Professional Wrestling

[W. Gray]

I see in the Prairie Star today that the Sedan Gregg Theater supporters are sponsoring a professional wrestling match at the school gym to raise money toward saving the theater.

I have not seen a live wrestling match since the mid-70s when I would take my step son to the weekly matches in Wichita. He ate those matches up and would not believe (as I did not in the 50s) that the matches were staged. But the price of admission was worth seeing him jumping up and down, yelling, and thoroughly enjoying himself.

As a youngster, I did not believe the matches were staged per the rumors I had heard. However, when watching on TV I did wonder how there always managed to be a winner just as the allotted TV program time expired. Could not figure it out.

Then, sometime in the mid 1950s, TV Guide, the magazine, exposed the fake process to a lot of disappointed young (and old) followers. Nevertheless, the matches did provide some interesting entertainment to a lot of people.

Gorgeous George comes to mind along with "World Champion" Vern Gagne. With Gorgeous George, everyone either hated him or loved him. I have heard that Cassius Clay modeled his persona after George.

Today, you could not pay me to watch a match.

I hope the Sedanites will be able to raise the $60,000 or thereabouts to digitally equip the theater and do some needed repairs.

[Diane Amberg]

What a great idea! I too hope it's a big success.
A few years back UD had a wrestling event at the big Bob Carpenter Center. A bunch of famous wrestlers were going to be there. I don't know one from another, but my one niece did/does. The event was close to her birthday and all she wanted was a ticket to go see them. Her father took her and they had a wonderful time.

[jarhead]

Waldo,
Do you remember ,must have been the mid 60's, that Howard Fair had a pro wrestling match. I think the wrestlers came out of Tulsa. Bolo, Red McKinn and that mad Russian, Carol Krauser are the three I can remember (probably  mis-spelled all their names---except Bolo) Two were good guys and two were the bad guys. For hating each other in the ring so bad, I heard they all four showed up in the same car. Any idea who the 4th one was ?

[W. Gray]

I was in the military in the mid 60s and was a world away.

And, regretfully, I have never attended an Elk County Fair, although I might have when I was a really little fellow and just do not remember it.

When I was working in a grocery store during junior and senior high school years in Independence, Missouri, there was a professional wrestler who lived in the area and was a regular customer.

He had "cauliflower" ears from wrestling so much. His name was Gentleman Jim Dobie and he was one of the white hat wrestlers. I believe he had a day job, also.

Harley Race is a wrestler who comes to mind. He started out as a black hat and everyone hated him. Then for some unexplained reason he went clean and became the mid west version of the World Champion. Everyone then loved him.

I lost interest in wrestling after high school but nevertheless I took my step son to matches and I always watched it on TV with my dad who was an avid fan and he refused to believe it was a put on. By the early 2000s, though, it was a chore watching with him the modern day wrestlers prancing around like they meant business.

[larryJ]

Ah, memories of good ol' Texas Rasslin' on TV when I lived in New Mexico.  I didn't know they were staged either.  Haven't watched it since then.

Larryj

[kimpossibly]

wow....i just logged on after ...well, who knows how long. I am not a born and raised local to this community but i lived in Grenola with my two sons Mike and Sam. we lived there from late 1989 until late 1992. my younger son died after being trapped in an old refrigerator with his friend in burden, kansas in 1991.
i was just browsing around on this site...(i miss living out there in the beautiful grenola area) when i saw this thread. I too, remember the days of loading up the neighbors ford station wagon full of kids and going to Century II and watching some of the greats like Bulldog Bob Brown!
Now my son (mike) has been pro wrestling for several years in Phoenix, Az., Las Vegas, Nv and Albuquerque, NM (as well as the surrounding areas).
I am hoping that he is going to move back to kansas and live close to me since i am now a gramma of a beautiful, crazy, smart and very energetic 4 year old!!
i think its great that the wrestlers are willing to do these kinds of shows since so many young people are really into it!
anyway...i  just wanted to pipe in! i hope to get out there to grenola and moline before long. there are definately people still living in those communities that i miss!  take care everyone!

[W. Gray]

I well remember Bulldog Bob Brown. Like many professional wrestlers of his time, he wrestled late in his life. He retired from wrestling at age 56 due to a heart attack and went to work as a security guard for a casino in Kansas City.

[kimpossibly]

As much as its true that there is a predetermined outcome, that isnt really what the fans go to watch ...as far as 'winner' or 'loser'. I wasnt really a fan of my son becoming involved in the  whole scene of pro wrestling, however, i have learned to accept that this was his dream from as far back as i can remember. i have to give him alot of credit and respect (now) because the one thing about it that cannot be denied is that its a very physical and physically taxing sort of thing. those guys train hard and they do get hurt. those chairs that they get smacked over the back with are real chairs.
the fans mean alot to these guys/gals. my son happens to be one of the popular ones as far as fans and the following from show to show.
i hope that he wont stay in it as long as many of them do, it does its damage that isnt really reversable.
none the less....its the outcome that is the 'fake' part and of course the wrestlers exaggerate the hits and all but im tellin ya....i was amazed at the things that my son is able to do with his body, the moves he does are just too crazy!!! lol ...and he is referred to as the 'High Flyin Death Defying Miracle Mike James'....thats pretty cool.