A few weeks ago I was in a restaurant in Greensboro, NC and while I was in the restroom I noticed a signed autograph picture of "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan. I’m not sure if Hacksaw is still on the wrestling circuit as a professional wrestler.
Seeing the autographed picture made me think about growing up and watching professional wrestling on TV. Thinking back I remember watching World Wide Wrestling Federation’s All-Star Wrestling with lots of wrestlers like: Andre the Giant, Bob Backlund, The Undertaker, Bret Hart, Big John Studd, Mick Foley, Bruno Sammartino, Rowdy Roddy Piper, Ravishing Rick Rude and Jake "The Snake" Roberts. All great ones growing up. I must admit over time I watched the show because I think Vince McMahon is a marketing genius. I was always impressed with the way he ran the company, the story lines and how he marketed the "sport".
I think my favorite was Macho Man Randy Savage. He was funny, got really excited when he was doing interviews, was a crowd favorite and always was in the biggest matches.
- Did you watch wrestling as a kid?
- Who were your favorite wrestlers?
- Did you ever go to the live shows?
- Do your kids watch it now?
I look forward to reading your comments.
Aaron Walton says:
I definitely watched wrestling as a kid since it seemed to be the only thing on consistently that kept my attention outside of standard cartoons.
It would be hard to pick a favorite but if I was forced I think I would go with The Bushwackers:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r112/nafaught/bushwackers.jpg
Unfortunately I never attended a live “match”, but I suppose I have my parents to thank for that
Jami Pulley says:
I did a lot of boy things in my adolescent years since I grew up with two older brothers. Watching wrestling was one of them. Hogan was our favorite, and on special occasions, we would attend a live wrestling match at our local coliseum (there isn’t much to do in Odessa, Texas). My girls do not watch it now, and I don’t anticipate an interest in this sport…but you never know.
Stephenie Gordon says:
I am from Charlotte which is Jim Crockett country… Back in the 80′s, my brother and I watched NWA which i think turned into the WCW. Dusty Rhodes, Ric Flair, and all the members of the Four Horsemen were some liked. However, our ultimate favorite was the tag team duo, THE ROCK AND ROLL EXPRESS!!!!
Michael Braunberg says:
Your post reminds me that wrestling on X-Box is great. My son and I spent hours and hours engaged in epic battles until over time he had gotten so good he could fight as a diva and beat me no matter who I chose – Undertaker, John Cena, Batista…
We watched a good bit of wrestling on television as well, and although the whole thing is cooked-up, I came to the conclusion that big-time wrestlers are probably better, smarter athletes than a lot of the performers on legitimate professional sports teams.
Bob Graham says:
What? No love for Classy Freddie Blassie?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNM4atakanI&feature=related
or Captain Lou Albano?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJNrsNe54AE
AJ says:
I was a huge Hogan fan. Used to copy him drinking his raw eggs (gross). Had all the wresting toy figures, that’s when it was good. Now, it’s too over the top.
Amber Leila Esco says:
No clue about wrestling, but I am watching Celebrity Apprentice (we all have our guilty pleasures), and I must say that Maria Kanellis is a hottie – she is gorgeous.
AND I have a small crush on Goldberg – a gentle giant
These people are wrestlers right?
Tom Mularz says:
Ah, professional wrestling!
I worked as an Andy Frain usher in Chicago …. back “in the day.”
I occasionally ringside wrestling at the old Chicago AMPHITHEATRE, which was a pretty rough gig. My “favorite” wrestler was Dr. X, who wore a mask that none of his opponents could ever remove from him, try as they might.
http://www.thedestroyer.com/doctorX.htm
When Dr. X would enter and exit the ring, he was always protected by a phalanx of Chicago’s finest, who would swing there billy clubs at fans who were (unsuccessfully, I might add) trying to jump the mighty Dr X and remove his mask. I even saw an elderly lady (who resembled my grandmother) attack Dr. X with a hand-held can-opener, only to be hit across the forehead with the full force of a policeman’s club.
Once Dr X was in the ring, we ushers would circle the ring to offer further protection. (As I recall we were paid roughly $1.50 an hour for this opportunity) I learned why our usher hats were equipped with thick plastic brims, as the brims were intended to deflect all of the flying objects (screws, buts, bolts, batteries ….) that the fans would throw at the “good Dr.”
Ah ….. good times!
Marc Dresner says:
My brother and I loved the WWF growing up, and we used to plead with my parents to take us to matches, which they occasionally did (my mom wasn’t much a of fan, but she was a good sport). I still have an autographed poster of Hulk Hogan stuffed away somewhere. That was a great night! But truth told, I always enjoyed the villains more. Rowdy Roddy Piper was a favorite, as well as the Iron Sheik and Nikoli Volkoff. My favorite “good” guys were by far George “The Animal” Steele and The Junkyard Dog…
Jeff Drucker says:
As the youngest of 4 children (3 boys), Wrastling was on in our house on an almost daily basis. I was also the recipient of more than my share of pile drivers and figure 4 leg locks. We once broke a hanging glass ball light fixture in my bedroom by jumping from the bed pertending it was the top rope!
First live show was in 1980 or 81 at the Waterville Amory in Waterville, ME. Backlund, George “The Animal” Steel and the Moon Dogs (Rex and Spot) were just a few on the card that evening. In addition, we went to many Saturday night matches at the old Boston Garden. One night stands out – a steel cage match between Sargent Slaughter and the Iron Shiek! Merrill – you have brought back some really fun moments from my childhood with this one. While my kids and I don’t watch any shows at this point, my dad still keeps us informed on occassion.
Brian Ottum says:
I only watched a bit when growing up. However, in the 1980′s I met “Flying Brian” Pillman at a party in his hometown of Cincinnati. It was disturbing to later learn that he had died at a young age.
Ed Sugar says:
Brian Pillman was just one of too many fine athletes who passed away too early. One of the great under reported stories has been the incredible death rate of pro wrestlers since 1985 who were under the age of 50.
Here is a site with the list -> http://prowrestling.about.com/od/whatsrealwhatsfake/a/wrestlersdeaths.htm
I am sure you will recognize many of your favorites.
You may think it is fake, but the toll that is inflicted on their bodies is staggering. Most of these guys wrestled 5 to 8 times a week, without health insurance, no off-season, no disabled list and as independent contractors.
Ed Sugar says:
I will confess that I have been following pro wrestling since I was in elementary school. Living in Los Angeles in the 60′s & 70′s the main attraction was Freddie Blassie. His feuds with John Tolos were legendary and once drew 28,000 for a match at the LA Coliseum.
I still follow it and have attended two Wrestlemanias.
A good pro wrestler has to do two things: 1) be great on the mic, by cutting great promos and selling whatever the storyline is. 2) delivering the storyline in the ring, by showcasing their skills and being able to carrying less than talented opponents and bringing them up to their level.
From the late 70′s to the late 90′s, no one did it better than Ric Flair. Many consider Flair to be the greatest wreslter of all-time just ahead of Lou Thesz. Behind the “Nature Boy”, since I did not have the chance to see Thesz (he wrestled in the 40′s through the 60′s), I would have to rank Shawn Michaels and Kurt Angle as #’s 2 and 3. These guys always deliver, especially on the big pay-per-view events.
Tom Mularz says:
C’mon …. Ed … I am waiting for a “shout-out” to Brett “The Hitman-Hart!
Ed Sugar says:
Tom -
“The Hit Man” in his time was fabulous in the ring and had great mic work (“The best there is, the best there was, the best there ever will be” and “The excellence of execution” are two of the greatest promo drops in wrestling history). Good chance he would be up there with Angle and Michaels if he had not suffered his career ending concussion and later a stroke.