Do YOU Have What It Takes To Make It In The Universal Wrestling Federation?

I don’t like to discuss “grails.” I really don’t even like to have them. You have what you have and whatever is meant to find its way to you ultimately will. If you do have collecting grails, don’t broadcast them. People can and will see dollar signs. Never put yourself in that position. Lastly, be happy with what you’ve got. I see too many people who I deem “accumulators” rather than collectors. Accumulators just sort of suck things in, look at them once, brag to deaf ears, and then cast them aside. There’s no appreciation. I’m not saying that you need to have a museum in your home, Lord knows I don’t, but if there’s something in your collection that you don’t ever think about, do you really need it? Food for thought. That being said, if there’s something that I’ve been after for a period of time that, in a way, could be considered a grail for me, it’s part of what we’re looking at right here.

Looking back as we see it now it’s hard to think that Bill Watts’ UWF would have had a training center. It’s even harder to believe that he would’ve had a full color, well-designed piece of promotional material produced for it. He did. I first found out about this brochure of sorts about two or three years ago. Someone offered one at auction for a very low price. I was the only bidder. A few days later the seller told me that he had lost the item. I was never sold on that claim. To this day I think that someone else made him an offer that he couldn’t refuse. The ultimate low. Regardless, I kept my eyes open. Not only was I able to get one for around three bucks more, but this one seems to be complete with four additional items. Normally I’d say that the brochure is the centerpiece, but I’m a sucker for official envelopes from wrestling promotions.

Emblazoned on that large envelope is the familiar Universal Wrestling Federation logo. Post mark? May 1987. Someone, presumably the wrestling hopeful who was the original recipient of this package, wrote addresses for the World Wrestling Federation and Joe Pedicino’s Pro Wrestling This Week television show right on the front. He definitely had his bases covered. Speaking of covered, I blocked out the name in photos but I can assure you that the original addressee is no one that we’re familiar with. Per the envelope The UWF Training Center was based in Dallas, Texas. Materials inside indicate that Ken Mantell was the trainer. Aside from print ads which were advertising sending away for this particular kit, there isn’t any info out there about the training center besides what you will see here.

The brochure itself is the size of a wrestling program and is really well produced. The cover, which opens in the center, is full of photos and “quotes” from UWF talent such as Dr. Death Steve Williams, Missy Hyatt, Michael P.S. Hayes, Skandor Akbar, Iceman King Parsons and, my favorite, the lovely Sunshine. Next to Missy there’s even a youngster who I think, 36 years later, is just about to wrap up his career. Some fella with a painted face named Sting. Inside we get an overview of what the UWF Training Center can offer you. Yes, you, the next possible star wrestler, manager, valet, referee or announcer. The “Manager of the Future” photo with the cut out face (leaving room for YOU!) is definitely Bruce Prichard. The thing doesn’t really break kayfabe, but it’s still surprising to see such material come from a Bill Watts endeavor.

$2500.00 (not including room and board) were your total training expenses. Were you up for that challenge? Did you have what it took to make it in the UWF? Well, before this information kit was even postmarked the company had already been sold to Jim Crockett Promotions. I wonder if anything surrounding this training center even got off of the ground? Perhaps it became something else? Three additional bulletins that were included indicate that a new UWF television program was in the works, to debut in June, which would highlight all the young hopefuls of the training center. While I’m sure such a show wouldn’t have broken kayfabe in the style of Tough Enough, it’s intriguing to think just what it may have looked like.

What made this so appealing to me? Promotional items from wrestling have always been intriguing. Despite it being 1987, the wrestling world was still very “wild west” as far as ideas and what made it and what didn’t. Even WWF promotional items from that time are largely uncatalogued outside of what you see in this blog. Unlike other sports which were very organized by that point, wrestling was basically a band of untethered idea men. Types of people who have a lot concepts and grandiose notions floating around in their heads, but ultimately only the ones that “hit big” are remembered. Obviously, this is not one of those. Long before the WCW Power Plant, the WWE Performance Center and even Ohio Valley Wrestling, there was about to be the UWF Training Center. I guess if we can be thankful for anything it’s that it wasn’t Herb Abrams’ UWF trying to train folks.

“Herbie cookie break at 3! Bring your spoon.”

From The Musty Yellowed Pages—Wrestling’s Main Event March 1984

When thinking of ‘80s wrestling magazines certainly the Weston/Apter mags and the official WWF Magazine come to mind, but they weren’t the only boys on the block. Often you would find other titles with some great photography and perhaps even peeks at wrestlers that you didn’t see in the other publications. Most of those are discussed nowadays as “The Napolitano Mags” as their editor was legendary photographer George Napolitano. These titles were often just as visible at the newsstand as Pro Wrestling Illustrated or The Wrestler and were even perhaps a bit less “kayfabe” than those books. In this look back we’re going thirty-nine years into the past to March of 1984 with Wrestling’s Main Event. Ric Flair following his NWA Championship win at Starrcade 1983 is our lead story and cover picture.

The magazine, published by Pumpkin Press in NYC, was a mere sixteen bucks for a full year subscription back in 1984. Not even $2 an issue! No wonder Haku himself, King Tonga as he was known then, is letting us know that this publication is numero uno. I wouldn’t disagree with the man, even being the true sweetheart of a guy that he is. It should be noted that Les Thatcher is listed on the staff here. In addition to wrestling, announcing and training, Thatcher helmed many wrestling magazines of the ‘70s including Mid-Atlantic Wrestling Magazine and WWWF Wrestling Action. Both of those titles have been covered extensively here on the blog over the past near-fifteen years. Les has always been kind enough to share memories and stories of these magazines both for publication here and in comments on social media.

The official rankings are a bit different and less extensive than in other wrestling magazines of the day. One page covers what seems to be the contenders for four major championships, listing those champions above all else. The NWA, WWF, AWA and WWC Championships are the titles featured. WWC action featuring Carlos Colon, Abdullah the Butcher, Bruiser Brody and others was featured more than once on the covers of these titles. Unlike the other magazines which tended to shy away from bloody covers as the ‘80s dawned, the Napolitano mags still seemed to go by the old adage that “red equals green.” Still, it wasn’t as prevalent as the blood-soaked covers of the ‘70s were. I love going through old rankings sections and counting who all I’ve been lucky enough to meet over the years. Counting all of the champions and contenders on this page only four eluded me. That number may go down to (and stay forever at) three soon, but I never count my chickens.

Up-and-comers who weren’t getting much press at the time were often featured in these pages. A great write-up later in the issue features a very young Dr. Tom Prichard, but early in the pages we get an article on someone who’s a favorite of many, The One Man Gang. The OMG is obviously not too far removed from his early incarnation as Crusher Broomfield. The long hair was a great look and possibly made him look even more maniacal than he did with the later mohawk. Of course, I’m partial to Akeem The African Dream, but I’ll take George Gray in any shape or form. He’s a great guy and was a great big man wrestler. The article tells of how he’d recently been managed by both J.J. Dillon and the sort of lost-to-time “Gentleman” Jim Holliday.

The Gang is shown in an epic battle with Florida hero Mike Graham. Are you ready for your centerfold? Feast your eyes on more Graham than you thought you could handle. In all seriousness, Mike Graham gets bad talked these days for no good reason. It seemingly stems from his appearances on the old WWE Legends of Wrestling roundtable shows, but come on. He acts just as braggadocios as virtually anyone else on that (great) show did. In my meetings with Mr. Graham I found him to be nothing but kind, humble and engaging. I treasure the autographs and memorabilia that I have from him and was saddened by his untimely passing and its circumstances. If anyone says that he wasn’t over, they know nothing of the Florida wrestling legacy. I wish that he were still here to celebrate it.

Next we have my pin-up. No, not Jimmy Garvin. Sure, we all love Precious and her Remco AWA figure. There was even the original Precious (yes, before Jimmy’s wife, Patti) for a spell. But the best of them all, in my view, was Sunshine. If there was ever a “girl next door” look, she had it. Sadly, for various storied reasons, she wants nothing to do with the business today. She should be out there milking it like some who had far less visibility than she did, but we have to respect her decision. Nevertheless, here she is flanking Gorgeous Jimmy himself. The article discusses Garvin’s feud with David Von Erich, a World Class Championship Wrestling classic, for sure!

As with most old magazines when chronicled here, we have to dive into the seedy side. This is usually near the back pages, in black and white, and somewhat hidden. While there are plenty of black and white pages in this title like most magazines of the day, they’re all slick. These magazines also seemed to feature much more color (and not just blood…) than their rivals. While the ads are much tamer than some from the ‘70s that have been featured in this blog, they’re really no less shady. Mail-order brides? 8mm film? Wholesale fishing equipment? Don't threaten me with a good time, right? The last listing is probably the most amusing. For only $3.95 you could get your hands on a newsletter with information on a certain infamous viral infection. Who did you write to in order to receive this fountain of information? “ROH.” See, decades before Ring of Honor was making wrestling magazine headlines you had yet another ROH getting print in the back pages.

What better way to end this than with a hoe down? But this isn’t just any hoe down. This is Scott Casey’s Texas Hoe Down in San Antonio. Casey hosted droves of Southwest Championship Wrestling fans in addition to Bobby Jaggers, Buddy Moreno, Alex Perez, Mando Guerrero, Ricky Morton and El Santo Negro. If the pictures are to be believed, there was music, dunk tanks, Hoe-Down Queens and smiles all around. I can only imagine the stories that could be told out of this one. On second thought, maybe those stories best go untold. Just call it a hunch. I must say, though, that there is a definitely a joke to be made when “Scott Casey” and “Hoe Down” are used in the same sentence. I’m sure that a good time was had by all.

Like with all of the magazines shown here on the blog we can’t show every page. Check out Instagram (@JWs_Wrestling_Memorabilia) this weekend for even more goodness from the issue and while you’re at it, give a follow!

Some Truly "World Class" Wrestling Memorabilia

In the past couple of years, it's almost become tradition that at some point in the last quarter the Von Erich family makes the blog.  Is it any wonder?  Despite being what was essentially one of the last great wrestling territories, World Class Championship Wrestling had an immense selection of merchandise.  It wasn't just what was sold at the arenas, either.  WCCW fans were true packrats, obtaining any photo or bit of information that they could on their favorite heroes and villains.  From the Von Erich brothers, The Fabulous Freebirds, and everybody in between, WCCW's stars were among the most visible in the early '80s wrestling world.

I'd go as far as to say that on the topic of WCCW memorabilia, the fans themselves were as big a part of it as the wrestlers.  Endless passages have been written chronicling the Von Erich "fever" that is said to have spread as far as Israel.  Many of these fans were girls, usually in the 12-24 age range, who would've followed the boys to the ends of the earth.  These fans most likely had shrines to their favorites plastered all over their bedroom walls, as is evident by the abundance of newspaper and magazine clippings that survive today.  Those lucky enough to have access to WCCW events (or knew someone who did), may have even had official promotional photos or publications from the promotion.  Some of those may have even included autographs.

Most wrestling fans know the reason why autographs of the Von Erich family and many WCCW stars may be a bit harder to obtain than other wrestling stars of the era.  It's a sad and somewhat depressing fact when collecting autographs, that death will almost always factor into desirability.  With the tragedies surrounding the Von Erich's and other WCCW stars so early in their lives, the window of opportunity was never even open for many collectors. 

I, myself, have become the lucky owner of many Von Erich family and WCCW treasures, despite not being anywhere near the age or geographic location to have originally obtained them.  The items span the full range of the Von Erich legacy, from the highest of highs to the too-frequent tragic ends.  They reflect a point where, due to the quality of the items, it seems as if WCCW almost touched the unmatched WWF merchandising machine.  They can also be a sobering reminder of how the insane rock star-esque fandom came crashing down and went ultimately six feet under.

The Official Von Erich Family World Class Championship Wrestling board game is definitely one of the highs.  The well produced, if maybe a bit complicated, game is as nice as any other wrestling company's equivalent.  With a full color box featuring the famous WCCW logo and photos of the Von Erich brothers disposing of several foes, the game itself allows you to become Kerry, Kevin, Mike, One Man Gang, Iceman King Parsons, Chris Adams, Gino Hernandez, or Kelly Kiniski. 

For an exact look at 1984, one of the most tumultuous years in Von Erich history, look no further than the Von Erich Fan Club newsletter titled "CLAWPower."  It seems that four total were issued, one for each quarter of 1984.  Even then, it is telling as to how the death of David is almost swept under the rug.  The glories of Kerry and Kevin, in "honor" of their late brother, are instead touted to further strengthen the family legacy in the eyes of the public.

And then there are the items that are extremely historical, yet almost too difficult to own.  The aforementioned Von Erich fans were obviously a dedicated bunch.  Some went as far as to clip the obituaries and news coverage of the brothers deaths.  Some fans even obtained and saved actual funeral cards.  Some collectors might find items such as these just too disturbing to own, but placing them in perspective tells the full story, beginning to end, of the family and promotion.

In looking at these items, I rarely feel sadness.  Certainly Beatles collectors don't feel sadness every time that they view a John Lennon item.  Instead, collecting and preserving these pieces should keep alive what was an exciting and interesting era in professional wrestling.  It didn't last as long as it may have had certain events not occurred, but we can always hold onto what was.  After all, keeping memories alive is what collecting is all about.