"EXCITEMENT IN THE AIR" (PT.1) By Rock Rims

 

 

  He was quite a large man.  And like many large men, he had a strong air of confidence.  In fact, he seemed to exude such a high level of confidence that he appeared to think he was invulnerable.  And it was all those traits that made the words he would speak seem all the more ominous.  “…Whenever I saw that, I’d sit in the dressing room watching the monitor and I’d say ‘what am I going to be facing?!  What am I going to have to go out in the ring against?!  What could I possibly do against a man like that?!”

     The Large Man who was speaking was Professional Wrestler Sam Oliver Bass, who would go on to be better known as “The Outlaw” Ron Bass.  And the man he was referring to, the man who seemed to disrupt his air of confidence and give him pause for thought, was the Professional Wrestler named Lonnie “Moondog” Mayne.  And the “thing” that he was witnessing, the thing that he would describe as “inhuman” , the thing that made he and others wonder what they were dealing with, was a bloody “Moondog” Mayne biting into a broken bottle and chewing the glass. 

     It was in December of 1977 when Bass recounted his early impressions of Lonnie Mayne and I’m sure much to his relief, Lonnie was now his partner rather than his opponent, and they were engaged in a very heated feud with Buddy Rose and Ed Wiskowski in Don Owen’s Pacific Northwest territory.  Soon, the feud would end and Lonnie would be headed back to California and I would catch my first glimpse of the Moondog.  And while this would be my first opportunity to witness what Lonnie Mayne had to offer in the world of professional wrestling I would later find that others had been captivated by him for years and that he was no stranger to California.

 

Where It All Started

 

     Ronald “Lonnie” Doyle Mayne was born on September 12, 1944 in the small town of Fairfax in Northern California.  Lonnie came from a wrestling family, as his uncle Ronald was active as a pro during the 30’s and 40’s, and his father Kenny was in 1934 an Intermountain AAU wrestling champion at 145 lbs.  Kenny would also venture into professional wrestling, first as an in-ring performer before also adding to his resume the  promoting of wrestling in Utah starting in the 1950’s. 

     Though he was born in California Lonnie was raised in Utah and was active as a youth, participating in many activities, including sports and motorcycle riding, and the latter would remain a favorite pastime for him throughout his life.  Like wrestling, motorcycle riding was a bit of a tradition in the Mayne family as Lonnie’s uncle Pete Cazier, who in addition to having been an amateur boxer and race car driver also raced bikes for the Harley Davidson Motorcycle team.  Lonnie’s younger brother Shawn told a story regarding a young Lonnie expressing extreme disappointment when Santa hadn’t delivered a much desired motorcycle.  “That dirty old son of a bitch didn’t bring me a motorcycle!’ Lonnie exclaimed before heading back to his room.  Always a fun loving character, “Dirty old son of a bitch” may also have been the same words uttered by angry patrons of a particular Holiday Inn as Lonnie rode his motorcycle down the hallways in the early morning hours many years later.

      It became evident early on that the sport of wrestling was also in his blood as Lonnie would tag along with his father to some of his matches.  The elder Mayne had wrestled in various territories including Utah (where he was once the State Middleweight Champion), Ohio, Texas, and Idaho, and had wrestled such notables as Antone Leone and Bill Curry, as well as the occasional not so-notable such as “Young Hitler”.  Another territory Kenny would work is the Pacific Northwest which was also a main stomping ground for Tony Borne who would become a legend in the Pacific Northwest territory and would become instrumental in Lonnie’s early success in pro wrestling.  Borne later fondly recalled his first impressions of a then-12 year old Lonnie Mayne.  While he referred to him as a “snot nosed kid”, he also said,  “…Even at this early age, I knew he had a little something extra going for him.” (Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Heels- Greg Oliver and Steven Johnson)

     Lonnie would also display an aptitude for football and was an All-American while playing at the College of Southern Utah.  After college Lonnie weighed his options between pursuing a possible career in professional football and pursuing one in professional wrestling.  Fortunately for many fans of the mat game, he chose the ring.

     He began wrestling at age 20, and after wrestling for a few months in Utah, where he held the North American tag team titles with Bobby Mayne, he then headed to Southern California. Promoter Jules Strongbow who along with the Cal and Eileen Eaton, were the promoters of the WWA in Southern California and despite not being affiliated with the NWA, ran an extremely strong promotion.  At the time Los Angeles was a hotbed for wrestling and the roster was stacked very deep. And with its strong television programming it also attracted visiting wrestling luminaries who were looking for increased exposure as well as a quick payday on the way to or on the way back from a tour in Japan.

 

   Even so, the promotion saw value in the strong young man and he saw success from the get-go, and within days of his arrival, he wrestled Pedro Morales to a draw during a TV taping in Los Angeles on October 5, 1965, less than 2 weeks before Morales would win the WWA Heavyweight title.  That great showing would earn him a rematch with Morales 3 weeks later, this time for his newly won title.  Each combatant would win a fall only for the match to end in a draw as neither was able to secure the decisive fall. 

     Lonnie would continue to make a showing for himself as a singles wrestler, also wrestling to draws with such Los Angeles wrestling stars as Nick Bockwinkel, Enrique Torres, and Mr. Moto.  In addition he would also form a solid tag team with “Crazy” Luke Graham, and the two unpredictable brawlers quickly became top contenders for the WWA World tag team titles during the first few months of 1966, even wrestling champions Thunderbolt Patterson and Alberto Torres to a draw.   His aggressive and relentless style of wrestling led to him being billed as “Mauler Mayne” on at least one promotional poster at the time and was a contributing factor to his being booked in Japan that same year.

     Feeling that his promoter father may have had something to do with that, no doubt Lonnie’s being booked in Japan so early in his career and at the tender age of 21 also could be attributed in part to the strong relationship that the Los Angeles WWA had with Japan’s JWA.  JWA star and promoter Rikidozan had learned long before that importing American wrestlers as opponents for the Japanese professional wrestlers added to the prestige of the events he promoted, and the fans were always eager to cheer for their hometown boy against the “foreign invaders.”  Shawn Mayne also feels that Lonnie’s strong amateur wrestling background played a part.

     “Truth be known Lonnie had a great scientific talent!  Our Father had a great Amateur career and in fact was going to the Olympic trials when he broke his leg in a motorcycle accident.  He became a true hooker in the pro ranks.  Lonnie took after our Father to an extent and learned a lot from him!  He was a State Champion in High School in Wrestling.  Lonnie was the youngest wrestler to go to Japan in the late 1960’s where as you know, scientific skills were and still a must, even being ‘green’”!

     Before that first overseas tour however, Lonnie would spend a month in Northern California wrestling for promoter Roy Shire, including a match with the then U.S. Heavyweight Champion Bill Watts.  While the stay would be brief Lonnie gave the local fans a taste of the performer that several years later they would alternately love and also love to hate.

     It must’ve been quite an experience for the young man from Utah to be on a professional wrestling tour in the exotic country of Japan at such an early age.  Even at that time a tour of Japan was considered quite a coup not only for the increased exposure and the great paydays, but because pro wrestling was held in such high regard by the local fans and they had come to expect nothing but the best.  The tour lasted a little under 2 months and Lonnie would find himself on opposite sides of the ring with some of Japan’s top stars including Shohei “Giant” Baba, Antonio Inoki, and Kintaro Oki.  Tours of Japan can also make strange bedfellows as Pedro Morales, his main singles opponent in Los Angeles, sometimes found himself as Lonnie’s partner during the tour.  Evidently Lonnie made a good impression during his stay in the “Land of the Rising Sun” as he would be invited on another tour two years later.

     But for now it was back to Los Angeles where he would wrestle for a few more months before heading to the area where he would make his biggest mark and perhaps even have his strongest legacy.

 

Next time:  What else would a dog eat?

 

Sources:

Legacyofwrestling.com

Wrestlingdata.com

THE SUPERMAN OF WRESTLING - By Rock Rims

      It was hot and it was itchy and there was no way I was getting rid of it.  Thankfully, it didn’t require a trip to the free clinic. 

America's Heavyweight Champ

     I was living in East Los Angeles, it was October 31, 1971, and on this Halloween, the highlight for my 3 year old self wasn’t a big bag of candy, it was the fact that I was wearing a lucha libre wrestling mask for my costume.  And it wasn’t just any wrestling mask; it was a replica of the kind that Mil Mascaras wore.  Unlike the following Halloween, where my parents dressed me up as The Devil (complete with a long pitchfork) and dropped me off at a conservative Church function, this Halloween was memorable in a way that wouldn’t require later therapy.

    Halloween has always been a favorite holiday for me and this time was no exception.  The mask seemed to transform me in a way that few other costumes have since, and in addition to the fact that it made me feel empowered, almost like a superhero, I loved the positive attention I received from other trick or treaters.

     It probably wasn’t surprising that I’d feel that way, for the Luchadores of Mexico seemed to be more than just wrestlers.  They did in fact project the image of being true to life superheroes.  For along with the masks they would often wear colorful robes or ring jackets and often capes as well.  And in the case of Mil Mascaras, he was often portrayed as a Superhero type in the movies he starred in, whether he was fighting gangsters, Mummies, or other Supernatural creatures.

     I wonder if he felt the same way when he’d don one of his many colorful masks?  For while Aaron Rodriguez would distinguish himself as an amateur athlete, both as a competitive bodybuilder and as a National level Judo competitor in Mexico, it was as Mil Mascaras that he would reach legendary, perhaps even heroic status.  And while on that Halloween he had only been wrestling in the U.S. for 3 1/2 years, he had certainly already become a hero of mine.

      Initially wrestling under the name Ricardo Duran, Rodriguez would soon adopt the identity of “Mil Mascaras” the Man of a Thousand Masks, debuting in Guadalajara, Mexico in July of 1965.  Larger than many of  his fellow Mexican wrestlers, he competed as a Light Heavyweight and won his first EMLL Mexican National Light Heavyweight title in Mexico City on June 12, 1967 from El Espanto, who had in turn won the title from Lucha Legend El Santo.  Mascaras would win the title yet a second time from El Nazi on October 15, 1967 before eventually vacating the title on March 22, 1968 as he set his sights on wrestling in the United States.

    And I was only one of many who would be grateful that Mascaras always had great ambition.  For when Mil Mascaras arrived in Mike LeBelle’s Southern California territory in the Spring of 1968, he brought with him an exciting repertoire of high flying lucha moves and wrestling holds and counters.  His charismatic presence and wrestling skills combined with his colorful wrestling attire (which included beautiful capes, ring jackets, and an incredible selection of masks) to help him make an immediate impact and attract a huge following.  He was truly a ground breaker, as he would experience success that other masked luchadores, including the Legendary El Santo and Blue Demon, hadn't experienced in the United States. Wrestling in singles matches as well as teaming up with former WWA World Champion Pedro Morales in tag matches, it would only be mere weeks before Mascaras defeated Buddy Austin 2 falls to 1 in a tournament final at the Los Angeles Olympic Auditorium for the vacant America’s Heavyweight Championship (L.A. area) on June 6, 1968.

     Mascaras would hold the title for 3 months before losing it to El Mongol and leaving the area before returning to L.A. in the early part of 1969.  He quickly resumed his winning ways and regained the title by defeating the Sheik on April 25,1969.  By this time the WWA World Title had been retired for 5 months and the America’s title was now the most prestigious title in the area which was now affiliated with the NWA.  Over the next couple of years he would feud with such wrestling greats as Freddie Blassie, John Tolos, The Sheik, and Black Gordman over the America’s title and Mascaras would hold the belt a total of 5 times.  And in addition to those bouts for the area’s top single’s title, he would also wrestle Dory Funk Jr. to a draw and would also wrestle to a draw with “The Destroyer” Dick Beyer, beginning a friendly yet competitive rivalry.

     Also during that same 2 years Mil Mascaras would be a co-holder of the America’s Tag Team titles, winning it twice with tag partner Alfonso Dantes and a third time with Ray Mendoza from tag team legends Black Gordman and the Great Goliath.  He also rounded out his collection of titles in the area by being a part of the America’s 6 man tag team champions on 3 occasions. 

      Dubbed “The Superman of Wrestling” by LeBelle territory publicist Jeff Walton, Mascaras would capture the hearts and minds of the Los Angeles wrestling fans and would soon capture the attention of wrestling promoters and fans worldwide.  Mascaras continued his International exposure by wrestling and winning his first match in Japan against Kantaro Hoshino on February 19, 1971.  He immediately established himself as an attraction in Japan and went on to tour the country numerous times over the next few decades. While creating a legacy for himself in the Land of the Rising Sun, he also paved the way for other Mexican wrestling stars to regularly tour the country, something that contributed to an ongoing talent exchange that would help evolve the International wrestling scene. While he faced the top Japanese stars like Antonio Inoki, Giant Baba, Jumbo Tsuruta, and Tiger Mask II in single or tag matches, and even challenged NWA World Champion Harley Race in 1980, his most memorable matches in Japan were the ones he had against fellow masked legend “The Destroyer.”

    Picking up right where they left on in L.A., their encounters never failed to captivate the Japanese audience or those who still discover those classic matches on video nearly 40 years later.  The 2 top International masked wrestlers in history put on displays of technical mat wrestling that were memorable not only for fans, but to the participants themselves. 
 

     “He was the best competitor that I ever wrestled,” Beyer said when the Cauliflower Alley Club honored Mascaras in 2006.  “He never gave you anything ‘it’s true’, but I didn’t give him anything either.  You talk about a shoot or half-shoot, and that’s the kind of match that it was.” (1)

      Mil Mascaras was in such demand that he would travel constantly around the world to wrestle, commanding top money as he was a great box office draw.  While he ventured there less frequently, he never neglected his home country of Mexico and one of his returns there included a match with Lou Thesz on July 26, 1975 for the UWA Heavyweight title that resulted in a draw.

     1975 would also see Mascaras winning the IWA heavyweight title, a title that he would successfully defend against such standouts as Ernie Ladd and former WWWF Heavyweight Champion Ivan Koloff. While in the U.S. he was most popular on the West Coast and in the Southwest, thanks to the sharing of wrestling film among promoters as well as the extensive coverage that Mascaras received in the wrestling magazines, other parts of the U.S. clamored to see the masked star as well. 

    On December 18, 1972, New York’s Madison Square Garden would lift its ban on masked wrestlers allowing Mil Mascaras to make his MSG debut against the Spoiler, whom he defeated with his signature flying bodypress in a little less than 8 minutes. The WWWF and MSG would both play host to Mascaras on several other occasions, including two occasions where Mascaras challenged Superstar Billy Graham for the WWWF Title in what were exciting matches in December of 1977.

    With all of his travel, being constantly on the move to fulfill his many wrestling bookings around the world, we saw less and less of Mascaras in Southern California.  But he would still manage to find his way out to our area a couple of times a year. Those were always highly anticipated events, especially among those fans, who like me, were of Latino Heritage.

     He was the Latino that I could look up to at the time.  In the 70’s most of the Latinos who appeared on television were portrayed as uneducated, often in roles of gardeners and maids and with success just outside of their reach.  And up to that point in real life, the only Latino that the young males in our family looked up to was our Uncle Jessie.  He was muscular and strong and was a good street fighter.  As young kids, we found that appealing and admirable.  It wouldn’t be long however, that I correctly realized that my Uncle Jessie also happened to be a chronic Dumbass who couldn’t keep himself out of jail. 

     Mascaras on the other hand, carried himself with dignity, was almost Regal in his manner (some would say arrogant), was successful at what he did, appeared on television, was strong and muscular, and (in his movies at least) drove kick-ass cars and got hot chicks!  And I didn’t recall ever seeing him being led away in handcuffs.

   So in between his visits to L.A.  I would enjoy the weekly wrestling television broadcasts from the Olympic Auditorium, always enjoying what I witnessed, but always hoping to hear of Mascaras’ next visit.  And when my Stepfather’s supply of the magazines that he kept under his mattress would run low, I always knew that I could go to the hall closet and pull out his “Ring” Boxing magazines and the few Pro Wrestling magazines that he had.  I would enjoy reading about the wrestlers that I was both familiar and unfamiliar with, and also hunt for anything that I could find on Mascaras.

    With such titles as “Mil Mascaras: ‘The Time had come to tell all’ ; What he looks like without his mask”  and "What I look for in a Woman: By Mil Mascaras",  I would be captivated by the words of fiction that were written as well as the pictures of my masked hero.

      And as could be expected, when Mascaras did visit Southern California, the box office ticket sales would dramatically increase wherever he appeared.  The air would be filled with excitement and anticipation, with many fans wearing replica masks as they cheered “The Superman of Wrestling” as he challenged the area’s top heel.

     However, while I was thrilled to watch his matches on television, sadly, I never got to see Mil Mascaras wrestle in person before the LeBelle Wrestling territory closed at the end of 1982 or before the Olympic Auditorium ceased hosting wrestling matches regardless of which promotion was running them.

     I saw less and less of Mascaras over the years, although he appeared on occasion on the undercards of the occasional U.S. promotion televised program.  In the early 80’s at the age of 16, I purchased tickets for a WWF event at the L.A. Sports Arena, mere months before the angles that led up to the very first Wrestlemania were to begin.  With front row seats, The Sports Arena event would be a spectacular and memorable event for my cousin and I, with “Mr. T” in the audience being taunted by the wrestlers, “Dr. D” David Shultz slapping a fan around not long before he did it to John Stossel, and Hulk Hogan would successful defend his World Title against Big John Studd.  But the main attraction that lured me there, causing me to take 3 or 4 buses to get to the venue, was Mil Mascaras participating in a 6 man tag match with the Samoans against WWF Tag Champs Adrian Adonis and Dick Murdoch, along with manager Lou Albano.  Although Mascaras was in a tag match and would probably spend less than 10 minutes in the ring, it was a thrill to see him in person for the first time!

     Nearly 20 years later, long after I thought the opportunity had passed me by, I had the opportunity to meet Mil Mascaras in person in the Spring of 2004.  I didn’t quite know what to expect, as in the interim, with the advent of the internet, the demise of kayfabe, and my progress from a kid into a mature adult, I had heard different things regarding Mascaras and I wondered if the experience might taint my memories of him. 

     In spite of some of the things that I had heard, he was humble, gracious, friendly, and with a perpetual smile, seemed genuinely honored to hear that he had provided so many with such great memories.  It was a dream come true to meet him and perhaps more importantly, he allowed my fond memories of him to remain intact, and sealed his legend in my eyes.  I would also witness him wrestle in a match a couple of months later, and being just shy of his 62^nd birthday, he looked incredibly fit!

     While famed Southern California venues like the Olympic Auditorium are no longer playing host to wrestling or to Mil Mascaras, his accomplishments in the wrestling world have not ceased.  In 2009 he was inducted into the NWA Hall of fame and in July of 2011 he participated in a match to commemorate the 40^th anniversary of his debut in Japan.  The following year he would be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in April of 2013.  2 months later, just 1 month shy of his 70^th birthday, Mil Mascaras would defeat rising star Samuray Del Sol.  And just one month before the time of this writing, Mil Mascaras won a match in Japan on April 11, 2013.

     Mil Mascaras… The Man of a Thousand Masks, a Thousand holds, and countless more memorable wrestling moments. - RR

You can view a 1973 match between Mil Mascaras and the Destroyer on my Youtube channel by clicking this link: http://youtu.be/W5pN1r7DxaQ

Mil Mascaras in 6 man tag action at the Los Angeles Olympic Auditorium: http://youtu.be/-Uodva7IuS0

(1) Race & Hennig go over at Cauliflower Alley Club Banquet- By Greg Oliver - Slam! Wrestling - June 11, 2006  http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/2006/06/11/1625969.html

THE HOOKER, THE PROFESSOR, AND THE GENIUS - By Rock Rims

The Hooker

 

     He didn’t exactly find a bloody Horse’s head next to him in his bed, but all the same, professional wrestling promoter Jack Ganson knew he had been made an offer he couldn't refuse.  San Francisco could be a tough town to do business in.

     And that wasn’t anything new.  While the population of San Francisco was only 1,000 in 1848, the Gold Rush of 1849 caused hordes of fortune seekers to flood the city, causing the population to rise to 25,000 by December of 1849.  And by 1890, that number swelled to 300,000, making San Francisco the 8^th largest city in the nation.

     And not every one of the newcomers was a refined and highly polished citizen.  Aside from the criminals and prostitutes, there were also plenty of hardworking blue collar workers, who were aiding in the development of the city.  This collective group of the late 19^th century and early part of the 20^th century San Francisco could certainly be a rough and tumble crowd.  And often they went in for rough and tumble entertainment.

     Pro Wrestling could certainly fit the bill and it did, with professional wrestling events in the city being documented as early as the 1890’s.  The sport thrived in the city and by the early 30’s Jack Ganson was the man promoting shows in the area.

     With wrestlers such as Bill Longson, Ted Christie, Joe Savoldi, Ad Santel, Man Mountain Dean, and World Champions Ed “Strangler” Lewis and Jim Londos appearing on the cards, shows were being run at The Exposition Auditorium, the Civic Center, and the Dreamland Auditorium.

     However, Pro wrestling has always had its share of shady “goings on” behind the scenes and that time period was certainly no exception.  The toughest factions and the biggest heels often never made it to the ring.

     The period of 1935-37 saw the completion of the Golden Gate Bridge and also the beginning of Alcatraz’s use as a maximum security prison.  But Alcatraz wasn’t the only place in the area where you’d find the tough guys.  Pro Wrestling at that time was still rife with trusts or syndicates, collections of promoter and/or wrestlers who sought to monopolize or take over wrestling territories. 



JOE MALCEWICZ

     Wrestler Joe Malcewicz from New York was a shooter, a hooker, nicknamed the “Utica Cat” for his tenacity in the ring.  At various times he had challenged various holders of the World title including Joe Stecher, Ed “Strangler” Lewis, Earl Caddock, and Jim Londos.  He was so capable that in 1923 in New York, World Champion Joe Stecher walked away from a match with Malcewicz.  Shoots and double crosses were not unheard of by promoter/wrestler combines who decided it’d be much more profitable or them to hold the belt, with or without the current Champs cooperation.  When a syndicate wanted something, they often just took it.

       At the end of 1935, with the backing of the syndicate of Lou Daro, Paul Bowser, and Joe “Toots” Mondt, Joe Malcewicz strong armed his way into taking over the territory.  While the city may have been named after a Saint, not everyone felt the need to conduct themselves like one.  Feeling he really had no choice, Ganson bowed out for $15,000.  Malcewicz would soon acquire a 20 year lease for the Dreamland auditorium where he would soon begin running shows.

     The “Syndicate” would gradually break up, but Malcewicz with the help of his brother would continue to be the “Czar” of San Francisco for some time to come, not only running shows at the Dreamland but at the Coliseum Bowl and the Civic Auditorium as well.  His territory extended throughout Northern California and he was running shows in various cities including but not limited to, Oakland, Richmond, Fresno, Sacramento, Stockton, and Eureka. In the late 40’s-early 50’s he even managed to bring in such attractions as Gorgeous George, Primo Carnera, and World Champion Lou Thesz to headline cards.  And many of the mainstays for various lengths of time included notables such as The Sharpe Brothers, Ben and Mike, as well as Sander Szabo, Bronko Nagurski, Mike Mazurki, and Pacific Coast Heavyweight Champion Frank Sexton.

     In the United States the first tag team match is said to have taken place in San Francisco in 1901 and tag team wrestling really didn’t become popular in rest of the country until the 1930’s.  And while Malcewicz saw success with capable singles wrestlers in his territory, he continued the tradition of keeping San Francisco as a hot bed for tag team wrestling.  Some of the teams that were prominent in the area through the years that Malcewicz was promoting were Emil and Ernie Dusek, Gene Kiniski and Lord James Blears, and Sandor Szabo, Enrique Torres, Leo Nomellini, and Ramon Torres also saw success when teaming with various partners.  And it was in San Francisco on April 4, 1950 that the first “World” Tag Team Champions were crowned when Ray Eckert and Hardboiled Haggerty defeated Ronnie Etchison and Larry Moquin.

     However nothing lasts forever, or in same cases not very long at all, and such was the case with their title reign.  But that was usually the case for any tag team champions when they were challenged by the brother combination that would dominate and become synonymous with the tag team division in San Francisco: Ben and Mike Sharpe.

BEN and MIKE SHARPE

    The two hulking brothers from Canada each stood around 6 “4” and averaged about 270 lbs. in weight.  This 2 man demolition crew possessed tremendous stamina and a relentless brawling style that caused the Humboldt (CA) Standard newspaper to say that they made “the so-called Pier 6 brawls look like a quiet meeting at the Monday Night Sewing club.”

     Eckert and Haggerty held the tag titles for only 5 weeks before losing them to the Sharpe brothers in what would be the first of 18 NWA World tag team title reigns for the brothers.  In fact even when they would lose the titles, the brothers would often win them back within 2 weeks.  While each saw success in brief runs in other territories and with other partners, it is in San Francisco where they made the most impact.  They were so impressive that Rikidozan imported them to Japan for an angle that eventually resulted in ad 60 minute draw between the Sharpes and the tag team of Rikidozan and Mahasiko Kimura.  This served to catapult the popularity of Pro Wrestling in Japan and helped greatly in establishing Rikidozan as an Icon in Japan.  And too this day, the Sharpes are revered in Japan just as much as they are in San Francisco for their tag team excellence.

     While he was extremely tenacious in the ring, Malcewicz, after his initial take over of the territory, gradually became complacent rather than tenacious.  He made a good living and business was very good at first, but a gradual decline began as he was not a man of tremendous vision or ambition.  He was content with what he had. San Francisco remained as his “Big Town” where althou he ran shows at the 5400 seat Winterland Ballroom (the former “Dreamland arena”) as well as other venues in the city on alternating weeks.  However neither the Winterland, the Kezar Pavilion, the Coliseum Bowl, nor the San Francisco Civic Auditorium was being filled to capacity during his wrestling cards.  And while there was once a time when he’d occasionally book the 15,000 seat Cow Palace, he was now finding himself in occasional situations where he was holding a show at the comparatively miniscule California Hall.

     But while Malcewicz was comfortable and was experiencing a decline, another man had an itch he had to scratch and was looking to move upward in both his life and in San Francisco.

 

Enter The Professor

    At the end of 1960 “Professor” Roy Shire who’d had a pretty successful career as a professional wrestler winning several regional singles titles as well as teaming with Ray Stevens (who had been billed as “Ray Shire” Roy’s “brother”) to win the NWA World Tag Team titles, was a 38 year old wrestler seeking to make the transition from wrestler to promoter.

     In the latter stages of his time in Texas, Roy was wrestling hurt after having torn ligaments in his knee from a missed drop kick.  Not wanting to lose his spot as the Texas Heavyweight Wrestling Champion, he did what many wrestlers have done and continued to do; He wrestled hurt, shooting himself up with Novocain to get through his matches.  However, a knife in the ass from an irate fan (one of the drawbacks of kayfabe and being great at drawing heat) along with his knee injury went a long way towards convincing Shire that his future lay in promoting the matches rather than wrestling them.

    Shire went to San Francisco and approached Joe Malcewicz with an offer to go in as partners or for Shire to buy him out, but Malcewicz turned down the offer.  Being single-minded in his desire to promote in the Northern California area, Shire ignored the “protected” status that Malcewicz enjoyed as an NWA member and began running shows in competition.  Malcewicz, the man once known for his tenaciousness and once caused World Champion Joe Stecher to walk away from a bout, was no match for Shire’s ambition and Roy wasn’t walking anywhere.

     Malcewicz continued running shows and while he may have felt that the 6,000-9,000 people that he was pulling in every month to his various San Francisco shows was as good as business could get, Roy was a visionary who had other ideas and bigger plans.

     Roy was still without an actual roster of wrestling talent when he went to the Cow Palace to speak to the Arena Manager regarding a long term lease for the 15,000 seat arena.  After they came to terms on the lease the building manager asked Roy if he was aware that Joe Malcewicz was already running shows at the San Francisco Civic Center and other venues, and that the shows were only drawing an average of 2,000 people each.  At best, Malcewicz might sometimes see an attendance at the Winterland that was north of 3,000 and maybe even 4,000.  Roy acknowledged that he did, and when the arena manager asked Shire why he wanted such a large venue and how how many wrestling fans he planned on drawing, Roy responded: “We’ll fill it.”

      Years later, Roy related the story and his response to Roland Alexander, who grew up a fan of the Shire territory and now runs the APW wrestling promotion.  According to Roland, Roy said: “The building manager then laughed, and when the deal was signed and I was heading to my car, I stopped halfway there and then turned out and went back inside.  I told him ‘One last thing, I just want you to know that the next time you laugh at me, I’m going to throw you out the fucking window.”

     While the deal was sealed and the arena manager never took an unscheduled flight, the question still remained:  How in the hell was Renegade Roy going to fill the Cow Palace?

 

...TUNE IN NEXT TIME FOR THE CONCLUSION AND FOR "THE GENIUS"!

 

Special thanks goes out to Roland Alexander for sharing his memories of the Shire territory, Tim Hornbaker of Legacyofwrestling.com who wrote an excellent profile on the San Francisco territory from which I sourced some of my information; And to the gentlemen at Wrestling-titles.com for keeping a wealth of information on their site of past wrestling title holders.

DVD CLASSIC REVIEW: "UWA INVASION A JAPON VOL. 2" BY ROCK RIMS

     Start with an environment that encourages, expects, promotes, and respects a great work rate, add several heaping amounts of veterans and hungry newcomers, and top off with a combination of Japanese and Lucha Libre holds, and high flying, high impact maneuvers, and what do you get?  A recipe for excitement and a great card and DVD that is “UWA Invasion a Japon vol. #2”!

     Japan and Mexico have long had a history of exchanging talent and providing each other with “finishing schools” for imported wrestlers.  And those wrestling fans who are aware of this and that wrestling has much more to offer than what the American promotions or today’s “Big Two” might have you believe, have longed reaped the benefits of that talent exchange.

    And actually, even those who may not be fully aware of this have reaped the benefits.  For without this international wrestling scene and mutual cooperation, the styles, repertoires, and skill levels of such greats as Eddie Guerrero, Chris Benoit, Dean Malenko, Chris Jericho, Rey Mysterio, and many others, would not have been what they eventually became.

    And one of the greatest periods of times during which this talent exchange occurred was during the 80’s and early 90’s, particularly between Mexico’s UWA promotion and some of the various promotions in Japan.  And the event/DVD which I’ll be reviewing is a perfect example of what can result when wrestling promotions and fans recognize that when it comes to wrestling, “One size does not fit all.”

     This event took place on 11/17/90 in Japan, and was titled “Lucha Primera Clase II”, or as the DVD of the event would be entitled, “UWA Invasion a Japon Volume 2”.  And there are 6 matches on this 2 hr. and 20 min. DVD which has very good-excellent video quality.  And not only is the action great from bell to bell, it also features future legends before they were stars, and has a little something for everyone.  So fasten your seatbelts, and let’s get started!

Match 1: Coolie SZ &  Bulldog KT vs. Monkey Magic Wakita & Masa Michinoku:

This opening match features future Japanese Legends and long time tag partners Gedo (Coolie SZ) and Jado (Bulldog KT) facing off against two other future legends Super Delfin (Monkey Magic) and the Great Sasuke (Michonoku).  Not only do you get to see them early in their careers, but you get to see Delfin and Sasuke before they would don masks.  But don’t blink, because these guys don’t even wait until the bell rings to get things started.  In and outside of the ring, they perform a series of high flying and high impact maneuvers, gaining both the fans and viewer’s attention and setting a great tone for the rest of the event.  It’s a very short match, but they cram a lot into those few minutes.

Match 2:  Bello Greco & Sergio Hermoso vs. Kung Fu & Takeda:

This is the first of what would be 2 comedy matches, and if you have never seen Bello Greco and Sergio Hermoso perform, then you’re in for a treat.  Normally I’m not a huge fan of comedy, and some might think it’s a little out of place in an atmosphere like Japan, where they appreciate actual wrestling, but this tag team has always had a way of performing in a way that wins over even the most emphatic pure wrestling enthusiast.  And shouldn’t wrestling be fun?  Kung Fu and Takeda (who is Japanese) both make clear in Spanish during their pre-match promos their disdain for their “flamboyant” (euphemism for their “gay” gimmick) opponents.  And when they get in the ring, they add their martial arts and lucha libre influenced wrestling maneuvers to Greco & Hermoso’s unique blend of comedy to make for a very entertaining match.  And watching a Bello/Greco match is like eating potato chips:  Once you’ve had one, you’ve got to have another.

Match 3: Blue Panther & Black Power vs. Yoshiro Asai & Kato Kung Lee:

A few years before he would don a mask and become known as the “Ultimo Dragon”, one of the most decorated Junior Heavyweights in Pro Wrestling History (at one time holding 10 different titles at once!), he was simply known as Yoshiro Asai.  And even at this point in his career, he had already thrilled many a fan, both in Japan and Mexico.  In this match he teams up with Mexico’s Kato Kung Lee against Black Power and Lucha Legend “Blue Panther”, also known as “El Maestro” (“The Teacher/Master”).  Many who have seen at least a little lucha (and in the case of Ultimo Dragon, WCW & WWE) are familiar with Blue Panther and the Ultimo Dragon, but there are some modern lucha fans who may have never seen Kato Kung Lee.  And the only way to describe him is: UNBELIEVABLE.  His style of lucha is not only high flying, but it includes martial arts strikes and some of the most amazing acrobatics.  If you’re impressed with the Undertaker walking the ropes, wait until you get a look at Kung Lee “running” the ropes, looking like someone out of “The Matrix!”  This match features great psychology while still maintaining a fairly quick pace, and the participants display great chain wrestling, mat wrestling, high flying spots, and Black Power adds some good high impact moves as well.  It doesn’t matter who you cheer for in this one, because no matter what, the viewer comes out the winner.

Match 4: Gran Hamada, Blackman, & Kendo vs. Los Brazos- UWA Trios Tag Team titles:

Recently I completed a custom DVD compilation of “Los Brazos” for Indy Pro Wrestler Colt Cabana, and this match was the one that I enjoyed the most and just had to include on that compilation. And after watching it again for this review, I realized that I enjoy it more and more each time I watch it.  While Los Brazos can certain wrestle, it’s their comedic genius that’s endeared them to so many fans of Lucha Libre and Puroresu.  This match is a 2 out of 3 falls event and is for the UWA Trios (6 man) Tag Team titles.  And you’ll be laughing your ass off even before the match even starts.  But don’t get me wrong, because this match doesn’t sacrifice good wrestling spots for the comedy, but rather enhances the wrestling with the hilarious spots.

Match 5:  Aja Kong, Bison Kimura, Madusa, La Diabolica, Xochitl Hamada vs. Manami Toyota, Mika Takahashi, Kodru Madea, Esther Moreno, Mariko Yoshida- 10 Woman Elimination Tag match:

     This is the second to last match of the event, but in reality, this is THE HIGHLIGHT of the card, and it steals the show.  It would take a series of articles to document the accomplishments of these participants in the Sport of Women’s Pro Wrestling.  And when I say Women’s Pro Wrestling, that’s exactly what I mean, because these aren’t “Divas” or “Knockouts”, they are women wrestlers.  And even 20 years ago, what they did in the ring was light years ahead of what American Women wrestlers are doing today.  In fact, it was even ahead of what some of the men are doing today.

      Madusa Micelli was well into the second of what would be a 3 year stint in Japan, and while she does a good job in this one, it’s clear that with all of the other talent in the ring, she still has much to learn (and she would), and that’s telling, considering that she was a former AWA Women’s World Champ.  Every participant distinguishes herself, and that includes Legends Aja Kong and Manami Toyota.  And Luchadora Esther Moreno is lighting quick, acrobatic, and reminds me of a female version of Ray Stevens:  Someone who knows how to and is willing to bump and sell.  Whether you’re a fan of high impact, mat wrestling, exchanges and submissions, or high flying, this one has it all.  Plus, this match has great intensity, with the women acting as if they are on a field of combat in a life or death struggle.  For most of the moves are accompanied by a combination of banshee/warrior battle cries. 

     This reminded me of when I went to L.A.’s “Little Tokyo”, searching for Japanese Wrestling and Kaiju videos.  My daughter was very young at the time and a big fan of the “Sailor Moon” video series.  I came across some video tapes with the original Japanese language tracks and I was amazed at how much more I enjoyed them than the English language versions.  The female characters also let out those intense Japanese battle cries and it just really added so much drama to what I was watching and made it more enjoyable.  Well, that and the fact that there’s always something immensely appealing about Catholic School Girl and Japanese Sailor Scout uniforms.

    So you need to see every match on this disc, but if you only had time for one, this would the one.

18 Man Lucha Rumble:

This event features the male wrestlers who had participated in the previous matches on the card and is much like a Royal Rumble, but with a few differences.  For one, instead of one participant being added at intervals, two are added.  And secondly, a wrestler isn’t eliminated by being thrown over the top rope, but rather by pinfall.  This makes for a little less brawling, and less stalling in the corner, with participants basically just holding onto each other.  So while it does have its share of brawling, this match also features more movement and maneuvers than the typical battle royal-type match.

So there you have it.  It’s a shame that with today’s wrestling scene that we have to often look back in time for a great wrestling event, but on the other hand, it’s nice to know that we can.  This DVD offers great bang for the buck, and there are several matches on this program that are worth the price solely on their own.  However what’s especially nice is that you don’t have to settle and that you can enjoy it from beginning to end.

I will be reviewing more old school DVDs, events, and matches in the future, and if you’re interested in this particular DVD title, you can contact me at Rockrims@aol.com for more info.