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 - Mike Norris

This month I want to take a look at what many consider the greatest and most violent feud in the history of Gulf Coast Championship Wrestling. Cowboy Bob Kelly’s battles with the Fargo Family, specifically Donnie Fargo.

The Participants

Cowboy Bob Kelly first came to the Gulf Coast region in 1964 from his native Louisville, Kentucky. He had been wrestling for about five years when he started working for promoter Lee Fields. Along with wrestling, Bob also refereed and help set up the ring. But soon his star was rising, and by 1970, Bob was at the beginning of his long reign as Gulf Coast Heavyweight Champion. More details of Cowboy Bob’s career were discussed in Gulf Coast column #2.

Donnie Fargo’s career in professional wrestling was a long and colorful one. A native New Yorker whose real name was Donald Kalt, Donnie worked under many aliases in his storied career. Beginning in the mid 1950s he was known variously as Don Garfield or "Wildman" Don Stevens (teaming with a very young Ray Stevens). By the late 50s, he was teaming with Jack Faggart and they were known throughout the country as Jackie and Donnie, the Fabulous Fargos. In the 60s, Don teamed with Kenny Mack as Jack and Frank Dillinger (the Chain Gang / Hell’s Angels). They were the AWA World tag team champions at one point. After a run in with the real Hell’s Angels motorcycle gang left Kenny with a serious gunshot wound in the leg, Don left the Midwest for the South. Teaming now with Jim Bagis, they were now known as Jack and Jim, the Dirty Daltons. Other Daltons were Bob Dalton (John Long) and Frank Dalton (Gene Stevens). Donnie made his first appearances in the Gulf Coast area with the Daltons in the late 60s. Then in late 1970, now as a solo, came the Fabulous Donnie "Nature Boy" Fargo.

The Feud

When Donnie came into the Gulf Coast territory he immediately set his sights on the Gulf Coast Heavyweight Championship, which was held by Cowboy Bob Kelly. After a series of matches, Fargo managed to wrest the title from around the popular cowboy’s grasp. Fargo managed to hold onto the title for several months, dropping it only once for a brief period to Calvin "Prince" Pullins in early 1971. Meanwhile, Cowboy Bob had taken over duties as matchmaker for promoter Lee Fields and was not an active competitor.  

Late in 1971, Donnie lost the Gulf Coast title to the Wrestling Pro (Leon Baxter) and had managed to get himself suspended by matchmaker Kelly. This was significant because NWA World Heavyweight Champion Dory Funk Jr. was coming in to make a title defense against the top man in the territory. A tournament was set up to run two consecutive Wednesday nights in Mobile, Alabama to determine who would challenge the champ. As the Gulf Coast champion, and with Fargo out of the way, the Wrestling Pro figured to be the favorite and earn the shot. However, the first night of the tournament, Fargo tried to force his way into a match. Cowboy Bob Kelly came out to the ring carrying Fargo’s training bag and street clothes. He threw them into the ring and ordered Fargo removed from the building under police escort.

The following Saturday night, during television tapings at WEAR Channel 3 in Pensacola, a mysterious masked man named Mr. D showed up. He had a contract signed by the NWA allowing him to enter the tournament to challenge for the World’s title. Kelly had no choice but to allow him in. Although, he wore long black tight and a black mask with a skull and crossbones insignia, it was obvious to everyone that this was Donnie Fargo. Not to be outdone, Bob Kelly put up a $500 bounty to anyone who could unmask Mr. D and prove it to be Fargo. The next Wednesday night in Mobile, Mr. D defeated the Wrestling Pro in the final match to earn a shot at Dory Funk Jr.!More...

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