Pro-Wrestling in the Midwest

This video is a little overview of the notable personalities and events in the Midwestern United States. It mainly focuses on the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. This was the hot bed of pro-wrestling in the twentieth century from featured matches in Des Moines and Omaha to the TV days shot in Chicago to the period covered here. I also included a feature about football players turned pro-wrestlers, which fit this video well. From college stars to the NFL, many left the ranks of football for pro-wrestling.

Opening Reel (St. Louis - Pat O'Connor, AWA - Verne Gagne vs. Billy Robinson, WWA - Dick the Bruiser & Bruno Sammartino vs. Ernie Ladd & Baron Von Raschke w/ Bobby Heenan, Detroit - Sheik vs. Bobo Brazil, Kansas City - Harley Race vs. Bobby Duncum in a cage); AWA group shot; Promoter montage (Gagne, Bruiser, Bruiser-Sheik marquee, Sheik praying - audio from Abdul Farouk, Sam Muchnick - audio from Dick Murdoch & Larry Matysik, Program from the Keil, Bob Geigel with partner Bob Brown); Adrian Adonis (audio), East-West Connection (Adonis & Jesse Ventura); Larry Zbyszko (audio from Larry Nelson), Rick Martel, Mark Lewin and The Sheik; Mad Dog Vachon (audio), Vachon & Raschke, Midnight Rockers (audio from Shawn Michaels), Larry "The Axe" Hennig and son Curt Hennig (audio from Curt); Gene Okerland (audio) interviewing EWC; Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) vs. Thunderlips (Hulk Hogan); Ventura (audio) posing, Hogan-Ventura arm-wrestling; Pampero Firpo (audio), Bulldog Bob Brown (audio from Jim Kent), Crazy Luke Graham, Bobo Brazil vs. Ivan Koloff, Mighty Igor, Ray Stevens & Nick Bockwinkel, Ray Bastien & Hercules Cortez, Billy Robinson; Ox Baker (audio), Killer Brooks, Bull Curry, Abdullah the Butcher, Tiger Jeet Singh vs. The Sheik in an Indian Mud Match; Harley Race, Race's Diving Headbutt, David Von Erich (audio from Larry Matysik), The Crusher (audio) w/ Dick the Bruiser, Eddie Creatchman (audio), Abdul Farouk, Lord Alfred Hayes (audio) armbars Bob Ellis, Bobby Heenan (audio) w/ Blackjack Lanza, Bockwinkel and being choked by Stevens

Football Segment
Jerry Blackwell (audio) with Jim Kent, video footage of wrestlers vs. football players charity game (featuring Bronko Nagurski); Ernie Ladd x3, Dr. X ("The Destroyer" Dick Beyer); Superstar Billy Graham (audio) biting Dusty Rhodes; Big Bill Miller, Bob Backlund's Atomic Drop on Stan Hansen, Fritz Von Erich's Iron Claw; Hard Boiled Haggerty (audio from "The Wrestler"), Wahoo McDaniel (audio) x2, Nick Bockwinkel (audio) with a headlock on Dory Funk Jr.; Gene Kiniski (audio), Kiniski & Fritz; Kiniski & Wilbur Snyder; Poster for Snyder & Bill Watts vs. Chain Gang; The Baron (audio); Watts; Greg Gagne (audio) & Jim Brunzell (The High Flyers); Verne Gagne (audio); Ric Flair; Dick the Bruiser photos & armbar on Bobo; West Texas State Alumni: Terry Funk x2 (audio), Dory Funk Jr. (shaking hands with Jack Brisco); Bob Windham (audio), Barry Windham & Blackjack Mulligan; Tully Blanchard, Bobby Duncum (audio), Ted Dibiase, Manny Fernandez, Stan Hansen x2 (audio), Dusty Rhodes x2, Bruiser Brody x2 (audio), Texas Outlaws (Rhodes & Murdoch) from "The Wrestler"

**I understand I left out many people and perhaps included others too much. I tried to balance between these five very different promotions. There was a lot of overlap in terms of featured talent in these promotions. Obviously the history of all of them could warrant an individual video, but hopefully this package is enjoyable. I am an amateur pro-wrestling historian and amateur videographer. Please view my website if you'd like to access more information about any of these promotions, their histories or the individuals who made these promotions**

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• pro-wrestling
• St.
• louis
• AWA
• NWA
• WWA
• Detroit
• Big
• Time
• Kansas
• City
• Central
• States

[htrrz]

@LJARSONBECK yes I was just a bit older then, but I remember Hercules coming to the rescue.

[LJARSONBECK]

@htrrz Did you see the first appearence of Cortez in AWA? As the story line goes ( as I recall from 40 years ag0) Red Bastien is teamed with Pepper Gomez and they are going best of 3 against Larry Henning and Lars Anderson. Gomez is injured in the first fall but Bastein fights by himself evening winning the 2nd fall- then he gets pummeled until Cortez rushes out of the locker room and saves the day...absolutely mesmerizing drama to an 8 year old...I have long looked for that video....

[sox8it]

@htrrz The auto accident was in St. Cloud, Minnesota.  They were driving to the Twin Cities from Winnipeg.

[RJBFIRECHIEF1]

@mistasmif31

Dennis Hilgard the Promoter then?

[htrrz]

I remember when Hercules Cortez was killed in a auto accident In Denver before a big match, Red Bastin was in the car with and injured, Cortez was so big they had trouble getting him out of the wreck, Cortez was real power he could with ease left another wrestler. No steriod freak like today, real natural power.

[TerryKozak2010]

Fantastic! What a collection of memories. The glory days. Thanks for this great post. Absolutely priceless

[JasonHi]

Great work with this and its companion clips.

[metroid1985]

thank you for opening up in St. Louis.

[mistasmif31]

people seem 2 forget milwaukee was also a hotbed for wrestling in the 60's and 70's and 80's

[slydewinder]

Thank you so much, got any more?