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Now Older, Less Athletic, Wrestlers Are Still Legends

Now Older, Less Athletic, Wrestlers Are Still Legends

Posted: Aug 9th 2010 By: CMBurnham

Adrian Rohr was 11 years old in 1986. He was in an aisle seat at Memorial Stadium for the Great American Bash. The wrestling card was so big Ric Flair arrived by helicopter. Jimmy "the Boogie-Woogie Man" Valiant, however, always was old school, and he walked to the ring.

Please walk up my aisle, Rohr implored. Sadly, the Boogie-Woogie Man did not. Rohr was close to the wrestling star. But not close enough.

As Rohr and I talk Saturday at the NWA Wrestling Legends Fanfest, the Boogie-Woogie Man enters the ballroom.

"That's why fans come to these reunions," says Rohr, 35, a district manager for Mutual Distributing Company. "We grew up watching the wrestlers and here they are. We can meet them."

The Hilton Charlotte University Place Hotel escalator is a way-back machine. Go down one floor from the lobby and step into a land of ponytails and peroxide. I'm talking about the former wrestlers. Hair is long, skin is tan and championship belts are shiny.

The National Wrestling Alliance once operated from a studio off South Boulevard. Before the NBA and NFL came to town, the sleeper hold, figure-four leglock and flying dropkick were entrenched. Wrestlers roamed the Carolinas, regularly fighting in Charlotte, Raleigh, Greensboro, Spartanburg and Columbia.

Former wrestlers and personalities such as Harley Race, Tully Blanchard, Jimmy Snuka, Jake "the Snake" Roberts, Fifi the Maid and Ivan and Nikita Koloff roam the Hilton this weekend.

There's Ivan, 68. You knew he and Nikita were Russians because they shaved their heads and said, "Comrade."

It was a simpler time.

There's Mr. Wrestling II, talking on a cell phone through his mask. He never removes his mask. A photographer went to Mr. Wrestling II's house for a publicity shot and even Mr. Wrestling II's dog wore a mask.

"He would shower in his mask," says George South. "He must be in his 80s now."

South is 47, and about to celebrate his 30th year in the business. He's lived in or near Charlotte for each of them. Fans stop him Saturday to talk or ask for an autograph or picture.

"Just to be remembered is pretty special," South says. "Remember when Charlotte was the wrestling capital of the world? You could tell the good guys from the bad guys then. Now it's tougher."

I like the three-word sentence so much I don't ask if he's talking about wrestling.

"This is our little Super Bowl," says South, who wears an Evil, Mean and Nasty T-shirt and a JESUS wristband. "For three or four days, we get to be kids again."

Fans can buy championship belts, tapes, pictures, magazines, masks and shiny robes. Two robe-clad mannequins face a wall as if they have been arrested and are about to be frisked.

Down the hall walks Ted DiBiase, the Million Dollar Man. As rich as he purportedly was, DiBiase rarely parted with his cash. He would offer money for a feat and find a way not to pay.

Fans tell him Saturday they remember when he offered a little kid $500 to bounce a basketball 15 times. This was on TV. As he began No.15, DiBiase stuck out his foot. The ball bounced away, and the kid ran off crying. The Million Dollar Man saved $500.

"I told him I taught him a valuable lesson," says DiBiase, who now is an evangelist. "Of course it was pre-rehearsed. But that's the one people remember most. They tell me I'm the one they loved to hate."

Remember Baby Doll, blonde and strong and almost 6 feet tall? She's 48, wears a leopard skin dress and lives in Fayetteville. She's here with her 17-year-old daughter.

Still blonde and still almost 6 feet, Baby Doll regularly appears at wrestling reunions. But the Charlotte show is her favorite. At one out-of-state show she was advertised as Babby Doll. In Charlotte, everybody knows her name.

The Boogie-Woogie Man was known by many names, among them Handsome Jimmy and King James. He wrestled dirty. Then he turned good. He still wrestled dirty. But fans loved him.

"How can anybody not like the Boogie-Woogie Man?" asks Baby Doll.

Boogie-Woogie, who runs a wrestling school in Shawsville, Va., is one of my favorites. I wrote about him more than 20 years ago and, at the end of the interview, I asked how old he was. Thirty-three, he said.

I was older than 33 and he was older than me. So I told him he couldn't be.

Boogie-Woogie was perplexed. He pondered his age for 10 seconds, for 30, for a minute. Finally he answered.

"I'm 34," he said.

I ask Saturday how old he is.

"I turned 68" Friday, Boogie-Woogie says. "You remember when you asked before?"

Of course. We laugh and hug. Saturday is like that.

I ask if he talked to Rohr, the beer and wine distributer. He did. He talked to everybody else, too.

"I love the fans," Boogie-Woogie says. "They're old and gray and broken down just like we are. And that's really neat."

 

Tags: Ric Flair, Jimmy Valiant, NWA, Harley Race, Jake Roberts, Nikita Koloff, Mr. Wrestling II, Ted DiBiase, Baby Doll

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Supplemental Information

1

Spotlight in History

  • 1962 Danny Hodge & El Gran Lothario def. Hiro Matsuda & Don Kent for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
  • 1979 Mike George def. Mr. Wrestling II for the MSW North American Heavyweight Title
  • 1979 Mike Sharpe, Jr. def. Mike George for the MSW Louisiana Title
  • 1982 Kevin Von Erich def. King Kong Bundy for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
  • 1988 John Tatum & Jimmy Jack Funk def. The Simpson Brithers (Steve Simpson & Shaun Simpson) for the WCCW Texas Tag Team Titles
  • 2008 Tim Rockwell became the MWA Heavyweight Champion
  • 2009 Cold Blooded Chris def. The Canadian Red Devil for the ComPro Showtime Title
  • 2019 Lake Hefner def. Adam Patrick for the ASP Inter-County Title
  • 2020 Brixton Barricade def. Brock Landers for the ASP Inter-County Title
  • 2021 Step Brothas (Jermaine Johnson & Tego) def. DNR (Drake Gallows & Revan) for the ASP Tag Team Titles
  • 2021 Father Padge def. Duncan Kincaid for the ASP All Time Title
  • 2021 Brandon Barricade def. Father Padge for the ASP All Time Title
  • 2025 Merc became the CPW Heavyweight Champion
  • 2025 Cappuccino Jones became the CPW 918 Champion
  • 2025 Skylar Slice became the CPW Women’s Champion
  • 2025 Super Crash Brothers (Trench Blythe & Badger James) became the CPW Tag Team Champions
  • 2025 The Sweet Life (Jake Swayze & Killbane) def. The Super Crash Brothers (Trench Blythe & Badger James) for the CPW Tag Team Titles

Week of Sun 08-30 to Sat: 09-05

  • 08-30 2025 Remy Devereaux def. Gluttony for the RWE United States Title
  • 08-30 2025 Psychotic Messengers (Malachi the Mad & Tank Bryson) def. The Family Affiliated (Riki Wildlee & Gluttony [substituting for Athan Sorrow]) for the RWE Tag Team Titles
  • 08-30 2025 Bishop Simon def. Skidz for the RWE Light Heavyweight Title
  • 08-30 2025 Block Party (Mr. Wobble & Billie the Kiid) became the TexPro Tag Team Champions
  • 08-31 1954 Joe Christie became the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Champion
  • 08-31 1986 Eddie Gilbert & Sting def. The Fantastics (Tommy Rogers & Bobby Fulton) for the UWF Tag Team Titles
  • 08-31 1987 Ted Arcidi became the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Champion
  • 08-31 1998 T. C. Gold def. J. J. Mustang for the OPW Turnpike Title
  • 09-01 1958 Mad Man Martin def. Bill Longson for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 09-01 1982 Bill Irwin def. Al Madril for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Title
  • 09-01 1984 The Rock-N-Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson) def. The Midnight Express (Bobby Eaton & Dennis Condrey) for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Titles
  • 09-01 1986 Buzz Sawyer & Matt Borne became the WCCW World Tag Team Champions
  • 09-01 2007 Damien Morte def. Shane Sanchez for the SWCW Hardcore Title
  • 09-01 2007 Kareem Sadat def. Damien Morte for the SWCW Hardcore Title
  • 09-01 2007 Kevin James Sanchez def. Kareem Sadat for the SWCW Hardcore Title
  • 09-01 2016 The Canadian Red Devil became the PWTV Junior Heavyweight Champion
  • 09-01 2018 Tommy Dean def. Jerry Storm for the BPW Lion Heart Title
  • 09-01 2018 Randy Price def. Damon Windsor for the WCR Revolutionary Title
  • 09-02 1963 Bill Watts & Jerry Kozak def. The Bolos (The Great Bolo [1st] & The Mighty Bolo) for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
  • 09-02 1985 Brian Adias & The Von Erichs (Kevin Von Erich & Kerry Von Erich) def. Mark Lewin, One Man Gang, & Jack Victory (substituting for Tim Brooks) for the WCCW World 6-Man Tag Team Titles
  • 09-02 1985 Gino Hernandez def. Brian Adias for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Title
  • 09-02 1987 Terry Taylor def. Shane Douglas for the UWF Television Title
  • 09-02 2005 Jack Legacy def. Pork Chop for the SRPW Boys and Girls Club Title
  • 09-02 2022 Sam Stackhouse def. Derek James for the UWO Heavyweight Title
  • 09-02 2022 Fly Def (Warren J & Zack Zilla) def. The Unit (Charlie Haas & Big Fitz) for the TexPro Tag Team Titles
  • 09-03 1984 The Von Erichs (Kerry Von Erich & Kevin Von Erich & Mike Von Erich) def. The Fabulous Freebirds (Terry Gordy, Michael Hayes, & Buddy Roberts) for the WCCW World 6-Man Tag Team Titles
  • 09-03 1984 Gino Hernandez def. Mike Von Erich for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
  • 09-03 1984 Chris Adams def. Jake Roberts for the WCCW Television Title
  • 09-03 2005 Outlaw def. Angel Williams for the MSWA Mid-South Heavyweight Title
  • 09-03 2011 Kareem Sadat def. L. J. McDaniels for the SWCW Hardcore Title
  • 09-03 2022 Hornsby def. Rhett for the WFC Drillsville Title
  • 09-04 1972 Duke Myers & Terry Garvin [1st] became the TSW United States Tag Team Champions
  • 09-04 1978 The Von Erichs (David Von Erich & Kevin Von Erich) def. Gino Hernandez & Bruiser Brody for the WCCW Texas Tag Team Titles
  • 09-04 2015 Mr. Nasty def. Abel for the SRPW United States Title
  • 09-04 2021 Hornsby became the WFC Drillsville Champion
  • 09-04 2021 Duncan Kincaid def. C. M. Burnham for the ASP All Time Title
  • 09-05 1962 Danny Hodge & El Gran Lothario def. Hiro Matsuda & Don Kent for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
  • 09-05 1979 Mike George def. Mr. Wrestling II for the MSW North American Heavyweight Title
  • 09-05 1979 Mike Sharpe, Jr. def. Mike George for the MSW Louisiana Title
  • 09-05 1982 Kevin Von Erich def. King Kong Bundy for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
  • 09-05 1988 John Tatum & Jimmy Jack Funk def. The Simpson Brithers (Steve Simpson & Shaun Simpson) for the WCCW Texas Tag Team Titles
  • 09-05 2008 Tim Rockwell became the MWA Heavyweight Champion
  • 09-05 2009 Cold Blooded Chris def. The Canadian Red Devil for the ComPro Showtime Title
  • 09-05 2019 Lake Hefner def. Adam Patrick for the ASP Inter-County Title
  • 09-05 2020 Brixton Barricade def. Brock Landers for the ASP Inter-County Title
  • 09-05 2021 Step Brothas (Jermaine Johnson & Tego) def. DNR (Drake Gallows & Revan) for the ASP Tag Team Titles
  • 09-05 2021 Father Padge def. Duncan Kincaid for the ASP All Time Title
  • 09-05 2021 Brandon Barricade def. Father Padge for the ASP All Time Title
  • 09-05 2025 Merc became the CPW Heavyweight Champion
  • 09-05 2025 Cappuccino Jones became the CPW 918 Champion
  • 09-05 2025 Skylar Slice became the CPW Women’s Champion
  • 09-05 2025 Super Crash Brothers (Trench Blythe & Badger James) became the CPW Tag Team Champions
  • 09-05 2025 The Sweet Life (Jake Swayze & Killbane) def. The Super Crash Brothers (Trench Blythe & Badger James) for the CPW Tag Team Titles
09-05
  • Bernard Funk Sep 5th Today!
  • Sonny C Sep 5th Today!
  • C. J. Ward Sep 5th Today!
  • Char Starr Sep 5th Today!
  • Jerry Oates Sep 5th Today!
  • Beau Dalton Sep 6th
  • Dylan Feltz Sep 7th
  • Whitey Whittler Sep 7th
  • Tommy Revell Sep 7th
  • Vincent Cross Sep 8th
  • Silas Young Sep 8th
  • Rebel [2nd] Sep 8th
  • Wendi Richter Sep 8th
  • Great Kabuki Sep 8th
  • Rancid Sep 9th
  • Mike Clancy Sep 9th
  • Kool Ade Sep 10th
  • Mr. Wrestling II Sep 10th
  • Trevor Murdoch I Sep 10th
  • Owen Sep 10th
  • Les Mayne Sep 10th
  • Vivian St. John Sep 10th
  • Summer Thunder Sep 11th
  • Vic Nichols Sep 11th
  • N'Zane Lee Happy Sep 12th
  • Bob Kenaston Sep 12th
  • Animal Sep 12th
  • Montego Seeka Sep 12th
  • Bash Sep 12th
  • American Anarchy Sep 12th
  • Bounty Hunter Sep 12th
  • Danni Bee Sep 12th
  • Adrian Dell Sep 12th
  • Bobby Starr Sep 13th
  • Poder Oriental Sep 13th
  • Angelina Love Sep 13th
  • K. P. Moore Sep 13th
  • Danny Little Bear Sep 13th
  • Waddy Young Sep 14th
  • Eddie LeVaughn Sep 14th
  • Lunatic Lennie Sep 14th
  • Kelsie Mae Sep 14th
  • Bernie D Sep 14th
  • Spoiler 2000 Sep 15th
  • Korvin Sage Sep 15th
  • Daniel King Sep 15th
  • L. C. Green Sep 15th
  • Haru Sonada Sep 16th
  • Jim Cornette Sep 17th
  • Rex Mori Sep 17th
  • Jake Swayze Sep 17th
  • Colton Kinnamon Sep 17th
  • Dick Brower Sep 17th
  • Bill Irwin Sep 17th
  • Titan Yin Sep 18th
  • Mr. Nabors Sep 18th
  • Angel Reed Sep 18th
  • Cisco Grimaldi Sep 18th
  • Billy Robinson Sep 18th

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