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Post by rhodesfan on Feb 1, 2010 11:11:39 GMT -5
Rich and the people here do a great job. I come here daily for news and old school results. But there isn't much discussion/chat here. Since Kafabe Memories went down I don't know where to talk old school fans.Any suggestions from anyone where I can find fill the void.Thanks for your help in advance
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Post by Rich Tate on Feb 1, 2010 15:04:56 GMT -5
I'd love it to see folks talk old school stuff, but sadly, I think message boards are dying in terms of talking old school. Our original board here was heavily active, but over the years I have noticed all boards have slowed down, for the most part, when it comes to discussing older wrestling. If anyone would like to get it rolling again, by all means, please do so.
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Post by dannygoddard on Feb 2, 2010 12:28:48 GMT -5
I have no interest in today's wrestling but I love to talk yesteryear. As a kid in the '60s, I went to the City Auditorium and saw Bulldog Lawley, Tito Kopa, Rowdy Red Roberts, the Baby Blimp, Sailor Moran, Pancho Villa, Lenny Montana, Chief Little Eagle, the Von Brauners, the Medics, and others. I remember the world title main events between Lou Thesz and Dick the Bruiser. I remember when Sputnik Monroe came in with his brother, Jet, and won the cadillac tournament to become the first Georgia State Champion.
I remember feuds that seemed to last forever: Dickie Steinborn vs Tarzan Tyler, Joe Scarpa vs Stan Stasiak, Sputnik Monroe vs Don Fargo, Ray Gunkel vs Fred Blassie, Buddy Fuller vs Mario Galento, the Torres Bros vs the Vachons, Mr. Wrestling vs the Pro, Roberto Soto vs Billy Spears, and others.
I recall the Texas Death matches, the Lights out matches, the barbed wire matches, the Lumberjack matches, the steel cage matches, the Indian thong matches, the manager-handcuffed-to-the-post matches, and the battle royals. Every few weeks there were midgets and women wrestlers. I remember when they always brough in a black wrestler, usually Rocky Storm, whenever Bobo Brazil was on the card because black vs white was not smiled upon in Atlanta.
What memories! What fun! It is like it was yesterday.
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Post by rhodesfan on Feb 2, 2010 19:23:21 GMT -5
Loved your post Danny.For me matches were Monday nights in Augusta starting in 1972. I was only able to talk the folks into taking me once every couple of months. That 3000 seat building looked like a 10000 seat building to me as a kid.I remember title matches being a big deal ublike today.I used to pull out my copys of the Ringsider to look at all the time.I would have given up every toy,game whatever before I would have given up one of those Ringsiders.Those were the days
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Post by Bobby Simmons on Feb 3, 2010 8:25:46 GMT -5
Mr Goddard, You must be really old. My grandparents told me about all those matches.....
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Post by dannygoddard on Feb 5, 2010 17:16:36 GMT -5
Bobby,
You're so funny. You remind me of the kid I used to watch refereeing matches in Georgia. I once went to his house to shoot pictures of him with his eye all bandaged up. He and the Sheik had been playing with fire. Guess he was too young to know that!
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Post by dannygoddard on Feb 5, 2010 17:20:39 GMT -5
I loved the Ringsiders. My Dad would always buy me one but after the matches as people were leaving, I would go down the rows and pick up Ringsiders people left, the ones in good condition. I love looking at the ones Rich has posted. I hope all the others will eventually get on there.
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Post by Rich Tate on Feb 5, 2010 17:25:40 GMT -5
I loved the Ringsiders. My Dad would always buy me one but after the matches as people were leaving, I would go down the rows and pick up Ringsiders people left, the ones in good condition. I love looking at the ones Rich has posted. I hope all the others will eventually get on there. There will be more up soon. Just way too many irons in the fire between here and my real life. Had great intentions of having them all up by the end of 2009 ... what is it now ... February 2010? Jeez ... the best laid plans ...
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Post by Bobby Simmons on Feb 6, 2010 8:00:36 GMT -5
Old School is what I love about our business. The matches used to mean something. The feuds were personal and I could not wait for Friday night to get to the matches. The smoke filled city auditorium which I guess was bad for your lungs but what an atmosphere it created. Paul Jones and George Burie walking down th aisle at exactly 8:30 and the clang of that old bell sent chills up your spine. Each match building up to whatever main event was on tap for the evening. Danny I too remember those feuds, Joe Scarpa/Stan Stasiak, The Torres Brothers/The Vachons/the Andersons/The Red Raiders or whatever team was the flavor of the week. I remember the teases in the program for weeks that Mr. Wrestling was coming to Georgia. Man what great memories these are to me. My uncle whom I was very close to taking me to the matches each week and the time we shared together. He went home to be with the Lord a few years ago, but these memories are precious to me. I will never forget him sitting on the stage the very first time I stepped out of that dressing room on a Friday night. I don't know who was prouder him or me. The very last night the auditorium had matches I stayed until the building was empty. I was the office manager for GCW and nobody thought anything about me being there late. After I was sure everyone was gone I walked out of that dressing room, up that aisle, and climbed those steps to the ring for a last time. I stepped through the ropes and stood in the center of the ring and tried my best to soak it all in. It may seem silly to those of you who read this but there were tears in my eyes as I remembered all those great childhood memories and thanked God for allowing me to live out my dreams. After all how many people can say, their heroes became their friends.
Bobby Simmons
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Post by rhodesfan on Feb 6, 2010 11:21:31 GMT -5
Mr. Simmons you make me proud to be a fan. Good to know you loved it so much.I always dreamed of seeing the maatches in Atlanta but never did. The cards were more loaded than the cards in Augusta. At Bell Auditorium in Augusta I remember getting excited seeing a wrestler sneaking a look from behind the curtain during a match during the early matches. Mr. Simmons do you have a story about matches at Bell or something that happened back stage.Did the boys hang out anywhere before or after the matches. There were places to get in trouble on nearby Broad St. I guess in most cases the guys wanted to get back to Atlanta after the matches.Hope you can make time to respond,thanks.
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Post by dannygoddard on Feb 6, 2010 18:52:00 GMT -5
Thanks, Rich. I understand. And thanks, Bobby, for sharing that. I remember that chill up your spine when they rang the bell. I used to take a school buddy or two who knew nothing. I'd say, "Now watch the curtain up front toward the foyer and Paul Jones & George Burie will be coming out to start." I can still see them almost at a dead run, something obviously urgent about their journey to ringside. I remember a little crowd gathered around Ed Capral in a hallway at intermission as he gave out free tickets to "Live Atlanta Wrestling." I wanna go back!
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Post by rhodesfan on Feb 6, 2010 21:24:50 GMT -5
Danny do you still have those Ringsiders and if so do you want sell a few. My beloved Ringsider collection from matches I went to was stolen a few years ago.Do you have any storys to tell.Ya know interesting regulars at he matches or maybe a card stands out. Where you there the night Ole turned on Dusty in a cage,did the fans really nearly riot?I hope you guys will keep this going. I really feel lost with the KM board gone. Also Danny did you attend any Ann Gunkel shows,I went to one.
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Post by rhodesfan on Feb 6, 2010 21:30:32 GMT -5
Danny you said someting about the Billy Spears vs Roberto Soto feud. I don't remember it well but remember it a little,good feud.Hated to see Roberto get jobbed out in latter years. What ever happened to Soto? Always liked him.
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Post by Bobby Simmons on Feb 8, 2010 10:31:34 GMT -5
I saw Roberto Soto a little over a year ago and he looks great. We were ablre to spend a few days together telling stories and recalling great old times. Funny thing thought every time I told one on him he said he did not remember it and I must have been talking about his brother. Talk about times changing, I had to go over to the jail to bail Thunderbolt Patterson out because he said "damn" on the PA system in the bell. I 'll try and think of some other "Bell Happenings" to post later.
Bobby
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Post by dannygoddard on Feb 9, 2010 12:57:13 GMT -5
Rhodesfan: When I left wrestling in 1976 to attend college in Nashville, I left wrestling. While away, we had to sell our house in Atlanta which my family handled in my absence. To this day I have no idea what happened to all my magazines, Ringsiders, hundreds and hundreds of negatives, a couple of Rocket Monroe's ripped sequin jackets, and a torn mask Flash Monroe used in Texas as the Demon. I never asked because I really had rather not know. (You can read my story on my website, dannygoddard.com)
I do remember one night in Gainesville shooting the Roberto Soto-Billy Spears match. Spears kept throwing Soto out of the ring and I saw he was coming toward where I was squatting with my camera so I would move but he staggered my way and fell on top of me. I had to crawl out from underneath and he did it again. I could feel him shaking because he was laughing. I would say, "Okay, Soto, get off of me." I guess they had decided it was "fun with the photographer night!"
No, I never attended Ann Gunkel's cards, though I was tempted a time or two. I was working for Paul Jones, the opposition, and could not go.
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