GEORGIA WRESTLING NEWS, NOTES, AND NOSTALGIA: 11/09/2007

Courtesy of Georgia Wrestling History's Rich Tate:

NEWS

Cauliflower Alley Club President Nick Bockwinkel will be having surgery early this morning. He was apparently in for a catheterization when it was noticed a triple bypass was necessary.

If you missed Wednesday night’s broadcast of the CNN documentary of “Death Grip: Inside Pro Wrestling”, and do not want to wait until the rebroadcasts on November 10 and 11, we have added clips to our Aftermath of Tragedy section at GeorgiaWrestlingHistory.com. The clips have been added to the Timeline. As reported yesterday, there is also a full transcript of the interview Drew Griffin conducted with Vince and Linda McMahon, most of which did not appear on the program.

Alternative Pro Wrestling is back in Royston, GA, tonight at the Royston Gym, with matches getting underway at 8:00 PM. Call (706) 680-3234 for more info.

Georgia Wrestling Federation will be in Summerville, GA, tonight at the GWF Arena, with action beginning at 8:00 PM. Call (706) 936-2901 for more info.

Ultimate Christian Wrestling returns to Canton, GA, on November 10, at the National Guard Armory, with matches getting underway at 8:00 PM. Admission is free. Call (770) 713-6367 for more info. Advertised: Truitt Fields versus Kyle Matthews; Bruce Biggins & Enigma versus War Daddy & Mad Dog; Billy Jack & Brian Lawler versus Alexander Phoenix & the Dirty Texan for the UCW Tag Team Title; and Dustin Powers, Justin Dirt, and a mystery opponent in a three-way match for the UCW Heavyweight Title. Also, Rob Adonis is scheduled to defend the UCW National Heavyweight Title, and Hayden Young will also return.

Trash Talking Radio will feature Jimmy Valiant, Eric Gargiula, and Josh Prohibition on its show on November 13 at 7:00 PM ET.

World Wrestling Entertainment announced yesterday that they have released Chris Masters. It had been announced on November 2 that Masters had been suspended for sixty days for failing a drug test. It was reported to have been his second violation. He is already accepting bookings via email at bookings@veselamarinova.com or at (310) 663-6811.

It is being rumored that Carlito has asked to be released from WWE.

NOTES

We would like to pass along best wishes for a great birthday today to Nick Patrick (48) and Chris Jericho (37).

A couple of days ago, we wrote about All-Star Championship Wrestling failing to advertise the big main event for the show that had been scheduled for last night. To further the downslide of what began as a promising venture in Carrollton, the show was cancelled two nights before it was to take place. Aside from Bob Armstrong not appearing at the debut show, and considering it was the first time out for this group, the night went extremely well, drawing about 350 people. Tony Atlas failed to show at the July event, and a makeshift cage was set up that made it clear someone had not properly planned, but the approximately 700 people were still a lively crowd. When the September show rolled around, the turnout was an estimated 300, and this time, Ricky Morton did not show, although being in jail was a pretty good excuse. In the statement canceling the show, promoter Rock Parsons said only about three dozen advance tickets had been sold. He referenced the aforementioned issues as reasons for slow sales, as well as citing that there was a weekly promotion running only a few miles away. He has also blamed posters that had been put up around town had been removed, estimating 30% for the September show, and now 60% for this one. We cannot blame Parsons for the failure of Armstrong, Atlas, and Morton’s failures to appear, and he can only partially be held responsible for the so-called cage, and we have no idea what is going on about posters being taken down, but we do call bunk on the situation with the cross-town promotion, as they had been running when ASCW was drawing 350 and 700. Parsons is a really nice guy, and has the greatest of intentions to promote successful shows in Georgia, but from our perspective his primary obstacle seems to be the fact he lives in another state, making it difficult to oversee what is happening prior to the day of the events. We have no idea if the non-Internet fans planning on attending last night’s show were informed or not. However, one we thing we can be certain of is that Dusty Rhodes nearly killed Carrollton after burning the fans with Turnbuckle a few years ago, and now Parsons may be preparing it for last rites. We hope Parsons manages to get something going in Georgia, as he puts on a good show, but if he can’t live here, he needs to find reliable people to assist on the local level, and it might not behoove him to put much stock in returning to Carrollton.

NOSTALGIA

1926: Dick Daviscourt defeated Jim Londos in the main event at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter John Contos. It was reported that 3,000 were in attendance for this card. Charles Rentrop was the special referee for the match.

1933: George Romanoff and George Harbin wrestled to a draw at the Lakewood Heights Arena in Atlanta for promoter Frank Bettis.

1936: John Mauldin defeated Chippewa Charlie to retain the Southern Light Heavyweight Title at the Spring Street Arena in Atlanta for promoter Frank Bettis. Mauldin had been the reigning Southern Light Heavyweight Champion since he defeated Honey Boy Hackney on September 11, 1936, in Atlanta.

1937: Everett Marshall defeated Dorv Roche to retain the NWA World Heavyweight Title at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Frank Speer. Marshall had been the reigning NWA World Heavyweight Champion since he defeated Ali Baba in Columbus, OH, on June 26, 1936. This version was the one recognized by the National Boxing Association as the National Wrestling Association.

1945: Al Massey defeated the Black Demon by countout in the main event at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Paul Jones.

1950: Lou Thesz defeated Jack Kennedy to retain the NWA World Heavyweight Title at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Paul Jones. Thesz had been the reigning NWA World Heavyweight Champion since he was awarded the title on November 27, 1949.

1956: Don & Red McIntyre defeated Freddie Blassie & Ike Eakins in the main event at the Larry Bell Auditorium in Marietta for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Elmo Chappell. In Saint Louis, MO, Lou Thesz, managed by Strangler Lewis, defeated ‘Whipper’ Billy Watson to win the NWA World Heavyweight Title.

1960: Danny Miller defeated Freddie Blassie by disqualification in a Texas Death Match at the Columbus Sports Arena for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Fred Ward.

1962: Freddie Blassie defeated Jake Smith to reclaim the World Heavyweight Title at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Don McIntyre. Blassie had been billed as World Heavyweight Champion since June 29, 1962, the title had been held up after until Blassie signed to defend it against Smith.

1964: Don Fargo defeated Dick Dunn in the main event at the William Bell Auditorium in Augusta for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Steve Manderson.

1968: Mario Galento & the Professional defeated Seiji Sakaguchi & the Outlaw, managed by ‘Dandy’ Jack Crawford, when Sakaguchi turned on the Outlaw during the match. This match was taped at the WQXI Studios for the “Atlanta TV Wrestling” television program hosted by Ed Capral.

1971: Bob Armstrong defeated Flash Monroe in the main event at the Macon Coliseum for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Fred Ward.

1976: Robert Fuller & Mr. Wrestling #2 defeated Ole & Gene Anderson in the main event at the Macon Coliseum for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Fred Ward.

1979: Tommy Rich defeated Killer Karl Kox, managed by Bobby Heenan, to retain the Georgia Heavyweight Title at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Paul Jones. Rich had been the reigning champion since he defeated Kox on October 26, 1979, in Atlanta.

1981: NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair and Tommy Rich wrestled to a one-hour draw at the William Bell Auditorium in Augusta for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Charlie Harbin. Flair had been the reigning champion since he defeated Dusty Rhodes on September 17, 1981, in Kansas City, MO.

1986: The Flame defeated Mr. Wrestling #2 to win the Deep South Heavyweight Title in Athens for Deep South Wrestling promoter Jody Hamilton. It is unclear as to what venue was the site of this card.