PROFESSOR BORIS MALENKO / THE GREAT MALENKO

 

TAG TEAM DEBUTS IN LEXINGTON

                                                                     JUNE 25, 1966

LEXINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA

59 Years Ago

A speedy team of popular heroes meets brutal and deliberate opponents in featured tag team wrestling at the LEXINGTON YMCA tonight starting at 8:15.

GEORGE and SANDY SCOTT, the "FLYING SCOTTS" as they are known in the wrestling business, pit their spectacular offense against the skin-headed bullies SKULL MURPHY and BRUTE BERNARD in the main event match. These two teams are long-time rivals.

The other tag battle matches the flashy RUDY KAYE and ABE JACOBS against rugged ruffians THE GREAT MALENKO and THE MISSOURI MAULER, teaming here for the first time.

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

A special attraction tonight matches two top-ranked Negro girl stars, as SWEET GEORGIA BROWN takes on PRINCESS UBANGI.

Popular STEVE BOLUS meets big JOHN GUDISKI in the opening match.

THE GREAT KIBUKI WITH PLAYBOY GARY HART

 

FLYING SCOTTS MEET THE BOLOS

                                                                      March 4, 1963  

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA

62 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.

RONNIE AND TERRY GARVIN

 

WEAVER CHASES MAULER FOR 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.

DUSTY RHODES AND DICK MURDOCH

 

AROUND THE TERRITORY

 

PHIL (BUCK) ROBLEY

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - 1969

GEORGE and SANDY SCOTT won from THE INFERNOS with J.C. DYKES via DQ.

BRUTE BERNARD and SKULL MURPHY topped ABE JACOBS and LES WOLFE.

JOHNNY WEAVER whipped MATTI SUZUKI.

BOBBY RED CLOUD topped PHIL ROBLEY.

LES THATCHER

GREENVILLE, S.C. - 1968

LARS, GENE and OLE ANDERSON toppled ARGENTINA ZUMA, LES THATCHER and PAUL DEMARCO in six man action.

JESSE JAMES topped PEPPY GOMEZ.

PANCHO VALDEZ pinned JACK RICO.

BOB RAMSTEAD wrestled JOHNNY HEIDEMAN to a draw.

GEORGE BECKER and JOHNNY WEAVER

CHARLESTON, S.C. - 1965

GEORGE BECKER and JOHNNY WEAVER won over BRUTE BERNARD and SKULL MURPHY.

THE KENTUCKIANS bested THE ALASKAN and THE BEAST.

GEORGE 'CATALINA' DRAKE topped EDUARDO CASTILLO.

PEE WEE LOPEZ pinned JIM DANDY.

EL LOBO

GREENVILLE, S.C. - 1969

GEORGE BECKER and JOHNNY WEAVER defeated LARS and GENE ANDERSON.

BOB GRIFFIN and LES WOLFE lost to BRUTE BERNARD and SKULL MURPHY.

OLE ANDERSON whipped BOBBY RED CLOUD.

JOHNNY HEIDEMAN topped EL LOBO.

COWBOY BOB ELLIS

 

A CHAMPIONSHIP NIGHT FOR SURE

                                                                    August 28, 1965

LEXINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA

HAYSTACKS CALHOUN

BRONCHO LUBICH, HOMER O'DELL, ALDO BOGNI

ABE JACOBS

RON REED

BOB ORTON

MIKE GALLAGHER

GORY GUERRERO

OMAR ATLAS

'ROWDY' RED ROBERTS

Something unusual is on tap for wrestling fans tonight at the LEXINGTON YMCA as two heavyweight championships are up for grabs when action gets underway at 8:15.

The current SOUTHERN TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS, ALDO BOGNI and BRONCHO LUBICH, will defend their title against the popular contenders in that of big HAYSTACKS CALHOUN and speedy ABE JACOBS.

HAYSTACKS is the biggest man in the wrestling business, and JACOBS is a top competitor who should mesh well with CALHOUN.

BOGNI and LUBICH will have their devious manager, HOMER O'DELL, in their corner.

SOUTHERN HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION 'BIG O' BOB ORTON will put his title up against top contender RON REED (he later wrestled as BUDDY COLT). REED is certainly capable of taking the belt away from the current champ.

Both title bouts are scheduled for two-out-of-three falls with one hour time limits.

Prelim action will find GORY GUERRERO squaring off against tough MIKE GALLAGHER.

The opening match pits good-looking fan favorite OMAR ATLAS facing the rugged 'ROWDY' RED ROBERTS.

HARLEY RACE

 

HEAT UNDER THE HOOD

 

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.

SAILOR ART THOMAS

 

DEAL THOSE CARDS

                                                                 THE YEAR WAS 1969

...it was a very good year...

GREENSBORO, N.C.

GENE KINISKI beat SAM STEAMBOAT to remain World Heavyweight Champion

GEORGE and SANDY SCOTT topped GENE and OLE ANDERSON

THE MISSOURI MAULER & HIRO MATSUDA with MGR. HOMER O'DELL defeated ABE JACOBS & LES WOLFF

TONI ROSE bested BARBARA OWEN

MR. WRESTLING defeated "BULLDOG" LEE HENNING

EL LOBO over JESSE JAMES

GREENSBORO, N.C.

THE MISSOURI MAULER beat JOHNNY WEAVER to become Southern Heavyweight Champion

SIX MAN MATCH between GEORGE and SANDY SCOTT and GEORGE BECKER versus RIP HAWK, SWEDE HANSON and ROCK HUNTER ended in a Double DQ

SAM STEAMBOAT and HIRO MATSUDA  wrestled to a draw

MR. WRESTLING over EL GAUCHO

KOA TIKI beat JIMMY HINES

BILLY HINES topped GREG PETERSON

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.

GEORGE BECKER, JOHNNY WEAVER and SAILOR ART THOMAS over HOMER O'DELL, THE MISSOURI MAULER and HIRO MATSUDA

SANDY and GEORGE SCOTT versus THE INFERNOS with MGR. J.C. DYKES ended in a Double DQ

MR. WRESTLING and GENE ANDERSON wrestled to a draw

OLE ANDERSON topped GREG PETERSON

SAM STEAMBOAT over RONNIE GARVIN

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.

GEORGE and SANDY SCOTT beat THE INFERNOS with MGR. J.C. DYKES

SAILOR ART THOMAS & ABE JACOBS  won over ALDO BOGNI & BRONCHO LUBUCH with MGR. GEORGE "TWO TON" HARRIS via DQ

NELSON ROYAL topped EL GAUCHO

PAUL JONES bested BOB GRIFFIN

LES WOLFF defeated PANCHO VALDEZ

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.

DORY FUNK JR. retained the World's Heavyweight Championship by defeating RIP HAWK

BRUTE BERNARD & SKULL MURPHY beat SANDY and GEORGE SCOTT

NELSON ROYAL & PAUL JONES topped THE INFERNOS with MGR. J.C. DYKES via DQ

BOBO JOHNSON & COWBOY LANG over MIGHTY ATOM & LITTLE CRUSHER

SWEDE HANSON & ABE JACOBS wrestled to a draw


GREENSBORO, N.C.

GEORGE BECKER & JOHNNY WEAVER toppled BRUTE BERNARD & SKULL MURPHY

SAILOR ART THOMAS & MR. WRESTLING over OLE and GENE ANDERSON via DQ

PAUL JONES & NELSON ROYAL beat PEDRO GODOY & PHIL ROBLEY

TONI ROSE bested DONNA CHRISTIAN

MATTI SUZUKI won over PANCHO VALDEZ


WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.

GEORGE BECKER, JOHNNY WEAVER and MR. WRESTLING topped J.C. DYKES and THE INFERNOS

SAILOR ART THOMAS & LUTHER LINDSAY over "BULLDOG" LEE HENNING & PHIL ROBLEY

LORD LITTLEBROOK beat MIGHTY ATOM

TONI ROSE pinned BETTY BOUCHER

NELSON ROYAL defeated JOHNNY HEIDEMAN

BOBBY RED CLOUD bested TINKER TODD

ANDRE THE GIANT

 

SKIN HEADS BATTLE HILLBILLIES

                                                                    December 5, 1964

LEXINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA

61 Years Ago

A SIX MAN TAG TEAM MATCH, growing out of a disputed finish of a tag battle last week, features tonight's wrestling card at the LEXINGTON YMCA, kicking off at 8:15.

GEORGE BECKER, who served as referee last week after the assigned official was injured and who was involved in the final fall, will join last week's winners THE KENTUCKIANS, TINY ANDERSON and BIG BOY BROWN, to form one team. The two angry losers of the same match, BRUTE BERNARD and SKULL MURPHY, will be joined by THE BRUTE to form what should be one of the roughest trios ever to enter the Lexington ring.

The battle will go for the best two-out-of-three falls with a one hour time limit.

Girl wrestlers PENNY BANNER and MARGIE RAMSEY will square off in a special attraction.

The opening match sends GEORGE "TWO TON" HARRIS against young DOUG GILBERT.

PROF. BORIS MALENKO and THE MASKED SUPERSTAR (BILL EADIE)

 

TOTAL BRUTALITY

             GENE ANDERSON and ART NELSON versus RIP HAWK and SWEDE HANSON

TEXAS DEATH MATCH

No Disqualification...No Time Limit. Falls don't count. The winner is determined only when one team is unable to continue.

Just consider climbing into the wrestling ring to face any of these individuals...you can count me out!

But imagine, after pairing them up, these four would go at it until the opposing team was beaten down so badly they couldn't go any more.

That's exactly what happened one wrestling night in 1972 in GREENVILLE, S.C.

At this point, GENE ANDERSON has RIP HAWK in a compromising situation.

Big SWEDE HANSON evens things up.

The match now taking its toll on everyone.

Especially RIP (that 'Profile' may be changed permanently).

But as HARLEY RACE stated at NWA FANFEST 2007, "Pound for pound, RIP HAWK was as tough as anyone who was ever in the wrestling business."

ART NELSON took a beating as well.

Referee SAM 'LUCKY' ROBERTS looks on.

GENE GORDON witnessed the match and gave the following account..."I believe this TEXAS DEATH MATCH was the roughest, most vicious and bloody match I had seen in many years, and I go all the way back to the likes of COWBOY LUTTRELL, DANNY McSHANE and STRANGLER BOB WAGNER. There was not a lot of wrestling. It was more like something out of the days of the Roman gladiators who battled to the death. No one paid any attention to any of the normal rules. The referee was knocked down several times and thrown to the floor once. He wanted to stop the match but couldn't under the stipulations. All four wrestlers looked like they had been run through a sausage grinder. They were so exhausted they could hardly leave the ring at the end. I saw one woman faint and a few others left in disgust, unable to stand the brutality and gore. I know I'll never forget it."

THE ROAD WARRIORS with MGR. PAUL ELLERING

 

O'DELL'S BOYS BATTLE BOLOS

                                                                    APRIL 6, 1964

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA

There's wrestling tonight at Charlotte's PARK CENTER, but can the building sustain the explosion?

That will be the big question when the rugged masked combo of THE GREAT BOLO and BOLO return for main event action...this time against the equally rough duo of ALDO BOGNI and BRONCHO LUBICH, who will have their manager HOMER O'DELL in their corner.

Both teams have long winning streaks going, and tonight's victor should emerge as a major challenger for the Southern Tag Team Championship. The bout is slated for two-of-three falls, one hour time.

The semi-final sends TOMMY O'TOOLE against TINY ETCHISON in a one fall contest.

The undercard is topped by a tag team affair which will pit ALEX MEDINA and GINO BRANDO opposite GENE MURPHY and JOE TOMASSO in a two-out-of-three falls affair.

The 8:15 opening match sends BOBBY HART against FRANK VALOIS.

THE ORIGINAL MINNESOTA WRECKING CREW - LARS AND GENE ANDERSON

 

BAD BOYS! BAD BOYS!

                                                                       July 28, 1969

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA

PARK CENTER is a great venue for professional wrestling as proven over the years, but the building may not be able to handle the action tonight when two of the very roughest and brutal tag teams (and constant rule breakers) in the business collide head-on in the evening's headline attraction.

In what has to be billed as a BATTLE OF THE BULLIES, the skin headed duo of BRUTE BERNARD and SKULL MURPHY clash with wrestling's 'BLONDE BOMBERS' RIP HAWK and SWEDE HANSON. Sympathies to whichever referee is assigned the job of officiating this two-out-of-three falls contest. One may describe the match as two locomotives colliding at breakneck speed.

BRUTE BERNARD and SKULL MURPHY

RIP HAWK and SWEDE HANSON

EL LOBO

ABE JACOBS

JOHNNY HEIDEMAN

ROCK HUNTER

LES WOLFE

More tag team action is in store for fans attending tonight when the popular duo of New Zealander ABE JACOBS and his youthful partner LES WOLFE face the rugged ROCK HUNTER and his masked partner EL LOBO. No one seems to know the identity of EL LOBO, and if HUNTER actually does, he isn't talking. This is also a best-of-three falls match.

Two singles matches will open the 8:15 card when JESSE JAMES takes on TOM BRADLEY and the youngster MATTI SUZUKI faces veteran tough guy JOHNNY HEIDEMAN.