GEORGIA WRESTLING NEWS, NOTES, AND NOSTALGIA: 12/06/2007

Courtesy of Georgia Wrestling History's Rich Tate:

NEWS

World Wrestling Alliance 4 will be in Atlanta, GA, tonight at the WWA4 Dungeon, with a starting time of 7:30 PM. Call (404) 667-1484 for more info.

There was a backstage segment at the NWA Anarchy TV taping on December 1 wherein Todd Sexton said his partner Tony Santorelli had quit the company to go wait tables. It was another one of those situations (and with wrestling in Cornelia they have been plentiful) in which the storyline was based in reality. Among the factors that figured into Santorelli's decision was a schedule conflict with his new waiter job.

New Birmingham, AL, Mayor Larry Langford asked the City Council today [Wednesday] to demolish Boutwell Auditorium in downtown Birmingham. Boutwell was the biggest building in the old NWA Southeastern territory and home to the TV tapings for Continental wrestling beginning in 1985. Both the WWF and NWA promoted shows at the building.

The heavily trafficked Obsessed with Wrestling website has gone through some changes this year. The initial founder of the site, Brad Dykens, has become embroiled in a small war with people who were working with him on the site, and he surfaced with the Online World of Wrestling site a few months back. Click here for a letter written by Dykens, further explaining the reason for the split.

NOTES

The story about the eighty-two year old Boutwell Auditorium is sad from a wrestling history standpoint. However, reports show where the facility requires $1.1 million to operate and maintain annually, while only generating about $200,000 per year of revenue. The vote to determine its fate is to take place on December 11. Mayor Langford apparently wants to transfer the property rights to the Birmingham Museum of Art.

NOSTALGIA

1926: Dick Daviscourt defeated Oresti Vadalfi in the main event at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter John Contos. Also, Pete Sauer, substituting for Jim Londos, defeated Jack Roller.

1933: Pete Sauer defeated Dick Daviscourt two falls to one at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Henry Weber. Sauer then substituted for Al Baffert to defeat Frank Speer in the main event.

1934: Albert Stubbs and Emory Smith wrestled to a draw at the Emory University Gymnasium in Atlanta.

1939: Ray Eckert defeated Pancho Valdez in two straight falls in the main event at the Reynolds Street Arena for promoter Dobie Osborne. It was reported that 500 were in attendance for this card.

1946: Tex Riley defeated Carlos Rodriguez to retain the World Junior Heavyweight Title at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Paul Jones. Riley had been the reigning champion as recognized by the Nashville, TN, office since he won a tournament on July 12, 1946, in Nashville, TN.

1954: Jerry Graham defeated Chief Big Heart in two straight falls at the William Bell Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Tom Mahoney.

1957: A title match between World Tag Team Champions Reggie & Stan Lisowski and Ray Gunkel & Don McIntyre was ruled a no contest at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Paul Jones. The Lisowskis had been the reigning champions as recognized by the Chicago, IL, office since they defeated Nicoli & Boris Volkoff on June 29, 1957, in Chicago.

1960: Tiny Evans defeated Freddie Blassie to retain the Southern Heavyweight Title at the Macon City Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Fred Ward. Evans had been the reigning champion since he defeated Blassie on November 18, 1960, in Atlanta. Also, Negro Men’s Southern Heavyweight Champion Willie Love and Joe Harrison wrestled to a draw. Love had been billed as champion since October 2, 1959.

1961: Nick & Jerry Kozak defeated the Assassins by disqualification in the main event at the Columbus Sports Arena for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Fred Ward.

1963: Eddie Graham defeated the Mighty Hercules to retain the Eastern Heavyweight Title with Hercules’ mask also at stake at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Don McIntyre. Graham was declared the winner of the match when Hercules was deemed unable to continue. Since he lost due to a referee decision, he was not forced to unmask as per the stipulation. Graham had been the reigning champion since he defeated Hercules on November 29, 1963, in Atlanta.

1966: Bobby Hart and Louie Tillet wrestled to a draw in the main event at the Macon City Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Fred Ward.

1968: The Professional defeated Johnny Valentine to win the Georgia Heavyweight Title at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Paul Jones. Valentine had been the reigning champion since he defeated the Professional on November 8, 1968, in Atlanta. Also, Buddy Fuller defeated Mad Dog Vachon in the semi-main event. Joe Louis was the special referee for both matches.

1974: Rocky Johnson defeated Buddy Colt, managed by Bearcat Wright, to retain the Georgia Heavyweight Title at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Paul Jones. Johnson had been the reigning champion since he defeated Colt on November 22, 1974, in Atlanta. Also, Bob Armstrong defeated Bill Watts to retain the North American Heavyweight Champion since he defeated Colt on June 8, 1974, in Jacksonville, FL. Mr. Wrestling #2, vowing to unmask if he could not win, defeated Harley Race, also managed by Wright, in the main event.

1975: Mr. Wrestling #2 defeated the Spoiler, managed by Gary Hart, in the main event at the Griffin-Barnesville Sports Palace for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Paul Jones.

1976: Thunderbolt Patterson defeated Georgia Heavyweight Champion Dick Slater by disqualification in the main event at the William Bell Auditorium in Augusta for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Charlie Harben. Slater had been the reigning champion since he defeated Mr. Wrestling #2 on November 15, 1976, in Augusta. Because of the disqualification, Slater retained the title.

1977: Mr. Wrestling #2 defeated Rock Hunter in a brass knucks match at the Macon Coliseum for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Fred Ward. Also, Bob Armstrong, Tony Atlas & Dick Slater defeated Pak Song, Ole Anderson & Stan Hansen in the main event.

1987: Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard & the Midnight Express defeated the New Breed & the Rock & Roll Express in a main event cage match at the Omni Auditorium in Atlanta for Jim Crockett Promotions. Also, Nikita Koloff defeated Eddie Gilbert in a chain match. The Road Warriors defeated Ric Flair & Arn Anderson by disqualification.