Chicago Fanatics Message Board
https://mail.chicagofanatics.com/

AWA / WWA Chicago Wrestling 9.20.81 ( Int'l Ampitheater)
https://mail.chicagofanatics.com/viewtopic.php?f=88&t=69847
Page 1 of 1

Author:  Bob Loblaw [ Wed May 09, 2012 9:11 am ]
Post subject:  AWA / WWA Chicago Wrestling 9.20.81 ( Int'l Ampitheater)

I finally found some AWA / WWA footage from the International Amphitheatre. I've never seen any before on youtube and I'm too young to remember 1981 rasslin.

The AWA had grown by leaps and bounds by 1967. Once a promotion that only held cards in the state of Minnesota, the AWA had branched out into Wisconsin, Iowa, Colorado, Illinois and North Dakota. The addition of Illinois, the city of Chicago being the crown jewel, to the AWA greatly impacted the careers of Crusher and Bruiser. Bruiser took over the city of Indianapolis, Indiana from Balk Estes in 1964 and formed his own promotion called the WWA World Wrestling Association. Crusher had joined Verne Gagne's Minneapolis, Minnesota based AWA in 1963. Gagne and Bruiser struck a deal to co-promote Chicago in late 1965.

Chicago would feature stars from both the AWA and WWA on its cards every three weeks at the International Amphitheatre. It was decided by Gagne and Bruiser that the AWA champions would be recognized in Chicago and the WWA champions would not be mentioned. How Chicago became an official AWA city in storyline was simple as then AWA champion Mad Dog Vachon beat then WWA champion Dick the Bruiser in early 1966 at the International Amphitheatre. From that point forward the WWA titles were never mentioned again in Chicago even though the WWA title holders appeared on almost every Chicago card. This copromotional arrangement between the AWA and the WWA allowed Bruiser and Crusher to team up in Chicago on a frequent basis. Bruiser would often travel to the other AWA cities to team with Crusher while Crusher would go to the WWA homestead in Indianapolis to team with Bruiser. This arrangement benefited all parties involved. Whenever Crusher and Bruiser would team up whether it be in Chicago, Indianapolis, Milwaukee or Minneapolis, fans would view it as a major event and would turn out in droves.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cF4NuIJSso4

From good old Channel 44. Has some commercials and awesome regional ads.

Ali Hassan vs Dutch Savage (beginning is bad)
Blackjack Mulligan vs Greg Lake
Kelly Twins vs Johnny Starr & Jim Gottmire
Int - Dick the Bruiser re: Saddle match w/ Paul Christy & Reverend Tiny Hampton
Spike Huber vs The Black Saint
Ernie Ladd vs Dick the Bruiser
Kelly Twins vs Bobo Brazil & Wilber Snyder - Intl Ampitheater 9/12/81 (clips)
Dick the Bruiser vs Baron von Raschke - Intl Ampitheater 9/12/81 (clips)
Adrian Adonis & Jesse Ventura vs Greg Gange & Jim Brunzell - Intl Ampitheater 9/12/81 (clips)
Int - Jerry Blackwell re: Issues 5K bodyslam challenge to Hogan
Int - Rev Tiny Hampton re: Dick the bruiser Saddle Match
Spike Huber vs Rev Tiny Hampton w/Johnny Valiant
Hold of the Week - Dick the Bruiser demos saddle match (funny stuff)
Chief Bobby Bold Eagle & Moose Cholak vs "Bulldog" Don Kent & Dr Jerry Graham
Int - Adrian Adonis & Jesse Ventura re: Upcoming Cage Match w/ High Flyers
Greg Gange & Jim Brunzell vs Herman Schaffer & Nacho Barrera 2/3 falls
Int - Greg Gange & Jim Brunzell re: Cage Match
Int - Bobby Heenan re: Match w/ Robinson (1:30:00 - 40 seconds awesome promo)
Int - Billy Robinson re: Match w/ Heenan
Johnny Starr vs Spike Huber
Bobo Brazil vs Mark Manson
Int - Paul Christy, Ali Hassan, & Kelly Twins
Wilber Snyder vs Paul Christy

Author:  chaspoppcap [ Wed May 09, 2012 12:52 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: AWA / WWA Chicago Wrestling 9.20.81 ( Int'l Ampitheater)

I got to watch it ,see how many people I know in the crowd. I grew up 2 blocks from the old Amphitheater.

Author:  Bob Loblaw [ Tue Jun 19, 2012 4:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: AWA / WWA Chicago Wrestling 9.20.81 ( Int'l Ampitheater)

Some more from the AWA days in Chicago (1981) along with some rare Central States All-Star Wrestling from Kansas City (Bob Geigel's KC NWA promotion).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhPRBByiT70

NWA - KC

some early Jannetty, Slick, Brody, etc.

youtube.com/watch?v=zziUKzPaeoE

youtube.com/watch?v=mvYrvZFI0Us

Author:  A7X [ Tue Jun 19, 2012 4:33 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: AWA / WWA Chicago Wrestling 9.20.81 ( Int'l Ampitheater)

Thanks for posting Bob. My first taste of pro wrestling came from AWA circa '80-'81. Then TBS and Georgia Championship Wrestling was made available on cable about a year later. The Spectacular Legacy of the AWA DVD is pretty good. There is a hilarious interview with Mad Dog Vachon as he builds a casket in his garage for his match with Jerry the Crusher Blackwell. :lol:

Author:  Bob Loblaw [ Tue Jun 19, 2012 4:46 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: AWA / WWA Chicago Wrestling 9.20.81 ( Int'l Ampitheater)

No problem. I can remember a few things from 84-85 ish, then everything after that for the most part. I still can't figure out when our family got cable. I'm guessing 85 so I didn't see the awesome NWA stuff on TBS back then. I like that AWA dvd. I know that interview you're talking about, its awesome. I think there's another one with Jose Leduc cutting himself on the arm with an ax (could be a vachon though too).

Author:  jimmypasta [ Tue Jun 19, 2012 4:57 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: AWA / WWA Chicago Wrestling 9.20.81 ( Int'l Ampitheater)

Thanks Bob! I started watching around pre-1972. These are the guys I grew up with. I rooted for Verne Gagne & Wilbur Snyder. Everybody loved Bruiser & Crusher going up against the Mulligans. Later,I enjoyed watching Dr. X (The Destroyer in other parts of the U.S). I'll give these a look.

Author:  Terry's Peeps [ Tue Jun 19, 2012 4:59 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: AWA / WWA Chicago Wrestling 9.20.81 ( Int'l Ampitheater)

When I see Bob, I'm gonna kiss him AJ style.

Not AJ Styles.

Author:  jimmypasta [ Tue Jun 19, 2012 5:05 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: AWA / WWA Chicago Wrestling 9.20.81 ( Int'l Ampitheater)

One more note: Baron Von Rashke is alive and well. I caught him in Kane County at a Toy/Antique show signing autographs. Just an old,bald guy looking to make a few bucks. Hey wait,that sounds like me,too! Kind of crazy,I must have been like 10 when I first saw him. He might be in his 70's now.

Author:  A7X [ Tue Jun 19, 2012 5:11 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: AWA / WWA Chicago Wrestling 9.20.81 ( Int'l Ampitheater)

jimmypasta wrote:
One more note: Baron Von Rashke is alive and well. I caught him in Kane County at a Toy/Antique show signing autographs. Just an old,bald guy looking to make a few bucks. Hey wait,that sounds like me,too! Kind of crazy,I must have been like 10 when I first saw him. He might be in his 70's now.


I was devastated when I discovered he was not a goose stepping Nazi with a vice like grip, but a guy named Jim with a Minnesota accent. :o

Author:  jimmypasta [ Tue Jun 19, 2012 5:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: AWA / WWA Chicago Wrestling 9.20.81 ( Int'l Ampitheater)

A7X,
Yeah. Isn't he a Dentist or something? I thought I read that somewhere.

Author:  Bob Loblaw [ Tue Jun 19, 2012 8:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: AWA / WWA Chicago Wrestling 9.20.81 ( Int'l Ampitheater)

Terry's Peeps wrote:
When I see Bob, I'm gonna kiss him AJ style.

Not AJ Styles.


As long as its not Mae Young style :)

jimmypasta wrote:
A7X,
Yeah. Isn't he a Dentist or something? I thought I read that somewhere.


I don't think so, but if you've ever noticed a Dr. Mike Lano guy, he gets photo credit for about every pre-90's wrestling photo ever taken. He is a dentist who worked on all the guys teeth for free out in California. There's also Slick, he's a Dr of Style.

There's no good place to put this, but it was pretty awesome:

Figure Four Daily with Bryan Alvarez returns today with special guest LARRY ZBYSZKO to talk a ton of different subjects including his wrestling career, learning hooks from John Foley, update on Scott Hall's health, rumors of his death, plus the true story of the human race, the pyramids, who killed JFK and why, the end of the world and a new golden age, and more.

----

He talks JFK and Nikita Khrushchev , illuminati, prophecies, pyramids, the sphinx, Atlantis, Easter Island, the pope, religion brainwashing, bank runs, space race, the NDAA bill, life after death, astronomy, mayan prophecies...(that's just off the top of my head, there a lot more).

http://www.sendspace.com/file/x3wtsz

Author:  Bob Loblaw [ Tue Jun 19, 2012 8:55 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: AWA / WWA Chicago Wrestling 9.20.81 ( Int'l Ampitheater)

I can't recall if I put these up or not. These are Pro Wrestling USA, which was an NWA/AWA/Memphis trifecta from 84-85 ish

Playlist with 12 shows: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0C2EBE3B3B32A5E5

Pro Wrestling USA was a professional wrestling promotion in the United States of America in the mid 1980s. It was an attempt to unify various federations, including the American Wrestling Association (AWA), Jim Crockett Promotions and other members of the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA).

Background
By 1984, Vince McMahon had begun moves to take the World Wrestling Federation (now World Wrestling Entertainment [WWE]) national, and bought out Georgia Championship Wrestling. This was in total disregard to the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) and its territory system. Vince now had the national TBS timeslot. Despite this move being unsuccessful, McMahon was also able to air the historic "War to Settle the Score" and "Brawl to End it All" wrestling cards on MTV; in addition, McMahon also still had the most recognized wrestler in the industry, Hulk Hogan. In a bid to counter the new threat, various promoters across America decided to co-promote wrestling shows.

Joint venture
Jerry Lawler, Jerry Jarrett (later one of the promoters behind Total Nonstop Action Wrestling [TNA]), Verne Gagne of the AWA, the Continental Wrestling Association (CWA), Ole Anderson of GCW, Jim Crockett Promotions, and other NWA promoters got together to co-promote wrestling shows nationally. This joint venture became known as Pro Wrestling USA.

This loose alliance of promoters from across America was to serve as a national federation. Pro Wrestling USA shows could boast, for example, an AWA and NWA World Title match on the same card.

While, at the behest of Jerry Lawler and Jerry Jarrett, the first show took place in Memphis, Tennessee, Pro Wrestling USA shows were promoted across the member's territories. Further, many Pro Wrestling USA shows were taped in East Rutherford, New Jersey, in the heart of the former WWF territory. This was a serious attempt to undermine the WWF, in its home turf, at a moment of financial weakness.

The peak of Pro Wrestling USA came at SuperClash, in Chicago. Over 21,000 people filed into Comiskey Park on September 28, 1985. The card for the show was headlined by Ric Flair vs. Magnum T.A. for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, and Rick Martel vs. Stan Hansen for the AWA World Heavyweight Championship.

The arrangement, however, would only remain in existence for a few more months, as arguments between promoters, primarily Gagne and Crockett, severed the ties. Crockett opted to leave the group, and within months, the Pro Wrestling USA shows were simply repackaged AWA programs.

Author:  The Original Kid Cairo [ Tue Jun 19, 2012 9:03 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: AWA / WWA Chicago Wrestling 9.20.81 ( Int'l Ampitheater)

Bob Loblaw wrote:
I finally found some AWA / WWA footage from the International Amphitheatre. I've never seen any before on youtube and I'm too young to remember 1981 rasslin.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cF4NuIJSso4

Five days after my first birthday. Awesome find.

Author:  the ghost of t-dub [ Wed Jun 20, 2012 2:39 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: AWA / WWA Chicago Wrestling 9.20.81 ( Int'l Ampitheater)

Bob that Superclash at Comiskey was the first pro wrestling card my dad and I attended. There was some big time talent on that card. We had seats right behind the dugout where they were coming out and being interviewed by Larry Nelson. There was also a Road Warriors-Freebirds match which was wild. I recall Jim Garvin, the Koloffs, Bruiser, The Crusher and Baron as well as the irwins taking on Jumbo Tsuruta, "giant" Baba and the great Tenyru on the card.

Author:  Bob Loblaw [ Thu Jun 21, 2012 9:28 am ]
Post subject:  Re: AWA / WWA Chicago Wrestling 9.20.81 ( Int'l Ampitheater)

I'm awfully jealous of all you guys who got to see all of that stuff. Outside of a Harold Baines 3 HR game and the Chicago Sting, all of my memories of Old Comiskey consist of bad White Sox baseball.

Here's SuperClash I . Starts with Verne and Larry Nelson in front of the dugout, you might catch yourself in the crowd.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zX1hQhtjLug

Page 1 of 1 All times are UTC - 6 hours [ DST ]
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
https://www.phpbb.com/