CROCKETT GAVE US THE BEST

 

RIP HAWK shows he could wrestle as well as break the rules.

JOHNNY WEAVER in control of his match.

Russian "bad guy" NIKITA MULKOVICH prepares for battle.

SKULL MURPHY having a bad day at the office.

A bloodied GREG VALENTINE and partner RIC FLAIR puttin' it to RUFUS R. JONES.

GENE ANDERSON and DUSTY RHODES trading blows.

The match over, RIC FLAIR hops into his Caddy and heads back to Charlotte.

ED CAPRAL interviews #1 PAUL JONES on TV's WIDE WORLD WRESTLING.

Referee SONNY FARGO tries to get GREG VALENTINE and RIC FLAIR off WAHOO McDANIEL.

THE SUPER DESTROYER (DON JARDINE)

 

GREAT CARDS FROM WAY BACK

 

THE GREAT MALENKO

GREENSBORO, N.C. - 1967

GEORGE BECKER and JOHNNY WEAVER topped THE MASKED RED DEMONS

TEX McKENZIE and NELSON ROYAL defeated EL GAUCHO and GEORGE 'TWO TON' HARRIS

GEORGE and SANDY SCOTT bested THE GREAT MALENKO and THE MISSOURI MAULER

GEORGE 'TWO TON' HARRIS

LYNCHBURG, VA. - 1968

GEORGE BECKER, JOHNNY WEAVER and HAYSTACK CALHOUN defeated THE MISSOURI MAULER, PAMPERO FIRPO and GEORGE 'TWO TON' HARRIS in six man action.

TAMMY JONES topped DONNA CHRISTENELLO

LUTHER LINDSAY beat BULL RAMOS

THE AMAZING ZUMA and THE MUMMY wrestled to a draw.

P.Y. CHUNG

LYNCHBURG, VA. - 1967

KLONDIKE BILL defeated HARU SASAKI and P.Y. CHUNG in a handicap match.

PEDRO GODOY beat GENE DUNDEE.

JERRY LONDON topped BULL RAMOS.

JESSE JAMES wrestled THE MUMMY to a draw.

PENNY BANNER versus TAMMY JONES

CHARLESTON, S.C. - 1967

GEORGE BECKER defeated HOMER O'DELL

ALDO BOGNI and BRONCHO LUBICH topped GEORGE SCOTT and DON CHUY

JOHNNY WEAVER won over THE MISSOURI MAULER

PENNY BANNER bested TAMMY JONES

HAYSTACK CALHOUN squashed JACK BENCE

LUTHER LINDSAY

NORFOLK, VA. - 1969

GEORGE BECKER and LUTHER LINDSAY versus THE INFERNOS with J.C. DYKES ended in a double DQ

BOB NANDOR and JIM OSBORNE won from THE MISSOURI MAULER and HIRO MATSUDA on a DQ

GEORGE GRANT won from JIM GRABMIRE

ALEX MEDINA lost to 'BULLDOG' LEE HENNING

JIM GRABMIRE

CHARLESTON, S.C. - 1968

GEORGE and SANDY SCOTT won from LARS and GENE ANDERSON

PEPE GOMEZ and JACK RICE lost to TERRY and RONNIE GARVIN

NIKITA MULKOVICH defeated BOB NANDOR

JIM GRABMIRE lost to JESSE JAMES

DON KERNODLE AND RICKY STEAMBOAT

 

LES THATCHER DEBUTS IN LEXINGTON

                                                                       May 11, 1963

LEXINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA

TONY 'CRUSHER' ANGELO

BOLO and THE GREAT BOLO

SWEDE HANSON

LES THATCHER

GEORGE 'CRYBABY' CANNON

FRANK VALOIS

SONNY FARGO

Two big tag team matches will be co-featured for wrestling fans tonight at the LEXINGTON YMCA, starting at 8:15.

Partners THE GREAT BOLO and BOLO, the masked terror duo, meet a big and rough combination in the guises of TONY 'CRUSHER' ANGELO and big SWEDE HANSON in what must be billed as a 'BATTLE OF THE BULLIES' affair.

Popular brothers GEORGE and SANDY SCOTT go against the rugged duet of FRANK VALOIS and GEORGE 'CRYBABY' CANNON in the other tag battle.

Both of these matches are set for two-out-of-three falls.

Newcomer LES THATCHER will face the rowdy SONNY FARGO in singles competition, with one more match scheduled to open the card.

RICKY STEAMBOAT and PAUL JONES (in happier days)

 

ROGERS VERSUS VALENTINE - NEWCOMER JOHNNY WEAVER

                                                                    February 12, 1962

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA

Two championships will be at stake tonight at the CHARLOTTE COLISEUM when one of the most ambitious wrestling programs ever staged here gets underway at 8:15.

WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION "Nature Boy" BUDDY ROGERS puts his coveted crown in the spotlight in a defense against the extremely rugged challenger JOHNNY VALENTINE.

The controversy between these two giants of the ring goes back a long while. VALENTINE is responsible for breaking the arm of ROGERS in a match last year, and the champ has not forgotten...nor forgiven.

UNITED STATES HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION PAT O'CONNOR faces skilled SWEET DADDY SIKI, and his title is on the open market as well.

"It would be most ironic," grinned SIKI, "if I should emerge the winner." SIKI, who hails from Jamaica, claims he is in his best physical condition ever. The ebony panther claims to be unbeaten in the South.

Both title defenses will have stipulations of two-out-of-three falls with one hour time limits.

For variety, there is a ladies match sending FRAN GRAVETTE against the Mexican "boom boom" girl, RITA CORTEZ.

Tag team action will find the villainous brother duo of AL and DON GREENE against fan favorites BILL DROMO and HENRY PHILLIPS for the best-of-three-falls.

The immensely popular CHIEF BIG HEART will have his hands full with the rugged SWEDE HANSON.

Two men new to Charlotte, EDDIE AUGER and JOHNNY WEAVER, will face off.

Bombastic HANS SCHMIDT, a regular storm trooper in ring tactics, will oppose the incredible BILLY "Tarzan" DARNELL.

LENNY MONTANA and MARQUIS DEPARE slam in another action tiff.

Tickets are on sale at the NATIONAL HAT SHOP in downtown Charlotte and the Charlotte Coliseum box office.

Get there early for an autograph session with your favorite wrestling stars.

THE GREAT BOLO AND BOLO

 

EVERY MATCH A MAIN EVENT

                                                                  AUGUST 10, 1959

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA

65 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 getting a seat.

PENNY BANNER

 

MASKED SUPERSTAR (BILL EADIE) and PAUL JONES

 

FLYING SCOTTS versus MASKED BOLOS

                                                                      March 4, 1963  

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA

61 Years Ago

Pro wrestling's most dreaded tag team, THE GREAT BOLO and BOLO, return to action after a week's absence, headlining tonight's PARK CENTER mat card when they face Canada's popular duo of GEORGE and SANDY SCOTT.

Just about everybody in the bone-cracking business has a feud of long standing with the two masked wrestlers, and the "FLYING SCOTTS" are no exception. These four have met before with nothing really being settled. Both teams intend to make a statement tonight in the best two-of-three falls battle.

There's more tag team action in the semi-final tonight, and this one brings in the rugged twosome of FRANK VALOIS and CRUSHER ANGELO, and they will have a potentially tough evening as they will face THE KENTUCKIANS, TINY ANDERSON and BIG BOY BROWN. This one is also for two-out-of-three falls.

In singles matches, Yugoslavian BRONCHO LUBICH, who will be accompanied to the ring by his manager, HOMER O'DELL, squares off against DALE LEWIS, a newcomer from Oklahoma.

Tonight's opener features JERRY BALLARD and PAUL HARRISON, a pair of Negro grapplers, against one another.

Bell time is 8:15.

CHIEF WAHOO McDANIEL

 

A CLINIC IN RULE BREAKING

                                                                      March 29, 1969

LEXINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA

55 Years Ago

Anything is likely to happen tonight...

RIP HAWK and SWEDE HANSON, "The Blonde Bombers" of the pro wrestling world, tear loose against an equally rough duo of THE MISSOURI MAULER and HIRO MATSUDA in tonight's LEXINGTON YMCA wrestling feature, kicking off at 8:15.

"Colonel" HOMER O'DELL, the diabolical manager of MATSUDA and the MAULER, will be accompanying his men and could get mixed up in the BATTLE OF THE BULLIES main event, scheduled for the best two-out-of-three falls.

"Let O'DELL stick his nose in the ring while I'm wrestling," said HAWK. "I've got a piledriver waiting with his name on it!" HAWK's partner HANSON had no comment.

Popular GEORGE and SANDY SCOTT will be back tonight, fresh off a victory here last week. "Bulldog" LEE HENNING and "Big" JIM GRABMIRE are the foes facing "The Flying Scotts" tonight. Two falls will decide the winning team.

Single matches send young BOBBY PAUL against the rugged ROCK HUNTER, and RANDY CURTIS will test tough EL GAUCHO in the opening match.

RUFUS R. (FREIGHT TRAIN) JONES

 

A BLONDE BOMBER CHALLENGE

                                                                       May 14, 1966

LEXINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA

58 Years Ago

Popular cowboy TEX McKENZIE is the subject of dispute by RIP HAWK and SWEDE HANSON after they lost last week's wrestling feature here to GEORGE BECKER and JOHNNY WEAVER.

HAWK claims that McKENZIE shoved WEAVER into position for the winning fall, and the "BLONDE BOMBERS" are so angry at the cowboy for his "illegal participation" that they have challenged lanky TEX and his swift-moving buddy NELSON ROYAL to meet them in tonight's LEXINGTON YMCA main wrestling event.

The Texas duo agreed willingly to the HAWK and HANSON challenge, pointing to a scorcher of a two-of-three-falls match.

"We're going to have to teach McKENZIE a lesson about sticking his nose in someone else's business. He had no right getting involved in our match last Saturday, and he's going to learn the lesson the hard way...a good old whipping," said RIP HAWK.

Two winners from last week, IKE EAKINS and GORY GUERRERO, will meet in the evening's semifinal encounter.

Two additional singles matches, featuring top wrestling stars, will open the card at 8:15.

NELSON ROYAL

 

INFERNOS CREATING HEAT

                                                   CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA

JUNE 9, 1969

55 Years Ago

Any time THE INFERNOS and manager J. C. DYKES enter an arena, trouble is on the way. DYKES and his masked team approach the art of wrestling as if they're engaging in war, and DYKES can make matters even worse.

The team challenging THE INFERNOS tonight is SILENTO RODRIGUEZ and GREG PETERSON, and they have promised to give the hooded duo a tough outing on the PARK CENTER wrestling card, starting at 8:15. And this is only the semi-final match of the night.

"We will win fair and square, as we always do," smirked the red-haired manager DYKES. "THE INFERNOS are the hottest (pun intended) team in professional wrestling today. I say bring them all into the ring. The team that marches out the victors will be my blue tigers."

In the headliner tonight, two sets of brothers will be feuding again, as a return tag match pits GEORGE and SANDY SCOTT (really brothers) against GENE and OLE ANDERSON (not so).

The "FLYING SCOTTS" were disqualified their last time out with the "MINNESOTA WRECKING CREW" and tonight, that can't happen as the match will be fought with a NO DISQUALIFICATION stipulation, so anything goes.

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

In a special event, ladies PENNY BANNER and TONI ROSE will offer their contrasting brands of wrestling in a one-fall encounter. PENNY wrestles according to the rule book, and TONI has never bothered to read the book.

Tough Cuban PANCHO VALDEZ tangles with SONNY FARGO in the opening one-fall contest.

Fans are encouraged to arrive early as a sellout is expected.

LES THATCHER versus BULL RAMOS

 

WEAVER AFTER MAULER'S TITLE

                                                                       June 11, 1966

LEXINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA

The SOUTHERN HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP will be at stake in tonight's LEXINGTON YMCA feature attraction.

THE MISSOURI MAULER, holder of the coveted belt designating the championship, will defend his honor against the popular JOHNNY WEAVER, probably the most popular wrestler in the Carolinas, who has held this title himself.

The two-out-of-three falls encounter matches two long-time adversaries within a one-hour time limit.

A tag team battle is also set, and a battle it should be when GEORGE BECKER (WEAVER's regular tag partner) joins his old buddy ABE JACOBS to meet the brutal German brother combination of KURT and HENRY VON STROHEIM in a two-of-three falls contest.

"Johnny's title match gives ABE and me a chance to team back up like we used to. ABE and I are going to take care of the Germans, then watch JOHNNY become the new SOUTHERN HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION," BECKER has stated.

In the prelim matches, which kick off the 8:15 p.m. card, the tough veteran EL GAUCHO meets North Carolina's own LUTHER LINDSAY, and KEN HOLLIS dukes it out with RUDY KAYE.

FANS LOVED THE LITTLE GUYS

                                   and they all worked for JIM CROCKETT PROMOTIONS

BILLY THE KID and COWBOY BRADLEY

FARMER PETE and COWBOY LANG

FRENCHY LAMONTE

JAMAICA KID and LITTLE BEAVER

LITTLE BRUISER

LORD LITTLEBROOK

LITTLE TOKYO

THE KENTUCKIANS AND HAYSTACKS CALHOUN VERSUS THE THREE BOLOS

 

HEAT UNDER HOODS

 

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. 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.

THE MEDICS