Northeast folks

[Mikey Osmond]

Anybody here from the Northeast watch wrestling hosted by the announcer Ray Morgan in the late '50s to early '60s and remember Antonino Rocca, Buddy Rogers, Johnny Valentine, Karl Von Hess, Ricki Starr, Sailor Art Thomas, Cowboy Bob Ellis, Sweet Daddy Siki, Handsome Johnny Barend, Chief Big Heart, The Fabulous Kangaroos, The Graham Brothers, Tolos Brothers, The Bastien Brothers and Mark Lewin/Don Curtis?

[alwann]

Anybody here from the Northeast watch wrestling hosted by the announcer Ray Morgan in the late '50s to early '60s and remember Antonino Rocca, Buddy Rogers, Johnny Valentine, Karl Von Hess, Ricki Starr, Sailor Art Thomas, Cowboy Bob Ellis, Sweet Daddy Siki, Handsome Johnny Barend, Chief Big Heart, The Fabulous Kangaroos, The Graham Brothers, Tolos Brothers, The Bastien Brothers and Mark Lewin/Don Curtis?

Rocca was my grandmother's favorite. She was 83. She thought it was real. "Why doesn't the ref see that Nazi is hiding a piece of glass?"

[Mikey Osmond]

Rocca was my grandmother's favorite. She was 83. She thought it was real. "Why doesn't the ref see that Nazi is hiding a piece of glass?"

Glass? Wow! I've heard of brass knuckles. Sounds like Von Hess was employing some interesting tactics.

[Topspinmo]

In early 60s I remember cowboy bob Giegle, stomper, sheriff sonny Myers mostly in Midwest. Gus Kairus was the promoter.

[BobnBev]

Anybody here from the Northeast watch wrestling hosted by the announcer Ray Morgan in the late '50s to early '60s and remember Antonino Rocca, Buddy Rogers, Johnny Valentine, Karl Von Hess, Ricki Starr, Sailor Art Thomas, Cowboy Bob Ellis, Sweet Daddy Siki, Handsome Johnny Barend, Chief Big Heart, The Fabulous Kangaroos, The Graham Brothers, Tolos Brothers, The Bastien Brothers and Mark Lewin/Don Curtis?

Did you mean Cowboy Bob ORTIN?

[coffeebean]

Anybody here from the Northeast watch wrestling hosted by the announcer Ray Morgan in the late '50s to early '60s and remember Antonino Rocca, Buddy Rogers, Johnny Valentine, Karl Von Hess, Ricki Starr, Sailor Art Thomas, Cowboy Bob Ellis, Sweet Daddy Siki, Handsome Johnny Barend, Chief Big Heart, The Fabulous Kangaroos, The Graham Brothers, Tolos Brothers, The Bastien Brothers and Mark Lewin/Don Curtis?

I grew up on Long Island, NY. I never followed wrestling but I do remember one name.......Bruno Sammartino.

[Mikey Osmond]

Did you mean Cowboy Bob ORTIN?

No, not Orton. He came yrs later. Ellis was a top name in the late '50s and early '60s in several territories.

[davem4616]

My dad used to watch wrestling back in that era, but it was broadcast during the afternoon on Saturday....once and a while I'd watch a match with him.....I never could figure out if he truly believed any of it was real...he got back into watching it big time when he retired in the early 80's

Killer Kowalski was one of his favorites...I seem to recall the show he watched was referred to as "Chicago Big Time Wrestling"...not sure which one of the Boston TV stations carried it

[Stu from NYC]

My dad used to watch wrestling back in that era, but it was broadcast during the afternoon on Saturday....once and a while I'd watch a match with him.....I never could figure out if he truly believed any of it was real...he got back into watching it big time when he retired in the early 80's

Killer Kowalski was one of his favorites...I seem to recall the show he watched was referred to as "Chicago Big Time Wrestling"...not sure which one of the Boston TV stations carried it

When I was a kid many years ago, wrestling was called Bedlam from Boston and believe Kowalski was the star back than

[davem4616]

When I was a kid many years ago, wrestling was called Bedlam from Boston and believe Kowalski was the star back than


Kowalski did run a wrestling school out of Malden, Massachusetts (which is close to Beantown)

[Topspinmo]

Found this site.

Gus Karras << Missouri Wrestling Revival (https://missouriwrestlingrevival.com/tag/gus-karras/)

[charlieo1126@gmail.com]

When I was a kid many years ago, wrestling was called Bedlam from Boston and believe Kowalski was the starback than He had a claw hold he would use ,in later years he had a school for wrestling and some of the modern stars came through he used to work out at a gym in later years in Boston and couldn’t have been more nice

[Stu from NYC]

He had a claw hold he would use ,in later years he had a school for wrestling and some of the modern stars came through he used to work out at a gym in later years in Boston and couldn’t have been more nice

Some years ago there was a wrestler called George the Animal Steele who used to act crazy and wrip apart turnbuckles with his teeth.

Sat near him on a plane once and he could not have been nicer.

[BobnBev]

Some years ago there was a wrestler called George the Animal Steele who used to act crazy and wrip apart turnbuckles with his teeth.

Sat near him on a plane once and he could not have been nicer.

Saw him at a campground in Wyoming....a hairy son of a gun.

[John41]

We watched wrestling when we lived in New Jersey. My sister got Haystack Calhoun’s autograph and talked to him a little at a restaurant. He was a great guy.

[Jima64]

Growing up in Florida, Tampa had a weekly saturday broadcast with Gordon Solee, excused the last name spelling. we regularly saw, sailor art thomas, haystacks calhoun and eddie graham. hiro matsuda and some rotten ruskies also. probably more but this was in the late 50's early 60's. my mom shut the house down each week for this hour of fun wrastling as she called it.

[Stu from NYC]

Growing up in Florida, Tampa had a weekly saturday broadcast with Gordon Solee, excused the last name spelling. we regularly saw, sailor art thomas, haystacks calhoun and eddie graham. hiro matsuda and some rotten ruskies also. probably more but this was in the late 50's early 60's. my mom shut the house down each week for this hour of fun wrastling as she called it.

Forgot about haystacks. For a huge man he sure got around pretty well.

[Buffalo Jim]

Anybody here from the Northeast watch wrestling hosted by the announcer Ray Morgan in the late '50s to early '60s and remember Antonino Rocca, Buddy Rogers, Johnny Valentine, Karl Von Hess, Ricki Starr, Sailor Art Thomas, Cowboy Bob Ellis, Sweet Daddy Siki, Handsome Johnny Barend, Chief Big Heart, The Fabulous Kangaroos, The Graham Brothers, Tolos Brothers, The Bastien Brothers and Mark Lewin/Don Curtis?

I recall many of those guys from those days . I also recall a fellow named " Bo-Bo Brazil " who used his famous " Bo-Bo-But [ a head -but " ]. Bull-Dog Brower , Gorgeous George and " The Masked Marvel . As a kid we lived close to the Canadian Border so some of these guys may have been in a different circuit broadcast over Canadian TV . We also got to watch Wrestling Shows from the old " Buffalo Auditorium ". There was an " old lady " always in that crowd who sat close to the ring and would fling folding chairs at the villain as she shook her fist at him .
Our parents were not amused as their boys decked out in their " long johns " bounced all over the living room acting out " the matches " of the day !
The best at our humble home however was when our parents went out for a while and we played hockey on our Mother`s recently waxed kitchen floor . We " skated " in our sox , wearing 2 pair worked best . Our puck was our Mother`s round vegetable brush and for sticks the brooms in the closet worked just great . And our hockey net ? Well ... turning the kitchen table on it`s side provided the perfect target !

[Buffalo Jim]

Anybody here from the Northeast watch wrestling hosted by the announcer Ray Morgan in the late '50s to early '60s and remember Antonino Rocca, Buddy Rogers, Johnny Valentine, Karl Von Hess, Ricki Starr, Sailor Art Thomas, Cowboy Bob Ellis, Sweet Daddy Siki, Handsome Johnny Barend, Chief Big Heart, The Fabulous Kangaroos, The Graham Brothers, Tolos Brothers, The Bastien Brothers and Mark Lewin/Don Curtis?

I recall many of those guys from those days . I also recall a fellow named " Bo-Bo Brazil " who used his famous " Bo-Bo-But [ a head -but " ]. Bull-Dog Brower , Gorgeous George and " The Masked Marvel . As a kid we lived close to the Canadian Border so some of these guys may have been in a different circuit broadcast over Canadian TV . We also got to watch Wrestling Shows from the old " Buffalo Auditorium ". There was an " old lady " always in that crowd who sat close to the ring and would fling folding chairs at the villain as she shook her fist at him .
Our parents were not amused as their boys decked out in their " long johns " bounced all over the living room acting out " the matches " of the day !
The best at our humble home however was when our parents went out for a while and we played hockey on our Mother`s recently waxed kitchen floor . We " skated " in our sox , wearing 2 pair worked best . Our puck was our Mother`s round vegetable brush and for sticks the brooms in the closet worked just great . And our hockey net ? Well ... turning the kitchen table on it's side provided the perfect target !

[bilcon]

Early 50's on Long Island. Bet you don't remember "The Golden Superman". How about "Hat Pin Mary" She used to sit in row one and if anyone of the wrestlers got dirty, she would jab them with her hat pin. (seriously) Remember also "Friday Nights at the Fights."

[Pinball wizard]

Don't forget Bialo the Giant!

[Mikey Osmond]

I recall many of those guys from those days . I also recall a fellow named " Bo-Bo Brazil " who used his famous " Bo-Bo-But [ a head -but " ]. Bull-Dog Brower , Gorgeous George and " The Masked Marvel . As a kid we lived close to the Canadian Border so some of these guys may have been in a different circuit broadcast over Canadian TV . We also got to watch Wrestling Shows from the old " Buffalo Auditorium ". There was an " old lady " always in that crowd who sat close to the ring and would fling folding chairs at the villain as she shook her fist at him .
Our parents were not amused as their boys decked out in their " long johns " bounced all over the living room acting out " the matches " of the day !
The best at our humble home however was when our parents went out for a while and we played hockey on our Mother`s recently waxed kitchen floor . We " skated " in our sox , wearing 2 pair worked best . Our puck was our Mother`s round vegetable brush and for sticks the brooms in the closet worked just great . And our hockey net ? Well ... turning the kitchen table on it`s side provided the perfect target !

Brazil, George and Brower were other major names then. Read that wrestling was shown on the DuMont Network coming from different areas (e.g. Boston, Chicago). Many of the wrestlers I mentioned were featured on a program broadcasting from DC on Thursday nights. Ray Morgan was the announcer. Perhaps you might've seen that program.

Early 50's on Long Island. Bet you don't remember "The Golden Superman". How about "Hat Pin Mary" She used to sit in row one and if anyone of the wrestlers got dirty, she would jab them with her hat pin. (seriously) Remember also "Friday Nights at the Fights."

You would be correct. Just heard of those names. Friday Nights at the Fights was boxing, no?

[collector0915]

My favorites were Johnny Valentine and Cowboy Bob Ellis; loved it when they defeated Buddy Rogers in the tag-team championship
match. Also liked Argentine Apollo (Terror of the Pampas). Fond memories of days gone by.

[Tom Hannon]

I believe Gorilla Monsoon from Manchuria was acrually an English Teacher from New Jersey

Not sure if Rumors were true or not but something to bounce around

[Buffalo Jim]

Anyone recall a guy named " Yukon Eric " ? Haystack Wright ? Illio Dipallo ? [ Illio ran a great restaurant near Buffalo NY for many years . Jim Kelly former Bills QB became good friends with him and was often seen dining there . ]

[Mikey Osmond]

My favorites were Johnny Valentine and Cowboy Bob Ellis; loved it when they defeated Buddy Rogers in the tag-team championship
match. Also liked Argentine Apollo (Terror of the Pampas). Fond memories of days gone by.

Didn't know Apollo was called "Terror of the Pampas. I knew that Pampero Firpo was called "Wild Bull of the Pampas" though. Read about the Cowboy Bob Ellis and Johnny Valentine tag title win over Buddy Rogers and Handsome Johnny Barend as part of the feud between Rogers and Ellis which involved Ellis becoming the first to reverse the Figure-Four Leglock.

Anyone recall a guy named " Yukon Eric " ? Haystack Wright ? Illio Dipallo ? [ Illio ran a great restaurant near Buffalo NY for many years . Jim Kelly former Bills QB became good friends with him and was often seen dining there . ]

I know of Illio Dipaolo and Yukon Eric. Eric is the one whose ear was knocked off via a kneedrop from Killer Kowalski, no? Not familiar w/ Haystack Wright though.

[Stu from NYC]

I believe Gorilla Monsoon from Manchuria was acrually an English Teacher from New Jersey

Not sure if Rumors were true or not but something to bounce around

Think I remember that

[Chi-Town]

My dad used to watch wrestling back in that era, but it was broadcast during the afternoon on Saturday....once and a while I'd watch a match with him.....I never could figure out if he truly believed any of it was real...he got back into watching it big time when he retired in the early 80's

Killer Kowalski was one of his favorites...I seem to recall the show he watched was referred to as "Chicago Big Time Wrestling"...not sure which one of the Boston TV stations carried it

Chicago was a big professional wrestling city back in the day. You can watch Buddy Rogers and Killer Kowalski go 2 out if 3 falls in this video.

1960's Wrestling Champions TV Kohler's Chicago Buddy Rogers Killer Kowalski Maurice Barend - YouTube (https://youtu.be/gkyoExfSPv0)

[Mikey Osmond]

Chicago was a big professional wrestling city back in the day. You can watch Buddy Rogers and Killer Kowalski go 2 out if 3 falls in this video.

1960's Wrestling Champions TV Kohler's Chicago Buddy Rogers Killer Kowalski Maurice Barend - YouTube (https://youtu.be/gkyoExfSPv0)

Do you recall a program that had wrestling out of Bridgeport on Saturdays?

[Chi-Town]

Do you recall a program that had wrestling out of Bridgeport on Saturdays?

Don't remember a program from Bridgeport. I do remember the program out of the Marigold Arena on Chicago's north side. It was on Saturday tv for quite a few years.

Wrestling from Marigold - Wikipedia (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wrestling_from_Marigold)

[Doctor Who]

OK so I'm from NJ ....Van Hess lived in a trailer park in Avenel... we went there with beers in hand to drink with him when we were in HS. 1961... Great fun!

[Mikey Osmond]

Don't remember a program from Bridgeport. I do remember the program out of the Marigold Arena on Chicago's north side. It was on Saturday tv for quite a few years.

Wrestling from Marigold - Wikipedia (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wrestling_from_Marigold)

Ahh! Heard about the promoter Fred Kohler. He often imported talent from Vince McMahon Sr. The program out of Bridgeport that I mentioned was one of McMahon's main programs and aired in Chicago in the early '60s IIRC.

OK so I'm from NJ ....Van Hess lived in a trailer park in Avenel... we went there with beers in hand to drink with him when we were in HS. 1961... Great fun!

Oh wow! I got a few acquaintances on Facebook who knew Von Hess.

[FredJacobs]

You forgot about "Gorgeous George" Wagner.

[Buffalo Jim]

I recall " Gorgeous George " . I can remember that at least for a portion of his career he would have someone step into the ring with a " pest sprayer " and act as if he was spraying the ring for bugs .

Sometimes the guy would spray at the waiting opponent . George would prance around in his corner often while draped in some type of cape and entertaining the crowd by showing off his hair-do !

[Mikey Osmond]

Can't forget about Gorgeous George. He inspired many even non-wrestlers (e.g. Muhammad Ali). The only reason I didn't mention him was b/c he wasn't a mainstay of the territory promoted by Vince McMahon Sr. Read that his main program was broadcasted from DC aired on Thursday nights on Channel 5 in NYC.

On a related note I'm currently taking nominations for the hall of fame on my site. If anybody who remembers the wrestlers I mentioned is interested PM me.

[Buffalo Jim]

Favorite Tag-Teams or Tag-Team Matches ?

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Professional Wrestling (or Rassling as Guy Manila used to call it) is basically soap operas for men.

[justjim]

My Mom use to watch wrestling every chance she got on tv. You couldn’t tell her it was all entertainment. We are from the Midwest. I saw one match live when we lived in Nashville, Tn. I was in college and our landlord gave us the tickets. It was obviously so fake that I didn’t watch anymore on television unless I accidentally came across wrestling on tv and wanted a laugh.

[UpNorth]

I saw many of these guys back in the day. I will never forget one Friday night when they ran matches at my high school football stadium. Took a peek into the locker room through a window before the show started. All the performers were sitting around together, drinking beer, laughing and having a good time. In the ring, they were mortal enemies. That settled the debate in my mind as to if wrestling was fake or not.

[camaguey48]

Anybody here from the Northeast watch wrestling hosted by the announcer Ray Morgan in the late '50s to early '60s and remember Antonino Rocca, Buddy Rogers, Johnny Valentine, Karl Von Hess, Ricki Starr, Sailor Art Thomas, Cowboy Bob Ellis, Sweet Daddy Siki, Handsome Johnny Barend, Chief Big Heart, The Fabulous Kangaroos, The Graham Brothers, Tolos Brothers, The Bastien Brothers and Mark Lewin/Don Curtis?
The. Great Malenko vs Eddie Graham. Epic battles.The evil Russian against the All-American boy.

[Mikey Osmond]

Any more NYC/Long Island/NJ natives who remember the wrestlers I mentioned?

Favorite Tag-Teams or Tag-Team Matches ?

Wrestlers.

[stadry]

watched this fellow get out of a mud-laden lincoln 1 nite & walk into the binghamton, ny, masonic temple,,, he was dressed in traditional lumberjack clothing - jeans, boots, flannel shirt - & minus 1 ear,,, it was yukon eric,,, i might have been 13/14 & this guy was HUGE ! think it was kowalski who relieved him of it
recall 1 of the syracuse football players going 'pro wrestling' - maybe 30yrs ago ? know there was a school they had to attend to learn the gymnastic moves of the 'sport' so no one would get hurt

[Stu from NYC]

While pregnant my wife loved Ivan Putsky. After son and than daughter were born totally lost her interest.

[Yung Dum]

I remember most of these guys. You left out my most-hated villain-Hans Schmidt. And don't forget Red Berry, the evil manager of the Kangaroos.

[artie7221954@gmail.com]

Anyone remember chief jay strongbow or captain lou albano

[bandsdavis]

My dad used to watch wrestling back in that era, but it was broadcast during the afternoon on Saturday....once and a while I'd watch a match with him.....I never could figure out if he truly believed any of it was real...he got back into watching it big time when he retired in the early 80's

Killer Kowalski was one of his favorites...I seem to recall the show he watched was referred to as "Chicago Big Time Wrestling"...not sure which one of the Boston TV stations carried it

Same with me and my Dad. We only got 4 stations in southeastern NH at the time, and I want to think it was the Boston NBC affiliate, WBZ that showed the matches on Saturday afternoons. When I was about 12, we went to an afternoon match in Boston that included both The Killer and Bruno Sammartino, then we went to a Sox game (my first) for a night game. What a day!

[tophcfa]

As a northeastern person I have more memories of Candlepin Bowling, Snurfing, and Roller Derby.

[Hape2Bhr]

As a northeastern person I have more memories of Candlepin Bowling, Snurfing, and Roller Derby.

Dang, Candlepin Bowling...I once carried a 120+ average; used to bowl 50/60 strings a week.

Back to rassling...was Frank Scarpa just a local performer? He often wrestled Killer Kowalski.

[Mikey Osmond]

Dang, Candlepin Bowling...I once carried a 120+ average; used to bowl 50/60 strings a week.

Back to rassling...was Frank Scarpa just a local performer? He often wrestled Killer Kowalski.

I don't believe so. He went to different areas. Later he became Chief Jay Strongbow.

[TimeForChange]

Anybody here from the Northeast watch wrestling hosted by the announcer Ray Morgan in the late '50s to early '60s and remember Antonino Rocca, Buddy Rogers, Johnny Valentine, Karl Von Hess, Ricki Starr, Sailor Art Thomas, Cowboy Bob Ellis, Sweet Daddy Siki, Handsome Johnny Barend, Chief Big Heart, The Fabulous Kangaroos, The Graham Brothers, Tolos Brothers, The Bastien Brothers and Mark Lewin/Don Curtis?

Last time I watched fake wrestling was in my teens and I only remember Gorgeous George was still wrestling.

[mneumann02]

Anybody here from the Northeast watch wrestling hosted by the announcer Ray Morgan in the late '50s to early '60s and remember Antonino Rocca, Buddy Rogers, Johnny Valentine, Karl Von Hess, Ricki Starr, Sailor Art Thomas, Cowboy Bob Ellis, Sweet Daddy Siki, Handsome Johnny Barend, Chief Big Heart, The Fabulous Kangaroos, The Graham Brothers, Tolos Brothers, The Bastien Brothers and Mark Lewin/Don Curtis?

Many of these stars appeared at Wrestling at the Chase in the 1950's in St. Louis. Cowboy Bob Ellis's signature move was a headlock, then run the guy across the ring, and drop down with him still in the headlock. Add Lou Thesz and Harley Race to the list. I once sat on a plane with World Champion Roddy Rowdy Piper. He was such a gentle sole in person. Could not get him to quit calling me "Sir." Thanks for helping all of us remember our youth.

[newkid]

Who remembers Fabulous Moolah, queen of the lady wrestlers?

[UpNorth]

Who remembers Fabulous Moolah, queen of the lady wrestlers?

Lady wrestling - that was da bomb! Also midget wrestling - talk about "politically incorrect" today. But I bet they still do "dwarf tossing" at bars in Australia:icon_wink:

[inda50]

How about Bruno Sammartio

WWE pays tribute to Bruno Sammartino - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eexNxVBJlcY)

[Hape2Bhr]

I don't believe so. He went to different areas. Later he became Chief Jay Strongbow.

I believe you may be confusing Frank Scarpa with Joe Scarpa. Frank was a local Boston wrestler, while I believe Joe was from the Pennsylvania area.

Another KK foe that comes to mind is Pepper Gomez.

[davefin]

Haystacks Calhoun my fav!

[Mikey Osmond]

How about Bruno Sammartio

WWE pays tribute to Bruno Sammartino - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eexNxVBJlcY)

Sammartino was the man. Amazing how many times he sold out Madison Square Garden. Did you remember the other names I mentioned?

I believe you may be confusing Frank Scarpa with Joe Scarpa. Frank was a local Boston wrestler, while I believe Joe was from the Pennsylvania area.

Another KK foe that comes to mind is Pepper Gomez.

Ahhh! The program they were featured on was Bedlam From Boston, no?

[Hape2Bhr]

Ahhh! The program they were featured on was Bedlam From Boston, no?[/QUOTE]

That rings a bell (pun intended).