*** NOTES & NEWS FOR TODAY 2/15 ***
- 02/15/2006 (6:46:16 pm)
- Georgiann Makropoulos
Lots of news on new DVD’s, books, contests, etc….
I was fortunate enough to receive an advanced copy of the brand new 2 DVD's set "BRUNO SAMMARTINO - BEHIND THE CHAMPIONSHP BELT" from Bruno's newest website: www.BrunoBrunoBruno.com Direct link
It starts out with Bruno talking about the struggle of his family in Italy during the War. I have to tell you these dvd's brought tears to my eyes many times during the 2 1/2 hours of watching. Bruno talked about his mother losing two children, a son and daughter, and how she fought to keep Bruno alive. She even put leaches on him to save his life. They lived on bread and water and sometimes just snow while they were hiding in the mountains.
From his arrival in Pittsburgh , PA
Over two and one-half hours in length, this new documentary includes interviews with his wife Carol and their sons Darryl and Denny and relates details never before shared with the public. From being blackballed from the professional wrestling community, through his many triumphs in the ring - this is the legendary story of the man his fans named the Living Legend.
Over two and one-half hours in length, this new documentary includes interviews with his wife Carol and their sons Darryl and Denny and relates details never before shared with the public. From being blackballed from the professional wrestling community, through his many triumphs in the ring - this is the legendary story of the man his fans named the Living Legend.
I have been friends with Bruno since November 1959, when we first met at Sunnyside Gardens, and I never knew he came so close to death three times. When he missed two plane flights that crashed and killed everyone aboard and also missing an earthquake in Japan that killed many on the train system. It was the train behind the one he was on with Dominic DeNucci.
If you are a Bruno Sammartino fan, this DVD set is one not to be missed.
Bruno Sammartino Official Movie and DVD Web Site - Order Online Get your copy today !
Bill Watts' long-awaited book, "The Cowboy and the Cross," is expected to be shipped sometime this week or next. You can order a copy from the Crowbar Press website. They'll be shipping copies out on the day they receive them.
http://www.1wrestlinglegends.com/crowbarpress/pubs/candc.htm
In The Cowboy and the Cross, Bill Watts takes us from his stormy upbringing and his tumultuous years at the University of Oklahoma, to his days in the wrestling business, sparing nothing in his details about football coaching legend Bud Wilkinson, ugly encounters with some of the top names in wrestling in the 1960s, and frightening stories about skirting tragedy and the law in violent altercations.
Watts talks about all the top stars of his legendary Mid-South Wrestling promotion. He explores the oil crunch that killed his company and the problems that killed his marriage. His personal tribulations coincided with his reawakened spirituality, and Watts gives readers a lot to think about as he narrates the story of the profound change God made in his life.
http://www.1wrestlinglegends.com/crowbarpress/pubs/candc.htm
In The Cowboy and the Cross, Bill Watts takes us from his stormy upbringing and his tumultuous years at the University of Oklahoma, to his days in the wrestling business, sparing nothing in his details about football coaching legend Bud Wilkinson, ugly encounters with some of the top names in wrestling in the 1960s, and frightening stories about skirting tragedy and the law in violent altercations.
Watts talks about all the top stars of his legendary Mid-South Wrestling promotion. He explores the oil crunch that killed his company and the problems that killed his marriage. His personal tribulations coincided with his reawakened spirituality, and Watts gives readers a lot to think about as he narrates the story of the profound change God made in his life.
U.S. $19.95 + $4.05 postage, shipped Priority Mail
Canada $19.95 + $7.50 postage, shipped Global Priority
Overseas $19.95 + $9.50 postage, shipped Global Priority
$1.00 added to all PayPal orders
Canada $19.95 + $7.50 postage, shipped Global Priority
Overseas $19.95 + $9.50 postage, shipped Global Priority
$1.00 added to all PayPal orders
Thanks to Ron:
Thought you guys would love this website. It's basically Superstar Graham's Record Book. Click on the result and a newspaper clipping shows up with line ups from the show, results, etc. For you on this e-mail of interest are results from Jack Witchi's, Boston Garden, Providence Civic Center, MSG, Spectrum, all Florida cities etc. Good stuff.
Click link: http://superstarbillygraham.net/record.html
Extremely well done, enjoyed the site very much.
As of Feb. 14th, the GWA website will be changed to the following address: www.gwawrestling.net
British Legend Jackie Mr. TV Pallo Passes Away
Very nice article at Slam! Sports
Thanks to Michael Weaver for sending all the Sweepstakes links:
WRESTLEMANIA BIG TIME SWEEPSTAKES
http://wwe.eprize.net/bigtimesweeps/
http://wwe.eprize.net/bigtimesweeps/
KB TOYS WWE SWEEPSTAKES
http://www.wwe.com/play/sweepstakes/kbtoys/
Enter to win a trip for two to WWE WrestleMania 22, KB Toys gift certificates or WWE prize packets.
http://www.wwe.com/play/sweepstakes/kbtoys/
Enter to win a trip for two to WWE WrestleMania 22, KB Toys gift certificates or WWE prize packets.
MOUNTAIN DEW & WORLD WRESTLING ENTERTAINMENT INC., SWEEPSTAKES
http://www.wwe.com/play/sweepstakes/mountaindew/
Enter to win four tickets for WrestleMania 22 or the next night's RAW.
MAXIM'S YOURS FOR THE TAKING WWE SWEEPSTAKES
http://www.maximonline.com/contests/yours_for_the_taking/index.aspx
Enter to win a trip to WWE WrestleMania 22, courtesy of Maxim Magazine!
URBAN REIGN & WORLD WRESTLING ENTERTAINMENT INC., SWEEPSTAKES
http://www.wwe.com/play/sweepstakes/urbanreign/
Enter to win a trip to a WWE event in London, England and a copy of the Urban Reign video game!
http://www.wwe.com/play/sweepstakes/mountaindew/
Enter to win four tickets for WrestleMania 22 or the next night's RAW.
MAXIM'S YOURS FOR THE TAKING WWE SWEEPSTAKES
http://www.maximonline.com/contests/yours_for_the_taking/index.aspx
Enter to win a trip to WWE WrestleMania 22, courtesy of Maxim Magazine!
URBAN REIGN & WORLD WRESTLING ENTERTAINMENT INC., SWEEPSTAKES
http://www.wwe.com/play/sweepstakes/urbanreign/
Enter to win a trip to a WWE event in London, England and a copy of the Urban Reign video game!
Thanks once again to Mike Informer for all of these links:
Scripps Howard News Service for Alex Marvez's weekly look at Pro Wrestling
Tryouts for World Wrestling Entertainment
Wrestling "Brutal and Fun" for fans
Thanks to Mike Lano for this story from the Portland Tribune:
Takedown in the ring extends to real life
If this were a song, it’d probably be called “The Ballad of Billy Jack Haynes.” And it would start somewhere in the early ’80s, when, at the age of 28, Billy decides to give up his job as a night janitor and take a shot at pro wrestling.
He’s a big, athletic guy — 6-3, 250-some pounds — and, he figures out pretty quickly, he’s got a talent for selling a spot, which is wrestling lingo for takedown. You know, make it look real.
Unless you’re a complete moron, you already know that pro wrestling is choreographed. You’ve got your Babyfaces — the good guys — and you’ve got your Heels.
Sometimes the Heels will win a fall or two. But if you want to keep fans coming back, they’ve got to know that sooner or later the Babyfaces — of which our hero Billy Jack certainly was one — are going to come out ahead.
• • •
As you may have guessed, Billy Jack rises quickly to the top of his chosen profession — and by 1987 he’s working for the World Wrestling Federation in Detroit: at WrestleMania III. And from there they hit the road, playing to packed houses everywhere — including Portland’s Memorial Coliseum, where Billy Jack is scheduled for a tag team match. Only problem, Billy Jack is supposed to lose.
“I’ll lose anyplace, but not in my hometown,” Billy Jack tells them right to their faces.
So the agent gets on the phone with WWF owner Vince McMahon, and they work it out. That night, Billy Jack and his partner battle to a double disqualification.
After the show, the agent calls Billy Jack aside and tells him he’s finished with the WWF. But Billy Jack’s riding high now. He owns a gym in Oregon City, a big house on the hill. He’ll be his own promoter, right?
• • •
Next year he rents an old skating rink in Oregon City and brings in some of the wrestling world’s top talent. And, since it’s going to be on the Fourth of July, there’s will be a patriotic theme.
In the main event, the Heel snatches an American flag from its stand at the rear of the hall and, smirking mightily, parades around the ring.
But never fear. The Babyface, played this evening with skill and subtlety by a wrestler named Cpl. Kirchner, jumps into the ring and beats him within an inch of his life — stuffing him eventually into a body bag that he finds conveniently near the ring.
To the cheers of the assembled multitude, an ambulance races off with the body bag to the hospital, or maybe even the morgue. Who knows?
• • •
By almost any standard, the event is a huge success. In fact the only real problem anyone can see is that Billy Jack apparently has not set aside enough money to pay the wrestlers. When the wrestlers figure this out, they are not pleased. In fact, they threaten to kill Billy Jack’s pet poodle and send it to a taxidermist.
Fortunately, cooler heads prevail, and Billy Jack comes up with enough money to get the wrestlers out of town. However, it’s pretty much the end of his career as a wrestling promoter.
After that, Billy Jack admits, he may have done a few things he shouldn’t have, like collecting bills for shady characters. In fact, he suspects the recent beating, which left him with a broken jaw, cheek and eye socket, may in fact be related to certain individuals he rolled on when he got busted for those very activities about five years ago.
Do I hear a song coming on?
Contact Phil Stanford by phone at 503-546-5166 or by e-mail at Email Phil Stanford
If this were a song, it’d probably be called “The Ballad of Billy Jack Haynes.” And it would start somewhere in the early ’80s, when, at the age of 28, Billy decides to give up his job as a night janitor and take a shot at pro wrestling.
He’s a big, athletic guy — 6-3, 250-some pounds — and, he figures out pretty quickly, he’s got a talent for selling a spot, which is wrestling lingo for takedown. You know, make it look real.
Unless you’re a complete moron, you already know that pro wrestling is choreographed. You’ve got your Babyfaces — the good guys — and you’ve got your Heels.
Sometimes the Heels will win a fall or two. But if you want to keep fans coming back, they’ve got to know that sooner or later the Babyfaces — of which our hero Billy Jack certainly was one — are going to come out ahead.
• • •
As you may have guessed, Billy Jack rises quickly to the top of his chosen profession — and by 1987 he’s working for the World Wrestling Federation in Detroit: at WrestleMania III. And from there they hit the road, playing to packed houses everywhere — including Portland’s Memorial Coliseum, where Billy Jack is scheduled for a tag team match. Only problem, Billy Jack is supposed to lose.
“I’ll lose anyplace, but not in my hometown,” Billy Jack tells them right to their faces.
So the agent gets on the phone with WWF owner Vince McMahon, and they work it out. That night, Billy Jack and his partner battle to a double disqualification.
After the show, the agent calls Billy Jack aside and tells him he’s finished with the WWF. But Billy Jack’s riding high now. He owns a gym in Oregon City, a big house on the hill. He’ll be his own promoter, right?
• • •
Next year he rents an old skating rink in Oregon City and brings in some of the wrestling world’s top talent. And, since it’s going to be on the Fourth of July, there’s will be a patriotic theme.
In the main event, the Heel snatches an American flag from its stand at the rear of the hall and, smirking mightily, parades around the ring.
But never fear. The Babyface, played this evening with skill and subtlety by a wrestler named Cpl. Kirchner, jumps into the ring and beats him within an inch of his life — stuffing him eventually into a body bag that he finds conveniently near the ring.
To the cheers of the assembled multitude, an ambulance races off with the body bag to the hospital, or maybe even the morgue. Who knows?
• • •
By almost any standard, the event is a huge success. In fact the only real problem anyone can see is that Billy Jack apparently has not set aside enough money to pay the wrestlers. When the wrestlers figure this out, they are not pleased. In fact, they threaten to kill Billy Jack’s pet poodle and send it to a taxidermist.
Fortunately, cooler heads prevail, and Billy Jack comes up with enough money to get the wrestlers out of town. However, it’s pretty much the end of his career as a wrestling promoter.
After that, Billy Jack admits, he may have done a few things he shouldn’t have, like collecting bills for shady characters. In fact, he suspects the recent beating, which left him with a broken jaw, cheek and eye socket, may in fact be related to certain individuals he rolled on when he got busted for those very activities about five years ago.
Do I hear a song coming on?
Contact Phil Stanford by phone at 503-546-5166 or by e-mail at Email Phil Stanford
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