Slamboree: A Legend's Reunion

In his various creative tenures, "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes had some great ideas. War Games, Starrcade, and BattleBowl are just a few of the famous concepts to come from the mind of the Austin, Texas-born legend. Another came in 1993, just as Dusty himself was moving into retirement from action between the ropes. The event would be a WCW card interspersed with appearances and even matches showcasing the stars of yesteryear. This event would become known as Slamboree.

Newer fans may not realize it, but for many years WCW was the only major company to recognize the history of the business. From roughly after the end of Tuesday Night Titans (where history was often discussed) until the late 1990's, the WWF went to great pains not to acknowledge anything outside of its own umbrella. When a talent left the company, they were no longer mentioned. Period. WCW was different, and this show was proof of it. The company was happy to acknowledge its roots in both Mid-Atlantic and Georgia Championship Wrestling as well as its former stars.

The event lasted from 1993 to 2000, but it was the first three years that were something special. In addition to legends appearances, the WCW Hall of Fame ceremonies hosted by Gordon Solie were held at Slamboree. Matches such as Dory Funk Jr. vs Nick Bockwinkel, Terry Funk vs Tully Blanchard, and Dick Murdoch vs Wahoo McDaniel were among the legends bouts held over those first three years of Slamboree to accompany the stellar WCW roster of the time. Be sure to check these shows out on WWE Network as opposed to the Turner Home Video releases. The latter cut many matches and fun moments, such as the "Fabulous" arrival of a certain Queen of Wrestling in 1993.

In the first year especially, WCW took an almost WWF-like approach to the event with a weekend of festivities. Unlike the WWF, who would've showcased these events on television, WCW barely made note of them aside from brief mentions on commentary. Thanks to folks like fan/collector George Mayfield, video records of these happenings do exist. In addition to meet and greets, a dinner was held at CNN Center the night before Slamboree 1993. Fans could mingle with the stars and legends as the card the next night was hyped even further. It should be noted that Sting's mystery opponent (replacing Scott Norton) was announced as Nailz during this dinner. By the time of the match, he was simply referred to as "The Prisoner" for obvious legal reasons.

Some cool merchandise came from these early years as well.  An 8x10 photo set was produced for Slamboree 1993. Nine photos featuring thirty-four legends were produced. Interestingly, not every legend featured at the event was included in the photos. On the flip side, first-person accounts indicate that not every star in the photo set was available for autographs. It's a fun set, and even after the passage of over two decades, many of the signatures are still attainable.

In 1994, WCW took a different approach that turned out just as fun. In lieu of photos, a program was produced that ultimately folded out into a large event poster advertising that years matches (including the ill-fated Big Van Vader-Rick Rude main event). The inside also featured bios on the legends, many of which were autographed at the "Slam Meet" event which was also held this year. This turned out to be the last year where a large grouping of legends appeared. By 1995, the last year of the "Legends Reunion" theme, the superstars of the past were limited to those participating in the Hall of Fame ceremony and match.

Slamboree was one of the events that I was hoping WWE would eventually adopt, along with The Great American Bash, Starrcade, and War Games. As we know, only one of those came to pass with more unlikely for the future. Still, with old concepts returning to spice up the Network, would a few WCW shows really hurt? Surely something using the Bash name could be a fun summer event. Want to really make NXT fans squeal with delight? How about the first WWE-branded War Games match using NXT stars? Even the original Slamboree concept could be revisited. NXT has been using older talent. Have some up-and-coming stars battle the "new" legends. Dusty is already a force in NXT, it's time to bring some of his past victories full (squared) circle.

I was thrilled to make an appearance on the latest edition of The Bix Show podcast which dropped yesterday. Bix and I discussed lots of wrestling memorabilia, including many items that you've seen here on the blog, so I hope that you will all check it out. You can download it directly at davidbix.com or you can subscribe through iTunes. I hope that you enjoy listening as much as I did participating, and I hope to return to the show in the future!

Before Classic Superstars, There Were The Legends Of Professional Wrestling

Just a few weeks ago it was announced that Figures Toy Company would be producing a line of Ring of Honor action figures.  Speculation abound as to which wrestlers would be made in the line, what size the figures would be, and their price point.  Figures Toy Company has been making many waves in the action figure scene over the last few years by recreating the iconic World's Greatest Superhero figures of the 1970's, as well as other figure lines produced by the long-defunct Mego company.  However, this isn't the company's first foray into the wrestling action figure world.  Years before Jakks would introduce the legendary WWE Classic Superstars line to the world, Figures Toy Company would produce The Legends of Professional Wrestling.

It was the wrestling "boom period" spurned by the "Attitude Era" and the "Monday Night Wars."  Every wrestling company including WWF, WCW, and ECW had a figure line that were relatively interchangeable at around six inches tall.  One of my main issues with the era is that the history of the business was all but forgotten.  There was suddenly no room for the wrestlers of yesteryear.  These men, who were portrayed as either good or evil, were no longer welcome in a wrestling world where even the "good guys" didn't really fight with good intentions.  Thankfully, as WWE became the steward of wrestling history as the 2000s went on, the past began to be "rediscovered."  In the meantime, we had this collection of twenty-three wrestling legends made of plastic.

Figures Toy Company and parent company Figures Inc. frequently advertised in the many wrestling magazines of the era and began the line with ads for "The Walking Condominium" himself, King Kong Bundy.  Each figure was around six inches tall (like the other wrestling figures of the day) and offered in both regular and "bloody" versions.  The blood was painted on rather generously and most of these figures also had slightly different colored attire as well.  For unknown reasons, Chief Jay Strongbow had two different color variations as opposed to a "bloody" version.  The first four figures (Bundy, Abdullah the Butcher, Killer Kowalski, and Ivan Putski) were also offered completely molded in a glow-in-the-dark plastic.

Each wrestler was it's own "Series" and eventually there were twenty-four series in all.  The only wrestler to be repeated was Bruno Sammartino, as he was offered in both his 1970's look and a "young" representation.  This is still the only version of Sammartino to include his infamous '70s perm hairdo.  Until the Classic Superstars line was released, this was the only time that many of these men had been immortalized in plastic.  As of this writing, the only figures to ever be released of Wahoo McDaniel, Eddie Gilbert, and Ox Baker are in this line.

Starting with Series 14 (Captain Lou Albano), the figures were released in completely enclosed boxes rather than carded.  Two-pack re-releases of figures were produced but are rather scarce.  Also beginning with Series 14, the heads of the wrestlers were actually interchangeable.  This led to FTC releasing a pack with all of the Series 14-24 heads, generic heads and bodies, as well as staff jackets and accessories as a "Create Your Own" set.

A few years later, FTC. tried to revive their line with the addition of Andre the Giant.  Two figures of the Eighth Wonder of the World were released, one in yellow and the other in the black strap.  They were made similar to the bodies of action figures produced by the aforementioned Mego company, and therefore they are out of scale with the other LOPW figures.  The figures were released in Mego-like packaging, as well.  The two are in-scale with the more recent Andre figures by Jakks and Mattel, and have risen in value in recent years.

Some collectors dismissed the line since the initial offerings were overproduced and often clearanced out very cheap.  Others preferred the longer lasting Classic Superstars line.  Both lines can be collected and enjoyed separately, especially since they are a completely different scale.  In addition to the great likenesses of Wahoo and '70s Bruno, the facial sculpts of Ivan Koloff, Baron Von Raschke, and Ox Baker are second-to-none.  Abdullah the Butcher had his best figure release here as well.

In a way, the line hearkens back to the Remco AWA figure collection of 1985-86.  They work as great companion pieces, especially since many of the names here popped up in the AWA.  The Legends of Professional Wrestling line might best be described as a celebration of the wrestling territories.  Men who made their name not only in the WWF, but the various NWA territories such as Mid-Atlantic and Georgia Championship Wrestling.

With twenty-three different characters, a collector could even cook up a heckuva fantasy card with these names alone.  My lineup?  Ricky Steamboat versus Bob Orton, Abdullah the Butcher versus The Sheik, Kamala versus Eddie Gilbert, Wahoo McDaniel versus Greg Valentine, Bruno Sammartino & Jay Strongbow versus Ivan Koloff & Jimmy Valiant (Managed By Lou Albano), Killer Kowalski versus Ox Baker, Superstar Billy Graham versus Tony Atlas, Iron Sheik & Nikolai Volkoff versus Tito Santana & Ivan Putski, and King Kong Bundy versus Baron Von Raschke.  Now that's a supercard!

We'll have to wait and see just what success FTC will have with ROH.  Will wrestling collectors connect with the offerings and FTC's online-only distribution?  Will high price points and kids unfamiliarity with the ROH roster hurt their chances?  Time will tell.  In the meantime, the LOPW line continues to gain back popularity.  Secondary market value of the later series figures has begun to rise.  It's time that this under-appreciated wrestling line takes its rightful, and legendary, place in collections everywhere.  Some of us have already treasured them for years.

This August, It's Nothin' But Mid-Atlantic Memories!

Occasionally, even a person such as myself who positively thrives off of nostalgia will admit that yesterday wasn't necessarily better.  I've been called everything from "born too late" to "an old soul," but it doesn't bother me.  I take pride in remembering, honoring, and re-living the past as much as possible.  The truth is, however, that one of the highlights of my calendar year wouldn't have had a chance of happening just two decades ago.  That event is Greg Price's Wrestling Legends Fanfest, formerly known as NWA Fanfest, and this year formally titled "Mid-Atlantic Wrestling Legends Fanfest Weekend."

Back in the eras that many fans would deem the "glory years" of pro wrestling, an idea like Fanfest would have been unheard of.  Wrestlers may have occasionally given an autograph, posed for a photo, and gotten to know some of the more diehard fans, but an actual event designed for fans to meet the wrestlers?  It would've broken the secrecy of the wrestling business that those in it held so dear.  In this case, changes in the industry have become our gain.

If you've never previously heard of Fanfest, I encourage you to click the "label" below this entry and brush up.  The event is a four day extravaganza celebrating wrestling's past.  Fans can meet dozens of wrestling's greats, get autographs and photos, attend the Hall of Heroes dinner and ceremony, and even see some live wrestling action.  Magnum T.A., Tully Blanchard, Barry Windham, Mr. Wrestling II, Ivan Koloff, The Rock & Roll Express, The Midnight Express, Baron Von Raschke, Ken Patera, and Manny Fernandez are just some of the names already announced to appear.

My personal highlight of the weekend is the aforementioned Hall of Heroes dinner.  Following a spectacular meal, everyone is treated to a Hall of Fame-style ceremony that often surpasses other similar events.  Inductees already announced for this year are both The Rock & Roll Express and Midnight Express with Jim Cornette, as well as wrestler, trainer, promoter, publisher, and announcer Les Thatcher and former Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Champion Danny Miller.  Cornette, who has been on a self-imposed exile from wrestling as of late, says that this will be his only 2013 appearance related to the business.  In addition to being a featured guest and Hall of Heroes inductee, Cornette will host one of his legendary late-night question and answer sessions.  Definitely not one for all ages, but nothing less than you would expect from "The Louisville Lip."

Two new features are front and center at Fanfest this year as well.  One is a four-day wrestling training camp to be run by Dr. Tom Prichard.  The good doctor and his co-trainers including Leilani Kai, Tully Blanchard, Les Thatcher, and Jerry Brisco will instruct two dozen young wrestlers over the weekend and ultimately decide upon one "Best-of-Camp" prospect.  That chosen talent will be the recipient of the $2,500 Reid Fliehr Memorial Scholarship. 

The other new addition to Fanfest's lineup of events is the filming of a new documentary appropriately titled "Mid-Atlantic Memories."  The movie will capture the memories, thoughts, and feelings of the wrestlers, promoters, and fans who lived Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling.  If you've been to a previous Fanfest in Charlotte, you have met many of those individuals who were there for the glory days of MACW and know that they absolutely loved it.  Even those of us who weren't fortunate enough to have lived it have been drawn in by the magic.

As is the case every year, Fanfest is a place for fans of all wrestling promotions to gather.  After all, so much of the top talent of the '70s, '80s, and even '90s once called Jim Crockett Promotions their home.  In addition to talent, JCP spawned so many events and concepts that have never left the minds of fans.  Starrcade, the Great American Bash, and the match that inspired so many copycats, War Games, were all born under the Crockett umbrella.

This year, perhaps more than ever, may be the Fanfest in which we remember those who have passed just as often as those who are sitting next to us at the Hall of Heroes banquet or signing an autograph.  With all of the remembrances for the film project we'll think of names like Wahoo McDaniel and Gene Anderson, both of whom didn't live to attend a Fanfest.  We'll also fondly recall virtual staples of the weekend, such as Sir Oliver Humperdink and Jack Brisco, who have sadly since passed.  In the end, those recollections will help us appreciate the present all the more.  It will also remind us to thank those who will be present in Charlotte for the memories, while we're still able to do so.

Mid-Atlantic Wrestling Legends Fanfest Weekend will take place August 1-4 in Charlotte, NC.  For more information you can check out NWALegends.com and plan to make new memories!