| Updated: Wednesday August 20th, 2008 12:00:48 PM PDT |
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| Karl Stern's Retro Wrestling Magazine Issue 1 |
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Welcome to the first issue of Karl Stern's Retro Wrestling Magazine exclusively for FigureFourOnline.com. No, I am not (under any circumstances) starting a print newsletter again. This magazine is for online readers only and only for members of Bryan Alvarez's Figure Four Empire! For about ten years from 1994 to 2004 I published two different pro wrestling newsletter. The first, along with Ric Gillespie, was called the Global Pro Wrestling Newsletter and was your typical "This week in wrestling" type of publication, though near the end it grew into more and more nostalgia. That lead directly into the more well known DragonKing Wrestling Newsletter which focused entirely on nostalgia and wrestling related issues rather than a weekly run down of what was happening. A couple years ago I ceased publishing the DragonKing Wrestling Newsletter primarily because the print shop I had used for so many years closed down making it nearly impossible for me to get the newsletter printed affordably or timely. I was also terribly burned out on pro wrestling having pretty much done everything I had wanted to do in the business. I had always wanted to write about wrestling but in the early to mid-1990's I actually trained and wrestled for a while. I hated it with a passion. I was no good and didn't enjoy it. I transitioned into a referee and later promoted several wrestling shows. I found being a referee to be a fun job and I still, on rare occasion, am talked into refing an occasional match. Promoting was awful. While the shows themselves were fun it is a world full of cut throat promoters that went around tearing your posters down, calling talent and telling them the shows were canceled and any other form of nonsense one could imagine. Then at show time, seemingly without fail, two or three wrestlers would no-show, someone would hold you up for more money or the crowd would be small. Too much drama! After about a year out of wrestling I got the creative itch again and began sending stuff to Bryan at Figure Four. Soon that grew into a radio show on classic wrestling, then an occasional article, now I've decided to jump back in and publish a periodic wrestling magazine... only this one is online and requires no print shop! However, you can feel free to print this newsletter out at home and hopefully convince friends who are no longer interested in current pro wrestling to join The Empire~! for their fill of classic pro wrestling both in newsletter and audio form. I look forward to hearing feedback about the online magazine. You can drop me an email, question, or comment to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . Also please visit my own personal website karlstern.com. If I get enough questions or article suggestions I will answer them here in the newsletter. I am trying to talk Bryan into making this issue free to everyone but all future issues will be member only features. FigureFourOnline.com is expanding to make room for more and more classic wrestling so hopefully all those millions of wrestling fans who were lost when WWE absorbed WCW can still have an outlet to reminisce about old school wrestling even if they aren't interested in the current product. Just for the record, I do still watch pro wrestling. I TIVO everything including Raw, ECW, Smackdown, TNA, and a lot of MMA. I just fast forward through a lot of the wrestling stuff. Still, I keep up with the current product and occasionally (though not as often as I'd like) I find something I enjoy. I hope you enjoy this first issue of the Karl Stern Retro Wrestling Magazine and I look forward to hearing feedback from you. ------------------- Guide to terms used in this magazine Pioneer era: The pioneer era of wrestling is used to describe the 1800's until the career of Frank Gotch. The pioneer era included people like Abraham Lincoln, Col. James H. McLaughlin, William Muldoon, H.M. Dufur, and James McMahon. Gotch era: The Gotch era describes roughly 1890-1920. Though Frank Gotch died in 1917 his shadow was cast until Ed "Strangler" Lewis came along. Major names in the Gotch era were Frank A. Gotch, George Hackenschmidt, Joe Stecher, Earl Caddock, and Farmer Burns. Wrestling Trust era: The wrestling trust era is roughly 1920 to 1949. The powerful wrestling trust ruled the sport and called all the shots. The main player in this era both in and out of the ring was Ed "Strangler" Lewis. Major names in this era were Strangler Lewis, Dick Shikat, Ray Steele, Lou Thesz, and Jim Londos. Television Golden age era: The invention of the television brought in a whole new era to pro wrestling. The television era lasted roughly from 1949 until 1965 Now it was not only skill that made a star but charisma and look. Major names of the television (sometimes called the Golden Age) were Gorgeous George, Jim Londos, Lou Thesz, and Buddy Rogers. Territorial era: The territorial era ran roughly from 1965 until 1984 and was dominated by the National Wrestling Alliance who put in place a near mob like hold on pro wrestling. Major names during this period were Lou Thesz, Buddy Rogers, Harley Race, Dory Funk Jr., Terry Funk, Verne Gagne, Superstar Graham, and Bruno Sammartino. Hulk-a-mania era: This is the era of the national expansion of the WWF/WWE. Hulk Hogan was the biggest national star of this era though the National Wrestling Alliance still was a major player until the end of this time. The Hulk-a-mania era covers roughly from 1984 until 1991. Major names of this era were Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Andre the Giant, Lex Luger, The Road Warriors, Nikita Koloff, Jake Roberts, Ted DiBiase, and Jerry Lawler. *For the purpose of the Karl Stern Retro Wrestling Magazine this will be the time period I cover here, though from time to time I will be looking back at the 1990's WWF and the Nitro vs. Raw era. As time keeps moving forward history keeps getting longer. -------------------- Each issue I'll be looking at the origins of a wrestling character. This issue is Mr. Olympia (Jerry Stubbs). Jerry Stubbs probably should have been a wrestling hall of famer. Stubbs was an almost physical and ring work twin of Arn Anderson but because Jerry Stubbs never had major stints outside of Continental and Mid-South wrestling he is a virtual unknown to most wrestling fans outside those two areas. One of the most interesting things about Jerry Stubbs was his duel identities. As Jerry Stubbs he was most often a heel. Again, Stubbs was very similar in appearance and wrestling style to Arn Anderson and the two even formed a tag team in Southeastern Wrestling which dominated and held the tag team titles until Anderson left the area for his famous run in the Carolina's. However, as a babyface Jerry Stubbs most often worked under a mask as Mr. Olympia. There were a couple of exceptions, most notably the time he spent as part of Ted DiBiase's Rat Pack in Mid-South and one run in Continental as a heel with the mask. Jerry Stubbs had been a borderline junior heavyweight for a few years. He even had a short run as NWA World Junior champion in 1981 which went unrecognized outside of Southeastern wrestling after Stubbs defeated Les Thornton in Mobile, AL but lost the belt back to him a week later. The top junior heavyweight title in Southeastern wrestling was the NWA U.S. Junior heavyweight title and in 1981 Stan Lane held the championship as a cocky young heel who believed he had beaten everyone in the area, including Jerry Stubbs, and thus was considering retiring or throwing away the title. The weekly television show was taped in Dothan, Alabama and Les Thatcher and Charlie Platt were the commentators at the time. Platt told Lane that he had a new challenger on today's show, a "member of the 1976 Olympic team" Mr. Olympia. Lane told Platt that it was about time he had a real legitimate challenger but when Mr. Olympia came out and got in the ring Lane immediately recognized him as Jerry Stubbs and the commentators also speculated that Mr. Olympia was probably Jerry Stubbs (unlike what Don West would probably do today- "oh my GAWD! Who is this guy?"). Of course, Mr. Olympia defeated Stan Lane in a non-title match. Pretty soon Stan Lane left the area anyway and Mr. Olympia moved up to heavyweight and was one of the area's top stars for the next few years feuding mainly with Jimmy Golden and Ron Fuller and whoever was in his stable. Mr. Olympia usually played back up for Bob Armstrong and Austin Idol who were the top babyfaces in the area. The only time Stubbs ever left the area was for a big run in Mid-South. There Mr. Olympia was a heel though it was never acknowledged in Southeastern wrestling. Much like Bob Armstrong's later Bullet character, it was pretty much an open secret that Mr. Olympia was Jerry Stubbs. Occasionally when Mr. Olympia was in an especially brutal type of match, like a steel cage match, instead of wrestling as Mr. Olympia he would announce on television that he was going to call in his old friend "Jerry Stubbs" to wrestle the match since Stubbs was "far more brutal" than "Mr. Olympia". For most of the Continental era Jerry Stubbs wrestled as himself as a heel. He formed an excellent team with Tony "Dirty White Boy" Anthony and was usually a member of Ron or Robert Fuller's Stud's Stable group. He had a very memorable feud with Brad Armstrong over the NWA Alabama title. Mr. Olympia did make a comeback when Eddie Gilbert and Paul Heyman were booking the area. He and Austin Idol were the top babyfaces against Gilbert. This was at a time where Bob Armstrong was wrestling elsewhere. Mr. Olympia did a famous angle where Eddie Gilbert and Paul E. Dangerously (Heyman) broke his arm. After Eddie Gilbert and Paul Heyman abruptly quit the promotion after a dispute with owner David Woods, Mr. Olympia continued to be a top face along with Austin Idol, a returning Bullet (Bob Armstrong), and "Nightmare" Danny Davis. At almost any given time during his stay in Southeastern through the end of the CWF, Jerry Stubbs was usually the work horse wrestler of the group having the best matches. He was actually the first person in the United States to start using what became known as the Scorpion (Sting's finishing move) and used the name and the gimmick of Mr. Perfect over a year before Curt Hennig jumped from the AWA to the WWF. His team with Arn Anderson and Tony Anthony could have been a major tag team had they toured more places. Why did Jerry Stubbs very often not stray from the deep south? A lot of it had to do with his career as a law enforcement officer. Stubbs was a policeman in Florida for a while and still today is a Detective around Atlanta, GA. The last time I spoke with Jerry Stubbs was about five years ago and he was hoping to retire.. ------------------- The early career of Vampiro (1991 as the Canadian Vampire Casanova) 03/22/1991*Mexico City, Mexico: w/. Fuerza Guerrera & MS 1, lost to Dandy, Octagon, & Pirata Morgan 05/08/1991*Los Reyes, Mexico*w/. El Egipico & MS 1, vs. Angel Azteca, Pirata Morgan & Konnan 05/10/1991*Mexico City, Mexico w/. Fuerza Guerrera & Mongolian Mauler, lost to Dandy, Chavo & Eddie Guerrero 05/23/1991*Cuernavaca, Mexico w/. Jerry Estrada & Mongolian Mauler vs. Atlantis, Lizmark, & Rayo de Jalisco Jr. 06/07/1991 Mexico City, Mexico w/. Fabuloso Blondy (Ken Timbs) & Mascara Ano 2000, lost to Lizmark, Octagaon & Sangre Chicana 06/14/1991 Mexico City, Mexico w/. Nitron & Satanico, lost to Atlantis, Mascara Sagrada & Kato Kung Lee 06/21/1991 Mexico City, Mexico w/. Atlantis & Mascara Sagrada, beat Fabuloso Blondy, Pierroth Jr. & Nitron 06/28/1991 Mexico City, Mexico w/. Atlantis & Kato Kung Lee, vs. Fabuloso Blondy, Satanico, & Nitron 07/04/1991 Netzahualcoytol, Mexico vs. Nitron 07/05/1991 Mexico City, Mexico w/. Lizmark & Konnan, beat MS1, Satanico, & Masakre 07/12/1991 Mexico City, Mexico w/. Ringo Mendoza & Anibal, beat Herodes, Masakre, & MS 1 08/09/1991 Mexico City, Mexico w/. Konnan & Octagon, beat Perro Aguayo, Cien Caras, & Satanico ------------------- October Wrestling History Brooklyn NY Daily Eagle; October 26, 1890 *NOVELTY THEATER. * There will be gloves on *The Winning Hand* this week. Mr. William Muldoon, Mr. Jacob Kilrain and other celebrated gentlemen will wear them as a part of their costume, for, like Mr. John Lawrence Sullivan, they are actors now, and their scenes in this drama of love and slugging are watched with more interest and received with more enthusiasm than the bouts in *Macbeth* and *Richard III.* The play is of a humorous sort, and is enlivened by songs and dances.* Dallas TX: October 21, 1895 While the scheduled boxing match between heavyweight champion James J. Corbett and challenger Bob Fitzsimmons is called off this night, amid much acrimony, the promoters consider another possibility, that of moving the show to Hot Springs AR, where fighting is legal, and fattening the purse by $10,000. Fitzsimmons spurns this notion, but only after being refused his offer to fight Corbett in private on October 31, the day originally set for the title contest. So, with the whole promotion seemingly in shreds, the Brooklyn NY Daily Eagle grasps at straws in its report. *There is some talk of saving a vestige of the contemplated carnival by getting Dan McLeod and Ernest Roeber together in a mixed style wrestling match, with a remote chance of pulling off the Maher-O*Donnell and Ryan-Smith fights as sideshows,* says the paper, but it cannot get anyone to comment on the rumor. As it happens, nothing comes off in Hot Springs and Fitzsimmons will wait nearly 18 months before getting his crack at Corbett and winning the title at Reno NV. Maher does fight O*Donnell, and kayo him in one round, but not until November 11 at Maspeth, Long Island, NY. Indianapolis IN: October 26, 1897 (Grand Opera House, att. 1,500) * Dan McLeod beat Farmer Burns (2-1) * $1,000 a side, plus 75 per cent of the gate receipts to the winner * Evan Lewis and Tom Jenkins, at ringside, issue challenges to the winner * NOTE: Bout was advertised as for the world championship at catch-as-catch-can * McLeod won the first and third falls, respectively, in 23 and 17 * minutes, while Burns captured the second after 37 minutes of tussling. Olean NY: October 27, 1886 (Wednesday) (Mayer's Hall) ... (Mixed Styles) Mervine Thompson vs J. McTigue (1-1) ... Referee: Bill Derbey ... NOTE: "A small crowd" watched Thompson take a catch fall in 14 minutes, only to be thrown in 20 minutes at collar and elbow ... Added the Olean Democrat: "It was indeed, as pretty and square a wrestling match as one will ever see." (Karl Comments: Notice an 1886 reference to worked pro wrestling. Already the media was conditioned to assume the matches were fake) Seattle WA: October 9, 1909 Jack (sic) Carroll, the wrestling promoter, for a long time Frank Gotch's manager; Bert Warner of Minneapolis, a middleweight wrestler, and Winn Sharris of Spokane WA were arrested at Curfew WA and charted with being members of the Mabray gang of wrestling and foot race swindlers recently indicted at Omaha and Council Bluffs. Modesto CA: October 4, 1916 The Sells-Floto Circus Champion Shows are booked for two performances, with advance publicity (September 22) claiming that world heavyweight champion Jess Willard and "wrestling champion" Frank Gotch are to appear with it. The claims are repeated in the October 2, 3 and 4 editions of the Modesto CA Evening News ... The day afterward, October 5, there was no mention of the circus' appearance in the paper ... Two days later, in the October 7 edition, we learned that it rained on the circus' appearance. Santa Barbara CA: October 19, 1916 Sells-Floto circus appears and James Green of Oxnard CA tells the Oxnard Courier that he saw Jess Willard and that the champion is "some man." There is no mention of Green seeing Frank Gotch. Ironwood MI Daily Globe: October 16, 1925 Announcement was made here this week by Jack Rowett, former Cornish champion wrestler of the world, that he will again enter the ring this winter. Present plans are to stage of number of bouts and wrestling matches here on Thanksgiving evening under the supervision of the American Legion. Syracuse NY: October 3, 1934 (Arena) ... Jim Browning beat Floyd Marshall (19:00) ... Mike Romano beat Al Getzewich (later Al Getz) ... Walter Podolak beat Bert Rubi ... Hans Kampfer beat Ernie Stevens (of Chicago IL) GENERAL PHELAN CLICKS RIGHT ON SCHEDULE (By Henry McLemore, United Press, October 24, 1934) NEW YORK CITY -- Those of us who believe in preserving old customs were gratified when Gen. John J. Phelan, chairman of the New York State Athletic Commission, ordered an investigation of wrestling. For 22 years the Athletic Commission has launched wrestling p;robes on the 23rd day of October without a miss. So, when General Phelan sounded off, he was keeping a rendezvous with tradition. It was like a father handing down his shaving mug to his eldest son, a mother pressing the family rolling pin into the hands of the daughter first to marry. In explaining his order for an investigation, the General boldlyj hinted that wrestling, in his opinion, was not quite the classical sport that enthralled the ancients. He said -- and you could hear the reporters gasp at his words -- that rumors had reached his ears of unsavory activities. "I have been told, for instance," the General said, "that these wrestlers aren't always 'shooting,' as we call it, and that they aren't always trying to see who is the better man. It has also been brought to my attention that these athletes frequently wrestle each other at regular intervals, with varying results. I am against this. I don't think they should meet too often. They become too friendly and the outcome of their bouts might not be determined upon the actual superiority of one man over the other. "Yes, gentlemen. I am beginning to lose faith in wrestling." The next thing you know, the General will be questioning the honesty of slot machines, the existence of Santa Claus and the ability of rabbits to lay Easter eggs. In criticizing the business of wrestlers meeting the same opponent two and three times a week, the General revealed an amazing ignorance of the gamme. Any follower of the sterling sport should know that not until two gents have gone at one another 15 or 20 times does their act become really worthwhile. It isn't difficult to spot a match in which the participants have met only three or four times before. There is no rhythm to their work. They hurt each other. Often they complete the required falls minutes before their allotted time has elapsed. (Karl's Comments: Yep, by 1934 pro wrestling was considered as "real" as Santa Claus and as honest as a slot machine.) Lowell MA: October 19, 1942 (Rex Arena) ... Swedish Angel beat George Macricostas (2-1) ... Leo Numa beat Jim Spencer ... Steve Passas beat Walter Lipson ... NOTE: It was announced the next card would be November 2. Hollywood CA: October 13, 1952 Erskine Johnson syndicated column item: "Giant-sized Buddy Baer, the bone cruncher of 'Quo Vadis,' is back in movie grease paint in Cary Grant's 'Dream Wife' -- 'this time I'm a dialogue cruncher' -- after nixing a $65,000-a-year guarantee to become a star of the nation's wrestling circuit. Flipped ex-prize fighter Buddy: 'I figure I'll have to work in about 20 more pictures before I'll have enough acting experience to take up wrestling.'" Birmingham, Alabama: October 5, 1959 Don and Luke Fields beat Corsica Joe and Corsica Jean ... Mr. And Mrs. Pancho Villa beat Charlie Keene and Cora Combs ... Charlie Keene beat Pancho Villa (dq) Birmingham, Alabama: October 12, 1959 Tor Yamato beat Mike Clancy ... Jackie Fargo beat Jesse James ... (Midgets) Cowboy Bradley beat Tiny Roe ... Luigi Macera beat Saul Weingeroff ... Herb Larson beat Bob Kappel Birmingham, Alabama: October 19, 1959 Don and Al Greene drew with Mike Clancy and Larry Chene ... Tor Yamato beat Tex Riley ... Jesse James beat Karl Kowalski (dq) ... Luigi Macera beat Chuck Grant Birmingham, Alabama: October 26, 1959 (World Tag Team Title Match*) Don and Luke Fields beat Don and Al Greene ... Jackie Fargo beat Mike Clancy ... (Boxing Match) Tor Yamato beat Tex Riley (dq) ... Don Fargo drew with Luigi Macera 10/30/1961 Phoenix Lou Thesz beat Mike Sharpe, Little Beaver & Burke beat Fuzzy Cupid & Irish Jackie, AL Pago Pago beat Black Dragon, Tony Olivas beat Jim Wright dq. 10/15/1965 Phoenix Mark Starr beat Tony Manousos, Frankie Cain no contest Chuck Karbo, Alex Medina beat Don Arnold, Tito Montez & Ray Torres beat Gypsy Biviano & Frank Zomar, The Mad Mongol beat Bias Corona. 10/22/1965 Phoenix Chuck Karbo beat Frankie Cain, Don Arnold beat Alex Medina, Tito Montez & Ray Torres drew Jim OSborne & Juan Sebastian, Mongol drew Tony Manousos, Mark Starr beat Bias Corona. 10/29/1965 Phoenix Don Arnold beat Alex Medina, Frankie Cain beat Chuck Karbo, The Mad Mongol & Juan Sebastian drew Tito Montez & Ray Torres, Tony Manousos drew Jim Osborne, Al Velasco beat Mark Starr, Frank Zomar beat Bias Corona. 10/1/1966 Minneapolis, MN- AWA Alaskan beat Johnny Zonda, Verene Gagne beat Kenny Jay, Stan Kowalski beat Moose Morowski, Jack Lanza beat Paul Caruso, Reggie Parks & Doug Gilbert beat George Gadaski & Bob Hirsch. 10/1/1966 St. Paul, MN- AWA Jim Rasko beat Johnny Zonde, Billy Red Cloud beat George Gadaski, Alaskan & Stank beat Eddie Sharkey & Jack Pesek, Stan Kowaski no contest Reggie Parks. (Karl's Comments: Reggie Parks listed here went on to be most famous for making championship belts. Most of the WWF/WWE's belts have been made by him. In fact, just about every famous championship belt of the last 30 years has been made by Reggie Parks) 10/4/1966 Minneapolis TV- AWA Stan Kowalski & ALaskan beat George Gadaski & Bob Hirsch, Billy Red Cloud beat Murlacka, Stan Kowalski bat paul Caruso & Johnny Zonde, Reggie Parks beat Kenny Jay. 10/8/1966 Minneapolis- AWA Alaskan beat Verne Gagne dq, Stan Kowaslki beat Billy Red Cloud, LarryHenning beat Reggie Parks dq, Jack Lanza beat George Gadaski,* Jim Rashke beat Johnny Zonda. 10/8/1966 Minneapolis TV- AWA Verne Gagne beat George Gadaski, Stan Kowaslki beat Kenny Jay, Reggie Parks & BIlly Red Cloud beat Johnny Kace & Paul Caruso. 10/10/1966 Moline- AWA Verne Gagne no contest The Alaskan, Doug Gilbert drew Harley Race, Stan Kowalski beat Billy Red Cloud, Larry Hennig beat Reggie Parks, Jim Raschke beat Ray Durkes. 10/12/1966 Denver- AWA Verne Gagne beat The Alaskan dq, Stan Kowalski beat Jack Pesek, Stan Kowalski drew Jack Lanza, Danny Pleachas beat Dan Husar, Doug Gilbert beat Stan Kowalski, Larry Hennig beat Billy Red Cloud. (Karl's Comments: Obviously the Doug Gilbert listed here is not the brother of Eddie Gilbert from Memphis but the original Doug Gilbert, AKA: The Pro) 10/1/1970 Bakersfield, CA The Medics beat Billy Graham & ?, Goliath beat La Pantero Negra, Rick Drasin beat Jim Byars. 10/7/1970 Los Angeles, CA Ray Mendoza beat Tony Rocca, The Great Goliath beat Joe Teran, Fred Blassie beat The Texan, El Medicso beat Rocky Montero & Don Duffy, Black Gordman beat Rick Drasin, Billy Graham beat Don Morrow (Muraco). 10/8/1970 Bakersfield, CA Goliath beat La Pantera Negra, Fred Blassie beat BIlly Graham COR, Black Gordman beat Pepper Martin, Takachio beat Jerry Graham, Don Morrow (Muraco) drew The Oregon Lumberjack. 10/15/1970 Bakersfield, CA Fred Blassie beat Goliath dq, Black Gordman beat Tony Rocco, Rick Drasin beat Buddy Rose, Pepper Martin beat mondo Lopez, Takachio beat The Oregon Lumberjack. 10/22/1970 Bakersfield, CA Fred Blassie beat Goliath dq cage match, Pedro Morales beat El Lobo, Black Gordman beat Takachio, Tony Rocco drew Karl Heisinger, Don Morrow beat Buddy Rose. 10/23/1970 Los Angeles, CA John Tolos beat Tony Rocco, Black Gordman beat El Medico, Les Roberts beat Don Morrow, Billy Graham drew Takachio, Pedro Morales drew Goliath, La Pantera Negra beat Dale Lewis, Dory Funk Jr beat Fred Blassie COR. 10/24/1970 Fresno, CA Bobby Nichols beat Ricky Renaldo, Earl Maynard beat Enforcer 1, Mighty Brutus beat Kenny Ackles, Tony Pugliese beat Bobby White, Cyclone Negro beat Pampero Firpo, Pat Patterson beat Ray Stevens. Oct 2, 1975 - AWA; Winnipeg Arena; Winnipeg Att: 6,118 Crusher n.c. vs. Nick Bockwinkel ... Billy Robinson d.w. Baron Von Raschke ... Jimmy & Johnny Valiant b. Jos Leduc & Jim Brunzell ... +more Oct 6, 1975 - Kovacs; Vancouver Tiger Jeet Singh b. Seigfried Steinke ... Jimmy Snuka & Dennis Stamp b. Gene Kiniski & Dale Lewis ... Mike Kelly b. Sky Hi Morse ... Pat Kelly b. Keith Franks ... Ivan Crnkovic d.w. Jack Ruffen Oct 10, 1975 - Stampede; Victoria Pavilion; Calgary Larry Lane vs. Gil Hayes ... Mr. Hito vs. Bob Pringle ... Keith Hart vs. Duke Savage ... Towering Inferno (Neil Guay) vs. Alo Leilani ... Sailor White vs. Joe Carona (Joe Caronia) ... Mr. Yoto vs. Frankie Laine ... Andrew Douglas vs. Kim Klokeid Oct 13, 1975 - Kovacs; Vancouver Jack Brisco (NWA World) b. Don Leo Jonathan ... Gene Kiniski b. Dennis Stamp ... Jimmy Snuka, Pat & Mike Kelly b. Seigfried Steinke, Dale Lewis & Sky Hi Morse ... Ivan Crnkovic b. Jack Ruffen by DQ ... Keith Franks b. Jim Dimitri ... Sue Green b. Paula Kaye-- women Oct 20, 1975 - Kovacs; Vancouver Seigfried Steinke & Dale Lewis Dble DQ vs. Pat & Mike Kelly ... Dutch Savage b. Gene Kiniski ... Dennis Stamp b. Randy Morse ... Ivan Crnkovic b. Jack Bence ... Keith Franks d.w. Jack Ruffen (Karl's Comments: Keith Franks on these cards ultimately became Adrian Adonis. Neil Guay was better known in the states as The Hangman. Sailor White was one of the original Moondogs in the WWF. ) WWF @ Boston, MA - Boston Garden - October 4, 1980 Rick McGraw defeated Jose Estrada Rene Goulet defeated Baron Mikel Scicluna Dominic DeNucci defeated Johnny Rodz Pat Patterson defeated Wild Samoan Sika Rick Martel defeated Wild Samoan Afa Pedro Morales defeated Ken Patera via disqualification Larry Zbyszko defeated Tony Garea Andre the Giant defeated Hulk Hogan WWF World Champion Bob Backlund defeated the Hangman WWF @ Philadelphia, PA - Spectrum - October 11, 1980 Dominic DeNucci defeated Baron Mikel Scicluna Tony Garea defeated Sika via count-out Pedro Morales defeated Afa Andre the Giant defeated WWF IC Champion Ken Patera via count-out Larry Zbyszko defeated WWF World Champion Bob Backlund via count-out Rick McGraw & Rick Martel defeated Jose Estrada & Johnny Rodz Pat Patterson defeated Larry Sharpe WWF @ Rochester, NY - October 18, 1980 Angelo Gomez fought Steve King to a draw Angel Marivella defeated Johnny Rodz via count-out The Hangman defeated Rick McGraw Tony Garea defeated Larry Zbyszko via disqualification Sgt. Slaughter defeated Dominic DeNucci Pedro Morales defeated WWF IC Champion Ken Patera via count-out WWF @ Glastonbury - October 18, 1980 Brad Rheingans defeated Pete Doherty Larry Sharpe defeated Fred Marzino Jose Estrada defeated Don Serrano WWF World Champion Bob Backlund defeated Afa WWF @ Milwaukee, WI - Mecca - October 6, 1987: WWF Superstars taping: Tito Santana (w/ Rick Martel) fought Haku (w/ Bobby Heenan & Tama) to a double disqualification at 6:42 Sam Houston pinned Terry Gibbs with a bulldog at 6:58 Danny Spivey pinned Lanny Poffo with a neckbreaker at 3:16 Paul Orndorff (w/ Oliver Humperdink) defeated Hercules (w/ Bobby Heenan) via disqualification at 6:21 WWF World Champion Hulk Hogan vs. Killer Khan 10/17/87: Brutus Beefcake defeated Van Van Horne Dino Bravo & Greg Valentine (w/ Johnny V) defeated SD Jones & Rick Gantner Paul Orndorff (w/ Oliver Humperdink) defeated Chris Curtis Bam Bam Bigelow (w/ Oliver Humperdink) defeated Rick Renslow 10/24/87: WWF IC Champion the Honkytonk Man (w/ Jimmy Hart) defeated George Steele via dq Rick Rude defeated Mike Richards Davey Boy Smith & the Dynamite Kid defeated Steve Lombardi & Jose Estrada King Harley Race defeated Frankie DeFalco Jim Duggan pinned Tiger Chung Lee 10/31/87: Demolition (w/ Mr. Fuji) defeated Brady Boone & Scott Casey Sam Houston pinned Danny Davis (w/ Jimmy Hart) Ted Dibiase defeated Sivi Afi Bam Bam Bigelow won a 10-man battle royal by last eliminating Hercules and Bob Orton Jr.; other participants included: Outback Jack, the One Man Gang, Nikolai Volkoff, Boris Zhukov, the Junkyard Dog, the Ultimate Warrior, and Don Muraco Randy Savage defeated Shadow #2 (Karl's Comments: Danny Davis here was a Calgary Stampede wrestler who did a heel ref gimmick for WWF. He is not the same person as Danny Davis of the Nightmares who now owns Ohio Valley Wrestling.) WWF @ Wheeling, WV - Civic Center - October 2, 1989 WWF Superstars taping: WWF World Champion Hulk Hogan defeated Randy Savage in a steel cage match 10/28/89 - included Roddy Piper, Jimmy Snuka, & the Bushwhackers as guests of the Brother Love Show: Shawn Michaels & Marty Jannetty defeated Mike Scarberry & Ken Arnold at 3:46 Barry Windham pinned Jim McPherson at 1:54 with the superplex Hercules defeated Joe Cruz via submission with the backbreaker at 2:07 Andre the Giant & Haku (w/ Bobby Heenan) defeated Mike Williams & Chuck Casey Dino Bravo (w/ Jimmy Hart) defeated Mark Regan via submission with a bearhug at 1:49 Jake Roberts pinned Barry Hardy with the DDT at 1:18 The Big Bossman & Akeem (w/ Slick) defeated Dennis Burke & Chuck Coates at 1:46 11/4/89 - included Randy Savage, Sensational Sherri, Greg Valentine, Dino Bravo, & Barry Windham as guests of the Brother Love Show in which they were interrupted by Jim Duggan, Bret Hart, Ron Garvin, & Hercules: Dusty Rhodes defeated George South The Powers of Pain defeated Tim Horner & Powell Rick Martel defeated Reno Riggins Jim Duggan defeated Barry Horowitz Demolition defeated WWF Tag Team Champions Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard (w/ Bobby Heenan) to win the titles when Ax pinned Blanchard, the illegal man, with the Decapitation 11/11/89 - included Andre the Giant, Haku, & Bobby Heenan as guests of the Brother Love Show; featured the debut of Earthquake as he and Dino Bravo attacked the Ultimate Warrior in a segment in which Bravo and Warrior competed to see who could do more push-ups with the 'fan' sitting on their back: Roddy Piper defeated the Brooklyn Brawler Mr. Perfect defeated Woods The Bushwhackers defeated Bob Emery & Craig Brown Ted Dibiase defeated Trent Knight Jimmy Snuka defeated Tony Burton (Karl's Comments: I hope everyone enjoyed the first issue of Karl Stern's Retro Wrestling Magazine. You can contact me at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it and I invite you to visit my website at karlstern.com. Everything at my personal website if free of charge but I encourage people who enjoy the content to pitch me a dollar or two in the contribution tray on the main page. Thank you again and please check out my classic wrestling audio shows at FigureFourOnline.com. Note to webmasters/reporters: When recapping news from this site or from our newsletters, please include a link to www.f4wonline.com as opposed to "From F4W", "From Figure Four Weekly" or derivatives. Thank you! For the most in-depth and detailed news and analysis on pro-wrestling and MMA, always turn to Wrestlingobserver.com/Figure Four Weekly Online, the #1 website of its kind on the Internet. Members receive online access to both the Wrestling Observer and Figure Four Weekly newsletters and growing archives, Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer three times per week, the popular Bryan and Vinny Show twice per week, additional radio shows including Figure Four Daily with Alvarez, Mike Coughlin's Five Star Radio, the Dr. Keith Lipinski Show, The Adam and Mike Big Audio Nightmare, and the Karl Stern Wrestling History Show, the infamous BOARD, and more! Members also have full access to the thousands of hours of audio in our radio show archives which date back to 2005. For your convenience, we offer secure online payments using your VISA, Mastercard, American Express, Discover card or PayPal account. Don't miss out on the fun, sign up now! Want full access? QUICK AND EASY $9.99 SIGNUP!
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