Do you or have you ever watched pro wrestling? I watch wrestling and my 3 top favorites are Curt Hennig, Mick Foley and Jimmy Valiant.

Natcho Libre

Bruno Sammartino.

Dick The Bruiser or Ox Baker. When I was young, my dad took me to the Chase Park Plaza in St. Louis to watch these guys.

My Uncle was the late "Classy" Freddie Blassie so I have wrestled a pro.

quote:

Originally posted by Norton:
Bruno Sammartino.

Can we mention Chief Jay Strongbow, Gorilla Monsoon, Baron Miguel Secluna, George Steel, Moola, and others of that generation? They were wrestlers. What we have now are gymnasts on steroids putting on a soap opera!

You forgot Haystacks Calhoun....

I went to a match here in Seattle about 40 years ago. The greatest entertainment was the audience. There are folks who take it in hook, line and sinker. And yes, they can vote.

There used to be a rumor going around that it was fixed...

But anyway, from long, long ago and down South - http://www.scottymoore.net/russwood56.html

Skip on down thru the EP pics to the wrestlers and you'll see some famous names together in the ring. 20,000's not a bad crowd for wrestling. And it's not often the referee makes more than the wrestlers.

Here's more - http://www.catch.20m.com/photo5.html. The bottom pic shows a local hero of most small boys growing up back then. Many really did dye their hair like his. We used to look forward to watching him on TV, Saturday mornings, then we'd act it out ourselves. I bet some of you did that stuff too..

Go way back.. Gorgeous George- Farmer Jones- Duke Keyumuka-Fritz Von Eric- Andre The Giant??

Andre the Giant for sure. I was just talking with a local feller that was bulldozing a trail in my woods.

He went to Iowa to wrestle Andre one time. Andre was 7'4" and 500 lbs. Andre stomped on his head and broke his nose. The local feller got paid 25 dollars for the match and still has a crooked nose.

Anybody remember the great Rasputen and Pat O'Conner? Terry Funk and Harley Race?

How 'bout Vern Gange or Crusher

I like the stomach claw and Bolo punch by the Crusher.

He and Dick the Bruiser made a formidable tag team.

We have an old fried now deceased who use to wrestle in Carnivals and county fairs in Kentucky before WWII. He said he made more money on the weekend then he did as a mechanic during the week. He wrestled so he had extra money to race his Indian motercycle. I forget what it was called but the bikes did not have breaks on them and they wore a lead boot on their left foot to slow down around curves.

They do not make any like him anymore. A great human being.