[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]

Originally Posted by Chi-Town

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

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.

Originally Posted by 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!

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]

Originally Posted by 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?

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?

Originally Posted by Buffalo Jim

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