Today’s Favorite Quote: I have always thought the actions of people the best interpreters of their thoughts - John Locke
Happy Birthday to those who have passed on and to those great wrestlers still with us:
In Memoriam:
Buddy Lee 1932
Paul “Butcher” Vachon 1937
Brazo de Oro 1959
Happy Birthday:
Malia Hosaka (57)
Terrence Garin\Rhyno (51)
Celeste Banin\Kaitlin (40)
Matt Morris (39)
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.
Whitey Caldwell 10-7-1972 at the age of 37
The Alaskan\Jay York 10-7-1995 at the age of 58
Chris Adams 10-7-2001 at the age of 46
Reggie Parks 10-7-2021 at the age of 88
Bill Howard 10-7-2023 at the age of 78
Pro Wrestling Time Tunnel Community Update
Pro Wrestling Time Tunnel History Show – Episode 83
The Detroit Territory, 1976
Hey everyone, Tony Richards here!
Episode 83 of The Pro Wrestling Time Tunnel History Show takes a trip to the Detroit territory and Big Time Wrestling in 1976.
We open with a short congratulations to one of our family members and AWA analyst, George Schire. The George Tragos–Lou Thesz Hall of Fame Board announced this past weekend that George will be honored with the James C. Melby Award for 2027 at Hall of Fame weekend in Waterloo, Iowa. Well deserved.
Segment 1:
I welcome longtime Detroit television announcer Terry Sullivan to discuss the Detroit Territory in 1976.
Segment 2:
A short, heartfelt tribute to Bart Batten, one of the Batten Twins tag team, who passed away on October 1st. I also give a little profile of the in-ring career of Klondike Bill — more than a ring truck driver.
Segment 3:
Brian Solomon, author of Blood and Fire, the biography of The Original Sheik, returns to the show. Brian and I discuss what was happening in the Sheik’s life and territory in 1976. To close, I recap the other territories The Sheik traveled to and wrestled in during 1976.
It’s the Detroit Territory, all in one episode.
📌 Episode 83 is available now on Castos, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and all your usual platforms.
Hit play, leave a review, and keep riding with us through the Time Tunnel!
The History of Texas Wrestling
The History of Texas Wrestling – Episode 17
Hey wrestling fans!
Tony Richards returns as the official historian for Episode 17 of The History of Texas Wrestling on Stories with Brisco and Bradshaw!
This week, Tony, Gerry Brisco, and JBL close out the 1970s — a decade when Texas wrestling once again went through an amazing transformation.
The stories include:
• The end of the Amarillo booking office and the West Texas territory
• Fritz Von Erich beginning to step back from the spotlight as the Von Erich boys, one by one, enter the family wrestling business
• The foundation being laid for the transformation from Big Time Wrestling to World Class
• Joe Blanchard coming to the forefront as a leader in the Braun-Livengood San Antonio promotion
• Young stars like Gino Hernandez, Tully Blanchard, and the Guerrero boys beginning to come forward in Texas rings
• And so much more
Tony, Gerry, and JBL tell the remarkable stories of the end of the decade — the feuds, the business, and the moments that marked the turn.
📌 Episode 17 of The History of Texas Wrestling is available now on YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts.
Subscribe, download, and join Tony, Gerry, and JBL as the Texas story continues!
The Case Stufy for The Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame for The Texas Tornado, June Byers
This Thursday in The Daily Chronicle, Tony presents the case for why June Byers belongs in the Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame.
June Byers was one of the most important women in the history of professional wrestling. Trained in the Billy Wolfe camp, she was not just a performer — she was a legitimate wrestler, a recognized NWA World Women’s Champion, and one of the few women of her era who could hold a territory on skill as well as drawing power. Through the 1950s she was the standard-bearer of the women’s title after the famous dispute with Mildred Burke, defended the championship across the territories, and was a major figure in Texas and Southern wrestling.
She belongs in the conversation with the builders and champions who shaped the territory era. Issue 542 makes the case.
📌 Issue 542 — Why June Byers Belongs in the Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame drops this Thursday in The Daily Chronicle.
Read it. Learn the history. And see why June Byers should be elected to the WON Hall of Fame.
This Week in The Daily Chronicle
Sunday 10/4 -Saturday 10/10 2025
Sunday, October 4 – Issue 538
The first quarterly review of a territory for the fourth quarter of 1976. Tony covers the NWA Tri-State Territory, with the home booking office in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Monday, October 5 – Issue 539
7 Stages of the Territory Era. We talk about why Stage 4 is called Investigation, with the first of two deep dives into October 1956. This issue is a worldwide survey of how the antitrust investigation and legal action affected the wrestling business.
Tuesday, October 6 – Issue 540
A second Stage 4 deep dive. Tony goes into the actual legalities of the antitrust lawsuit and its resolution — what the government wanted to accomplish, what it actually accomplished, and how it affected the National Wrestling Alliance’s operations going forward.
Wednesday, October 7 – Issue 541
Our weekly Community Update with all the latest in the Pro Wrestling Time Tunnel and its various communities.
Thursday, October 8 – Issue 542
The case study of why June Byers belongs in the Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame.
Friday, October 9 – Issue 543
The Life and Career of Gentleman Chris Adams, one of the biggest stars in Texas in the 1980s.
Saturday, October 10 – Issue 544
Our weekly female performer feature: The Life and Career of Judy Martin.
All this week in our daily look at the territory era — The Daily Chronicle. See you every morning at 5am Central / 6am Eastern!
Thank You for Watching and Listening
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 and each episode of our podcast show. Thanks for your support! If you enjoy my information on select events, matches and insights, please share with folks you think might like to be a subscriber!
Remember, Premium subscribers get access to exclusive and special content such as some special issues including a multi-part deep dives on wrestling territories, wrestler bios and championship title histories, special audio and video interviews on territory pro wrestling and more available in the Pro Wrestling Time Tunnel for Premium Subscribers. Being a Premium Subscriber also means you support me in my efforts to document Pro Wrestling History through my research, writing, books, vidoes and podcasts. And…I have something very special planned for our Premium Subscribers on the Podcast side of things in 2026! Details soon here in the Pro Wrestling Time Tunnel.Pro Wrestling Time Tunnel is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. If you want to support my work with a financial contribution , please take out a premium subscription (just $5 per month) and receive even more value with Premium Content at least 4 times a month, sometimes more.