• Look Back In History
• Pmessages
• Quiz
• Stump The Staff
• Top Fifty
• Close

Missy's Manor: A Look Back At 1988

Posted: Feb 21st 2012 By: CMBurnham

One of the biggest accomplishments a wrestler can boast is by drawing money or helping to turn around a promotion. Usually drawing can be contributed to a group effort from everybody in a promotion by having matches that pique interest. Plus one has to factor in the creative side, since the best talent can?t draw if the booking is abysmal.

During the spring of 1988, Eddie Gilbert & myself would work in the CWA [Memphis], which was one of the last full time territories. NWA at the time was over loaded with talent & there was not really much of a spot for either one of us. At this point in 1988, the territory system was dying out. The only territories that were left were Memphis, World Class, PNW, Continental, USA Wrestling, Central States, WWC, & AWA that could make a wrestler enough of a income to hopefully bide their time before a better spot with WCW or WWF opened up for them.

CWA at the time was doing soft business, since Jerry Lawler had nobody really to work against. One of his big runs was during the previous year in which Lawler feuded with Paul Heyman, Austin Idol, & Tommy Rich which climaxed in Lawler drawing a big house in losing his hair.

Eddie?s big return in Memphis started with him attacking Jerry Lawler after a match with Tommy Rich. Eddie would get big time heat by burning Jerry Lawler in the face with a fire ball. This would cause Lawler to stay out for a few weeks by selling the facial burns. Eddie would spend the next few weeks gloating about throwing fire [his inspiration was from watching The Sheik as a kid].

Eddie would elevate several people as the main heels in the promotion. I would get the rub by managing Eddie. Doug Gilbert, who was in his second year, would be elevated by association. Tommy Gilbert who was at the tail end of his career would draw based on being a long time fixture of the territory. Tommy drew decently against CWA match maker in Eddie Marlin in the semi main events, even after Eddie left the territory.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHdHW0jJAzA

If you took Doug, Tommy, & myself and had us work in CWA by ourselves, we probably wouldn?t mean much at that time. By being associated with Eddie, it gave all of us major heat & made us prominent heels in the promotion that was lacking talent at the time.

CWA Roster February, 1988: Baby Faces: Jerry Lawler, Jeff Jarrett, Billy Travis, Scott Levy [Raven in his first territory], Bruise Bros., Steve Keirn, & Rock-N-Roll Express [making a few shots]
Heels: Gilbert Family, Gary Young, Bill Dundee, Midnight Rockers [they were finishing up in CWA], Samu, Kokina [Yokozuna], Jimmy Jack Funk, Manny Fernandez [Rob Naylor?s favorite wrestler]

Within a one week period, the company lost several wrestlers. Kokina & Samu left for Continental. Manny Fernandez was fired for no showing. Bill Dundee left for Knoxville. Rock N Roll Express went back to Jim Crockett Promotions. The talent roster was so depleted that aging wrestlers in Billy Wicks & Sputnik Monroe were called up to feud with each other. The promotion had such a small crew that the house shows would have several wrestlers work twice in order to fill up a show.

To Jerry Jarrett & Jerry Lawler?s credit they did the best with whatever talent that they had on hand. Unfortunately the pay scale in Memphis had been low, so it was always
difficult to get talent. Eddie & myself were working at a $500 a piece weekly guarantee, which obviously was not going to last very long if we over stayed our welcome in the territory. Usually the longer you stay, the worst the pay would get. This was due to a fresh main eventer gradually moving down on the cards & no longer deserving of main event pay.

The start of the Lawler/Eddie fireball angle drew 4,500 fans in Memphis on Fenruary, 21, 1988.

Eddie would start the CWA run against Steve Keirn [who still had drawing power from once being part of The Fabulous One?s], which bided time before Lawler?s return. CWA at the time was lacking any baby faces that had drawing power, other then Lawler. Jeff Jarrett at the time worked near the top in tag team matches with Billy Travis
& Eddie Marlin as his tag team partners.

With all of the talent abruptly leaving, CWA would draw 3,500 fans on Feb, 29, 1988 with a skeleton crew. You also had to factor the low attendance, due to Lawler being out by selling the fire ball from the previous week.

The promotion went all the way with Eddie as a main event heel, who modeled himself after a young Jerry Lawler. With Lawler on the shelf, we even took over Lawler?s Sunday morning talk show to further antagonize Lawler?s fans. The spot shows were starting to increase based on Eddie?s heat. A second tier town like Jonesboro, Arkansas would see an increase by the second week with Eddie working on top. Keep in mind that the main barometer for the territory was by gauging how Monday night in Memphis would draw.

I will be back next week with part #2. In the mean time, take care & spike your hair!!