WHO WAS THAT MASKED MAN?

THE SUPER DESTROYER

(DON JARDINE)

Shown here with another JCP veteran 'Lord' ALFRED HAYES, JARDINE wrestled as THE SPOILER in other territories.

THE MASKED SUPERSTAR

(BILL EADIE)

Successful in every territory he worked, primarily a 'heel', but did a 'babyface' turn in JCP against the ANDERSON ARMY. A nicer human being you'll never meet.

THE MASKED RED DEMONS

(JIMMY and BILLY HINES--this is JIMMY).

They terrorized the MID-ATLANTIC territory during the mid 1960s and were managed by GEORGE 'Two Ton' HARRIS.

MR. WRESTLING

(TIM WOODS)

The first masked 'good guy' I ever saw.

THE GRAPPLER

(LEN DENTON)

Having a previous run in the MID-ATLANTIC territory without the hood and using his real name, he became a main eventer in other territories, usually teaming with TONY ANTHONY as THE GRAPPLERS. He did return to JCP without ANTHONY for a short run as THE GRAPPLER (I wish it had been longer.)

BULLDOG HENNING GETS WORLD TITLE SHOT

February 17, 1969

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA

48 Years Ago

Two men who have experienced the thrill of being a world champion are part of tonight's big wrestling card at the CHARLOTTE COLISEUM. Belltime is 8:15 p.m.

One is JOE LOUIS, known world-wide as the "BROWN BOMBER" and great champion of the boxing world. He held the heavyweight title for twelve years. LOUIS will confront wrestlers tonight in the capacity of special referee.

Also on the card is DORY FUNK JR., the newly-crowned WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION of the wrestling universe. The Texan dethroned the long-time champ GENE KINISKI just last week. FUNK will make a title defense against the unpredictable and rugged "BULLDOG" LEE HENNING. The belt is on the line in a two-out-of falls match with a one-hour time limit.

Champ JOE LOUIS has been chosen by the NWA to police the SIX MAN TAG TEAM co-main event.

The battle finds GEORGE BECKER, JOHNNY WEAVER and SAILOR ART THOMAS going against THE MISSOURI MAULER, HIRO MATSUDA and their manager HOMER O'DELL (who will be in ring attire, not his usual tuxedo). This encounter will be of the NO DISQUALIFICATION venue, and the losing team will leave with empty pockets. Promoter JIM CROCKETT says the winning team gets both purses. It's also best-of-three falls. And with NO DQ and JOE LOUIS, anything is likely to happen.

Another tag team battle on tap will send the popular duo of ABE JACOBS and STEVE BOLUS against the rough and tough combo of RIP HAWK and SWEDE HANSON.

The ladies will shine tonight in the ring when PENNY BANNER takes on JEAN DORSEY.

Polynesian favorite KOA TIKI will face the Cuban native PANCHO VALDEZ in the one-fall opener.

An autograph session for the fans to meet their favorite wrestlers will take place before the matches begin.

An observation - - - "BULLDOG" LEE HENNING in a World title match?

By this time in his career, he was already "jobbing". Makes one wonder who else would be contenders for FUNK's belt - - - JESSE JAMES, BILLY SPEARS?

I was eighteen at the time. Maybe I should have had a shot at the championship.

A HOMETOWN WRESTLING SHOW

June 20, 1968

STATESVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA

49 Years Ago

And I was there...in my $2.00 ringside seat.

The main event ended in the third and deciding fall. MR. WRESTLING and THE AMAZING ZUMA won the match via disqualification when manager GEORGE "TWO TON" HARRIS illegally entered the ring and gave THE AMAZING ZUMA a "big splash."

The crowd went home happy.

A HOT AUGUST NIGHT

August 5, 1967

LEXINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA

50 years ago

THE SCOTT BROTHERS

RIP HAWK and SWEDE HANSON

HARU SASAKI

P.Y. CHUNG

NELSON ROYAL

THE AMAZING ZUMA

PEDRO GODOY

---

Wrestling's 'BLONDE BOMBERS' RIP HAWK and SWEDE HANSON will be out to see if they can halt the winning streak of THE FLYING SCOTT BROTHERS, GEORGE and SANDY, in tonight's two-out-of-three falls main event at the LEXINGTON YMCA.

The SCOTTS, former WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS, have a victory string going, including a recent disputed win over HAWK and HANSON. RIP and SWEDE want another shot at GEORGE and SANDY and have predicted a win tonight.

The sizzling duo of NELSON ROYAL and THE AMAZING ZUMA face a tough test tonight when they face the crafty (some say sneaky) Oriental combo of HARU SASAKI and P.Y. CHUNG in the other best-of-three falls tag encounter.

In singles action, GENE DUNDEE will square off against JERRY LONDON, and in the 8:15 opener, two toughies, 'APACHE' BULL RAMOS and PEDRO GODOY will meet.

WE CALLED HIM SANDY

ANGUS MACKAY "SANDY" SCOTT

May 27, 1934 - March 11, 2010

What didn't Sandy Scott do in the world of professional wrestling?

Answer: Very little, I'd say.

Whatever task he tackled, he did it well. He was a great singles wrestler, a world champion tag team wrestler, a matchmaker, a road agent, a promoter, a TV announcer, a TV "management character" - and probably other jobs I'm not aware.

Besides George Becker and Johnny Weaver, SANDY SCOTT was the top babyface wrestler in JIM CROCKETT PROMOTIONS for twenty years, then moving behind-the-scenes to help run the company.

We fans loved Sandy anytime we saw him, regardless of in what capacity.

TAKE HIS MASK OFF

At this point in time, this is certainly not startling information.

There are a number of websites on the net that contain long lists of past MASKED WRESTLERS and their real identities.

But I haven't seen any that show us what faces goes with what names.

Here are several that wrestled in JIM CROCKETT PROMOTIONS...

BILL EADIE

THE MASKED SUPERSTAR

(photo from THE MID-ATLANTIC GATEWAY)

LYNN DENTON

(THE GRAPPLER)

TOM RENESTO
(THE GREAT BOLO / ASSASSIN)

FRANKIE CAIN
(one of the original INFERNOS)

JODY (JOE) HAMILTON

(BOLO / ASSASSIN)

DON JARDINE

(THE SUPER DESTROYER / THE SPOILER)

THE WEAKER SEX?...NOT HARDLY

PENNY goes for a monkey flip...

TAMMY counters with a Boston crab...

Referee ANGELO MARTINELLI always had his hands full when he worked with the ladies...

PENNY gives TAMMY a free ride back into the ring...

---

I don't recall there ever being a contest in JIM CROCKETT PROMOTIONS in which a JCP Queen was crowned, but if there had been, the title would, without question, have gone to the wonderful PENNY BANNER.

I can't begin to estimate how many times I saw PENNY wrestle, either on TV or in the arenas, but the number wasn't a small one.

By far, PENNY's most frequent opponent, at least in the BANNER bouts I saw, was TAMMY JONES. I had to have seen these two go at it, at least, twenty-five times, so I can only imagine how many other times they worked each other (maybe as many times as Bambi has wrestled Peggy Lee Leathers).

I can recall PENNY and TAMMY colliding in Charlotte and Greensboro, and most likely Winston-Salem as well, and even the old semi-pro baseball park in Statesville, North Carolina, on a hot and muggy summer night in the late 1960s.

Unlike most of the current 'diva' matches on TV (in which every move is choreographed more than a Fred Astaire / Ginger Rogers dance number --- AND LOOKS IT!), the lady grapplers from what I consider the "golden" age of pro wrestling could REALLY work...the Ole Anderson way...wrestle the match in the rings as it flows, not making it up in the dressing room beforehand.

PENNY and TAMMY could really go.

REMEMBER BOB GRIFFIN?

Fans who followed JIM CROCKETT PROMOTIONS in the late 1960s (I'm one) will certainly remember a fellow named BOB GRIFFIN.

His role in JCP was that of 'talent enhancer' and he was great in this position.

BOB and various partners couldn't defeat the likes of THE INFERNOS, BERNARD and MURPHY or HAWK and HANSON, unless the heels were disqualified, but in arenas, he could take the number of PEDRO GODOY, EL GAUCHO and PANCHO VALDEZ.

But even in a loss, BOB gave a great match.

BOB GRIFFIN

BOB GRIFFIN hammerlocks PEDRO GODOY.

HIRO MATSUDA takes one from GRIFFIN.

EL GAUCHO has BOB in a temporary disadvantage.

BOB kept in shape pumping the iron.

GRIFFIN has OLE ANDERSON in a headlock in this TV match taped at WBTV CHARLOTTE.

Out of the ring, BOB was an avid fisherman.

GRIFFIN's pride and joy - daughters DEBBIE and CATHY.

BOB samples some of wife PAT's home cooking.

---

From Jacksonville, Florida, home of the GATOR BOWL, comes BOB GRIFFIN, a young wrestling sensation who is rapidly skyrocketing his way to fame and fortune on the mat.

Appearing in the Carolinas and Virginia under the promotional banner of JIM CROCKETT, this handsome, well-built 230-pounder, who stands six feet, one inch tall, has gained an army of fans since his professional debut.

"As far back as I can remember," BOB says, "I dreamed of being a professional wrestler. I really had the fever since the age of ten when I attended my first wrestling event in Jacksonville."

BOB credits DON CURTIS, a well-known grappler and the promoter there in Jacksonville, in helping him get started in the business.

After making his debut against none other than CURTIS, and losing in fifteen minutes, BOB was more eager than ever to make it in the wrestling business.

BOB has never regretted leaving his job as a mechanical engineer at IT&T. His wife PAT agrees that wrestling pays better and is glad BOB made the change, even if he is on the road a lot more.

A physical culturist, BOB works out with the weights and does a lot of running to stay in top shape.

For toughest foes to date, BOB picks KARL VON STROHEIM, RIP HAWK, SWEDE HANSON, TARZAN TYLER, BORIS MALENKO and SPUTNIK MONROE.

BOB's goal is to face NWA WORLD CHAMPION DORY FUNK JR. for the championship.

Since his arrival in Charlotte, BOB has wrestled mostly as a single, but has recently been teaming with fan favorite GREG PETERSON.

Here's hoping this popular youngster will remain in CROCKETT PROMOTIONS for a long time.

---

Excerpted from the November, 1969 issue of WRESTLING REVUE

NELSON ROYAL THE HEEL

January 23, 1965

LEXINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA

52 Years Ago

Professional wrestling at the LEXINGTON YMCA was called off last Saturday due to a heavy snowfall but is slated to return tonight with a banner card.

THE FLYING SCOTTS, popular GEORGE and SANDY, will mix it up with a long-time nemesis team in the likes of BRONCHO LUBICH and ALDO BOGNI. The battle will be for the best two-out-of-three falls. And when you have BOGNI and LUBICH in the ring, you also have manager HOMER O'DELL outside the ring, and he can be as dangerous as his wrestlers. So the SCOTT boys will have their hands full.

A rowdy rulebreaking team debuts in LEXINGTON tonight as "SIR" NELSON ROYAL and THE VIKING are matched up against RUDY KAYE and newcomer LORENZO PARENTE in another best-of-three falls tag contest.

Two supporting single matches open the card with PEPPI GOMEZ meeting "TIGER" JACK VANSKY and TONY NERO battles ANGELO MARTINELLI in the 8:15 opener.

FAMILIAR FACES and MASKS

Whether they were the guys we loved or the guys we hated, we bought tickets to see them...and they delivered the goods...

GREG 'THE HAMMER' VALENTINE during some down time.

Little guys COWBOY LANG and THE HAITI KID.

'THE MAGNIFICENT' DON MURACO.

FANFEST's greatest teller of wrestling stories, OLE ANDERSON, has ASSASSIN JODY HAMILTON in a bit of trouble.

Truly...one-of-a-kind...RIP 'THE PROFILE' HAWK.

'MR. NUMBER ONE' PAUL JONES points to his favorite wrestler.

THE SUPER DESTROYER / THE SPOILER DON JARDINE.

Two ORTONS at once...'THE BIG O' BOB ORTON SR. (center), BOB ORTON JR. (right)...young man on left unknown.