Nov 23, 2018

Scotty The Body has a Podcast! ~ The Raven Effect ~

The other day I was on pinterest and found a cool Portland Wrestling photo I hadn't seen, which, well, it led me down the rabbit hole.  I'm sure you' ve been there.  After 4 hours of site after site I came across a link to The Rave Effect.   It's a podcast about stuff, not always wrestling, actually from the 3 episodes I have listened to, not much wrestling.  But I did come across one episode about his Portland Wrestling memories.  He's got some entertaining stories in there.  There are about 80 episodes so far.  I guess I have a lot of listening to do.



Nov 9, 2018

The Grappler's Loaded Boot on eBay!

     As you know I watch the auctions on eBay for any interesting Portland Wrestling memorabilia.  This listing popped up today and it does bring back some of those great memories.  All of the jeering once he started to "Load" the boot.  And Sandy Barr never turned around, ever!  Not once.  Good times! 
     I am assuming that he must have had a leg length difference,  but it sure made for a great prop in the ring.

They are asking $2,000.
Click on the photo to go to the listing.

Sep 30, 2018

Portland Wrestling Photos on Ebay

I just listed another lot of some of my extra photos.  You might even have seen some of them here on the blog!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/352464648184






11-Man Over The Top Battle Royal $3,000 Purse ~ 1982 Clipping

Big 11 man over the top battle royal in Tacoma in 1982.
Not sure why they are fighting over a purse?
That purse is selling for $3,000, so maybe they will re-sell it on ebay?

Ha!  Looks like a great match with some future legends on the card!

Aug 20, 2018

It'a All about the Lane County Fairgrounds in 1981 & 1982


It's all about the Lane County Fairgrounds in 1981 and 1982.  Elton Owen is promoting in Eugene at this time and the cards seem pretty great!  I don't have a date on the two results mini articles, but they fit in there somehow.


1981
I wonder who the new faces where?

1981

1981

1981





1982

Aug 16, 2018

Roddy Piper Shoots on a News Reporter(Video) & Accompanying Oregonian Article from 1983 & My Take on the Issue



This video popped up in the Portland Wrestling Facebook group the other day and it piqued my interest about the article that got Roddy Piper all riled up. 

It's not a very flattering article about wrestling fans. That paints us in a very low brow, low intelligence, kind of light.  Especially near the end, when he talks about a lady who got spit on my Buddy Rose, and will go to the matches next Saturday with an unscrubbed face, to show everyone that she got spit on. 

It's always been easy pickings to make fun of wrestling fans.  And yes, there were old cars in the lot at the Sports Arena, and plenty of low income folks who spent their hard earned money to get a little release, from their blue collar jobs, at the end of the week. But the article also assumes that these folks are low intelligence, that they(we) believe that everything that is happening in the ring is real.  I knew at about 8 that wrestling wasn't real, probably earlier and I just kind of let it go.  As a kid you want to believe in Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy and Rowdy Roddy Piper.  It's always a little sad when you realize those things aren't exactly what you thought them to be. 

Not then, and not now or probably ever, did the fans think that the drama was reality.  I don't go to the movies and yell at the screen, "Tom Cruise isn't a pilot.  That's so fake!"

The Portland Sports Arena was a special place. Probably much like the Sportatorium in Dallas or some high school gym in Tampa. Sure, it wasn't always the cleanest or fanciest place.  There were no golden chandeliers hanging from the ceiling.  No waiters bringing caviar to your bleacher seats.  Once you walked through the front door, paid your ticket money to Mark Owen, and stopped to grab you Lucky Number program, the atmosphere took over.  The smoke in the air, kids running around, people carrying around homemade signs to cheer on their favorites. Your mind allowed you to turn on a willful suspension of disbelief.  When the cameras came on, and the music started, and for the next 2 hours it was all real!  Buddy Rose was the worst human being alive, and you hoped that Lonnie Mayne would break his leg!  Every punch was the hardest you had ever seen, every kick, twist, or elbow, more painful then the last.  And the blood was real.  (It was, they never used ketchup.)

And at the end of the night, when you walked out those doors, you were back in the real world.  A world where you knew that there was some serious choreography happening, or these guys would be badly hurt and not back here week after week. You saw the many short, straight scars, on their foreheads and knew where that blood came from.  You would never boo Buddy Rose if you saw him at Safeway.  At times, a wrestling fan thinks of how hard these wrestlers work, and what they put their bodies through night after night to entertain us. 

Wrestling fans are able to suspend their disbelief long enough to enjoy the show.  Steve Duin, and others, don't understand this, or aren't intellectually able to make that leap.  That's fine, you go to a play for $75 at the Keller, and I'll go to wrestling for $10.  I'm petty sure I know who will have more fun.

And thank you Roddy for defending us, and for giving us everything you had, every night you were out there!

Aug 4, 2018

More interesting stuff on ebay! Posters!

s

This cool poster is from the 60's, they say, and Features Tough Tony Borne who looked like an old man even when he was young.  At $249.99 the price is pretty steep for some history!


Portland-Wrestling-Mini-Poster-Advertising-Flyer-Corvallis-Jimmy-Snuka

$29.99 is a little more reasonable for this Northwest Gem.  This event, promoted by
Elton Owen, was held in Corvallis, Oregon at the American Legion. 
It's kind of funny how they listed everyone's weight on the poster, as if that is going to get you to go to the show!  

Aug 1, 2018

Buddy Rose Wrestling History for sale on Ebay

I'd never seen this action figure before.  I didn't even know that AWA had action figures.
AWA wasn't on TV here and so maybe those weren't sold in this area.  I don't think it looks
like Buddy at all.  It's a pretty cool figures though.  There seems to be several listed at much lower prices.  That contract is very cool and a one of a kind item.

REMCO-AWA-WWF-PORTLAND-WRESTLING-MAT-MANIA-PLAYBOY-BUDDY-ROSE-NEW-475-OBO

VINCE-MCMAHON-AND-BUDDY-ROSE-SIGNED-1990-WWF-CONTRACT

Jul 26, 2018

Rex King (Timothy Smith) September 8, 1961 – January 9, 2017 ~ Rest In Peace

     I'm not sure where I've been, but I didn't hear that Rex King had died.  Rex came to wrestle in the Northwest in late 1988 or early 1989.  He wasn't super popular to start off with, but a good wrestler.  Once it was announced that Scott Peterson would be leaving the Southern Rockers, Rex King was named as his replacement.  I wasn't too impressed.  Mostly, because I was 13, loved Scott Peterson, and wanted things to remain the same.  Even though Steve and Rex were a great team and VERY popular, I remained salty about the whole thing.  I later watched a bunch of matches with Steve and Rex together and realized that they really were a great team.  Rex, like most of the wrestlers, was always super nice to me.  Thanks for your years of hard work and dedication to your audience Rex.
     After Rex died, his mother started a Go Fund Me to pay for his funeral expenses.  The original amount was $2,500.  Apparently he had been in a bad way for years after several neck and head injuries.  Chris Jericho came forward and paid the entire amount.  He said that Rex had been good to him, early in his career, and he wanted to help out.  The amount has since been bumped up to $15,000 and the account is still active.  If you want to contribute visit the Go Fund Me page.





Jul 25, 2018

Wrestling Spectacular III - May 21, 1986? - Seattle Center Arena - Newspaper Clipping


I think this is 1986. Correct me if I am wrong.
Looks like a fun card.

Rocky "Soulman" Johnson in attendance. 
Brady Boone and Coco Samoa seem like an odd pair.
I wonder what the other bouts are?

Jul 23, 2018

Some interesting ebay items from 1972!

Both of these items are currently available on ebay.  
Click the photos to be linked to the listings.
The Ringside Reporter seems like a great look at what was happening in the NW at that time.

Ringside-Reporter-Wrestling-Fan-Newspaper-Portland-oregon


Jul 13, 2018

Steve Doll Promo Pics -80's and 90's

These photos, along with about 100 others adorned the walls of my bedroom in my preteen years.
My friends had New Kids on the Block and I had the Southern Rockers.

Probably 1988, taken at the Milwaukie Health Club

1990

1990, taken on Portland's Waterfront.

From USWA  

WWF or later.

1990.

No D.Q. Falls Count Anywhere - October 28, 1982 - Newspaper Clipping


No DQ, Falls Count Anywhere?  If you heard hardcore wrestlers of the 90's and early 00's talk, they invented these types of matches.

Jul 12, 2018

World's 8th Wonder - Andre the Giant - March 4, 1981 - Clipping


November 6, 1981? ~ Newspaper Clipping


I'm not sure what year this one is supposed to be, super early 80's or late 70's?  What do you think?

I can't imagine that Rip Oliver wrestled twice in one night, but who knows what happened?  Maybe Billy Jack called him out!  Maybe that was the beginning of their decade long feud!  

April 26, 1986 at the Portland Sports Areana ~ Clipping


This clipping has more information than the Oregonian clippings typically had..  
Coco the Fly Samoan?  Usually he was just called Coco Samoa, so not sure where that came from.

Big Time Wrestling in Seattle - February 16, 1983 ~ Clipping


The main event, Shiek Abdullah Husein versus Billy Jack!  
Wrestling sure does have a way of taking cultural stereotypes and turning them into villains.