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Saturday, November 24, 2007

GEORGIA WRESTLING NEWS, NOTES, AND NOSTALGIA: 11/24/2007

Courtesy of Georgia Wrestling History's Rich Tate:

NEWS

Due to some bugs in the system, we have been unable to post anything in our News & Notes section on the site since last night. We are working on it, and thank you for your patience.

We learned overnight that two children of the Ken and Juanita Timbs family, Wolfie and Krissa, were injured in an automobile accident. The car they were in was struck from behind, and responders had to cut them out of their vehicle. Wolfie was rushed to Egleston Children’s Hospital, while Krissa was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital. It was initially thought that Wolfie had either a fractured or broken back, but tests eventually showed negative, and he was released around 1:00 AM. Initially, Krissa was said to have been bleeding internally, requiring surgery, and had a broken arm and shoulder. Early reports from the hospital staff to the family were that there was minor intestinal tearing and that surgery had repaired that, and that both her arm and shoulder were able to be reset. It was believed she would be moving to recovery, where she would be observed for a few days. However, Ms. Timbs just spoke with the actual doctor, who reported to her that during surgery, over half of Krissa’s colon was removed, and there is a great chance of infection. He also indicated there is damage to the left knee, and that despite reports of her arm being reset, she will require surgery, having pins placed into her arm. Thus, Krissa is still in bad shape, despite earlier reports of improvement.

Our own Larry Goodman is scheduled to appear on Trash Talking Radio on November 27 to discuss the pending regulations by the GAEC. Also on the program will be Dusty Wolfe and Dr. Mike Lano.

Down South Hardcore Wrestling will debut at the Mutiplex in Darien, GA, tonight with matches getting underway at 6:15 PM. Email marksinger13@yahoo.com for more info. Advertised: A death match between Cameron LaRue versus Teddy Baddstreet, with fans asked to bring the weapons; a four-way ladder match with Dallas Riley, Lance Alonte, Johnny Romano, and Jorge Estrada; Ryan Savage versus the Dirty Player; E-Dawg versus the Ghetto Superstar; and Fear versus Ash Kristianson.

Great Championship Wrestling will be in Phenix City, AL, tonight at the GR8 SK8plex, starting at 7:30 PM. Call (334) 297-2223 for more info.

Ultimate Christian Wrestling returns to Canton, GA, tonight at the National Guard Armory, with matches getting underway at 8:00 PM. Call (770) 713-6367 for more info.

All-Star Wrestling Network will be back in Fort Valley, GA, tonight, at the Wrestleplex, beginning at 8:00 PM. Email wardpromo@aol.com for more info.

Upon further review, clarification was needed on how the tournament for the Southern Extreme Championship Wrestling’s Heavyweight Title tournament played out on Thursday. It was noticed the Nightmare won two matches, never losing, yet failed to advance further. Apparently, after his second win, coming against El Mexicano, he was attacked and injured by his opponent, receiving two piledrivers, leaving him unable to continue. The Super Destroyer ultimately won the title. It was also later reported that Ray ‘Glacier’ Lloyd and Thunderbolt Patterson were seen at the event.

NOTES

We wish a happy 59th birthday today to Roger Smith.

The neverending rumor that has been circulating online for years regarding speculation of a sexual encounter between Jim Barnett and Tommy Rich has resurfaced, due to the latest allegations aimed at Barnett in the recently published book about the 1962 Kentucky Wildcats football team, “the Thin Thirty.” One person in particular, known to spin wild conspiracy theories on message boards all over the web, known as Knight of Darkness, recently questioned publicly the integrity and credibility of Rich Tate, owner of GeorgiaWrestlingHistory.com, which would also mean that stories from Bobby Simmons, Jody Hamilton, Ole Anderson, Harley Race, among others, all of whom would have more personal knowledge of the title change from Race-to-Rich-to-Race over a four day period, were less than credible. At this point, the credibility of Knight of Darkness equates to that of Jim Wilson, Thunderbolt Patterson, and Ed Farhat. All three have made wild claims over the years, and not simply about the title change. They all also had their own personal reasons to have disdain for Barnett, and therefore, it is our feeling that none of what they have said in any matter, most specifically this one, hold any water whatsoever.

NOSTALGIA

1887: John Muhler, managed by Mr. Hopper, defeated F.S. Hughes, substituting for E.E. Smith, in three straight falls at Market Hall in Augusta. Smith had been billed as a ‘Captain’ from Augusta. It was reported that Smith would receive $100 from Muhler if he could win a single fall, with Muhler receiving gate receipts. Smith arrived late for the match, and in an effort to make certain the audience who had gathered were entertained, Hughes volunteered to wrestle Muhler.

1921: Harry Stevens defeated Paul Sampson in Macon for an event promoted by the Al Sihab Shriners. It is unclear as to what venue was the site of this card.

1931: Pat O’Shocker defeated Paul Harper in the main event at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Henry Weber.

1939: Bob Corby defeated Jack McAdams in the main event at the Sports Arena for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Tom McCarthy.

1944: Cowboy Luttrall defeated Jack Kelly by disqualification in the main event at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Paul Jones.

1948: Red Dugan defeated Jack Blackstock in the main event at the Larry Bell Auditorium in Marietta for promoter Fred Ward. Ward was not yet affiliated with the Atlanta office of Georgia Championship Wrestling, and Dugan, whose real name was Elmo Chappell, later promoted in Marietta at this same venue for GCW.

1950: Finis Hall defeated Jack Kennedy to win the Southern Heavyweight Title at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Paul Jones. Kennedy had been the reigning champion since he defeated Art Nelson on November 3, 1950, in Atlanta. Also, June Byers defeated Lillian Bitters in the semi-main event.

1952: Eduardo Perez defeated Nick Carter two falls to one in the main event at the William Bell Auditorium in Augusta for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Tom Mahoney.

1961: Don McIntyre & Ray Gunkel defeated Jerry Graham & the Assassin to retain the Southern Tag Team Title at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Paul Jones. Following the match, Graham and the Assassin both blamed each other for the loss. The Assassin announced he would be bringing in a new partner. It is unclear as to how McIntyre & Gunkel came to be recognized as champions. The last reference we have shows Bob Rasmussen & Guy Mitchell defending the title against Angelo Savoldi & Gypsy Joe on May 27, 1961, in Atlanta.

1964: Billy & Bad Boy Hines defeated the Mysterious Medics in the main event at the Macon City Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Fred Ward.

1965: Chief Little Eagle defeated Dale Lewis in the main event at the Columbus Municipal Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Fred Ward.

1967: Avenger #2, Enrique & Alberto Torres defeated Oki Yama, El Mongol & El Lobo, all three managed by ‘Dandy’ Jack Crawford, by disqualification in the main event at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Paul Jones. During the match, Avenger #2 removed Lobo’s mask, but his face was covered before he could be identified. The program for this card questioned whether Lobo was Stan Vachon. Crawford, meanwhile, was accusing Ramon Torres of being the real identity of Avenger #2. It was announced that Ramon would be appearing on the card on December 1, 1967.

1970: Choo-Choo Lynn defeated Homer O’Dell in the main event at the Macon Coliseum for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Fred Ward. Also, Bob Armstrong & Paul DeMarco defeated Buddy Colt & Skandor Akbar to win the Macon Tag Team Title. Colt & Akbar had been the reigning Macon Tag Team Champions since they defeated Bill Dromo & Alberto Torres on August 25, 1970, in Macon.

1972: Jack Brisco defeated Hiro Matsuda in the main event at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Paul Jones. Also, Jake Smith won a battle royal that included Jim Byers, Jim Grabmire, Tinker Todd, Roy Lee Welch, Don Curtis, Duke Keomuka, Robert Fuller, Rick Freto, Derrell Cochran, Doug Gilbert, Bob Armstrong, Geto Mongol, and Mike Paidousis. This card was the first following the mass departure of the regular roster of talent the promotion had been using. Much of the talent came on one-day notice to help fill out the card. Over the next several weeks, other NWA promoters would send in wrestlers whenever possible to help Atlanta rebuild and compete with the All-South Wrestling Alliance. The one page program for this card announced that Bill Watts, Danny Hodge, Dory Funk, Jr., Bobo Brazil, Sputnik Monroe, Flash Monroe, Fritz Von Erich, Nick Bockwinkel, Jay Strongbow, Buddy Colt, and Ron Fuller would be wrestling in Atlanta soon. There was also a statement that “Only matches promoted by Paul Jones are sanctioned by the NWA.”

1972: Ox Baker defeated Argentina Apollo in the main event at the Oglethorpe Gymnasium in Atlanta for All-South Wrestling Alliance promoter Ann Gunkel. This was the first card for Ann Gunkel’s All-South Wrestling Alliance. The program for this card notes that the ticket office is located at 39 Houston Street. It also gives credit to some staff members of the office: Charlie Smith (Publicity), Ed Capral (Ring Announcer), Jack Smith (Timekeeper), and Drs. E.M. Lee and J.R. Harrison (Physicians). Other wrestlers appearing on this card after defecting from Georgia Championship Wrestling were Tommy Seigler, El Mongol, the Hollywood Blonds, Dick Steinborn, Assassin #2, Rock Hunter, Tim Geohagen, Jesse James, Skandor Akbar, Oki Shikina, Mark Starr. Ladies Vicky Williams and Donna Christianello also appeared, and Tom Renesto was behind the scenes as the booker, along with Charlie Harbin, who was working closely with Ann on business details.

1975: The Spoiler defeated Brute Bernard and Abdullah the Butcher in a three-way main event at the William Bell Auditorium in Augusta for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Charlie Harbin. The winner of the match was to earn the right to be called the “King of the Hill.” Gary Hart managed the Spoiler and Brute Bernard.

1977: Tony Atlas defeated Abdullah the Butcher, managed by Rock Hunter in the main event at the Omni Auditorium in Atlanta on Thanksgiving Day for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Paul Jones. Also, Ernie Ladd & Thunderbolt Patterson defeated Pak Song & the Sheik, also managed by Hunter, in the semi-main event.

1980: Harley Race defeated Jim Brunzell to retain the NWA World Heavyweight Title at the William Bell Auditorium in Augusta for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Charlie Harbin. Race had been the reigning champion since he defeated Giant Baba on September 9, 1980, in Ohtsu, Japan.

1983: Butch Reed & Pez Whatley defeated Randy Savage & Magnum T.A. in the finals of the annual Thanksgiving Day tag team tournament at the Omni Auditorium in Atlanta for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Paul Jones, with a reported purse of $50,000. Other teams in the tournament were Jim Neidhart & King Kong Bundy, Tommy Rogers & Joe Lightfoot, Randy Rose & Jimmy Randolph, the Bruise Brothers (Troy Graham and Porkchop Cash, managed by Jimmy Hart), the Russians (Nikolai Volkoff and Korstia Korchenko), Ron Garvin & Jim Duggan, Bob Brown & Chick Donovan, and the Mad Mongolians (Newt Tattrie & Gene Lewis). Also, Tommy Rich & Buzz Sawyer defeated the Road Warriors in the main event. It was reported that 12,000 were in attendance for this card.

1988: Ivan & Nikita Koloff defeated the Russian Assassins (David Shelton & Jack Victory) in a chain match at the Omni Auditorium in Atlanta on Thanksgiving Day for World Championship Wrestling. Also, the main event between Lex Luger & Sting and the Road Warriors was ruled a no contest. The semi-main event saw Dusty Rhodes & Bam Bam Bigelow defeat Ric Flair & Barry Windham by disqualification. It was reported that 8,000 were in attendance for this card.