September 5th in the Time Tunnel:
Happy Birthday to those who have passed on and to those great wrestlers still with us:
In Memoriam:
Ray "The Crippler" Stevens 1934
Winona Littleheart 1955
Happy Birthday:
Jerry Oates (80)
Cinta de Oro\Sin Cara\Mistico (48)
RIP Memorial: We stop & remember those who have passed on this day and gave themselves to the business for us, the fans. We salute you and thank you.
George Tragos 9/5/1955 at the age of 58
Dick Lane 9/5/1982 at the age of 83
Scott Irwin 9/5/1987 at the age of 36
Salvador Lutteroth 9/5/1987 at the age of 90
55 Year Flashback
Georgia Territory
9-2-1970 Bill Dromo defeated Nick Bockwinkel (ch) to win the Columbus City Heavyweight Championship Tournament at the Municipal Auditorium in Columbus, Georgia
Nick Bockwinkel took two title losses in one week this week in history in 1970 in the Georgia Territory.
First, on the Wednesday night show in Columbus Georgia, Bockwinkel lost the Columbus City Championship to Bill Dromo in the finals of the invitational tournament.
9-5-1970: Buddy Colt defeated Nick Bockwinkel (ch) to win the NWA Georgia Heavyweight Championship at the City Auditorium in Atlanta, Georgia
Then, on Friday night, he lost his Georgia Title to Buddy Colt, managed vy Homer O’Dell which would start a great heel run for Colt through both Georgia and Florida for the next five years.
50 Year Flashback
August 1975 Review of Jim Crockett Promotions Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling Territory
After almost two years of being the #2 heel in the territory, The Super Destroyer (Don Jardine) wrestled his last match for the Mid-Atlantic Wrestling territory on August 1st, 1975, in Charleston, South Carolina. On the other end of the territory, some of the most amazing tag team matches ever held in the area were taking place as Ole & Gene Anderson were defending the NWA World Tag Team Titles against challengers Paul Jones and Wahoo McDaniel and they were going to 90-minute time limit draws. A couple of times, by the time August was over, some of the matches were extended to two-hour time limit draws in Columbia and Greenville, South Carolina and Richmond, Virginia.
Richmond also had a title change happen in August, as on August 8th, 1975, Paul Jones defeated Ric Flair for the NWA Mid-Atlantic Television Championship. They used the stipulation that Jones' was at stake and would be shaved if he didn't win the belt. This was the blow-off match to an almost six-month program with Flair over the title. This was Flair's first singles title feud that would begin his training for bigger things down the road. Jones began defending the Television belt right away on August 16th against Larry Hamilton, The Missouri Mauler.
The territory's #1 heel and NWA United States Heavyweight Champion, Johnny Valentine was busy in the month of August and two of his best matches and most difficult opponents were Rufus R. Jones and Ken Patera. Patera's overwhelming strength gave Valentine some real fits and "Freight Train" Jones' unorthodox style was difficult for Valentine to counter. Valentine prevailed to remain the Champion through the entire month.
Pictured: Johnny Valentine, NWA United States Champion
McDaniel, who was in the #1 babyface challenger role had a busy month, not only working the extended tag team matches, but also working with Valentine. Valentine and McDaniel had run their program before in a few places, most notably, Houston, where they were still making occasional main event shots. McDaniel was also carrying the NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship, starting up a new feud with Ric Flair. It's really amazing to see how George Scott manages to rotate the top of the card guys around in his booking, giving fans amazing matches, solid programs, compelling returns each week and consistent great ticket sales. McDaniel also too on a rookie as a partner for some tag matches named Tony Atlas.
Booker George Scott ran some angles in storyline to enhance the toughness and brutality of Ole and Gene Anderson's NWA World Tag Team Championship run having the NWA fine them $500 each for continually punishing an opponent after the final bell had rung. As part of the NWA's ruling, the Andersons were also banned from appearing on television for two weeks. During this time, the Andersons were booked in the Florida Territory before they returned to television mad as hornets and fit to be tied.
A new tag team emerged in Mid-Atlantic, Professor Boris Malenko and The Missouri Mauler proved to be an impressive team in August of 1975. Malenko displayed "The Russian Sickle" 10 years before Nikita Koloff and the Mauler used "The Missouri Knee Drop". As the month neared the end, Scott was booking them with tougher competition. On television, Malenko tore up Ken Patera's ear, causing a large gash requiring stiches. Malenko was also working in some singles matches against Rufus R, Jones.
As I mentioned at the beginning of this flashback, The Super Destroyer wrestled his last match on August 1st, on the television show on August 20th, Wahoo McDaniel and Rufus R. Jones appeared claiming to have "unmasked" The Super Destroyer. They showed a large picture of Super Destroyer without his mask. Announcer Bob Caudle told the audience that The Super Destroyer's real name was Don Jardine. Jones said The Super Destroyer was so embarrassed that he left the area and kept on going and probably wouldn't be back.
Then the next week on August 25th, a newcomer named The Spoiler #2 made his debut in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina. He just so happened to wrestle Rufus R. Jones, who had made fun of The Super Destroyer the week before on TV. In an interview, The Spoiler #2 made it clear he was here to get revenge for his friend, The Super Destroyer. Spoiler #2, weighing 345 pounds but amazingly agile with The Stomach Claw as his finishing move, Spoiler #2 would be soon joined by Spoiler #1, and the singles and tag teams would all be challenged.
The new program that was started for Johnny Valentine was with Tim Woods. Valentine had previous broken Woods' leg and Valentine was not happy about Woods coming back, as a matter of fact, he put a bounty on Woods' head and the primary bounty hunter looking to put Woods out was Ric Flair, Valentine's close associate. In one of their matches in August, Woods had Valentine in a figure four leg lock in the middle of the ring with nowhere for Valentine to go. Woods was determined to keep the hold on Valentine to break his leg just as Valentine had done to him months earlier. Flair came to the ring to make the save and double team Woods. Woods then called both of them cowards and the feud was really heating up by the end of August. Woods also made some appearances in his character, Mr. Wrestling I during the month of August.
Ole & Gene Anderson NWA World Tag Team Title Matches in August 1975
Pictured: Gene and Ole Anderson, NWA World Tag Team Champions
8/1/1975 Ole & Gene Anderson vs Paul Jones & Wahoo McDaniel 90-minute time limit draw at the Coliseum in Richmond, Virginia
8/2/1975 Ole & Gene Anderson vs Paul Jones & Wahoo McDaniel one hour time limit draw at the Civic Center in Roanoke, Virginia
8/3/.1975 Ole & Gene Anderson vs Rufus R. Jones & Paul Jones at the Legion Stadium in Wilmington, North Carolina
8/4/1975 Paul Jones & Ken Patera defeated Ole & Gene Anderson via DQ at the Park Center in Charlotte, North Carolina
8/5/1975 Pail Jones & Wahoo McDaniel defeated Ole & Gene Anderson via DQ at the Dorton Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina
8/8/1975 Wahoo McDaniel & Tony Atlas defeated Ole & Gene Anderson via DQ at the County Hall in Charleston, South Carolina
8/9/1975 Ole & Gene Anderson vs Paul Jones & Wahoo McDaniel one hour time limit draw at the Coliseum in Hampton, Virginia
8/11/1975 Ole & Gene Anderson defeated Paul Jones & Rufus R Jones at the Park Center in Charlotte, North Carolina
8/12/1975 Ken Patera & Rufus R. Jones defeated Ole & Gene Anderson via DQ at the Junior High School in Martinsville, Virginia
8/12/1975 Ole & Gene Anderson vs Paul Jones & Sandy Scott one hour time limit draw at the Township Auditorium in Columbia, South Carolina
8/14/1975 Ole & Gene Anderson vs Bob Roop & Harley Race at the Coliseum in Jacksonville, Florida
8/15/1975 Ole & Gene Anderson defeated Wahoo McDaniel & Tony Atlas by count out at the County Hall in Charleston, South Carolina
*8/16/1975 Ole & Gene Anderson defeated Rocky Johnson & Tiger Conway, Jr at the Bayfront Center in St. Petersburg, Florida
*8/17/1975 Ole & Gene Anderson vs Paul Jones & Wahoo McDaniel ended in a DDQ at the Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina
8/18/1975 Ole & Gene Anderson vs Paul Jones & Wahoo McDaniel ended in a 90-minute time limit draw at the Municipal Auditorium in Greenville, South Carolina
8/19/1975 Ole & Gene Anderson vs Paul Jones & Wahoo McDaniel ended in a 90-minute time limit draw at the Township Auditorium in Columbia, South Carolina
8/21/1975 Ole & Gene Anderosn vs Ken Patera & Rufus R Jones at the Coleman Recreation Center in Anderson, South Carolina
8/22/1975 Paul Jones & Wahoo McDaniel defeated Oie & Gene Anderson via DQ at the Coliseum in Richmond, Virginia
8/25/1975 Ole & Gene Anderson defeated Paul Jones & Wahoo McDaniel at the Memorial Auditorium in Greenville, South Carolina
8/26/1975 Paul Jones & Wahoo McDaniel defeated Ole & Gene Anderson via DQ at the Carolina Coliseum in Columbia, South Carolina
8/28/1975 Ole & Gene Anderson defeated Ken Patera & Rufus R. Jones at The Scope in Norfolk, Virginia
8/30/1975 Paul Jones & Wahoo McDaniel defeated Ole & Gene Anderson by referee stoppage at the Civic Center in Roanoke, Virginia
*The Anderson Brothers headlined the two biggest shows of the month for both the Mid-Atlantic Territory in Greensboro and the Florida Territory in St. Petersburg. They, along with McDaniel and Jones were real workhorses in August for JCP.
Johnny Valentine NWA United States Heavyweight Champion Matches in August 1975
8/1/1975 Jonny Valentine defeated Ken Patera at the Coliseum in Richmond, Virgina
8/3/1975 vs Wahoo McDaniel at Legion Stadium in Wilmington, North Carolina
8/4/1975 defeated Rufus R. Jones via DQ at Cumberland County Memorial Stadium in Fayetteville, North Carolina
8/7/1975 vs Wahoo McDaniel at The Scope in Norfolk, Virginia
8/8/1975 vs Rufus R. Jones ended in a DCO at the City Stadium in Lynchburg, Virginia
8/9/1975 defeated Rufus R. Jones at the Memorial Auditorium in Spartanburg, South Carolina
8/14/1975 vs Paul Jones at the Northeastern High School Gym in Elizabeth City, North Carolina
*8/17/1975 defeated Dusty Rhodes via CO at The Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina
*8/17/1975 vs Wahoo McDaniel at the Civic Center in Asheville, North Carolina
8/18/1975 defeated Rufus R. Jones at the Cumberland County Memorial Auditorium in Fayetteville, North Carolina
8/19/1975 Tim Woods defeated Johnny Valentine via DQ at the Dorton Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina
8/21/1975 Wahoo McDaniel defeated Johnny Valentine via DQ at The Scope in Norfolk, Virginia
8/22/1975 vs Rufus R. Jones at the County Hall in Charleston, South Carolina
**8/26/1975 defeated John Tolos by DQ at The Sportatorium in Dallas, Texas
8/28/1975 vs Paul Jones at the Eastside Speedway in Waynesboro, Virginia
8/29/1975 defeated Rufus R. Jones at the Arena in Richmond, Virginia
*Valentine did a double shot on this day in both Asheville against Wahoo and then Greensboro against Dusty in a special appearance in the territory. Asheville was the second biggest monthly show usually, so Valentine probably made pretty good money that day.
**Special road appearance in Texas for Fritz Von Erich's Big Time Booking Office for a match in Dallas against Tolos.
Wahoo McDaniel NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Champion Matches in August 1975
8/3/1975 defeated Ric Flair at Memorial Auditorium in Greenville, South Carolina
8/11/1975 defeated Ric Flair at Memorial Auditorium in Greenville, South Carolina
8/16/1975 defeated Ric Flair at the Civic Center in Roanoke, Virginia
8/29/1975 defeated Ole Anderson in an Indian Strap Match at the County Hall in Charleston, South Carolina
8/31/1975 vs Ric Flair at the Civic Center in Asheville, North Carolina
As noted before, McDaniel worked mainly in tag matches with Paul Jones against The Andersons and in US Title Matches with Valentine but did get a few of his own title defenses in during the month.
Paul Jones NWA Mid-Atlantic Television Champion Matches in August 1975
Pictured: Paul Jones, NWA Mid-Atlantic Television Champion
*8/8/1975 defeated Ric Flair for the title at the Arena in Richmond, Virginia
8/16/1975 defeated The Missouri Mauler at the Memorial Auditorium in Spartanburg, South Carolina
8/21/1975 defeated Ric Flair at The Scope in Norfolk, Virginia
8/31/1975 vs Ole Anderson at the Civic Cener in Asheville, North Carolina
*Title Change
As you can see, Jim Crockett Promotions and Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling was one of the heaviest schedules and most successful territories in the territory era. You can also see how the booking was centered around the 8 biggest stars of the territory on both the heel and babyface side.
Thank You for Reading
I'm Tony Richards, Pro Wrestling Historian, Author and Storyteller. I share pro wrestling historical items in each issue of the Time Tunnel Pro Wrestling History Newsletter. Thanks for reading! If you enjoy my information on select events, matches and insights, please share it with folks you think might like to be a subscriber!
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