Wrestling MarketWatch: Goin’ South!

We’re goin’ south! A little trip back to the southern wrestling territories and promotions, that is. It’s truly fascinating how something like professional wrestling could have different flavors wherever you went in the country or even the world. The presentation, the in-ring style and even the fans themselves could be as different as night and day from region to region. Even more interesting, and perhaps worthy of some sort of study, is how many wrestlers were able to adapt going from area to area. Even still, why did some flounder upon moving? Regardless, in this latest edition of MarketWatch we’re going to look at a few items from the southern wrestling territories. Grab your Diet Cheerwine and a drumstick from Bojangles, we’re headed for Dixie!

*While traces of the territorial system still exist and certainly independent promotions in some areas will differ from others, the wrestling landscape is largely a different animal nowadays. The last true territory in the eyes of many people was Jim Cornette’s Smoky Mountain Wrestling. From 1991 to 1995 the promotion used a mix of established stars and up-and-comers to reflect Cornette’s vision of what wrestling should be. To this day the shows and matches from SMW thrill fans, but there just wasn’t enough support at the time to keep it afloat. Not only does Corny need to make a return to public appearances, but why not give SMW another shot? I think we need another dose of quality southern wrestling. The very first SMW Ringside Report recently sold for $38.

*Another man who had his hand in not only the on-air portion of the product but also the behind-the-scenes aspect of southern wrestling was “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes. You know that Dusty is one of the G.O.A.T.’s around this blog, so I won’t go into all of his accomplishments yet again. You also know of the beloved Mello Yello ad-campaign that Dusty helmed in a deal with Jim Crockett Promotions thanks to several blog entries and the great commercials on YouTube. The Mello Yello cans featuring the mugs of various NWA stars are highly collected to this day and not always the easiest to find. The aluminum masterpiece featuring The Dream himself recently sold for $60. I really miss Mello Yello Zero. Just sayin’.

*It’s sort of a trend that we’re featuring stars who were as prominent behind the scenes as they were on camera. Ole Anderson is another that fits the bill. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it a million times more: for as much as it’s written that Ole is grumpy this and opinionated that, he was always great to me. Always willing to sign autographs, take photos and, especially, talk. The word is that his health has plummeted in recent years and I wish nothing but the best for him. Talk about real promos and a real wrestling style. Ole wrote the book on both. He also had the book for Georgia Championship Wrestling. The July 1980 Georgia Ringsider program, featuring a shot of an irate Ole being interviewed by Gordon Solie, recently sold for $27.

*If you’re talking the south, southern wrestling and southern boys you have to be talking Michael P.S. Hayes. Wrestling’s original bad boy and the leader of The Fabulous Freebirds. (What’s your excuse?) He was wrestling’s equivalent to a southern rocker, lived the life and even lived to tell about it. He also cut a record that has been prominently featured here on the blog many times over the years. When I see a photo that appeared here in the blog show up elsewhere, it’s usually because no one else has ever written much about a particular item. Well, my original shot of the “Off The Streets” album has appeared everywhere around the globe. Accompanying this paragraph is a new one, now complete with signatures, just ready to be shared and shared and shared. A sealed copy of this infamous album recently sold for $450.

*No discussion that includes southern wrestling and music is complete without “The Mouth of the South” Jimmy Hart. The former member of The Gentry’s broke into wrestling largely because of his musical fame and found a way to bring all of his talents together. It’s hard to believe that in just a few months we’ll be celebrating the 80^th birthday of The Mouth! Even more amazing is that he’s still the hardest working man in wrestling. If you’re a fan of meeting wrestling legends and you still haven’t met Jimmy Hart, you just aren’t trying. This time we’re not looking at any of his records but rather a classic Memphis “Action Ringside” program featuring The Mouth looking very much in pain…in his Superman attire. A copy of this program recently sold for $40.

As always with our MarketWatch blog entries the prices shown are for unsigned examples despite the photos displaying otherwise. The old southern territories had a certain energy that lives on through great memorabilia like this. Like many of you in just a few days I plan on going south for the love of classic professional wrestling. It’s simply a different world and I love every second. A great southern wrestling fan, the late Peggy Lathan, once said to me, “Josh, you’re southern at heart.” I treasure those words even more than the items that you see here.

“Hey, do you know who you are???”

Pro wrestling is a completely different world these days and in more ways than one. Not only is the in-ring product and presentation completely different from what many of us originally fell in love with, but fandom outside of the ring has changed, too. The stars who were once “larger-than-life” occasionally appear less than so these days and it isn’t always their physical appearance. It’s accessabilty. The ease of meeting your favorite stars. Heck, I’m sure some fans try and engage their wrestling heroes on a daily basis via social media. Of course, for many of us this means that obtaining the almighty autograph has become an easier task, even if those signatures don’t necessarily look as nice anymore. What’s with this signing initials trend among the young wrestlers? Anyway, let’s go back to the days when wrestling conventions and fanfests weren’t a thing, meeting your grappling heroes was a rare occasion and getting an autograph was something you remembered for years.

Keep in mind that no one is discounting the ease of meeting wrestlers of today. Technology has made it a smaller world and less and less can be kept mysterious or even secretive as the wrestling business used to be. While organized ways of hobnobbing with wrestlers weren’t as prevalent years ago, adventurous fans could find ways to do just that. Mileage would vary, especially depending on if your favorite wrestler was a “good guy” or a “bad guy,” but I know of very few wrestlers who don’t have at least a couple of fan stories out there. Getting an autograph on a program or an index card outside of a locker room or in a nearby all-night diner is probably the basis for most of the stories that we’ve all heard. Remember that fan clubs were a huge deal in the ‘60s and ‘70s. If the star or stars were particularly engaged with their fan club, organized meetings were not unheard of. Considering that this was the age of the wrestling territory, a quick meeting with fans in one of the local towns was probably music to the ears of those in the local office. This was before charity become the name of the game, so going out and becoming even more engaged with your weekly paying fans could only help.

Perhaps the biggest fan club of the time was also a governing body of sorts for those groups. It spawned what many would consider to be the original wrestling conventions. This group was the W.F.I.A. – Wrestling Fans International Association. I’ve written about the W.F.I.A. before both here and on social media. The glory years of the group were roughly the late ‘60s to the mid ‘80s. The organization (which counted Jim Cornette, Candi Devine and Juanita “Sapphire” Wright among its members) would annually partner with a wrestling territory and hold a convention in one of the cities that the promotion ran. A wrestling show, banquet and awards ceremony were among the activities. Wrestlers of both “allegiances” would attend and pictures from these events are often mind-blowing considering as how “kayfabe” was in full effect at the time. Stories from these events are still widely told by those who were there and I’ve long pushed the idea that a book chronicling the W.F.I.A. needs to be written.

The territory which seemed to promote the most fan interaction may well have been Memphis. The book “Rags, Paper and Pins: The Merchandising of Memphis Wrestling” by Jim Cornette and Mark James is not only one of my favorite wrestling books but is required reading for anyone fascinated with the early days of wrestlers outside the ring. Wrestlers actually signing photos sold at gimmick tables? No, this isn’t ‘90s indy wrestling – it’s the legendary Memphis territory! While other areas also did this I’m sure, Memphis surely deserves the most credit for pioneering it. Every so often you will hear of other areas having a wrestler appear to sign autographs before the show, but I do wonder how often they really happened as advertised? I can’t imagine it being a deal breaker back then if it didn’t take place. Nowadays grown men would be throwing fits. You can read more about this great book here and it’s still available to purchase, as well!

As we went into the ‘80s and the “Rock n’ Wrestling” era boom, appearances seemed more and more prevalent. Our favorite stars began appearing at store grand openings, car shows and pretty much anywhere that you’d see a star of another sport, actor or plain old celebrity make an appearance. It was mainstream and fans no longer had to crowd into a dank hotel ballroom or wait on a chance encounter at Denny’s after a show. Fans had the chance to schmooze with the likes of “Macho Man” Randy Savage and Miss Elizabeth at video store signings, Big John Studd at The World of Wheels car show or even sit on Sgt. Slaughter’s lap at a local electronics store. You didn’t think that I’d pass up the chance to throw one of my favorite pictures up on the blog yet again, did you? By the early ‘90s the fabled conventions run by John Arezzi began to get coverage and featured appearances that fans can only dream of today by names like Buddy Rogers, Kerry Von Erich, Woman, Lou Thesz and even The Sheik!

In modern times there are virtually endless ways to get the autographs of your favorites. WWE Axxess (which we should be discussing the beginnings of in a few weeks here…) and various conventions are obviously the biggest, but these days you can even just log into Facebook, watch a virtual signing and purchase an autographed photo right from the comfort of your chair. I’d argue that the “golden age” of wrestling conventions is over. I’d say that it ran for about five years roughly 12-15 years ago. While there are still many conventions and similar events, with so many of the legends now gone it just isn’t the same. That era is a book in itself and I know who the author will be. Heatseeking missiles will be incoming for me, no doubt.

People have often asked me to write more about meet and greets, conventions and other similar entities. I don’t  do it often, but when I do it’s fun to integrate it with advertisements for such things which are now pieces of memorabilia all their own. I can also say that it’s a pleasure when wrestling, maybe more than any other sport, has so many stars who truly appreciate their fans. There are some bad apples as in any bunch, but there have been countless times where I’ve seen joy on wrestlers faces when hearing stories, looking at old memorabilia or just being thanked for their work. Even for people who are used to thousands of fans cheering for them, the words of just one person can mean the world. I also think that wrestlers can often relate to their fans better than any other kind of celebrity. After all, we’re all just crazy people caught up in the same crazy world of professional wrestling.

The Immortal King

It’s hard to believe that it’s been ten years since we were reflecting on the life and career of Jerry “The King” Lawler here on the blog. Lawler had just suffered his heart attack following a match on WWE Raw and while the news was encouraging it was still a scary situation that hasn’t been forgotten to this day. The King is in my top ten of all-time for a multitude of reasons. Now in 2022 he’s not only celebrating a decade of survival following that terrible incident but also his 52^nd year in the wrestling business! 

Jerry Lawler was the fifth star that I met in the wrestling business. He was also the name that finally drew me to attend an indy show. I didn’t regret it then and the countless times that I’ve encountered him since have been just as pleasurable. Upon meeting him you can tell that The King simply loves life. He truly seems to enjoy attending the never-ending amount of shows that he is booked for and always leaves fans with a good memory. Have I mentioned that he has one of the nicest signatures in wrestling? Actually, I’ve done an entire blog entry or two on it. The artist in Lawler absolutely shines in his penmanship. From picking up items signed decades ago, it’s obvious that the signature has been that nice throughout his career. 

The first action figure release of The King was a huge deal to me. When he was first released as part of Jakks WWF Bad Boys series in 1997, many were most excited for the first figure of Stone Cold Steve Austin or even Hunter Hearst Helmsley. While I enjoyed the entire series, the crown jewel of the lineup for me was The King. Though it was the beginning of “The Attitude Era,” my mind was on the fact that the scale of the figure worked very well with the Remco AWA figures of a decade earlier. Finally classic matches pitting The King against Nick Bockwinkel and Curt Hennig among others could be recreated! Jakks would periodically release Lawler as their WWF/WWE license continued over the years, but they did a true glowing tribute to Memphis Wrestling in the legendary Classic Superstars line when Andy Kaufman was produced to battle The King. Released as both a single figure and in a two-pack with Lawler, Kaufman was a deep dive that continues to help cement the line’s legacy as one of the greatest. 

Mattel has been very generous with Lawler releases. While the company was somewhat wishy-washy on the inclusion of legends up until around four or five years ago, we’ve seen a total of four releases from the company with at least one more on the way. The first, a representation of modern Lawler, may still remain my favorite. The second was a WWE Hall of Fame figure release which featured the same entrance gear as the first figure but looked similar to the Jakks Classic Superstars releases. The most recent Elite release features Lawler in the look that he wore for his first few years in the WWF. It’s a style that will be duplicated in the upcoming Mattel Retro figure of The King that will allow collectors to add him to their Hasbro-sized worlds at long last. A modern commentator version has also been done and there are plenty more looks to choose from should we be lucky enough to get more. The WWE Superstars line is designed to reflect the aforementioned Remco AWA figures of the ‘80s. While I still love the similarly-scaled Jakks release of a quarter century ago, Jerry Lawler needs to become part of this line, too. 

The King isn’t just a toy. He’s a singer, too! He’s told me on multiple occasions that his records weren’t released, they escaped, but don’t listen to the legend! The King’s records are among my favorite collectibles of him and from the Memphis territory itself. Not only does he have his own LPs and 45 singles, but he also did the artwork for the original release of Jimmy Hart’s Outrageous Conduct album. Looking at the albums, didn’t Lawler even look like a musical star from the ‘70s? That great goatee certainly sells it! I recall talk of The King’s musical work being re-released some time ago but haven’t heard anything since. The albums do come up for auction now and then. 

For as big a star as he was for decades, The King doesn’t have as many magazine cover appearances as he probably deserved. Inside those magazines, however, he certainly got a ton of press. I can still remember a time when I had simply read a ton about Jerry “The King” Lawler and hadn’t ever actually seen him wrestle. Thanks to odd-hour wrestling shows and the magic of videotape that did eventually change and my fandom for The King only grew. He does have one legendary magazine cover that is popular to this day, the August 1984 issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated. It’s an amazing portrait of The King shown in his famous one-strap singlet donning, of course, that goatee. It even recently made a cameo in the Wonder Woman ’84 motion picture! That isn’t his only magazine cover, of course, with another fan favorite being from the WWF in July 1995 where The King of Memphis is joined by other royalty such as “Don King,” King Kong Bundy and even “The King of Rock & Roll!” 

While he may not have had as many magazine covers as a Ric Flair or a Dusty Rhodes, The King may beat them all out as far as program covers. It’s hard not to find a Memphis wrestling program that doesn’t feature The King (one was showcased on this blog just weeks ago!) and considering his multiple decades on top there it really isn’t a surprise. Copies of the Memphis promotion’s Action Ringside program featuring Lawler covers can regularly be found on eBay. Considering their age, most showcase great shots of The King in funky period fashions! Another popular appearance is on the cover of the AWA SuperClash III program where Lawler is facing off with Kerry Von Erich. This one unfortunately doesn’t show up all that often as I’ve found out with all of the offers that I receive any time that I feature it. It’s a treasure for sure. 

The crown (originally borrowed from Bobby Shane!). The goatee. The signature. The strap. The piledriver. All reasons to love The King. He’s entertained us for over half a century with no end in sight. AWA, WWF, USWA or Memphis, he was royalty in all. Teaming or feuding with the likes of Jackie Fargo, Bill Dundee, Randy Savage and even Bret Hart, he always brought his best to the table and drew money wherever he was working. Isn’t that what it’s all about? Most smart wrestlers would tell you that. Me? I think it’s more those records, figures, and programs…

From The Musty Yellowed Pages--Memphis Action Ringside Program 11/9/1977

Just like the existing promotions of today, each wrestling territory had its own flavor. I’ve always considered myself a lucky wrestling fan in that I can really find something to like in any style of the sport we love. Watching classic wrestling I can flip from show to show, promotion to promotion, style to style without a second thought. One area that has always stood out to me was Memphis. It was almost the perfect blend. You had great stars, a wild fanbase, hard-hitting wrestling and even a solid dose of what we would now call “sports entertainment.” Some of the content may not have held up as is the case in many other promotions, yet simultaneously a lot of the product was ahead of its time. I’ve also been very fortunate to have met many of the key players from the glory days of the promotion. Jerry Lawler, Jackie Fargo, Lance Russell, Jerry Jarrett. The list goes on and on. Now, if you want a true history lesson in Memphis wrestling you’ll take some advice that I’ve given before on this blog and head over to MarkJamesBooks.com. In addition to being a great guy (and Hall of Famer!), Mark is the absolute authority on Memphis and its many wrestling greats. In fact, he has co-authored many of their autobiographies!

Today we’re going more for some fun nostalgia than a history lesson. There were various types of programs published by the Memphis promotion over the years from the digest-sized “Slam-O-Gram” to the “Action Ringside” programs. It’s an example of the latter that we’re paging through here. On the Action Ringside covers you’ll often see one of the iconic names of the promotion in a black and white photo. On this example we have Jerry Lawler, Jimmy Valiant, Superstar Bill Dundee, Norvell Austin, Dennis Condrey and Phil Hickerson. The date? Nearly forty-five years ago on November 9, 1977. The location? Evansville, IN. Always the trooper, it appears that The King was doing double-duty in our huge Double Main Event. One match was slated to be Lawler and Dundee taking on Jimmy and Johnny Valiant while Lawler would also team with Norvell Austin to go against Phil Hickerson and Dennis Condrey. Midnight Express fans would take interest in the latter as the match features pioneering members of the team on opposing sides. The card was also set to feature The Great Mephisto against Scott Casey, Mr. Wrestling against Ken Dillenger and Terry Gordie against David Shultz. The spelling was a bit off but that last listed match obviously features Terry “Bam Bam” Gordy (at just sixteen years of age) against “Dr. D” David Schultz. If that was an opener you get the feeling that it did its job in getting the crowd going. 

This is one of the thinner Memphis programs that I’ve come across. Really it’s a total of six pages if you include the front and back cover. Still, the promotion smartly used every bit of space on each page. Interestingly, the program only advertises and promotes the wrestling stars, shows and other inter-promotional interests. There aren’t any ads for local sponsors such as restaurants, retail stores or insurance agencies as you’d often see in other territorial programs. The Jarrett-Welch promotion wanted to promote one thing: wrestling. It certainly shows here. I’d definitely be interested in locating some of the materials from the Dundee-Lawler Fan Club that is advertised. If the quality of the membership card was anything like that of Jimmy Valiant’s (which is almost vinyl and still shines), there very well could be some sitting around in a dusty Tennessee attic. The other Samoan tag team of the ‘70s, Tio and Tapu, are shown here as well. 

The next two pages are chalk full of photos and interesting bits. David “Shultz” is shown along with Mike Stark. The duo was said to be forming a team. Territorial wrestler Bill Howard is shown as “Ratamyas.” Most interesting is the half-page ad announcing that The Gentry’s would be “coming here soon” in concert with special guest Jerry Lawler. It isn’t truly clear if they’d be coming to Evansville or not, but we all know where this would end up. As prominently shown, Jimmy Hart was a member of the group best remembered for their hit “Keep On Dancin.” The rest is history. At nearly 80, Jimmy Hart is still one of the hardest working men in pro wrestling. He makes countless appearances and in addition to being one of the nicest people in the business always makes sure that fans walk away with a smile on their face. He’s gotten a huge kick out of the many Memphis items that I’ve brought to signings over the years. I could definitely do several entries just on “The Merchandise of The Mouth,” and in fact I already have. We finish off this section with the written word of “Kangaroo” Al Costello seemingly telling us that wrestlers are not bigoted. Costello managed the team of Condrey and Hickerson on this night. 

We close the book with a photographic look at four “Fan Favorites” as the page proudly proclaims. Fresh-faced youngsters are featured, to be sure. We’ve got Scott Casey, Bill Dundee, Robert Gibson and our teenaged sensation Terry Gordie. Dundee, likely the oldest of the bunch here in his 30s, definitely looks to be channeling Elvis here as he often did, just months after the passing of “The King of Rock n’ Roll.” Robert Gibson, mustache and all, is definitely doing his best to be the number one heartthrob in the territory here, years before The Rock N’ Roll Express would be born in this exact promotion. Casey is mainly remembered for his work in Texas and his WWF run (highlighted by his 1988 Survivor Series appearance) but he’s missing his familiar mustache here. Perhaps Gibson borrowed it? Last but not least we have the man who would become a Freebird in a few years. Honestly, he looks like a thicker Bryan Danielson here! Terry Gordy was a young prodigy of the mat game, for sure. 

It appears that Lawler and Dundee bested The Valiant Brothers that night while Lawler and Austin lost to Hickerson and Condrey. It also seems that Schultz did double duty just like Lawler and defeated both Scott Casey and Terry Gordy, individually. Finally, Mr. Wrestling beat Ken Dillenger. From anything that I could find it seems that this was indeed Tim Woods under the mask. You can never be too careful with identities in these “wild west” days of a notoriously carny industry. These results (and the substitution) are all what was noted by the original fan who owned this program, so it may not be spot on. Sounds like a fun show, though! Where do I buy my ticket?

Every Girl's Crazy Bout A Sharp Dressed Man...

In the above photo, you see at least two semi-sharp dressed men, and one in a Dusty Rhodes t-shirt. But the two surrounding the latter were fabulous ones. In fact, they were THE Fabulous Ones. Stan Lane and Steve Keirn took much of the wrestling world by storm in the 1980's and even paved the way for other "pretty boy" tag teams along the way.

Created in Memphis, The Fabulous Ones were initially supposed to be the proteges of "Fabulous" Jackie Fargo. Not a bad endorsement in the city that Fargo ruled. Runs in Florida, Texas, and even the AWA followed.

In the picture, I am holding a popular souvenir in sports the world over, a pennant. For a team that did not have WWF exposure, Lane and Keirn certainly had their share of merchandising. While signing the pennant, Lane explained that Keirn had a whole plethora of items created during the duo's run in Memphis including the pennant, shirts, key chains, and more. Both of the men were surprised to see the pennant after all of these years.

Of course, most collectors remember The Fabulous Ones for their most famous piece of memorabilia: the Remco AWA figure two-pack. Thanks to their fairly brief run in that company, the team was immortalized in plastic in 1985. Removable bow ties and suspenders only add to the fun of these figures, which the team even showed off on Memphis television at one point.

WWE has often cited the music video featuring "Sharp Dressed Man" and the Fabs to be something odd and/or rare from their library. It really isn't, but it's nice to see the team remembered, regardless. When compared to other teams in the same vein such as The Rock N Roll Express, The Fabs may be a bit underrated, but they were the originators and are definitely not forgotten.

The Voice of Memphis Wrestling Passes...

It seems like just yesterday when Pittsburgh wrestling fans were mourning the loss of Bill Cardille, the voice of wrestling in the Steel City. A little over one year later and Memphis is feeling the same grief with the loss of the legendary Lance Russell. While both men made their mark in specific regions, in both instances fans from around the world are mourning just as much as those in the respective home cities of the men.

To live ninety-one years is a long life, but as always it's what one packs into those years that matters. Lance Russell certainly did that, first with a career in television that led to widespread notoriety as the voice of Memphis wrestling. Russell also raised a family, along with wife Audrey, who passed away in 2014. Sadly, that family suffered two losses in the span of a week as Lance and Audrey's daughter passed away on Friday from cancer.

My first exposure to Russell came in the form of the antiquated VHS video tape. An early non-WWF/WCW release titled "Masters of Mayhem" came into my possession at a young age. The tape was full of Memphis-area matches featuring stars who had gone on to find fame on a national level. The voice calling those matches? Lance Russell, of course! A fitting title for the tape considering that Russell was famous for often using the word "mayhem" to describe the action.

I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Russell at the 2009 NWA Legends Fanfest. There, the announcer was joined by his former commentary partner, WMC-TV weatherman Dave Brown, as well as Memphis wrestling icons Jerry Jarrett and Jackie Fargo to create a mini-reunion. It would be my only opportunity to meet the famous host, although I did correspond with him in years following. A long, hand-written letter from Mr. Russell is something that I cherish. It is just a small reflection of his well-known persona of being an absolutely wonderful individual.

I once heard Lance Russell's announcing style described as the "grandfather" trying to keep peace among all of the wild "grandchildren." I wish I could credit the source, but it is absolutely true. You trusted and believed what Lance was telling you, and there is no better talent to have when calling pro wrestling. Russell also spent time in WCW and Smoky Mountain Wrestling, but he is a firm entry on the "Mount Rushmore" of Memphis wrestling, likely alongside Fargo, Jerry Lawler (who he famously broke into the business), and Sputnik Monroe.

I usually end remembrances with a photo of the personality in question and myself, but Mr. Russell's passing made one photo and one photo only pop into my mind. I can still remember taking it at the Hall of Heroes banquet in Charlotte. I did not snap the photo because of who was speaking on stage in the background. I took it because I had noticed Lance and Audrey Russell holding hands. A simple sign of everlasting love after a lifetime together.

Lance is now at her side again. It's a spot that I imagine he never wanted to leave.

Lance Russell

1926-2017

Bloody Disgusting!

Maybe this list should've been saved for Halloween! Who else loved the bloody wrestling magazine covers of yesteryear? I can't imagine many saying that they didn't. These covers are almost a foreign concept in a world where wrestling matches are stopped when a drop of blood comes trickling out. It's a different time, and not necessarily a better one. Thankfully, we have these artifacts to look back on, showcasing the gory, wild west world of vintage professional wrestling.

The stars of the '70s were wild in and out of the ring. Two of the most notorious were Harley Race, who could fill a bloody cover story all by himself, and the late Blackjack Mulligan. In March 1979, the two were seen in a gruesome bloodbath on the cover of Inside Wrestling. Mulligan's infamous clawhold seems to be actually causing the blood to squirt from the head of Race...

Speaking of wild, how about Buddy Colt? This top talent in such areas as Florida and Georgia may not be a common name to today's fans, but students of the past are more than familiar with the grappler. In fact, it's the very photo used on the cover of a 1974 Wrestling Yearbook issue that shows up time and again when Colt comes into the conversation. The caption? "Buddy Colt Loves Blood - Even If It's His." Well then...

Speaking of loving their own blood, you get a feeling that "The Brain" may have been the same way. There are tons of magazine covers featuring Bobby Heenan's mug covered in a "crimson mask," but none are more iconic than the November 1970 issue of The Wrestler. The magazine had it's own feature on this blog at one point, and Heenan still lights up when he sees this particular cover.

One of Heenan's most connected protege's also shed blood on occasion, that being Nick Bockwinkel. On a 1980 Wrestling Annual magazine, the erudite champion is seen on the cover after a brutal AWA Championship defense. His famous belt barely held up, the dazed Bockwinkel likely just had the fight of his life.

Of course, bloody covers can come in the form of programs, too. Each territory had their programs, but few may have been cooler than those from Memphis. The September 26, 1979 program cover features a very young Terry "Bam Bam" Gordy covered in a mass of blood. The photo may be black and white, but that does not stop the intensity of the moment from coming through.

A small sampling? Yes, but some of the best. The blood is often missed from today's product, but looking at these images certainly keeps the gruesome past alive. Bloody Hell!

Even More Outrageous Conduct By Jimmy Hart

To think that I once wasn't even sure that it actually existed, Jimmy Hart's "Outrageous Conduct" has become one of the most popular topics on the blog. It's been about two years since we took a look at the WWF-released version of "Outrageous Conduct," but there's more than just that. The album stretches back into Hart's days in Memphis and, like much of "The Mouth of the South's early career, even involves Jerry "The King" Lawler.

Most 1980's wrestling fans remember the ad in WWF Magazine. It loudly proclaimed that "Outrageous Conduct" was available via mail. Even though the order blank was there, I just wasn't convinced that it really existed. Why did it never show up anywhere as "The Wrestling Album" and "Piledriver" so readily did? As I said two years ago, I was finally convinced that it did in fact exist when I had a copy of my own. But it didn't end there.

It turns out that the 1986 WWF version with "The Colonel" perched on a WWF ring apron on the front cover and the LJN Jimmy Hart figure on the back is a re-release. The original version was released a year earlier by "Rockin' Rasslin' Records." This seems to have been a vanity label of R-T Music Enterprises Inc. of Houston, Texas. Seeing as that Hart entered the WWF in early 1985, this could have been a side venture even while he was busy with the World Wrestling Federation. But, as I mentioned earlier, there is a connection to "The King of Memphis" here. The cover of the 1985 version is a collage of Jimmy Hart cartoons pertaining to the various song titles. Who was the artist? Jerry Lawler, of course.

My copy of this earlier version included a letter "from" Jimmy Hart on Rockin' Rasslin' Records letterhead.  The statement indicates that a different cover had been pictured from wherever the album was ordered from and includes instructions on how to exchange it or own both. Could this be from the era of the 1986 WWF-released version? Were these earlier editions shipped out at first? The letter also displays an address for a Jimmy Hart Fan Club out of Ramsey, New Jersey.

Despite the different cover art and labels releasing the album, the songs remain the same. Many of these songs would have been long familiar to Memphis wrestling fans, as many were released as singles in Memphis at the same time as Jerry Lawler was releasing his own musical ventures. At least one single was released with the "Outrageous Conduct" label, again by Rockin' Rasslin' Records. This 45 contained "We Hate School" as Side A and "Juvenile Delinquents" on Side B. The album also hit cassette tape, although I highly doubt any official CD releases were ever produced.

It seems that everyone knows a piece here or there of the "Outrageous Conduct" story, but no full tale of the various versions and spin-offs has ever come out. I think that Jerry Lawler's often-told joke about his own album ("It wasn't released, it escaped!) also holds true for this effort. Most record collecting sites seem to list one version or the other, and rarely if ever the single. Whereas mainstream releases like the two aforementioned WWF albums are remembered by most, "Outrageous Conduct" is still a hidden treasure. Or more truthfully, when looking at the dual versions and other related items, a hidden treasure trove.

Jerry Lawler Sings

It is hard to believe that the last time that Jerry "The King" Lawler was the focal point of an entry on this blog was nearly two years ago.  I had decided to reflect on him after his heart attack which occurred live during a broadcast of Monday Night Raw.  Much to the relief of many, "The King" survived.  Although he was very lucky to be where he was at the time of his emergency, which included nearly instantaneous medical assistance, Lawler has always been full of life.  A continuously successful career in pro wrestling for over four decades almost requires that kind of attitude, as well as the ability to adapt.

Some would point to Lawler's home wrestling territory of Memphis as almost an early view at what would later become "sports entertainment."  Crazy characters and even crazier situations would often find their way onto Memphis television and into the Mid-South Coliseum on Monday nights.  Lawler was frequently at the center of this madness, which probably helped him call some of the wacky Monday Night Raw antics so many years later.  "The King" was known for verbalizing some of the all-time great wrestling promos while feuding with the likes of Terry Funk, Randy Savage, and Andy Kaufman, but how about harmonizing?

Yes indeed, Jerry Lawler sang, or as his first LP was titled, "Jerry Lawler Sings."  Lawler produced two albums and about a dozen singles, but "Sings" was his first.  He wasn't the only Memphis wrestling star to be involved with music, keeping company with Jimmy Valiant, Sputnik Monroe, and of course Jimmy Hart.  I guess the pull of Nashville and Memphis' own music history was too much to resist.

Produced by Star Burst Records and recorded at Allied Recording Studio in Memphis, Lawler belted out ten tracks including covers of The Rolling Stones' "Heart of Stone," Buck Owen's "Act Naturally," Van Morrison's "Brown Eyed Girl," Dr. Hook's "The Millionaire," and the Waylon Jennings/Willie Nelson collaboration "Good Hearted Woman."  The other five songs include "She's In Love With A Star," "Melinda," "If We Don't Make It Better," and "Happy Go Lucky" penned by Richard Ross and "Bumped Out of Love" penned by Earnest Vescovo.

If the cover art looks familiar, it's because Lawler held a copy up at his 2007 WWE Hall of Fame induction.  He also held up the record put out by the man who inducted him that night, William Shatner, and made a few jokes about both efforts.  Recently I was able to have a copy signed by Lawler himself.  He was absolutely stunned to see it and said that even he no longer owned a copy.  I asked what had happened to the copy from the Hall of Fame, and he said that it disappeared after the event.  To the amusement of "The King," I joked that Shatner took it home with him.

Lawler signed it with his amazing signature that is among my favorites of any wrestler, and had a question for me, "Do you still have a record player?"  I do, and told him that I own many of the wrestling records, including Jimmy Hart's "Outrageous Conduct" albums.  He pointed out that he created the cover art on the original release, which indeed was another musical entry from Memphis wrestling that was later re-released during Hart's WWF tenure.

Have I listened to it?  Well, no.  "The King" was amazed that the vinyl looked untouched.  Who wants to scratch up wrestling history?  Some of Lawler's music efforts can be found online, and while his self-depreciating humor regarding his musical career may be valid, you have to give credit to anyone who puts themselves out there in such a manner.  That's just another reason why he always will indeed be, "The King."

The 2013 J\/\/ Awards

Our year-end tradition here on the blog continues with the 4th Annual J\/\/ Awards!  There are five total categories which are each awarded with a coveted "Joshie," designed and named after yours truly.  This year we decided to get "funky like a monkey" with the design.  It came out so well that you might think it's nothing but a "Dream."  Will any new manufacturers see their product take the ultimate prize?  Perhaps a few past winners will make their return?  The time for speculation is over, it's time for The J\/\/ Awards!

2013 Best Figure

Our first category is often the most talked about.  Seeing as that more figures are produced per year than any other type of wrestling memorabilia, it's easy to see why everyone has a favorite.

Mattel's WWE The Shield win "The Joshie" for 2013 Best Figure(s).  In a year with plenty of long anticipated debut figures, Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins, and Roman Reigns take the title.  Very few stars have made the impact that they have in their rookie year in the big time.  The hard hitting, no-nonsense in-ring style of The Shield comes across perfectly thanks to Mattel.  While more figures of these three superstars are planned, these initial Basic style representations simply scream Sierra Hotel India Echo Lima Delta.

2013 Best Publication 

The printed word is becoming more and more difficult to find in the wrestling world, but thankfully there are still plenty of stories to tell in book form.

"Rags, Paper, & Pins--The Merchandising Of Memphis Wrestling" by Jim Cornette & Mark James wins "The Joshie" for 2013 Best Publication.  Plenty of new wrestling autobiographies hit the shelves this year, but how about the story of the pioneering of wrestling merchandising?  That's the story told in "Rags."  Anyone interested in wrestling merchandising, Memphis wrestling, or Jim Cornette needs to treat themselves to this wonderful resource.

2013 Best Buy (Non-Figure/Publication) 

As is the case every year, this category is about what gave wrestling fans the most bang for their buck.  This is probably the most versatile of the categories, yet we have a repeat winner in 2013.

The 2013 Mid-Atlantic Legends Fanfest wins "The Joshie" for 2013 Best Buy.  What can I say that I haven't already said about Fanfest for so many years?  As always, the weekend was the ultimate dream for fans of classic wrestling.  Memories were made, friendships were rekindled, and legends were celebrated.  Next year is being promoted as the final installment.  As a decade-long customer, I can only say "Don'tcha dare miss it!"

2013 Best Product Line 

The criteria for this category is simple: have a wrestling product that was sold continuously throughout the year.  To win, the quality, distribution, and price of the products are just a few considerations taken.

WWE Home Video wins "The Joshie" for 2013 Best Product Line.  With yet another repeat winner, the caretakers of the majority of wrestling footage of the past fifty years shines again.  An amazing effort put forth with the "Legends Of Mid-South Wrestling" production put the line over the top.  Fans everywhere have high hopes that this kind of vintage product becomes much more of the norm.  Continual high quality Blu-Ray releases of new events also helped WWE Home Video reign supreme in 2013.

2013 Future Holy Grail 

Never an easy choice, this category has to not only celebrate the recent past but also predict the future.  Just what items released in 2013 will be coveted by collectors in the years to come?

WWE Foam Fingers win "The Joshie" for 2013 Future Holy Grail.  Foam fingers have been en vogue in the wrestling world since the early days of Hulkamania, but with the current direction and fan base of WWE, it's a no-brainer that today's stars get similar treatment.  From the very first merchandise for Fandango to the popular "Best In The World" mantra of CM Punk, this new generation of "WrestleFoam" isn't something that can be bought at Wal Mart or Toys "R" Us.  In the future, these pieces should see the same high demand that their older counterparts enjoy.

That's a lot of great memorabilia and a lot of wonderful 2013 memories.  We have one more blog entry for the year coming next week, but until then I'd like to wish everyone...