SPREADING THE EXCITEMENT - By Rock Rims

   Just a few years earlier the two men had paired up a few times, partners against common enemies; now they were on opposite sides, both seeking vengeance.  It was November 10, 1973 at the Cow Palace in San Francisco, and Pat Patterson and “Moondog” Lonnie Mayne were set to clash in the main event for Patterson’s United States Heavyweight Wrestling Title.  4 weeks earlier, Mayne had bloodied Pepper Martin for the second time in a matter of weeks and Patterson saved Martin from a more serious beating.  Now he was looking to avenge that beating and Mayne was looking to avenge the interference.  And if he won the U.S. title in the process that would just be the icing on the cake.

   With fans rooting for their hero Patterson to tame the wild Moondog, the two battled fiercely in a match that resulted in a draw, and even when they met again on December 1^st, with legendary tough guy Peter Maivia as the special referee, nothing was settled as Moondog Mayne lost the 3^rd fall of the rematch on a count out.  The only things that were decided was that Patterson and Mayne wanted another shot at each other and that Maivia had made a new enemy as he and Lonnie had gotten physical during the match up.

   10,000 fans had been treated to an intense back and forth battle and promoter Roy Shire knew he had gold.  3 weeks later the two were matched up yet again, and 12, 517 screaming fans packed the Cow Palace and ponied up $52,006 to watch Moondog Mayne once again challenge the champion.  That was almost twice the audience and gate that had witnessed Dutch Savage do the same thing less than 3 months earlier.  As was expected, the two fought tooth and nail, and to the shock and dismay of those in attendance, Moondog Mayne defeated Patterson in the 2 out of 3 fall event and was the new U.S. Heavyweight champion! 

   There would be rematches with Patterson as well as challenges from other formidable foes such as Don Muraco, Rocky Johnson, and Peter Maivia.  And in the summer of ’74 Moondog would find himself in the position of challenger once again.

The Champ comes to town

   NWA World Heavyweight Champion Jack Brisco was coming to San Francisco for a rare visit and as the U.S. Heavyweight Champion, Lonnie “Moondog” Mayne was the number one contender in the territory.  The two seemed like complete polar opposites in the ring as former NCAA National wrestling champion Brisco relied on his technical wrestling whereas the “Moondog” character that Lonnie Mayne had developed was a fierce brawler, prone to baying like a wild dog and biting into the flesh of his opponents every chance he got.  This would not be the first time or the last that Lonnie Mayne would fight for a World title.  And as he always did, he gave the champ all that he could handle.  Could you imagine the reaction the Cow Palace fans would have, if this dog food eating, glass chewing animal who held the U.S. title would become the World champion as well?  Their hearts must’ve momentarily stopped because it nearly happened!

   Each man had won a fall in the July 27, 1974 title match when Mayne cracked the champion with a devastating punch while wearing brass knuckles!  It went unseen by referee Larry Williams who then delivered the 3 count as Mayne covered Brisco for the pin and it seemed that there was a new champion.  However the Moondog’s victory was short lived as another referee, Frank Nocetti, entered the ring and informed Williams that Mayne had used brass knuckles.  The decision was reversed with Moondog Mayne now being disqualified and Brisco escaping with his title!  Well easy come, easy go.

   Of course this called for a rematch and Shire was willing to give the NWA Champion his typical healthy slice of the gate for their return match 3 weeks later which also saw Brisco leave with his title claim intact.  Well at least Moondog still had his U.S. title belt.  At least for a couple of months anyway as Peter Maivia would win the belt on October 12^th.  Rematches in San Francisco, Sacramento, and Las Vegas would ensue, along with a rekindled feud with Pat Patterson which was more hot and heavy than their first time around.

   And in the sometimes strange world of professional wrestling, Lonnie Mayne again displayed some of his versatility as a performer in the summer of ’75 when he not only became a “good guy” but he also began teaming with ex-bitter enemy Pat Patterson and even Pepper Martin himself!  The fans were now rooting enthusiastically for the “Moondog” but this run in San Francisco was quickly coming to its end.

On The Road Again

   After a stopover in Portland it was on to Georgia for Lonnie Mayne where he again “flipped the script” becoming a hated heel, teaming with the likes of “Crazy” Luke Graham and Abdullah the Butcher, and opposing such “fan favorites” as Mr. Wrestling II, Dick Slater, Bob Backlund, Bobo Brazil, and Thunderbolt Patterson.  After 6 months of that it was on to the Lone Star State, where he feuded for several months with Jose Lothario, challenged the America’s Heavyweight Champion Chavo Guerrero in a rare title defense outside of Los Angeles, and won a battle royal. 

   And as if things weren’t interesting enough, as 1976 was drawing to a close, the vicious Moondog again became a fan favorite, just in time to engage in a series of matches against the Sheik in what must’ve been like watching two pit bulls going at it.  Lonnie found a place in the hearts of the Texas Wrestling fans.  It inspired Ricky Ringside to produce a 45 single entitled “The Ballad of Moondog Mayne” which was played during Moondog’s walk to the ring and sold at the arena concession stands, and it caused fans to delight as Mayne stormed the ring dressed as Santa Claus and swung a bag of toys at the heels who made a quick exit.

  Before he left the area in the spring of ’77, Lonnie would wrestle NWA World Champion Terry Funk to a draw and also challenge new champion Harley Race as well.  While he didn’t walk away with the title, he gained many new fans who remember the man for whom “every day is like Christmas” and who seemed at times to be a mischievous butt-kicking version of old St. Nick himself.

 

Did He Really Call You Crazy?

 

   In February of 1967, almost right from the start of Lonnie Mayne’s career in the Pacific Northwest, Ringside commentator Frank Bonnema was right by his side along for the ride.  Bonnema was always the epitome of composure which was in stark contrast to the sometimes chaotic atmosphere which was part of the Portland Wrestling television program.  Shown live beginning at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday nights, Bonnema was a cherished fixture, as much as the salesmen hawking used cars with vinyl seats, mobile homes and recreational vehicles, and appliances from Tom Peterson’s where you could pick up anything from washers and dryers to cb radios and faux wood console stereos complete with AM/FM radio, an 8 track cassette player and flashing disco lights. And Frank and Lonnie seemed to complement each other perfectly.

   Now, it was the spring of 1977, 10 years since they first worked together, and Lonnie Mayne was back in Oregon. With his strong drawing power at the box office and the working relationship between Roy Shire and Don Owen it wasn’t unusual for Lonnie to make an occasional trip to San Francisco while simultaneously working for Don Owen in Oregon.  And with Frank Bonnema holding the microphone, Lonnie was discussing his upcoming match with U.S. Champion Alexis Smirnoff at the Cow Palace in San Francisco.

   “Because all I heard”, Lonnie was saying during his promo, “He said I was crazy and let me you one thing Smirnoff…tonight in the Cow Palace I got a United States Championship match.  I had that before Frank.  I had that belt and tonight I got it again and you know what’s goin?  I’m going to beat him like raw hamburger!”  Lonnie then began eating raw hamburger on camera and then threw some down on the studio floor where he began to stomp it, as if to demonstrate what he would be doing to his opponent.  In mock surprise Bonnema then asked Lonnie, “Did he really say you were crazy?”

   While he never liked to be called “crazy” Lonnie “Moondog” Mayne seemed to do all he could to convince the fans that he was and there was a method to his “madness”, as he could alternately cause his audience to fear and despise him, or embrace him warmly.  And in the Pacific Northwest it was with open arms that he was welcomed back.

   Don Owen’s Pacific Northwest territory was promoted in a way that would appeal to its audience who were mostly comprised of simple, unpretentious, blue collar workers and their families, who had a strong sense of community.  It wasn’t unheard of for Don Owen to offer “specials” where for each paid adult admission a child would get in free or to offer free coloring books to the children for showed up to the arena events.      

    These were wrestling fans that no doubt agreed with the policy of “speak softly and carry a big stick” although those fans could get quite loud and vocal in the Portland Sports Arena and little old ladies were known to substitute a swing of a cane for a big stick.  They boisterously booed the villains and wholeheartedly cheered and embraced their heroes and Lonnie was one of the most popular wrestlers ever in the area.

     This wild looking man who wasn’t always articulate in his interviews but would still leave no doubt as to the point he was making, was a genius at cultivating the love the fans had for him.  He would dedicate his victories to his fans and promise to “do it for the people” and was known to sometimes where t-shirts to the ring that read “Love Oregon or bite me!”  Although his character was simple and sometimes even crude, that wasn’t something that worked against him but rather in his favor.  He spoke much like many in the audience probably did and with the type of dastardly opponents he faced, the fans no doubt felt that someone who was a bit of a roughneck is just who was needed to put the heels in their place.  Ed Wiskowski referred to him as a “blue collar Robin Hood” and that’s exactly how the fans saw him, as there to right the wrongs. 

     He was also a “Pied Piper” as this man who had in years past struck fear in the hearts of ringside fans and had even been billed alternately as “MadDog Mayne”, “Moondog Mayne” and  “Mauler Mayne” in some instances, now had children running up to him to touch him and shake his hand on his way to the ring.  In the Northwest, he was simply known as “Lonnie”.  I can still recall the image of him soundly thrashing Buddy Rose and tenaciously chasing him around the ring, only to soon after have a girl around the age of 5 run up and give him a hug.  He would then lift the child in his arms and walk with her up the aisle to the applause and smiles of those in attendance.  He was that crazy but loveable uncle, Santa Claus with a couple of shots of Southern comfort in him to keep himself warm on a cold Christmas Eve.  It was a testament not only to his appeal with the fans but to his tremendous versatility as a performer.  – RR

 

Next:  Saying Good bye to Lonnie            

 

Special thanks to Doug McCleer for sharing some of his photos for this article.  

 

Top photo by Viktor Berry       

 

Sources:

Wrestlingdata.com

RON STARR: GOOD AT BEING ROTTEN - PART II - By Rock Rims

                                                                   About Face

     In 1980 while the Southern California wrestling territory still had some talented workers, the roster wasn’t anywhere near as deep as it once was and ticket sales and interest were becoming negatively affected.  Ron Starr along with John Tolos were the biggest heels at the time but they were sorely in need of a strong babyface to work with.  Chavo Guerrero had been the top babyface for years but he was wrestling less frequently in the territory as he was earning more money on his tours of Japan and was occasionally doing shows in other U.S. territories as well.

     Walter Johnson was given a push but both his promo skills and ring work were solely lacking.  While Al Madril, Tom Pritchard worked well in the ring and Chavo’s brother Mando was even better, they all lacked the charisma and presence that Chavo had.  He had left some awfully big shoes to fill.

     By this time, Ron Starr had begun teaming with Tolos and the decision was made to turn Ron into a “babyface”, a “good guy.”  While Ron preferred to wrestle as a heel, the fans responded well to his face turn and one of the most hated heels in the territory was then voted “The most popular wrestler” in the area by the fans as he now had begun to battle Tolos and his cronies.  And it was late in the year that Al Madril was receiving a beatdown in the Olympic Auditorium ring as Ron Starr stormed the ring and delivered standing dropkick after dropkick, including a missile dropkick off the top rope to even up the odds.  The fan response was tremendous as many were jumping up and down and screaming enthusiastically as their new hero was cleaning house of Tolos, the Assassin, and Prof. Ito.

     But while this type of fan reaction to Ron Starr was something new in L.A., it had been going on for nearly two years up North in Roy Shire’s Big Time Wrestling promotion and almost nearly as long in Don Owens’s Portland Wrestling territory.

Anything but “Rotten”

     It was late in 1978 that Ron Starr entered Roy Shire’s Northern California territory but as would be his habit, he was quick about making an impact.  In his first few months in the territory he would have 2 reigns as one half of the San Francisco version of the NWA World Tag Team champions, first with Dean Ho and then later winning the tag team titles on November 23, 1978 with partner Enrique Vera, who was a former National Champion and future UWA Heavyweight Champion in Mexico.

    Ron was soon positioned as one of the top babyfaces in the promotion engaging in both a singles and tag team feud with Buddy Rose and Ed Wiskowski who were managed by the hated Dr. Ken Ramey, who was excellent at drawing heat.  While Big Time Wrestling was undoubtedly at it’s strongest during the 60’s, this feud was definitely a bright spot in the late 70’s and featured 4 people who were all excellent when it came to cutting compelling promos.

     “Roy liked the way I did my promos” Ron says.  “He said ‘I like that you don’t yell and scream like so many other guys.’” And the feud was one that Ron enjoyed working and considering that things were changing for California Wrestling as a whole, it still did well and was even later extended to the Portland Wrestling territory as well.

     “I liked Buddy Rose and felt that he was a real good worker and good on the mic.  He was this fat, pudgy kid and sometimes he would ‘blow up’ on me a little bit in the ring but he would always drag out enough to do what he needed to do in the match.  He’d get winded but I’d just tell him ‘Just stay down for a minute and catch your breath’.  Yeah, he was a good guy to work with.”
 

     Ron began to be pushed more as a singles wrestler and won the Annual 18 man San Francisco Battle Royal in 1979 which included the likes of Superstar Billy Graham, Dory Funk Jr., and Harley Race, and was awarded a trophy as well as a $30,000 dollar check.  Later that night he would face Harley Race for the NWA World Heavyweight title.  Actually, Ron wasn’t the opponent that was originally slated to face the World Champion that evening in the Cow Palace.

     “Jimmy Snuka was originally scheduled to face Harley for the title but he missed his flight.  I then went up to Shire and said, ‘Hey Roy, I don’t want you to think I’m an asshole or anything, but since Snuka couldn’t make it, I’d like to be the one to wrestle Harley for the title.  I think we could have a good match.’ “

     “Roy thought about it for a second and said, ‘I think you’re right.  Alright, you’ll be in the match with Harley tonight.” Ron then went out and cut a promo to set up the match.  “I went out and got on the mic and said ‘I know that Jimmy’s not here and he was supposed to wrestle Harley for the title tonight, but since he’s not here…I’ll challenge Race for the title…that is if he’s man enough to accept the challenge!”

     Snuka had been in the territory for a few months by that time and had been engaging in a feud with the United States Champion Buddy Rose over the title belt.  Although he was popular, the Cow Palace fans in attendance cheered enthusiastically when it was announced that Starr would in fact be substituting for Snuka and facing Race for the World Heavyweight title.  “They just ‘popped’ when they heard that.”

     Robert Counts who grew up within walking distance of the Cow Palace and was a regular for years at the wrestling events, was there that night at well and remembers his reaction to the announcement.  “I was thrilled!  Though Snuka was popular and impressive, Ron was a step higher in most minds.  Starr was the technical wrestler that I always felt could out wrestle most, and out maneuver the rest.  The ‘dumb wrestler’ is the one who interferes with the twenty count at 18, and instead of attacking, would argue with the ref.  I was a fan who wanted the story to make sense, and Starr was ‘real’, as far as that’s possible to be in wrestling.  Snuka could hit Race with a crowbar and get rolled up in a small package by Race.  That wouldn’t happen to Starr.”

    Starr’s match with Race would be the first 1 hour Broadway (draw) that he was ever involved with.  Always priding himself on never “blowing up” or running out of gas, the match with the Wrestling Legend was a new experience for Ron.

        “I thought I was going to drop dead before it was over!  You talk about someone who could run you ragged…Harley Race could do it.  I was really nervous, worried that I might make a mistake or mess things up because I was in there with Harley Race, even though I had years of experience.  But Harley, he just took me by the hand and led me through it.”

     Roy Shire had definitely taken notice of what Starr could bring to the table, and as it turned out, he was not alone.

     “Buddy had gone up to work for Don Owens in Portland and Roy Shire then asked me ‘What do you think about working in Portland?’  I told him ‘I’ll go wherever you want me to go.’  My first time wrestling there I heard that Roy was talking with Don Owen while watching my match with Buddy Rose and Roy said ‘Now that’s what I call wrestling!’  I liked working there and we taped at the Portland Sports Arena, which was an old skating rink and Don Owen was always pretty good about the payoffs.  The first night I was there I heard some of the other guys griping about the payoffs but I told them ‘I don’t know what you guys are complaining about, because I’ve been to a lot of different territories and I’ll tell you, just from tonight, this is the one with the best payoffs yet.’”

     Tagging with Adrian Adonis, Ron continued the feud with Buddy Rose and Ed Wiskowski as it had worked so well in Shire’s territory and in April of ’79 they defeated Rose and Wiskowski for the Pacific Northwest Tag Team titles.  Ron was beginning a collection of titles as the month before, he had defeated Piper at the San Francisco Cow Palace for the U.S. Heavyweight title.  That feud was also extended to Owens’s territory and even featured a memorable angle where Starr came to the rescue of Women’s wrestling legend Vickie Williams.  Apparently Piper felt that all women should stay in the kitchen and tossed Vickie around before Ron intervened. 

     Like several of the wrestlers in the area, Ron split time during 1979 between Portland and San Francisco, driving back and forth to shows.  In Northern California he also picked up another rival in Bob Sweetan as they competed over the U.S. heavyweight title.  Another veteran that Ron would face is Ernie Ladd, whom he wrestled on the annual San Francisco Battle Royal card on January 26, 1980.  After a brief stop in the Leroy McGuirk’s Tri-State area, Ron soon wound up in L.A. where he split time between there and Roy Shire’s territory for much of the remaining year. 

     Roy Shire had been burnt out on the wrestling business for a few years by that point and by his own admission was running out of finishes and creative ideas.  The strongest years for his promotion had been during his first 24 months of operation and since then there had been a gradual decline in attendance at the shows.  Even when Patterson and Stevens were on top during the late 60’s and early 70’s there were fewer and fewer sellouts at the Cow Palace and 8,000-9,000 attendance numbers became more and more the norm, and by the time the late 70’s rolled around, it was more like 5.000-7.000.  While there were occasional spikes in attendance, they were rare and more often than not came on the nights of the annual battle royals.

     Shire would close shop in early ’81 and Ron Starr would work then work a bit for Antone Leone’s Western States Alliance promotion which was running shows in some of Shire’s former towns.  Ed Moretti worked as a referee for Roy Shire and later as a wrestler before Shire’s promotion closed.  Like many, he had great respect for Ron Starr and even faced him in the ring and had this to say about him on WrestlingClassics.com:  “Bobby Eugene Nutt (Rotten Ron Starr) is/was one of the best workers I have ever seen, a really nice guy, a good booker…”  With a great track record as a worker, Ron would soon be off to new territories, reprising some old roles and finding himself in new ones.

 

Next time: We’ll visit some of the other places Ron’s career takes him, we’ll also travel back to the beginning, and we’ll hear the good advice Ron gave Hulk Hogan.