Historische Wrestling Stories/Artikel

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Baltimore Sun
Baltimore, Maryland
20 June 1972

Alan Goldstein

ladd asks respect for pro wrestlers

it's time for the sports media and the general public to stop looking down their noses at professional wrestlers and regarding them as a bunch of feeble-mided refugees from the circus sideshow doing somersaults to the tune of a greedy promoter.

nothing could be further from the truth, claims ernie ladd, the 6-9, 345 pound amn mountain who earned $115,000 on the grunt and groan circuit last year.

ladd, the former celebrated tackle for the san diego chargers and houston oilers, was in town yesterday to help promote his championship match with titleholder pedro morales at the civic center tomorrow night.

it seems to the casual follower that every wrestling bout is for some championship or other and it always ends with the challenger being disqualified for tossing the champion into the lap of the pretty blonde in the third row.

but this is the typical cynicism of non-believer, says ladd, who supports his raguments with more tahn his formidable frame.

"everybody who doesn't know any better knocks wrestling," he said. "but there were 30 or 40 wrestlers last year who earned between $40,000-$50,000. only about four or five boxers make that kind of meney. you see a lot of old boxers shining shoes, but you don't see any old wrestlers, do you.

in reply to the old charges that wrestling matches are about as honest as the roller games and horse racing, if you believe "mr. byrne", ladd contends that you can only fool the public for so long.

a wise guy

"i remember the story or pimo carnera, the ex-heavyweight champion, who became a wrestler," said ladd. "cernera went on a wrestling tour of italy. the first time he visited each city, he drew terrific crowds because of his name. but they saw he didn't know the first thing about wrestling. he was a triple-threat --stumble, fumble, and fall. the next time primo came to town he couldn't draw flies."

ladd, who contends he signed a richer contract with the houston oilers (it reportedly extends through 1989) than joe namath received from the new york jets, also thought wrestling would be mere child's play compared to the violent world of pro football.

"i remember my first wrestling match," he said. "i was a real wise guy. a super football player. they put me in with some guy who weighed only 225. well, he turned me every which way, but loose. he rubbed my nose in the mat for 25 or 30 minutes."

it convinced the giant ladd that he needed more than his substantial bulk to survive on the mat circuit. he "took his lumps for three years," but now is considered one of the more skilled wrestlers on the tour and one of the top draws.

asked why he gave up his lucrative football career, ernie said, "football was good to me, but i paid my debt to football. i found out in football that i wasn't a complete man. i could't spend much time with my family, and there were other things in life.

"in football, a coach could call me up at four in the morning and i'd have to lsiten to him. but, in wrestling, i can call my own shots. i don't have to wrestle if i don't feel like it. i take three months off every year. for me, football was just a stepping stone."

but ladd will never knock his old profession.

greats don't knock

"if you check the record, the guys like dave meggyesy, who knocked football, never really amounted to much," he said. "jim brown never knocked it. neither did the greats like alan ameche and raymond berry."

someone asked ladd the age-old question of whether an outstanding boxer could beat a topnotch wrestler.

"no way," he said. " he'd have to knock him out with his first punch or it would be all over in a matter of minutes."

ladd believes he could have been a heavyweight contender if he had concentrated on boxing instead of wrestling.

he has an opportunity durng football days in san diego when he spent a lot of time in the company of former light-heavyweight king archie moore.

"he tried to get me to box, but i was happy just playing him billiards," ernie laughed, and the whole room shook.

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Honolulu Advertiser
Honolulu, Hawaii
16 June 1982

high chief fanene leifi pita maivia, known locally as professional wrestler peter maivia died sunday (june 13, 1982) of canver. he was 45.

maivia was born in western samoa and raised in new zealand, where he began his wrestling career. he went to england as a professional wrestler and wassigned by the producers of the early james bond film "you only live twice" to do a fight scene with actor sean connery, who played bond.

maivia went on to wrestle professionally in europe, the far east, and the u. s. mainland. he started wrestling in hawaii in the early 1960s and eventually became the first polyneasian promoter of professional wrestling in the islands. he also established the peter maivia wrestling school here.

maivia promoted several wrestling events in american and western samoa, tonga, and other southenr pacific islands,a nd about three years ago he was the main event in what is said to have been the largest spectator event ever held in western samoa -- an outdoor wrestling match in which he was the headliner. about 10,000 spectators are said to have attended.

friends may call 6 to 9 p.m. tomorrow and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. friday at borthwick mortuary. services 1 p.m. friday. burial at diamond head memorial park.

he is survived by wife, ofelia fuataga; daughter, mrs. mataniu feagaimaleata johnson of florida; grandson tuifeai dwayne johnson of florida; mother, mrs. peka papali'i of auckland, new zealand; two brothers in samoa; and a cousin, papali'itele siva afi, a professional wrstler here known as siva afi.

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Toledo Blade
Toledo, Arkansas
3 July 1975
Penny Breniser

volatile and venomous poffo forsakes baseball for wrestling

in the big-time wrestling program, randy poffo is billed as "volatile and venomous." But the 6-1 california beach-boy type, says he is anything but that.

"they just needed something to write in a hurry," the newcomer to toledo said.

poffo, who is originally from downers grove, ill., has now settled in toledo on alexis road, with his family. His father, angelo, and his brother, lanny are also professional wrestlers.

poffo claims to be the only professional baseball player turned professional wrestler.

the transition has not been easy. he has had to go into an intensive retraining program, which includes strenuous, daily workouts -- changing his baseball arms to atlas arms.

poffo largely played the position of catcher, with farm teams of the st. louis cardinals, cincinnati reds, and the chicago white sox.

in the four years he played in the minor leagues, his determination kept him alive.

however, with a reduction in the minor league teams, he feels that his stint is up in the baseball world, and he should look to something else.

so he turned to wrestling, since it is a "relative thing."

poffo contends he does not fit the professional wrestler image.

"i showed up at my promoter's in cut-off jeans, and everybody else was wearing trunks. there I was just off the beaches of florida and they wanted me to wear wrestling trunks," poffo said, adding that "a need for a gimmick was stressed."

yet, poffo told his promoter, he could not be anything that he really wasn't, and his image remained intact.

"i guess if I have a gimmick, it's that I have no gimmick."

he takes his wrestling seriously as he has all his athletic endeavors. yet, he holds little or no contempt for the likes of the sheik who puts on a floor show for the fans.

but for poffo, who stresses a need to be himself, not much flashiness will be apparent when he plays at the sports arena on july 6.

"i work hard at the sport, it is a full-time job for me," he said.

and if his efforts work as they did in baseball, he may manage to tread water.

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Miami Herald
Miami, Florida
9 July 1975

Redskins sizing up 7-4 Giant

washington -- (upi) -- at a news conference worthy of paul bunyan and his great blue ox, babe, the Washington redskins suggested tuesday they were interested in signing a seven-foot four-inch, more than one-fifth of a ton professional wrestler, known as andre the giant, for defensive purposes.

in conjunction with a local wrestling promoter, tim temmerario, director of personnel of the redskins and joe theismann, a prospective starting quarterback replacement for sonny jurgenen, served as co-spokesman for the 425-pound behemoth.

temmerario, a veteran scout, acknowledged that andre (whose last name is roussimoff from grenoble, france) probably wouldn't be a contender for a defensive lineman's spot at carlisle, pa., when the redskins open their preseason camp sunday.

coughing a little, tim related that about four months ago redskin coach george allen told a staff meeting that he'd like to find something "unusual" for defensive purposes such as an agile seven-footer to create consternation in opposing ranks. temmerario said he got word of andre the giant and initiated possible free agent negotiations with promoter vince mc mahon.

"i wouldn't mind working him out," the redskin representative said of the 29 year-old andre who wears a 22-size shoe and has never attended a football game. he's certainly a hunk of material but he'd have to have more than size."

temmerario acknowledged that he had discussed the prospect off andre as an nfl player several times by phone and added that allen "talked to me this morning and encouraged me to come down to the news conference."

"we're interested in him," he said, "but there are problems such as his heavy wrestling schedule and the fact he makes so much money from it. however, nothing is impossible."

temmerario quickly added that the bushy-haired gigantic wrestler wasn't expected at carlisle. "I made the call to him" I'll admit that," he commented. "that's all I'll admit."

theismann, the former notre dame quarterback who played in the canadian pro league, told the news conference he had seen andre wrestle professionally on television. after firmly identifying himself as "only the mc," he commented: "with his size, I'll call andre 'sir'. I'd rather have him with me than against me"

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Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles, California
10 June 1952

LEONE, TORRES TEAM TO FIGHT DAMAGE SUIT

"It can't be done!" Wrestlers Baron Michele Leone, 216 pounds, and Enrique Torres, 225 pounds, sang in duet yesterday when the Baron demonstrated he couldn't possibly have "thrown" Torres from the ring in the Ocean Park Arena last January 5.

Leone, Torres and Mike Hirsch, arena proprietor, appeared in Santa Monica Superior Court yesterday for trial of a $30,000 damage suit, brought against them by Ian H. Caldwell and his wife Mary of 11690 Gorham Place, West Los Angeles.

The Caldwells allege they were injured while occupying the seat where Torres landed from the asserted toss.

"If I could forward pass a man like Enrique," the Baron declared, "I'd quit wrestling and try for the SC football team."

Both athletes explained that wrestlers may fall out of a ring but they can't be tossed. Joe Varga, who was refereeing on the night in question, said that if either man had fallen, been tossed or even run out of the ring on the night in question, he, the referee, would surely have known about it.

At request of the attorneys, Judge Stanley Mosk placed the case off calendar until September when it will be reset by stipulation.

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Detroit Free Press
Detroit, Michigan
29 June 1960
Bob Pille

as of today ruby's wrestlers share the wealth

out where the michigan sky isn't blurred by tall buildings, the pied piper wears cauliflower ears.

in the kalamazoos and kingstons, the millingtons and muskegons, the cries trampled out of evil opponents in the wrestling ring are golden and alluring tones.

a small-town fair isn't complete these days without the muscle men.

leaping larry chene is replacing chili suppers as a fund-raiser for the volunteer fire department. instead of needlepoint and the annual bazaar, the p-t-a offers ali bey and make more money.

in the caro high school band the wrestlers have bought the tuba player's horn and put the uniform on his back.

they are building the scorebaord at oxford high, sending dexter's senior class on a trip to washington.

they are helping the blind at utica and financing uniforms for romulus policemen, baseballs for kids in belleville, and checkerboards for the oldsters whose recreation is looked after by the uaw in ypsilanti.

the center line roatry club, left in a financial hole last year by rubinoffand his violin, bailed out this spring with culture surrounded by ring ropes.

hovering over all on philosophic resignation -- part angel and part businessman -- is old grappler bert ruby.

his code is simple: "it's not a vrtue to make money but to enjoy it." ruby does both.

he deals from the floer garden behind his home and from his paneled basement amid a connoisseur's store of imported liqueurs.

arrangements are standard. ruby provides the ring, fills it with referee and trained livestock, forwards posters and publicity.

his son al, soon to be 15 and an "a" student and hopeful three-sport athlete at oak park high, does a professional job of ring announcing and pens the advances.

for this rubu takes 60 per cnet of the gate.

for the remaining 40 per cent, the local co-promoter gets up a site and date, signs for a guarantee, and presumably labors dilligently at selling tickets.

the results are sometimes spectacular.

kingston, a thumb hamlet of 450, last week featured its first homecoming with a midawy, rodeo, chicken over open charcoal pits, and a one-night stand by the ruby troupe.

the arena was the school athletic field with double-decked snow fence around it.

some of the bleachers were from the caro fairgrounds, and some had been used for graduation at marlette high only the night before.

the hero was chene, known everybody from the man in the enxt car at the stoplight in lapeer to all the kids in kingston.

he gave away pictures, signed autographs, strolled the midway trailed by youngsters, crowned the homecoming queen and kissed all her court, subdued a villanous foe named bulldog brower, and signed more autographs at a teen record hop in the school gym.

a fortyish native of detroit's east side, chene is back after seven years on other circuits.

his delight at being home with the family is sharpened by the $500-$800 he brings weekly out of the hinderlands in paychecks.

ruby calls chene "an artist who projects himself," and this si where is philosophic resignation enters.

an old scientific wrestlers, he now confesses to halfway agreement with the fellow promoter who told him "watching a scientific wrestler is about as exciting as wtaching the grass grow."

"i teach beauty," sighs ruby. "but a kick in the stomach is more appreciated than 20 fast wristlocks."

ruby consoles himself with the feeling of doing his bit for the folks pyschologically.

"wrestling gives people an object to hate harmlessly," he says.

he is reconciled to crdue questions on fakery. "we let people separate fancy from reality as they wish."

ruby also consoles himself with money.

add together all the one-shot caros and kingstons and all the regular winter shoes where he often promotes alone in some 15 towns from grand rapids to monroe to sarnia.

the operation has grossed in the last year, by conservative guess, over $700,000.

detroit in the same period led the big towns of the nation with $545,000.

all that green stuff in the open fields ain't hay.

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Sacramento Bee
Sacramento, California
4 April 1978

wrestler is down - match with health

olympic medalist chris taylor has wrestled most of his life. now, he's wrestling with his health.

the 6 foot 6, 470 pound taylor faces a year of tests and therapy in and out of the hospital to control his weight. chronic hepatitis and liver ailments have forced him to end -- at least temporarily --- his professional wrestling career and join the ranks of the unemployed.

taylor is 60 pounds heavier than he would like to be. he has gained 40 pounds in two months.

if he doesn't start losing it, doctors say his life may be on the line.

"i bloat up easy with liquids, " taylor said. "for some reason the liquids are not filtering out of me. the doctors know at i want to do. it's going to take from 10 to 12 months. it's going to be a year before i do anything else strenuous.."

taylor, the bronze medal winner in heavyweight wrestling at the 1972 munich olympics, said that although he doesn't have an enormous appetite, he has always had a problem controllong his weight. "i can walk by a mc donald's and gain three pounds."

he's a big man -- 60 inch chest, 20 inch biceps, and a 56 inch waist. he buys most of his triple extra large clothes through catalogs.

taylor was weel-known for his size before he won the medal in graco-roman wrestling in 1972. he had won two straight national collegiate athletic association titles while attending iowa state and seven consecutive amateur athletic union crowns. he was a big 8 conference athlete of the year in 1973.

the iowa state graduate tried pro wrestling with the like of gorilla monsoon and bruno sammartino. his contract called for him to receive about $400,000 over a five year period. "it was null and void if you didn't do the required work," he said. "the only thing i didn't like was the road," he said.

"a lot of times i'd wake up in the morning, thinking i had to catch a plane. then it hit me. i was already where i was supposed to be."

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United Press International
2 July 1979

Wrestling Star Chris Taylor dies

story city, iowa -- chris taylor, the two-time ncaa heavyweight wrestling champion and olympic bronze medalist from dowagiac, mich., who later became a professional wrestler, died at his home saturday night, he was 29.

the 395 pound wrestler had suffered from a variety of illnesses and retired from the professional ranks in 1977 for health reasons. he died of natural causes, the the exact cause of death was not immediately determined, said story county medical examiner donald w. powers.

a story city rescue unit was called to the taylor home butmedics were unable to revive him, powers said.

services were pending at stevens funeral home in ames. burial will be in dowagiac.

taylor had wrestled at iowa state university in ames for two years after transferring from muskegon mich. junior college.

while at isu, taylor wrestled at 400 pounds, compiling an 87-0 record -- 80 of the matches won by falls -- and winning the ncaa heavyweight wrestling title in 1972 and 1973.

in 1972, taylor won a bronze medal in the heavyweight freestyle competition at the olympics in muncih.

after competing at iowa state, taylor signed a five year professional wretsling contract for an estimated $100,000 a year.

dr. harold nichols, a veteran iowa state wrestling coach, said taylor recently underwent tests in iowa city. taylor had been hospitalized at the university of iowa hospitals seven weeks in the spring of 1978 while doctors treid to diagnose a liver ailment.

taylor is survived by his wife, lynn, and three year old daughter jennifer.

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Fresno Bee
Fresno, California
28 April 1944

SAN FRANCISCO. April 28—Round ring report! Being prejudiced, partial and biased in favor of the advantages of a circular ring for boxing over the traditional square "ring." Your reporter is a dead duck in the matter of reviewing the first showing of a round battle pit here the other night …We are in the predicament of a sailor shipwrecked on a raft—water, water everywhere, not a drop to drink …
The fact the wrestlers stole a march on boxing promoters and introduced the first circular ring may alter the case slightly in that the two professions are greatly different in footwork and other technique. The wrestlers could stage their performances knee deep in mud, as has been done and named Hindu style, or within a decagon, which is a 10 angled figure, and they would continue to produce their usual show, which pleases many patrons …

MEANT FOR BOXING
However, when we suggested the idea of a circular ring, we had boxing in mind, and a great many others now also are awaiting the mitt tossing program involving amateurs which will be put on in a round ring in May by the Marinship Athletic Club. Charley Hunter directing…
The amateur organization is causing to be constructed a circular ring which will be affixed to a round platform … It may come up as a three post affair, affording considerably more view to spectators than either the four poster or one with six posts, which has been considered …
After the wrestlers performed in their circular ring, supported by four posts, the general opinion was the device produced faster bouts by the very nature of its shape … Abe Kashey, a wrestler, said: “It forces you to keep hustling every minute. There are no corners to loaf in.”
Chief Inspector Don Shields of the state athletic commission said he thought that "for such a newfangled idea, the reaction was very favorable. The wrestlers who used it agreed it made them work faster .A number of improvements can be made. The ring certainly stood up under a severe test of heavy men banging into it. I would like to see it tried out for boxing.”

TRIAL IN BOXING
State athletic commission member Ed Pencevich said the circular ring inaugural was "very interesting. This type of ring promises to make contests much faster than before. I am looking forward to seeing boxing matches held in it." Oldest boxing publicist in California, in point of service, Leon Meyer, expressed the opinion the round ring held out “many interesting possibilities. All of the people I talked to want to see how it will work in boxing.” In conclusion we must print the comment of veteran Tim McGrath, who trained Sailor Tom Sharkcy in the 1890s: Sharkey never would have caught up with Jim Corbett in a round ring. (Grand old Sailor Tom was a slowfoot: Corbett possibly the fleetest in heavyweight ring history.)

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Dallas, Texas
Dallas Morning News
28 October 1954

‘Mixed Bouts’ Law Unconstitutional

Austin, Texas – Texas’ law against professional fights between whites and Negroes is unconstitutional, the Austin Court of Civil Appeals held Wednesday.

The case involved I.H. (Sporty) Harvey, San Antonio Negro boxer.

It is one of the first decisions by a state court favoring Negroes in a segregation dispute. Most previous defeats for state segregation laws have come in the United States Supreme Court.

M.B. Morgan, commissioner of labor, announced that an appeal will be made to the Texas Supreme Court. Morgan supervises professional boxing and wrestling.

Morgan said that every wrestling promoter he knows opposes mixed matches. Some boxing promoters favor letting white met fight Negroes.

Associate Justice Robert G. Hughes wrote that the Texas law clearly violates this portion of the fourteenth amendment, United States Constitution:

“No state shall make of enforee any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life liberty or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”

The case was returned for a new trial before Dist. Judge Jack Roberts of Austin. He had upheld the law.

Atty. Gen. John Ben Shepperd argued that professional boxing can be policed more closely by the state than can usual public activities.

The state contended that boxing might promote racial feelings which would cause riots.

“There was no finding that mixed fights would result in race riots or other disturbances of an unusual nature,” Judge Hughes reported.