This card’s copy of “Wrestling” also informed the fans that on KMOX radio, 1120 AM (the “Voice of St. Louis”) Sam Muchnick and Globe-Democrat Sports Editor Bob Burnes hosted a radio show at 6:15 pm the night of every Kiel card. How interesting would that have been? To hear the thoughts and comments of Sam Muchnick and the Sports Editor of the Globe? I am sure it was 100% kayfabe, but that would have been cool to have that on the car AM radio on the way down I-70 to the Kiel. 

June 18, 1971 – Lanza joins forces with Big Bill Miller (aka The Crimson Knight, and Doctor Bill Miller) to tangle with the team of Pat O’Connor and Jack Brisco. Notably absent from Lanza’s corner was Bobby Heenan. “Wrestling” chalked it up to the ongoing feud between Sam Muchnick and Heenan. I think it was due to Sam not really being a big fan of “managers”,  Lanza certainly did not need Heenan to “get over” in St. Louis, and Bobby probably had another commitment on a Friday night, either in the AWA or Bruiser’s WWA in Indianapolis. 

Black Jack Lanza was indeed one of the greats to ever step in the ring and appear in St. Louis during the 1970s and 1980s. This snapshot of just some of his matches showed the talent he and his manager, Bobby Heenan, possessed. To have a run last that long in St. Louis, and have that many main events, including NWA Title shots, Black Jack must have been something special. And he was. 

Thanks for stopping by the site and reading this month’s article. Questions, comments, and suggestions for future articles are always welcome in the St. Louis section of the message board. See you next month! 

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Kiel cards after Sam Muchnick Retired