Evidently his stature as a main eventer deemed it necessary to give the TV time based on this award to the previously mentioned obviously less qualified combatants.  

Finally this month we will elaborate the details of the double cross, which was foreshadowed in last month’s columns.  Willie Monroe was an individual who had filled several voids in the angle pool for the group during his tenure in the ICW.  My first observation of him was with Pez Whately and Ernie Ladd as the silent third man during Pez’s tirade about his lack of opportunity to gain title shots and recognition in October of 1981.  Willie did not wrestle much until he was converted to a face character in early to mid 1982.  Supposedly something occurred where Pez was hitting (making advances) on Willie’s wife and Willie received a two on one thrashing from the Great Tio and Pez.  Willie does not show up much on advertised cards for house shows until mid year.  At this juncture Ox Baker was the established top heel for ICW having established quick heat through his program with Ronnie Garvin.  For some reason in late May 1982 a handicap match was generated on television consisting of Ox Baker vs. Leaping Lanny and Willie Monroe.  The match up was the main event for this hour and Lanny started out against the much larger Ox.  Lanny did an admirable job avoiding Ox’s major punishing moves and he actually retained the upper hand about six minutes into the match.  At that point Monroe blindsided Lanny with a forearm to the back and he and Ox controlled their dazed foe like a cat toying with an already injured mouse.  This went on for several minutes until George Weingeroff came to the aid of his long time partner and ran the heels back to the dressing room.  Needless to say single matches between Monroe and Lanny were main evented throughout the touring region during the next month.  But this swerve served to keep the fans on Lanny’s side as the long time law abider worked to right the injustice he had suffered.  

NEXT MONTH: 

We will examine the man some say was Randy Savage’s greatest adversary during the ICW era, and look at the 1982 Rookie of the Year.  This gentleman certainly had an impact until the promotions demise in late 1983.