Memphis/CWA #35 Page #2
Regulars in the area during the first quarter of the year
were Don Greene & Al Greene (managed briefly by Mr. Wonderful Rock Riddle),
Bearcat Brown, Johnny Walker, Billy Wicks, George Hultz, The Masked Purple
Terror, Dennis Hall, Ken Lucas, The Great Fuji, Taro Murasaki, Chief Bold Eagle,
Ken Dillinger, Buddy Atlas, Charlie Cook, Ronnie Heard, Rufus R. Jones, Tony
Santos, Don Anderson, Bobby Jones, Lumberjack Dupree, Vick the Scufflin’
Hillbilly, Chief Thundercloud, Dandy Jack Donovan, Billy McGuire & Benny
McGuire, Burrhead Jones, Eric Von Brauner, George Hultz, Suni War Cloud, Hector
Torres, Leon Chandler, Bobby Lyons, Gil Shelby, Roy Lee Welch, Danny Dusek, Tom
Shaft, Bill Costello, Tommy Marlin, Joe Millich, The Masked Spoiler (not Don
Jardine), The Masked Panther, Duke Myers, Terrence Garvin, Jim Garvin, The
Masked Medics, The Masked Black Monsters (unmasked as Hector & Pedro
Torres), Al Ramsey, Jerry Lovelace, Ron Wright & Don Wright (billed as
Tennessee tag champions), Mike Paidousis, Treach Phillips and more.
Lady stars
Lilly Thomas, Donna Christianello, Paula Kaye, Cora Combs and Peggy Patterson
worked cards at this time also. Midget stars Cowboy Lang, Johnny Reb, The Haiti
Kid and Little Beaver also were active in the area at this time. Boxing great
Jersey Joe Walcott also worked in the area some serving as a special referee for
some matches.
The hottest feuds in the area at this time included The
Bounty Hunters war against Jackie Fargo & Jerry Jarrett. Fargo & Jarrett
also feuded against Jim White & Jerry Lawler, who also feuded against Ken
Lucas & Dennis Hall early in 1973. Another top tag team feud at this time
was Lorenzo Parente & Bobby Hart against Eddie Marlin & Tommy Gilbert.
Johnny
Walker had been a major star in the area off and on dating back into the 1950s.
In the late 1960s though, Walker returned and had a great amount of success.
After his run for Gulas-Welch, Walker had a similar big run in Florida and also
worked some in Texas. In late 1972, Walker returned some to work the area. Some
felt the balding, stocky man with the rubbery moves that allowed him to slip out
of holds might be nearing the end of his career. In 1972 though, the Georgia
office split after the death of star wrestler and Ray Gunkel, who owned part of
the promotion. Gunkel left his part of the promotion to Ann, his wife. Ann
decided to play a part in the promotion which caused a split among the rest of
the promotion which included Lester Welch who traded his piece of the Florida
promotion for a piece of the Georgia promotion with his nephew Buddy Fuller, the
son of Roy Welch. As the promotion split, most all the wrestlers left to work
for Gunkel, who started her own promotion, All-South Wrestling. This left the
NWA promotion vulnerable briefly. The promotion called in favors with Roy Welch
and Eddie Graham, among others, stepping up to the plate to keep things running
smoothly. In January 1973, a new regular crew of wrestlers was in place to work
the Georgia circuit for the NWA. One of the new men to grace the promotion was
The Masked Mr. Wrestling II. Introduced as a friend to The Masked Mr. Wrestling,
who had thrilled Georgia fans for years but whose schedule prohibited him from
working Georgia regularly at the time, II quickly won fans over to his side.
Under the mask as II was Johnny Walker. The move extended Walker’s career
another fifteen or so years with much of that being the headline fan favorite in
the Georgia promotion. The promotional war in Georgia ended in late 1974 but not
before Jerry Jarrett, who had become Roy Welch’s heir apparent in the
promotion, worked some as a booker for the Georgia promotion.
Spotlight
on area cards, January-March 1973
Memphis,
Tennessee, Mid-South Coliseum, Monday, January 29, 1973
Evansville, Indiana,
Wednesday, February 21, 1973
Memphis, Tennessee,
Monday, March 26, 1973
Title
changes and controversies during January-March 1973
January
January
6
Late
January-early February
February
February
3
February
13
February
19
February
20
Late
February
Early
March
March
14
March
19
March
24
March
26
March
28
March
29
April-June
1973
Sam
Bass’ team of Jim White & Jerry Lawler lose the Southern tag championship
to Tojo Yamamoto & Roughhouse Fargo for a week in April before White &
Lawler regain the titles. About a month later, Jarrett teams with Jackie Fargo
to snatch the titles from White & Lawler. At some point the titles ended up
vacant but White & Lawler would take the titles back in a Memphis
tournament. They would lose the titles at the end of June to Jarrett and his
newest tag partner, Johnny Marlin.
Tojo
Yamamoto & Ben Justice’s reign as World tag champions was a short one as
The Fabulous Kangaroos: Al Costello & Don Kent managed by Crybaby George
Cannon took the tag titles back. The Kangaroos continued to work some cities in
the territory but worked a good deal of time for John Cazana’s Knoxville
promotion at this time. While in Knoxville, the Kangaroos swapped the World tag
titles with the team of Ron Wright & Don Wright. By the beginning of summer,
Cannon would leave Costello & Kent. At this point, Sir Clements returned and
became the manager to the Kangaroos. In some cities, the Kangaroos were billed
as International tag champions instead of World tag champions.
The
Mid-America tag championship began this time frame in the possession of Eddie
Marlin & Tommy Gilbert. Marlin & Gilbert though soon lost the titles to
Duke Myers & Terry Garvin with manager Jim Garvin. Bearcat Brown & Joey
Rossi won the titles for a time from Myers & Garvin. Myers & Garvin and
The Bounty Hunters both have claims on the championship in June. Meantime, Bobby
Hart & Lorenzo Parente spend a brief time billed as Tennessee tag champions.
Stars working the territory during this time were Dandy Jack
Donovan, Tommy Marlin, Tony Santos, Al Greene, Pepe Lopez, The Great Fuji, Bobby
Lyons, George Hultz, Ron Wright, Billy Hamilton, Devoy Brunson, Charlie Cook,
Leon Chandler, Mike Paidousis, The Masked Assassins (not Renesto &
Hamilton), Dave Conners, Jerry McCoy, Rock Riddle, Lou Thesz, Pat O’Connor,
Cowboy Frankie Laine, Billy Laine, Bill Costello, The Oriental Mystery Man, The
Masked Mighty Yankees, Ray Duran, more.
Midget
stars Little Bruiser, The Haiti Kid and Wee Willie Wilson worked in the area at
this time. The female stars also worked some in the area at this time including
Joyce Grable, Donna Christanello, Estella Molina, Marina Rey, Paula Kaye and Jan
Sheridan.
One of the
most interesting feuds during this time period saw longtime area heels Lorenzo
Parente & Bobby Hart turn fan favorites to battle The Bounty Hunters.
Parente & Hart also waged war against The Fabulous Kangaroos: Al Costello
& Don Kent in this time frame. Eddie Marlin & Tommy Gilbert were on a
roll at this point and feuded against both The Bounty Hunters and Jim White
& Jerry Lawler at various times in this time period. Bearcat Brown &
Joey Rossi also frequently battled Terrence Garvin & Duke Myers.
While the promotion takes it’s share of criticism for not
having a lot of on-the-mat stylists, it would be an unfair generalization to
believe the promotion never featured such. Don Greene, Lorenzo Parente and Len
Rossi all had very good pure wrestling skills. Another excellent mat wrestler
made his presence known in 1973. Johnny Marlin worked the middle or top of area
cards for a good chunk of 1973. Marlin was billed as the cousin to Eddie and
Tommy Marlin. While Eddie and Tommy are legitimate brothers, Johnny wasn’t
related at all. Johnny was an Englishman who worked other territories as Johnny
Eagle. Eagle would work many of the territories over the next few years and
achieved some success in the great Northwest.
On a bigger scale, Dory Funk, Jr.’s long and successful run
as NWA champion ended on May 24 in Kansas City as Harley Race won the coveted
title.
Spotlight
on area cards, April-May 1973
Chattanooga,
Tennessee, Memorial Auditorium, Sunday, April 15, 1973
Nashville, Tennessee,
Wednesday, May 30, 1973
Chattanooga,
Tennessee Memorial Auditorium, Saturday, June 30, 1973
Title
changes and controversies during April-June 1973
April
April
9
April
11
April
15
April
16
April
18
April
30
Late
April
May
May
9
June
2
June
6
June
18
Mid-June
June
27
June
30
Late
June
July-September
1973
The
Southern tag titles held by Jerry Jarrett & Johnny Marlin fell back into the
hands of Jim White & Jerry Lawler with manager Sam Bass. On the western end,
Jarrett & Jackie Fargo were recognized for a time as champions. A few weeks
later, White is injured and is replaced in the team by The Masked Scorpion.
Lawler & The Scorpion then lose the tag titles to Eddie Marlin & Tommy
Gilbert. A month later, Marlin & Gilbert drop the tag titles for a week to
The Masked Mighty Yankees with manager George Harris before regaining the
straps.
The
Fabulous Kangaroos: Al Costello & Don Kent managed by Sir Clements had a
long reign as World tag champions. In September though, they ran afoul of
Lorenzo Parente & Randy Curtis who took the championship away for a time.
The
Mid-America tag titles were the proverbial hot potato during the summer. Duke
Myers & Terry Garvin with manager Jim Garvin began this time frame holding
the titles. Jackie Fargo & Tojo Yamamoto then won the titles before losing
them back to Myers & Garvin. Bearcat Brown & Joey Rossi then claim the
titles. Ron Garvin & Terry Garvin are then billed as champions and drop the
titles to Joey Rossi & Don Greene. At some point in August, Tojo Yamamoto
& Johnny Marlin also lay claim to the titles, likely meaning there were
different sets of champions in different cities at the same time. It is clear
that during most of September that The Garvins are Mid-America tag champions.
Don Greene
worked area cards billed as U.S. junior heavyweight champion at this time. In
July he did lose the title to Lorenzo Parente.
Regulars in the area at this time were such stars as
Roughhouse Fargo, The Bounty Hunters with manager Jim Kent, Dandy Jack Donovan,
The Masked Medic (Jim Dalton), Cowboy Frankie Laine, Billy Laine, Bobby Hart,
Ron Wright & Don Wright (Tennessee tag champions), Lou Thesz, Benny McGuire
& Billy McGuire, Tommy Marlin, Bill Costello, Roy Lee Welch, Charlie Cook,
Terry Lathan, Happy Humphery, Tony Santos, Johnny Fields & Marshall Fields
(Ricky Fields), The Masked Devil’s Disciples, El Diablo, Danny Dusek, Devoy
Brunson, Joe Ball, Bill Helm, Jesse James, The Masked Super Infernos managed by
J.C. Dykes, Tony Peters, Buddy Linn, Rocky Smith, Hector Torres & Pedro
Torres, Roy Brunson and more.
A bevy of
female stars worked in the circuit at this point in time including Lilly Thomas,
Donna Christanello, Dottie Downs, Ava Seedorff, Debbie Johnson, Sylvia Hackney,
Little Darling Dagmar, Diamond Lil, Olga Martinez, Rita Gomez and Peggy
Patterson. Midget stars Bobo Johnson and Little Tokyo were also in the area at
this time.
Among the hot feuds at this time were battles between Jerry Lawler and Jerry Jarrett. Lawler & Jim White continued their feud against Eddie Marlin & Tommy Gilbert, who also often worked against The Masked Mighty Yankees.
The
Fabulous Kanagroos: Al Costello & Don Kent made waves in the area during
much of 1973. Initially managed in the area by Crybaby George Cannon, the
Kangaroos were heels of the highest order in the area as they headlined many
cards throughout 1973. Cannon would leave the promotion around mid-year. The
Kangaroos weren’t long without a manager though as Englishman Sir Clements,
who had previously managed Don Greene & Al Greene, stepped into that role
with the Kangaroos. Meanwhile, the Kangaroos were a team with great longevity as
Ray St. Clair and Roy Heffernan had, at various times, teamed with Costello.
Also for a time, the legendary Wild Red Berry served as a manager to the
Kangaroos. The team would be revived a few times in the future with Tony
Charles, Denny Kass, Al Snow and Johnny Heffernan becoming Kangaroos.
It is interesting to note that during the year, Tommy
Weathers is listed as referee for matches in Birmingham. Weathers was beginning
a long career as a referee in the Southeast, most often working cards in Alabama
and Tennessee.
Harley
Race lost the NWA title to Jack Brisco in Houston on July 20, leading to a long
and successful reign by the popular star from Oklahoma. Race apparently did not
make any appearances for Gulas-Welch during his short title reign.
Spotlight
on area cards, July-September 1973
Birmingham, Alabama
City Auditorium, Monday, July 23, 1973
Memphis, Tennessee
Mid-South Coliseum, Monday, August 27, 1973
Chattanooga,
Tennessee Memorial Auditorium, Saturday, September 22, 1973
Title
changes and controversies during July-September 1973
July
2
July
7
July
9
Mid
July
July
16
July
30
August
4
August
13
August
15
September
5
September
10
September
15
September
22
Late
September
October-December
1973
Eddie
Marlin & Tommy Gilbert held the Southern tag titles at the beginning of this
time frame. The Garvins though did upend the popular duo to lay claim to the
titles although Marlin & Gilbert did regain the belts back in quick fashion.
At some point, Jerry Lawler & Al Greene with manager Sam Bass win the titles
and hold them into late November. At that point the exact lineage of the title
becomes unclear.
The World tag titles begin this period in the hands of Lorenzo Parente & Randy Curtis. It wasn’t long though the returning team of Dr. Ken Ramey’s Masked Interns captured the belts. The Interns would then lose the titles to Don Greene & Bearcat Brown before regaining them. There is also some evidence pointing to the fact that Parente & Curtis held the titles again in late November. After November though, the lineage of the titles is unclear for the rest of 1973.
Terry
Garvin & Ron Garvin managed by Jim Garvin were Mid-America tag champions at
the start of October. Research though has failed to unearth the lineage of the
championship for October and November. In December, Tojo Yamamoto & Jackie
Fargo are billed as champions before losing the titles to Dr. Ken Ramey’s
Masked Interns. At the end of the year, Don Greene & Bearcat Brown top the
Interns to win the titles.
The
area’s singles titles, the Southern junior heavyweight title, the Mid-America
title and the U.S. junior heavyweight title, all remained fairly quiet during
the year. Len Rossi was the reigning Southern junior heavyweight champion at the
time of his late 1972 auto accident. The true lineage of the title after
Rossi’s accident is not clear to this writer. By December though, Ron Garvin
is billed as Southern junior heavyweight champion.
The U.S.
junior heavyweight championship likely was in the hands of Don Greene most of
the year. It does seem likely though that both Lou Thesz and Lorenzo Parente had
brief runs with that championship during 1973 although when isn’t totally
clear. In October, champion Greene loses the title to the Masked Intern I
managed by Dr. Ken Ramey. A bit later, Greene would regain the title and hold it
the rest of the year.
Among those working the circuit during this time were such
stars as NWA champion Jack Brisco, Lou Thesz, The Fabulous Kangaroos: Al
Costello & Don Kent with manager Sir Clements, Jerry Jarrett, The Masked
Scorpion, Johnny Fields & Marshall Fields (known later as Ricky Fields, the
Fields boys were relatives of Roy Welch), Jim Kent, Terry Lathan, Bill Costello,
Johnny Marlin, Dwayne Peale (worked on some cards billed as Buddy Wayne), Roy
Lee Welch, George Harris and The Masked Mighty Yankees, The Samoans, Jesse
James, Don Greene, The Cuban Assassins, Devoy Brunson, Dennis Hall, Pat
Patterson (who worked at least one Memphis card in this time frame), J.C. Wingo,
Benny McGuire & Billy McGuire, The Masked Infernos with manager J.C. Dykes,
Rufus R. Jones and more.
Also
working the area as 1973 wound down were such stars as U.S. Ladies champion Cora
Combs, Sylvia Hackney, Peggy Patterson, Frenchy LaMont, Little Louis and
Gentleman Ben the Wrestling Bear.
Jackie
Fargo was among the participants in one of this time period’s hot feuds as he
often teamed with Jerry Jarrett against Jerry Lawler & his new tag partner
The Masked Scorpion. Fargo unmasked The Scorpion to reveal Don Duffy, who
earlier in the year had managed Lorenzo Parente & Bobby Hart but who had
been forced to leave the area when Parente & Hart lost a match to The
Fabulous Kangaroos: Al Costello & Don Kent with manager George Cannon. The
losing team’s manager in the match had to leave the area. The Kangaroos were
still in the area at this time, although Sir Clements had become their manager
at this point in time as they feuded often with Tojo Yamamoto & Jerry
Jarrett. J.C. Dykes’ Masked Infernos also hit the area near the end of the
year and battled Eddie Marlin & Tommy Gilbert.
In
previous years, Roy Welch’s grandsons, Ron and Robert Fuller (sons of Buddy
Fuller) had worked some in the area. Ron and Robert’s cousin, Jimmy Golden had
also worked in the area. In 1973, more members of the Welch family worked the
area. One of Lester Welch’s sons, Roy Lee, worked some in the area. Also on
some area cards were Johnny & Marshall Fields, sons of Buddy Fuller’s
sister. Marshall Fields would work most of his career as Ricky Fields.
In one of
the most memorable angles in Chattanooga wrestling history, the Masked Interns
roughed up Donna Greene, daughter of Don Greene on the live December 22 TV show.
Don had just finished a match and retired to the showers. TV announcer Harry
Thornton called over Donna to interview her since she was in town to watch her
dad wrestle. The Masked Interns and manager Dr. Ken Ramey though were not
pleased and felt Thornton should be interviewing them. The trio intervened and
slapped Donna when she refused to leave the interview area. As the heels towered
over Donna, Don rushed from the showers, wet with soap and wearing only his
underwear to send the bad guys on their way. The incident heated up Don’s feud
with Bearcat Brown against The Interns.
Spotlight
on area cards, October-December 1973
Louisville,
Kentucky Convention Center, Monday, October 22, 1973
Memphis, Tennessee
Mid-South Coliseum, Monday, November 5, 1973
Chattanooga,
Tennessee Memorial Auditorium, Saturday, December 22, 1973
Title
changes and controversies during April-June 1973
October
8
October
9
October
13
October
16
October
25
Early
November
November
8
November
15
November
24
November
28
Late
November
December
December
8
December
15
December
22
December
29
Late
1973
Title
Histories
Courtesy
of Duncan & Will’s Wrestling Title
Histories and The Great Hisa’s
Puroresu Dojo web site http://www.wrestling-titles.com/
Thanks
Edsel
Harrison and David Williamson
NEXT MONTH:
1974