Ricky Romero, Wahoo McDaniel (plus any other Native American grappler) – Tomahawk chop (wonder if this move would survive today’s PC environment?)

Lord Alfred Hayes – Tower of London (great move that actually looked very painful!)

Crusher Jerry Blackwell (plus other "big men") – Giant splash, and, believe it or not, the DROP KICK! (that was an awesome sight, to see nearly a 500 lb man execute a drop kick!)

Rufus R. Jones – Perennial St. Louis favorite – The "Freight Train" (kind of a running tackle) and the head butt.

David Von Erich – Claw hold, drop kick, variety of scientific holds

Kevin Von Erich – Claw hold, body scissors, flying body press

Kerry Von Erich – Claw hold, discus punch

Baron Von Raschke – Claw hold

Ken Patera – Bear hug, full nelson

Ox Baker – Heart punch

This is only a partial sample of many of the great workers who called St. Louis home during the glory days of the territory. What is interesting is how great the product was, yet how "simple" the holds and high spots were. Looking at the great names of St. Louis wrestling, and remembering live matches at the Kiel and televised matches from the Chase, I am amazed at how many matches ended with small packages, reverse rolling cradles, back slides, and suplexes. Today’s fan might chant "boring" at the 45-minute, 2-out-of-3-falls matches (complete with rear chinlocks, side headlocks, and a variety of other "rest holds") we enjoyed back in 1980.

Today’s environment of seven-minute matches, with no pacing and no psychology bores me. I miss the days of long matches with a building crescendo to the finish. You knew when somebody hit their finisher, it was the end. Certain moves were absolutely respected, for example, the piledriver. Other wrestlers did not pop up from, or "no sell" a piledriver. (see the Road Warriors) Occasionally, during a big match, somebody would "reverse" Flair’s figure four leglock (TV jobbers could never figure out how to do this!) But even if somebody reversed it, they still limped and sold it. This is a far cry from today’s situation, where guys hit their finishers at will, other guys "no-sell" whenever they feel like it, and the whole seven-minute match is a hodgepodge of high spots.

I think the style of the past, with less high spots, and more pacing and psychology was superior to today’s product. I also think that there is validity to the notion that this style allowed the Ric Flairs, the Harley Races, and the Pat O’Connors of the past to continue their careers into their 40s and 50s. In addition, this style led to a more "educated" fan who could sit through the 45-minute match. Match pacing and psychology are lost arts (with a few exceptions) with today’s superstars. People get bored too quickly – this is a shame, because most of today’s younger fans never have had an experience to witness a real 45 to 60 minute NWA championship match, with the crowd on its feet, cheering for each near fall. And that is a shame, because they will never know what they missed in the glory days of the St. Louis NWA promotion.

NEXT MONTH:  

The Kiel Auditorium (1934 – 1992)