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You Still Must Know the Ropes Once in AwhileBy MIKE DOWNEYI. fortunately, did not grow up in a time when evenings were spent gathered in a family circle around the old radio, enjoying “Lux Theatre and roasting chestnuts over the fire and telling my children how 1 used to walk 10 miles to school and back.I. fortunately, was raised in an era dominated by television rather than radio, popcorn rather than chestnuts, and Ku kort Bus Lines rather than the footmobile.And I remember Saturday nights. Bath night. Matt Dillon at 9 o’clock.But my favorite custom on Saturday night was to battle bloodshot eyes in order to stay awake and view my special program. To this very day I recall my rapture with professional wrestling, and at midnight each Saturday the emcee, Red Morgan, would introduce the best wrestlers in an hour-long fiesta from Marigold Arena in Chicago. I was hooked.I found Shock theatre lt;with Mad Marvin and the late movie lt;with Jim Moran the Courtesy Man) to be quite dull compared to Wrestling Champions. Wolfman couldn’t hold a fang to Bruno Sam mart ino. “The Mummy” and “Count Dracula” would shy away from Bearcat Wright and Argentina Rocca.Wrestling fixed’.’ Yes. those ugly rumors were flying even then, and 1 admit now that from his half-nelson the pained wrestler appeared trying to remember the script. Yet I was so fascinated by the sport that wrestling was not fixed, that it was truly the same sport which Strangler Lewis and Jim Londos and Lou Thesz made so glamorous.Ah. Gorgeous George. He was a bit ahead of the old midnight wrestling show, but he’ll never be forgotten. He may have been a femme, as men who use perfume and orchids tend to Ix* known, but he was the most crowd-pleasing, riot-inciting man since Rudy Vallee bronzed his megaphone.When my interest was lirst attracted, the world champion was Fat O’Connor, who’s still making the circuit Now there are several world champions, just as in boxing, and no one really knows who really owns the title. But O’Connor was it then.Then one year. I believe it was 1961, O’Connor put his title on the line against cocky, blond-headed Buddy Rogers and Rogers won. 1 almost cried. But then the rematch contract was signed and the tears went away. We'll get that so-and-so this time. Fat. I thought. I would have watched the match in person too. as it was in Chicago, but I couldn't get a ticket.The crowd that jammed Comiskey park paid over $100,000 that night to witness O’Connor and Rogers, and since then only the Beatles and Jehovah’s Witnesses have put that many in the joint.Rogers won again on a contested decision and he held that title for years. 1 still remember how peeved I was when he would appear on the old midnight wrestling program. 1 hoped Johnny Valentine or Sammartino or Haystacks Calhoun would glt;*t to wrestle him, but it would always be some pushover like Arnold Skaaland or Bad Boy Joe w hose best hold was a slap to the ear.Finally, years later, the old man of the sport. Lou Thesz, caught Rogers in Toronto and beat him two-of-three falls. It was the sixth time the then 47-year-old Thesz had owned the title bo 11. But before news of the upset had spread. Rogers finally decided to meet Sammartino. whom he had been ducking, in Sammartino’s New York playground Madison Square Garden, and the big Italian won in about 48 seconds. Now was when the trouble began.Both Thesz and Sammartino figured they had the championship. and when the National w restling alliance ruled in favor of Thesz, a new alliance was formed in the east and gave its own version of the title ala Joe Frazier) to Sammartino From there we now have abou* five alliances and as many championsWhen Fred Kohler, the Chicago promoter, decided to call it quits several years back, wrestling in that city folded along with his reign. Chicago became wresling’s dead city, and remained that way until a fellow named Bob Luce took over about three years ago and started presenting matches at International AmphitheatreNow Chicago is once again one of America’s top wrestling tow ns, perhaps the capital. The w orld champ as far as the Windy City is concerned is Verne Gagne, an almost totally bald, not especially big grappler who just happens to have, like O'Connor and Thesz, the uncanny ability to whip dozens of killers who outweigh them by 80 pounds and bite and pull brass knuckles out of their trunks and do all sorts of delightful things.The matches at the Amphitheatre are held monthly and they ch aw anywhere from 2 to 10.000 people They scream, gouge, shove and punch w ith a ferocity I only w ish the w res-tlers would exert The bouts are usually on Saturday nights, which means even though they’re only once a month. I can still w atch w restling on Saturdays, and I wouldn't pass it up even if Shock theatre was still on TV.John E. Meyers, sports editor of THE STA R. is ill. His * Hot Corner will resume upon his return.
Newspaper Details
Chicago Heights Star
Chicago, Illinois, US
Thu, Oct 09, 1969
Page 24
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 23 Oct 2024
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