March 17, 2008 Observer Newsletter: Johnny Weaver passes away, ROH Rising Above review
The death of Johnny Weaver, the most popular wrestler of the 60s and early 70s in the Carolinas and Virginia, was a reminder of when pro wrestlers were considered like local sports heroes in their territories.
To people of a certain generation in that part of the country, Johnny Weaver was from a day when athletes didn’t make so much money and the public seemed to relate to them in a different way. Because that part of the country had no professional sports franchises, Weaver, who appeared regularly in every decent-sized city in the region, and was seen every Saturday afternoon on the black and white TV set, was thought of like Bart Starr, Johnny Unitas or Mickey Mantle . They were the sports heroes for the masses. They didn’t win them all, but they won most of the time, particularly when the chips were down.
To another generation, which grew up on Ric Flair, Blackjack Mulligan, Ricky Steamboat and later Dusty Rhodes, The Rock & Roll Express and Magnum T.A.., Weaver was like the neighbor who lived down the street, which was really always a key aspect of his appeal.
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Dave Meltzer is the founder and lead writer on the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the weekly constant when it comes to news and reviews in pro wrestling and mixed martial arts for more than 40 years. Dave also co-hosts Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and had had bylines for The National, Yahoo Sports, MMA Fighting and others.