ANOTHER SIDE OF RIP HAWK

 

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.

HOMER'S IN HOT WATER

                                                                   October 31, 1964

LEXINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA

THE KENTUCKIANS

TINY ANDERSON and BIG BOY BROWN

GEORGE BECKER

BRONCHO LUBICH and ALDO BOGNI

THE BEAST

GEORGE 'TWO TON' HARRIS

RUDY KAYE

JESSE JAMES

The HOMER O'DELL gang may find their Halloween to be a haunting one tonight at the LEXINGTON YMCA when they face THE KENTUCKIANS, TINY ANDERSON and BIG BOY BROWN, and their hero partner GEORGE BECKER.

It's tonight's big main event.

Last Saturday night, O'DELL, after losing one fall to BECKER, tucked tail and ran like a scalded dog, bringing an abrupt ending to their match. Tonight, the 'COLONEL' will have his two rule breaking men, BRONCHO LUBICH and ALDO BOGNI, to cower behind during their SIX MAN TAG TEAM MATCH. O'DELL will need that protection in the best-of-three falls match, as BECKER wants another piece of HOMER's hide for his taking a powder last time. THE KENTUCKIANS have promised to look after BOGNI and LUBICH.

Another big crowd is expected to witness this big contest, as well as the three fine supporting matches on the card.

DOUG GILBERT will test PEDRO ZAPATA.

RUDY KAYE faces THE BEAST. *

JESSE JAMES squares off against GEORGE 'TWO TON' HARRIS in the 8:15 opener.

* Rudy Kaye and The Beast were, in fact, brothers. Rudy's real name was Jean-Louis Cormier. The Beast was Yvon Cormier.

 

COWBOYS, SKIN HEADS AND RAMS

                                                                     March 12, 1966

LEXINGTON, N.C.

NELSON ROYAL

TEX McKENZIE

KURT VON STROHEIM

BRUTE BERNARD and SKULL MURPHY

STEVE BOLUS

GORY GUERRERO

The wrestling tag teams of TEX McKENZIE / NELSON ROYAL and BRUTE BERNARD / SKULL MURPHY will return to the LEXINGTON YMCA tonight for more professional wrestling action, but each shall be meeting different foes.

The cowboys, TEX and NELSON, who gained a disputed win over BRUTE and SKULL last Saturday, will face the rugged German brother combo of KURT and HENRY VON STROHEIM.

The co-feature tonight pairs BERNARD and MURPHY against the NFL L.A. RAMS duo of DON CHUY and JOE CAROLLO.

Both tag matches are set for the best two-of-three falls.

Singles action tonight finds popular STEVE BOLUS against Mexico's GORY GUERRERO.

There is also an 8:15 opening match.

 

 

BACK TO THE SEVENTIES

 

BLACKJACK MULLIGAN's "claw" does in another opponent.

RIC FLAIR stomps on THUNDERBOLT PATTERSON.

JERRY "CRUSHER" BLACKWELL ties up an adversary.

JERRY and JACK BRISCO clown for the camera.

GENE ANDERSON receives a GREG VALENTINE leg drop.

GREG VALENTINE on the receiving end of a WAHOO MCDANIEL chop.

After a match, nothing like a big cigar and good wrestling magazine for the "NATURE BOY".

 

SUMMER WRESTLING IN STATESVILLE, NC

                                                                     June 2, 1967

STATESVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA

The Card...

The Results...
-

Another summer came to Statesville, and like the previous year, I could be found in my $2.00 ringside seat (on this night, the front row - - you know, Peggy Lathan-type seats).

And what a way to kick off the wrestling summer - - THE INFERNOS were on the card!

I've written many times how J.C. DYKES and THE INFERNOS have always been at the top of my list of all-time favorite tag teams, and here I was, just a few feet away from them.

And something bizarre happened on this night. Refer to the results clipping. It mentions that prior to the main event, a local citizen was arrested for throwing a cup of water on THE INFERNOS. This needs some clarification.

What really happened is as follows: Just as DYKES and his boys came around the ring to climb up the steps into the ring (the steps were on the side of the ring where I was seated), this bafoon, who was sitting at the end of the front row, jumped up from his chair, and threw a large cup of Coca-Cola (not water as the article states) in the face of J.C. DYKES (not THE INFERNOS). DYKES was wearing a blue paisley tuxedo jacket, and it was soaked with the soft drink, as was J.C.'s face.

The idiot then takes off running towards center field of the baseball stadium in which the event was being held. Obviously, he hadn't thought his escape plan through, as there was NO EXIT anywhere in the entire outfield, only a wooden fence, probably eight feet high, of which he had NO CHANCE of scaling.

Both of the masked men immediately took off after the goof, which must have been difficult for THE INFERNO wearing the built-up boot. Nevertheless, they tackled the guy close to dead center field and began punching him mercilessly.

J.C. was close behind, and upon his arrival on the scene, began swinging the metal canteen (which was on a cloth strap) and landed several hard blows on the guy.

A few seconds later, the off-duty Statesville policemen working security made their way to the area, and they cuffed the instigator and walked him all the way back to the infield, straight out of the stadium to the hoosegow, where I'm sure he spent the night as a guest of the city.

I felt badly for J.C. on this hot night because he then had to work the match covered in sticky Coke syrup, but like the pro he was, he did.

It was a great night, and I soon discovered that a few weeks later, THE INFERNOS would return to Statesville to face a team who broke as many rules as they did.

FLAIR / STEAMBOAT - NOBODY DID IT BETTER

 

RICKY STEAMBOAT

RIC FLAIR

Referee TOMMY YOUNG insists the combatants follow the rules...

YOUNG looks on as FLAIR refuses his 'official' request...

Whether they were opponents or partners, the matches of FLAIR and STEAMBOAT lit up the JCP territory as much as anything during the 1970s and 1980s.

Steamboat has the upper hand (arm actually).

Flair returns the favor.

THE GREAT BOLO SEES RED

                                                                    August 26, 1958

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA

A FIGHT TO THE FINISH will headline tonight's PARK CENTER wrestling program

The NO TIME LIMIT bout will give RED BASTIEN a second shot at THE GREAT BOLO, and if BASTIEN can capture two falls-out-of-three, off will come BOLO's mask.

Last Monday night, the pair battled to a one-hour draw without a single fall being recorded during the sixty-minute time limit.

"There must be a decision this week," says promoter JIM CROCKETT. "I don't care if they have to wrestle three hours---this match is going to settle something."

The semi-final scrap is a tag team contest that pairs GEORGE BECKER and CYCLONE ANAYA against the rugged German brother duo of FRITZ and WALDO VON ERIC. The Germans were disqualified in a bout last week with BILLY TWO RIVERS and his partner and quickly showed they are among the roughest duos in the wrestling business today. This match is set for the best two-out-of-three falls.

Two single bouts complete the card.

One has ERNIE DUSEK taking on NICK ROBERTS, and the 8:15 opener sends footballer MIKE PAIDOUSIS against TINKER TODD.

EXPLOSIVE AS THE PLANET KRYPTON

 The MID-ATLANTIC WRESTLING rings were always loaded with dynamite, and the explosion usually occurred !

TIM WOODS applies a headlock to his opponent.

RIP HAWK attempts an old-fashioned hanging on NELSON ROYAL.

LARS and GENE ANDERSON demonstrate their double-knee drop on GEORGE BECKER.

THE ASSASSIN (JODY HAMILTON) is caught in an abdominal stretch.

Big SWEDE HANSON does some dental work on one of the VON STROHEIMS.

One of THE INFERNOS goes for a ride.

PAUL JONES is about to feel the wrath of GREG VALENTINE's 'hammer'.