PAUL DEMARCO
went on to become a big-time performer, but paid some undercard dues in JCP in the mid-1960s on his way up, teaming often with Bobby Shane.

GEORGE 'CRY BABY' CANNON

wrestled in JCP in the early 1960s. Had a few smaller town main events teaming with George 'Two Ton' Harris, but mostly was undercard. Later went on to become a very successful manager.

MR. X # 1 & # 2

(Gordon Nelson & Geoff Portz)

Great mid-card team in the late 1970s, great workers who were always entertaining.

DO YOU REMEMBER THESE?

As the Statler Brothers song goes, "Do you remember these?" guys who wrestled for JIM CROCKETT PROMOTIONS?

RUFUS R. JONES

('The Freight Train')

Super popular with the fans.

LORD JONATHAN BOYD

(One half of THE ROYAL KANGAROOS)

JIM DILLON
(before he managed 'The Four Horsemen')

'Bulldog' DON KENT

(Mostly a jobber in JCP but achieved huge success in other territories.)

Remember MR. KLEEN

(I do, especially in a WGHP-HIGH POINT, N.C. TV match in which he was 'destroyed' by LORD JONATHAN BOYD)

BOB GRIFFIN

BOB (Buck) RAMSTEAD

Manager HOMER O'DELL and BRONCHO LUBICH

RICKY FERRARA

THE ALASKANS

MIKE YORK and FRANK MONTE