- Edward Pardue

Jim Crockett Promotions was an important part of my childhood. I spent literally hundreds of hours in front of my big television with the rabbit ears in the small town outside of Fayetteville, NC called Hope Mills.

Virtually every one of these hours was spent watching professional wrestling. The best wrestling I ever saw was presented by Jim Crockett Promotions and the National Wrestling Alliance. Some of the best memories as well...

Crockett brought his boys to town every other Monday Night. On the occasions when I would be fortunate enough to attend the matches, my mother and I would always stop for a Whopper or two at the Burger King just a block from The Cumberland County Arena before the matches began. Mom would always ask me NOT to do anything to embarrass her in public such as use profanity towards the workers and such. Mom should've asked me for a kidney... she MIGHT have gotten better results.

The arena in Fayetteville held roughly 5000 people. Inside the wrestling ring was center stage, while MANY people filled the seats. I couldn't vouch these figures, but I would guess there were on average about 3000 people there, with the ONLY sell out I know of being THE GREAT AMERICAN BASH in 1986. Still the matches in Fayetteville meant the world to me. 

The matches would start promptly at 8 o'clock. The first few matches were between "carpenters" or guys who were generally used on television to make the big name stars look good. Two of the nicest "carpenters" I had the pleasure to meet were Rocky King and Don Kernodle.

Rocky King was an average built African-American worker, who had a decent build, but yet, lacked something that Jim Crockett was looking for in his stars. He was probably no more than five ten and a legit 200 lbs. but he nevertheless always gave his all for the fans. He would smile on his way to the ring and shake hands like he had known you all your life. After his match was over (which generally ended in him losing) and he was on the way back to the dressing room, he would again shake hands with the fans like he had known them forever. Just from judging on these brief encounters, I can honestly say I really don't think Rocky King had a mean bone in his body. I have absolutely NO CLUE what Rocky is doing these days, but should he ever come to KM, I would hope he would read these words and know his kindness meant the world to an eleven year old in Fayetteville. True, he never was on par with Ric Flair (then again, WHO is?) but talking to me for a few minutes meant the world to me. Thanks, Rock...