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Legendary wrestling announcer Jim Ross eager to meet fans at book signing

Legendary wrestling announcer Jim Ross eager to meet fans at book signing

Posted: Nov 28th 2017 By: Gene Guillot

When Jim Ross' wife, Jan, died in March from a brain injury suffered from being hit by a vehicle when she was riding her Vespa motorcycle, he thought about not finishing his latest
book endeavor.

Jan was vital in helping Ross plan out the book, as she encouraged him to discuss problems that he hadn't gone into detail about before - namely sleep apnea and his addiction to prescription medication.

Then, he remembered a lesson he learned from his father when he wanted to quit the ninth grade football team: That quitting is the easiest thing you can do.

So he got back to it, and the result is "Slobberknocker: My Life in Wrestling," which was released this fall, and is a must read for any wrestling fan. Ross will be signing his book this Wednesday (Nov. 29) at the Barnes & Nobles at 3721 Veterans Boulevard from 7 p.m. until hopefully, he's signed for everybody in line.

"She always believed that I was a survivor," Ross said of his wife. "She said I want you to be very honest, and maybe some of the things that you've overcome can help others. I wanted to finish for her sake. It helped me with my grieving."

The book is about overcoming obstacles and reaching your goals, as it winds through his career from promoting his first show while in college in 1974 to calling WrestleManias featuring Stone Cold Steve Austin.

Ross, who was inducted into the World Wrestling Entertainment Hall of Fame in 2007 and is considered by many to be the greatest wrestling announcer of all-time, dedicates 85 pages to his time in Mid-South wrestling, which used the Superdome in New Orleans for its biggest shows.

"There's a lot of great Mid-South stories in there because that's where my career was launched, and New Orleans was our city, the biggest city in the territory," Ross said. "Mid- South is where my career all came together. And you can't tell my story without the Crescent City.

"You knew you were going to make more money in New Orleans than you probably were in any other city in the territory. My first trip there was a big deal, and it's still a big deal. I still get goosebumps (when I'm there). It's a special city, and that's why my signing is going to be fun."

He said meeting fans at the book signings is really helping him cope with the loss of his wife.

"I really need these," said Ross, who hopes some fans bring old Mid-South programs for him to sign. "I love the interaction. The best stories I here are from fans who were there for the big moments. I love hearing those stories. They're just like me, a fan. It's good to get that verbal hug, so to speak. It's good. I'm able to meet people who care about me."

Slobberknocker is an old-school football term used when players didn't wear a facemask, Ross said. When a player got struck real hard in the face, saliva sometimes propelled from his mouth, hence slobber. And since the player got knocked real hard, you had a slobberknocker, which Ross said
he began using in his wrestling commentary in the 1970s.

Ross gave one of his favorite stories from his days in Mid-South wrestling when he was traveling with Andre the Giant in the 1970s.

"The lady at the front desk of the hotel said she would give me $100 for a polaroid of Andre the Giant in full frontal nudity. I asked why. 'I got to know if he's really Andre the Giant,' she said. That was two days of work for me at the time. I told her I couldn't do that. But when I told Andre about the crazy request, he said, 'Why didn't you say yes? We could have split the money.'"

 

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Spotlight in History

  • 1968 The Spoiler & Gary Hart def. Fritz Von Erich & Grizzly Smith for the WCCW American Tag Team Titles
  • 1971 Ramon Torres def. Roger Kirby for the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Title
  • 1978 David Von Erich def. Bruiser Brody for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Title
  • 1979 Oki Shikina & Sugar Bear Harris became the TSW United States Tag Team Champions
  • 2011 Drake Gallows became the BYEW Entertainment Champion
  • 2016 Psycho Sawyer def. Ray Martinez for the SRPW Heavyweight Title
  • 2016 Psycho Sawyer def. Spyder for the SRPW United States Title
  • 2021 Legend Has It (Thrash & Killbane) def. Two Man Sam (Sam Stackhouse & Samuel Savage) for the CPW Tag Team Titles
  • 2022 Team Boner (Drake Gallows & MLP) def. Psychotic Messengers (Maniac Mike & Malachi) for the AIWF Tag Team Titles
  • 2022 MLP def. Duncan Kincaid for the RDW Iron Man Title
  • 2022 Nashoba def. Al Farat for the MajCW 24/7 On Call Title

Week of Sun 09-06 to Sat: 09-12

  • 09-06 2008 The New York Express (Thomas Knight & Jeff Knight) def. The Untouchables (J. D. Rebel & The Enforcer) for the SECW Tag Team Titles
  • 09-06 2008 Martin Justice became the SECW Cruiserweight Champion
  • 09-06 2014 Spanish Wolf (Nathan Estrada & Michael Wolf) def. The New York Express (Jeff Knight & Thomas Knight) for the OECW Tag Team Titles
  • 09-06 2025 Butcher def. Riker for the WFC Hometown Heroes Title
  • 09-06 2025 Iron Mountain (Duke Blanchard & Jack Davenport) def. Toxic Masculinity (Johnny Lightning & Johnny Dynamite) for the WFC Tag Team Titles
  • 09-06 2025 Phil Shark def. Franco D’Angelo for the TexPro Texas Title
  • 09-07 1979 Mark Lewin def. Bruiser Brody for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 09-07 1980 Terry Gibbs became the TSW Tri-State Champion
  • 09-07 1981 Frank Hill & Eric Embry def. Joel Deaton & David Deaton for the TSW Tag Team Titles
  • 09-07 2004 Kenzo Suzuki & Rene Dupree def. Paul London & Billy Kidman for the WWE Smackdown World Tag Team Titles
  • 09-07 2012 Brandon Walker def. Tim Rockwell for the ComPro Heavyweight Title
  • 09-07 2014 Robert Lee def. Striker for the WFC Hometown Heroes Title
  • 09-07 2018 Nikki Knight def. Erica for the MSWA Ladies Title
  • 09-07 2019 Brian Dixon def. Tommy Dean for the BPW Oklahoma Title
  • 09-07 2019 Luke Langley def. Brandon Groom for the BPW Lion Heart Title
  • 09-07 2019 James Southard def. Lake Hefner for the ASP Inter-County Title
  • 09-07 2024 The Subject (Cade Fite & Derek James) def. Toxic Masculinity (Johnny Lightning & Johnny Dynamite) for the WFC Tag Team Titles
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  • 09-08 1947 Leroy McGuirk def. Buddy Rogers for the NWA Midwest World Title
  • 09-08 1958 Danny McShain def. Mad Man Martin for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 09-08 1974 El Gran Markus def. Jose Lothario for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 09-08 1978 Rocky Johnson def. Bruiser Brody for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 09-08 2006 The Patriots (Bad Boy & Glen Steel) def. Aaron Neil & Alexander Lucas (Subbing for Se7en) for the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Titles
  • 09-08 2007 Al Farat became the MSWA Mid-South Heavyweight Champion
  • 09-08 2013 Robert Lee became the WFC Hometown Heroes Champion
  • 09-08 2017 The Cursed (Blade [2nd] & Kuda) def. The Cub Scouts (Brock Landers & Grizzly Gates) for the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Titles
  • 09-08 2018 Anarchy [2nd] def. Garrett Murphy for the NAW Lightweight Title
  • 09-08 2018 Garrett Murphy def. Big Smooth for the NAW Heavyweight Title
  • 09-09 1970 Waldo Von Erich def. Jack Curtis for the TSW Mississippi Title
  • 09-09 1980 The Grappler def. Ted DiBiase for the MSW North American Heavyweight Title
  • 09-09 2002 Papa Voodoo def. HIMM for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 09-09 2002 HIMM def. Papa Voodoo for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 09-09 2011 Michael Barry def. Dustin Heritage for the MWA MAX-Division Title
  • 09-09 2016 One Man Sam def. Brock Landers for the MSWA Mid-South Cruiserweight Title
  • 09-09 2017 Ray Martinez def. Brandon Groom for the BPPW Oklahoma Title
  • 09-09 2017 Tristan Thorne became the ASP 5-Star Champion
  • 09-09 2017 Michael Wolf def. Aaron Anders for the ComPro Heavyweight Title
  • 09-09 2017 Michael Duplanti def. Garrett Murphy for the NAW Lightweight Title
  • 09-09 2023 Johnny Lightning became the WFC Prime Champion
  • 09-09 2023 Tino Valentino def. Derek James for the UWO Heavyweight Title
  • 09-09 2023 Manico became the NAW Openweight Champion
  • 09-09 2023 Manico def. Ryan Reed for the NAW Heavyweight Title
  • 09-09 2023 Martin Justice def. Thomas Knight for the XDWF New GenX Title
  • 09-09 2023 Thomas Knight def. Martin Justice for the XDWF New GenX Title
  • 09-10 1968 The Spoiler & Gary Hart def. Fritz Von Erich & Grizzly Smith for the WCCW American Tag Team Titles
  • 09-10 1971 Ramon Torres def. Roger Kirby for the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Title
  • 09-10 1978 David Von Erich def. Bruiser Brody for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Title
  • 09-10 1979 Oki Shikina & Sugar Bear Harris became the TSW United States Tag Team Champions
  • 09-10 2011 Drake Gallows became the BYEW Entertainment Champion
  • 09-10 2016 Psycho Sawyer def. Ray Martinez for the SRPW Heavyweight Title
  • 09-10 2016 Psycho Sawyer def. Spyder for the SRPW United States Title
  • 09-10 2021 Legend Has It (Thrash & Killbane) def. Two Man Sam (Sam Stackhouse & Samuel Savage) for the CPW Tag Team Titles
  • 09-10 2022 Team Boner (Drake Gallows & MLP) def. Psychotic Messengers (Maniac Mike & Malachi) for the AIWF Tag Team Titles
  • 09-10 2022 MLP def. Duncan Kincaid for the RDW Iron Man Title
  • 09-10 2022 Nashoba def. Al Farat for the MajCW 24/7 On Call Title
  • 09-11 1957 El Medico def. Duke Keomuka for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 09-11 1958 Angelo Savoldi def. Dory Funk for the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Title
  • 09-11 1963 The Bolos (The Great Bolo [1st] & The Mighty Bolo) def. Bill Watts & Jerry Kozak for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
  • 09-11 1967 The Von Erichs (Fritz Von Erich & Waldo Von Erich) def. Brute Bernard & Mike Paidousis for the WCCW American Tag Team Titles
  • 09-11 1967 Danny Hodge & Skandar Akbar def. Chati Yokouchi & Togo Shikuma for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
  • 09-11 1968 Danny Little Bear & Kit Fox def. Jack Dalton [1st] & Frank Dalton for the TSW Louisiana Tag Team Titles
  • 09-11 1978 Bruiser Brody def. Fritz Von Erich for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
  • 09-11 2010 Ryan Reed became the NCW Heavyweight Champion
  • 09-11 2010 The Unknown & Yoshi became the NCW Tag Team Champions
  • 09-11 2010 Aerial Assault (Ky-ote Joe & Eric Rose) def. The Future Hall of Famers (Dane Griffin & Shane Rawls) for the IZW Tag Team Titles
  • 09-11 2010 Team Shake It (Josh Evans & Martin Casaus) def. The D-Stinguished (Elias Castaneda & Arik Angel) for the ACW Tag Team Titles
  • 09-11 2021 Warren Powers def. Drake Gallows for the EPW All-American Title
  • 09-11 2021 Drake Gallows def. Warren Powers for the EPW Internet Television Title
  • 09-11 2021 Revan became the RDW Iron Man Champion
  • 09-11 2021 Most Wanted (Dan Webber & Reese & T-Arsenal) def. The Rejecs LM (Dr. Corvus & Elijah Sparks) for the WAH Tag Team Titles
  • 09-12 1982 King Kong Bundy & Bill Irwin def. The Von Erichs (Kerry Von Erich & Kevin Von Erich) for the WCCW American Tag Team Titles
  • 09-12 1983 Butch Reed & Jim Neidhart def. Magnum T. A. & Jim Duggan for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Titles
  • 09-12 1988 The Samoan SWAT Team (Samu & Fatu) def. John Tatum & Jimmy Jack Funk for the WCCW Texas Tag Team Titles
  • 09-12 2004 Chris Matthews def. Brandon Bishop for the ACW Heavyweight Title
  • 09-12 2009 Bobby Starr def. Kevin James Sanchez for the BYEW Entertainment Title
  • 09-12 2010 Xavior def. Kevin Morgan for the MSWA Oklahoma Title
  • 09-12 2015 Double D def. Aaron Neil for the IZW Impact Division Title
  • 09-12 2015 Erica def. Paige Turner for the IZW Queens Title
  • 09-12 2015 Brad Michaels def. Johnny Z for the IZW Heavyweight Title
  • 09-12 2015 Richie Adams def. Jake O'Brien for the ComPro Heavyweight Title
  • 09-12 2015 Shawn Hernandez became the DI2IW Intercontinenal Champion
  • 09-12 2015 What Wrestling Should Be (Jermaine Johnson & Jordan Jacobs) def. Impact, Inc. (Damon Windsor & Johnny Z) for the IZW Tag Team Titles
  • 09-12 2015 The K. C. Wolves (Graham Bell & Luke Langley) def. What Wrestling Should Be (Jermaine Johnson & Jordan Jacobs) for the IZW Tag Team Titles
  • 09-12 2025 Floyd Maystorm def. Clover Botello for the WAH Hunger Dojo Title
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