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Farewell Brickhouse

Posted: Jul 31st 2018 By: Mick Foley

July 29, 2018 was a very sad day for wrestling, with the loss of Nikolai Volkoff, Brian Christopher and Brickhouse Brown. While the deaths of Nikolai, a WWE Hall of Famer, and Brian, a big part of the Attitude Era have received a great deal of attention, the death of Brickhouse, a mainstay of many regional promotions in the 1980’s and 1990’s, has gone largely overlooked. So, it is with great sadness, but also great fondness that I share some thoughts on Brickhouse Brown, who I was honored to call a friend for the past 30 years.

Quite simply, Brick was good to me when not too many people were. When I debuted in Memphis in the summer of 1988, I had a rough time making the transition from independent wrestling - where the name of the game was to make every opponent look as good as possible at every chance, to working with the full time Memphis promotion - where how strong or weak you looked, against which opponents and why, had a great deal to do with how many butts would be in the seats of cities we worked on a weekly basis: Memphis every Monday, Louisville every Tuesday, Evansville ever Wednesday, Nashville every Saturday - with spot shows throughout the Tennessee, Mississippi, Kentucky, Arkansas, Indiana area every Wednesday and Thursday. Brickhouse had just turned babyface when I arrived as the newest member of Robert Fuller’s “Stud’s Stable” and on my first Monday night in Memphis, he had the Mid-South Coliseum rocking as he served up payback to former stable-mate “Gorgeous” Gary Young. Brickhouse had that fire needed to launch into a great babyface comeback, and I learned from him - in the ring, in the car, on the road - on a daily basis. In this hectic, competitive, surreal world Brickhouse Brown became an unlikely ally and a friend.

“Cactus, you’re going to make it in this business”, he said with a laugh after I returned from a Saturday morning TV match. Trust me, this was not a position shared by many in the wrestling world at the time. “You’re going to make it because fans can tell you’re having fun out there - and that makes it fun for them to watch.”

When Jerry Jarrett purchased the World Class Championship Wrestling territory, based out of Dallas, Texas (running shows in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas and elsewhere) a few of his Memphis wrestlers - me, Brick and Gary Young - made the move to Dallas. Brickhouse loved the city of Dallas, knew the best places for catfish and barbeque, and took great pride in showing me around a new city, a new territory - that brought with it a new lease on wrestling life.

By now, some of you may have heard stories about my legendary thriftiness on the road. Some of them....ok, most of them, are true. But almost all of them began out of necessity, and when World Class made a January trip to Illinois (although based in Dallas, the World Class show was seen in over 100 markets around the country, and we made occasional journeys to the midwest) I found myself without enough money for a hotel room, and was simply too shy to
ask if I might crash in a fellow wrestler’s room. So I borrowed the keys to the van the company had rented, and found myself huddled in the backseat, with a sheet I had scavenged from the housekeeping department, as the temperature dipped into the teens. After an hour or so, there was a knock on the van door. I peered out the window and saw Brick’s smiling face. “Cactus Jack”, he said, with a warm, and very much welcome laugh. “What the hell are you doing out here, man?” When I told him I simply lacked the funds for a hotel room, he laughed again. Even 30 years after the fact, I can still hear that laugh in my mind, can still hear that warm voice, telling me “get out of that van, man - you’re staying with me!” And so I did...and I never forgot it.

Brickhouse and I stayed in touch off and on until a few months before his death. The pain he endured in his final year was agonizing, and he was so thankful for the love given to him by wrestling fans, those he had worked with, and to the Cauliflower Ally Club for their support. I see only now that a few of the messages I sent never reached him, and I wish I’d been a better friend at the end. I look back at some of those text messages he sent in that final year, and wish I could have done more to help. “One year is all I really have, is what they told me” he wrote in a text from August 9, 2017. “It’s way too late for me now, Mick...I’m in so much pain.”

You are free from all that pain now, Brick. Rest in peace, my friend.

Please share this post if you can. Brickhouse was a good man, and a really good, solid worker, who gave far more to our business than he got in return.

http://www.wrestlinginc.com/wi/news/2018/0729/644279/brickhouse-brown-passes-away-at-57/

Supplemental Information

Spotlight in History

1979 Jim Garvin & Herb Calvert def. Oki Shikina & Sugar Bear Harris for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
1980 Hector Guerrero & Ron Sexton def. Ron McFarlane & Doug Somers for the TSW Tag Team Titles
2002 Jeffrey Parker def. Li'l Joe for the ACW Hardcore Title
2004 Luc Lapointe def. Prophet for the SRPW Boys and Girls Club Title
2004 Dirty Harry Sanchez def. Beau Dalton for the SRPW Hardcore Title
2004 Beau Dalton def. Dirty Harry Sanchez for the SRPW Hardcore Title
2005 Justin Lee & Michael Faith became the TPW Tag Team Champions
2011 Michael York & Ignition became the ComPro Tag Team Champions
2011 Brandon Walker def. Steven Sterling for the ComPro Showtime Title
2011 X-Rated (Kevin James Sanchez & David Kyzer) became the SWCW Tag Team Champions
2016 Kareem Sadat def. Dean Lambert for the EmpCW Independent Hardcore Title

Week of Sun 11-01 to Sat: 11-07

11-01 1960 Tony Jiminez & Jesse Jiminez became the TSW Louisiana Tag Team Champions
11-01 1981 Ted DiBiase def. Paul Orndorff for the MSW North American Heavyweight Title
11-01 1982 Al Madril def. Frank Dusek for the WCCW Television Title
11-01 2008 El Hoto def. Martin Justice for the OECW Southwestern Title
11-01 2008 The New Age Syndicate (Scott Sanders & Shawn Matthews III) def. The New York Express (Jeff Knight & Thomas Knight) for the OECW Tag Team Titles
11-01 2013 Steven Sterling def. Bobby Starr for the ComPro Showtime Title
11-01 2014 Guy Atticus became the IZW Impact Division Champion
11-01 2014 Kevin James Sanchez def. Kareem Sadat for the SWCW Hardcore Title
11-01 2019 Brock Landers def. Tego for the ASP Inter-County Title
11-01 2020 Double D became the EPW Heavyweight Champion
11-01 2020 Drake Gallows became the EPW All-American Champion
11-01 2020 Revan became the EPW Internet Television Champion
11-01 2020 The Sidekicks (Kevin James Sanchez & Gemini [2nd]) became the EPW Tag Team Champions
11-01 2020 High Times (Father Padge & Dean Lambert) def. The Sidekicks (Kevin James Sanchez & Gemini [2nd]) for the EPW Tag Team Titles
11-01 2025 Iron Mountain (Duke Blanchard & Jack Davenport) def. The Trendsetters (Andre West & Nelly Rivers) for the WFC Tag Team Titles
11-02 1978 Ray Candy def. Ernie Ladd for the TSW Arkansas Title
11-02 2002 Terry Montana def. Shadow of Death for the OCW Oklahoma Hardcore Title
11-02 2003 Ty Magnus def. John O'Malley for the ACW Hardcore Title
11-02 2003 John O'Malley def. Ty Magnus for the ACW Hardcore Title
11-02 2003 X-Cal def. John O'Malley for the ACW Hardcore Title
11-02 2003 Outcast def. X-Cal for the ACW Hardcore Title
11-02 2013 Kevin Morgan def. Drake Gallows for the IZW Impact Division Title
11-02 2013 What Wrestling Should Be (Jermaine Johnson & Jordan Jacobs) def. Team Bull (The Bronze Bull & Bobby Starr) for the IZW Tag Team Titles
11-02 2013 Miss Diss Lexia def. Erica for the IZW Queens Title
11-02 2014 Les Mayne def. Rick Russo for the MSWA Mid-South Heavyweight Title
11-02 2019 Clint Poe became the EmpCW All American Champion
11-02 2019 War Party (Gorgeous Garcia & Nytronis A’Teo) def. The Saints of Pro Wrestling (Scott Sanders & Shawn Sanders) for the EmpCW Tag Team Titles
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11-02 2019 Karnage def. Naiomi Sanders for the BPW 365 Title
11-02 2019 Unicorn def. Karnage for the BPW 365 Title
11-02 2019 Karnage def. Unicorn for the BPW 365 Title
11-02 2019 C. M. Burnham def. Karnage for the BPW 365 Title
11-02 2019 Karnage def. C. M. Burnham for the BPW 365 Title
11-02 2019 Naomi Sanders def. Karnage for the BPW 365 Title
11-03 2001 The VIP Crew (Rocco Valentino & Vinnie Valentino) def. The Texas Outlaws (Beau Dalton & Butch Dalton) for the OPW Oklahoma Tag Team Titles
11-03 2001 Splash Jackson def. Big Daddy Moore for the OPW Oklahoma Hardcore Title
11-03 2012 The Old School Suckas (Randy Price & Bryan Cruize) def. Big Business (Damon Windsor & Kevin Morgan) for the IZW Tag Team Titles
11-03 2012 Erica def. Angel Blue for the IZW Queens Title
11-03 2018 Damon Windsor def. Randy Price for the WCR Revolutionary Title
11-04 1985 Rick Rude def. King Parsons for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
11-04 1988 Kerry Von Erich def. Jerry Lawler for the WCCW World Title
11-04 2005 Beau Dalton & Bobby Dalton became the SRPW Tag Team Champions
11-05 1979 Jim Garvin & Herb Calvert def. Oki Shikina & Sugar Bear Harris for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
11-05 1980 Hector Guerrero & Ron Sexton def. Ron McFarlane & Doug Somers for the TSW Tag Team Titles
11-05 2002 Jeffrey Parker def. Li'l Joe for the ACW Hardcore Title
11-05 2004 Luc Lapointe def. Prophet for the SRPW Boys and Girls Club Title
11-05 2004 Dirty Harry Sanchez def. Beau Dalton for the SRPW Hardcore Title
11-05 2004 Beau Dalton def. Dirty Harry Sanchez for the SRPW Hardcore Title
11-05 2005 Justin Lee & Michael Faith became the TPW Tag Team Champions
11-05 2011 Michael York & Ignition became the ComPro Tag Team Champions
11-05 2011 Brandon Walker def. Steven Sterling for the ComPro Showtime Title
11-05 2011 X-Rated (Kevin James Sanchez & David Kyzer) became the SWCW Tag Team Champions
11-05 2016 Kareem Sadat def. Dean Lambert for the EmpCW Independent Hardcore Title
11-06 1977 Dick Murdoch def. Jerry Oates for the TSW North American Title
11-06 1978 Jerry Stubbs became the TSW Mississippi Champion
11-06 1999 Joey Casanova became the OPW Oklahoma Light Heavyweight Champion
11-06 2010 Jermaine Johnson def. Aaron Neil for the IZW Heavyweight Title
11-06 2010 Awesome X (Kevin Morgan & Xavior) def. Aerial Assault (Ky-ote Joe & Eric Rose) for the IZW Tag Team Titles
11-06 2021 Koko became the WAH Living Hope Champion
11-06 2021 Tino Valentino became the NCWO Oklahoma Champion
11-06 2021 For God And Country (Pastor Brent & Cpl. Punishment) def. Most Wanted (Dan Webber, Reese, & T-Arsenal) for the WAH Tag Team Titles
11-06 2021 Danni Bee became the NCWO Women's Champion
11-06 2021 Samedi def. Tommy Dean for the CPW Heavyweight Title
11-06 2021 Ky-Ote became the NCWO Choctaw Nation Champion
11-06 2021 Tino Valentino became the NCWO Heavyweight Champion
11-06 2021 Akbar Farat def. Tino Valentino for the NCWO Heavyweight Title
11-06 2022 Jason Jones def. Dimitri Alexandrov for the WFC Prime Title
11-06 2022 Leo Fox became the ASP Mid-American Champion
11-06 2022 Olivier Vegos def. Skylar Slice for the ASP Women's Title
11-06 2022 High Ratings (Maui Mike & Beau Betten) def. Chosen Influence (Malik Mayfield & Luke Richmond) for the ASP Tag Team Titles
11-06 2022 Gatekeeper def. Mr. Nasty for the ASP 5-Star Title
11-06 2022 Tino Valentino became the ASP Heavyweight Champion
11-07 1984 Bill Dundee def. Adrian Street for the MSW Television Title
11-07 2008 The Gentlemen Thugs (Cast-Iron Cothern & Shane Morbid) def. The Old School Express (Jason Jones & Jake Boulder) for the MStW Southern Tag Team Titles
11-07 2009 Dustin Heritage def. Randy Price for the IZW Impact Division Title
11-07 2015 The Terror Squad (D Money & Montego Seeka & Marce Lewis, Nytronis A'Teo & MVP) became the IWR Tag Team Champions

11-05

Jules Strongbow [2nd] Nov 5th Today!
David Jason Rose Nov 5th Today!
Christopher Samuel Dean Nov 5th Today!
Chris Chaos Nov 5th Today!
Bill Decker Nov 5th Today!
Darin Matthews Nov 6th
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Joey Ryan Nov 7th
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1979 Jim Garvin & Herb Calvert def. Oki Shikina & Sugar Bear Harris for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
1980 Hector Guerrero & Ron Sexton def. Ron McFarlane & Doug Somers for the TSW Tag Team Titles
2002 Jeffrey Parker def. Li'l Joe for the ACW Hardcore Title
2004 Luc Lapointe def. Prophet for the SRPW Boys and Girls Club Title
2004 Dirty Harry Sanchez def. Beau Dalton for the SRPW Hardcore Title
2004 Beau Dalton def. Dirty Harry Sanchez for the SRPW Hardcore Title
2005 Justin Lee & Michael Faith became the TPW Tag Team Champions
2011 Michael York & Ignition became the ComPro Tag Team Champions
2011 Brandon Walker def. Steven Sterling for the ComPro Showtime Title
2011 X-Rated (Kevin James Sanchez & David Kyzer) became the SWCW Tag Team Champions
2016 Kareem Sadat def. Dean Lambert for the EmpCW Independent Hardcore Title

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