1969

1968 Review

The Gulas-Welch territory continued to be dominated by tag teams in 1968 with Don Carson & The Red Shadow, Dennis Hall & Ken Lucas and The Masked Mighty Yankees headlining many cards. Len Rossi also paired with various partners to do well in tag team ranks. Rossi also had a successful year in the singles ranks in 1968.  

1969 Preview

Tag teams again would play a part in the territory's success for 1969. Rather quietly, a young man named Jerry Jarrett would find some prominence in the ring. Jarrett, of course, would have a major influence in the territory in just a few short years that would last decades. The area would also see a regular African-American wrestler for the first time as Bearcat Brown became one of the area's top attractions. The area's mainstay, Jackie Fargo, was active in the area, but not as regular as many might believe. The year would also be one for transforming one of the area's top villains ever as Tojo Yamamoto turned into a fan favorite.  

January-March 1969

Bobby Fields & Lee Fields ended 1968 with a Memphis win over The Masked Mighty Yankees to capture the Southern tag championship. The title reign by the Fields Boys though only lasted a week as The Yankees regained the titles one week later in a Memphis rematch. The tag championship then was passed to Ken Lucas & Dennis Hall and back to the Yankees. The masked meanies then lost the titles to Lucas & Johnny Walker. The Yankees regained the titles but then lost them to Joe Sky & Bill Sky. The Yankees would then regain the titles. There is some evidence to also suggest that Johnny Walker & Ken Lucas held the tag titles one other time after their reign earlier in this time frame.

The title switches during this time frame may have only occurred in certain cities and were switched back in rematches in those certain cities the following week without the title change(s) being made known to fans in other cities in the territory. It seems quite plausible, not only with the Southern tag titles in this time frame, but also with the World tag titles during the year, that promoters switched titles from team to team in various cities without fear of fans in other cities ever realizing the title changes in attempts to keep ongoing feuds hot. Further research may help uncover part of this mystery. The theory behind this would seem to be promoters were giving fans a hot feud with the prestigious tag titles at stake and both teams were so well-matched they both were able to win the belts. The fact that the Masked Mighty Yankees were involved as heavily as they were in these scenarios should indicate how hot a heel team they were at this time.

The World tag title scene was also muddled in the first quarter of the year. Gentleman Saul Weingeroff's team of Tojo Yamamoto & Johnny Long began the year as champions. The titles were held up after Weingeroff's combo had a wild Chattanooga match against Len Rossi & Don Carson . Yamamoto & Long regained the titles in a rematch only to lose them a week later back to Rossi & Carson.

The last recognized Southern Junior Heavyweight champion in 1968 was Tojo Yamamoto. The lineage of this title is unclear much of 1969 although it is likely during this first part of the year Yamamoto was recognized as champion.  More...