|
|
Post by dannygoddard on Feb 3, 2011 18:07:34 GMT -5
Anyone remember the big cards at the old Ponce DeLeon Ball Park? It was across the street from the big Sears Distribution Center where I worked for 6 years. After it was torn down, it became Arlans Department Store, where I also worked as a teenager in high school.
Whenever graduations or the Shrine Circus were at the City Auditorium, the matches were movede to the ball park. There I saw Sputnik Monroe vs Argentina Rocca with guest referee Rocky Marciano. Of course, Sputnik was ko-ed by the end of the night.
I remember while the matches were going on one night, high schooler Robert Fuller was in the outfield demonstrating his Dad's step-over toe hold on some of his schoolmates. That was a few years before he turned pro. What memories.
|
|
|
|
Post by Bobby Simmons on Feb 8, 2011 11:41:23 GMT -5
Danny,
Funny story you may not know. Not the night Marciano refereed,
but the other time they wrestled each other at the ball park, Charlie Smith refereed the bout. Buddy Fuller was booking and he went to Rocca and told him Sputnik wouldn't put him over so just go out and shoot on him and pin him. Buddy then went to Sputzy and told him Rocca refused to work and he should just shoot on Rocca and pin him.
Neither guy could beat the other. Rocca went crazy along with his manager and said they would never wrestle in Atlanta again.
True story.......
Bobby
|
|
|
|
Post by dannygoddard on Feb 9, 2011 13:23:11 GMT -5
Wow, Bobby. I sure didn't know that! Wonder why Fuller did that?
|
|
|
|
Post by Bobby Simmons on Feb 10, 2011 11:21:13 GMT -5
Not sure why he did it. I have heard Rocca was difficult to work with. I have no personal knowledge of that but have heard it from several sources.
Could also just have been a rib.....
|
|
|
|
Post by dannygoddard on Feb 10, 2011 14:57:41 GMT -5
When I was refereeing for an independant group in Georgia, I recall one of the last matches I ever reffed. It was October 1975 at the ballpark in LaGrange. The main event was a Southern Heavyweight Championship match, heel Champion Bobby Best vs babyface Randy Alls (or Randy Rose, who became half of the Midnight Express). The Assassin was the promoter and during the intermission he sent me into Randy's dressing room to tell him that he would be pinned for a two count and that he would kick out and turn the false finish into a small package off the ropes and a pin to win the belt. Randy was elated. As I was headed to the opponent's dressing room, I was stopped by the promoter and told to tell Best that he would pin Rose and that I would give him a fast count. Though terribly bothered by all this, I did what I was told. Randy was furious and Best and I slid out of the ring under the bottom rope and the GA State Patrol escorted us back to the dressing room. Lots of heat that night. It was there that I realized I had a call to preach and headed to school. I only reffed one more time, in Cartersville to help my friend, Ted Lipscomb, who needed a referee for the evening. The Assassin's reason for the deceitful change of plans was that "Randy was getting a little too big for his britches!" He wanted to teach him a lesson.
|
|
ulver
New Member
Posts: 12
|
Post by ulver on Feb 24, 2011 3:37:52 GMT -5
Picture of park here: www.atlantatimemachine.com/misc/ballpark_pc4.htmI have memories of both the Sears and Arlan's. The Arlan's didn't last too long, though I recall buying "Fighting Marines" comic book packs there. Sears? I remember water fountains claiming to be feed by an "Artesian source", and vanilla fudge sold there, that was so good it should have been a crime. Paul Pressley |
|
