Post by droidofages on Oct 21, 2008 0:27:33 GMT -4
You should watch this one at full size.
Just click on the screen a second time
and it should open a new YouTube window:
For you young whippersnappers, the following fellers, and Atlantic Grand Prix Wrestling (theme song here)used to tour this region, including stops at the York Arena, here on the north side of Fredericton. I myself, shook hands with Andre the Giant there, the first time I met him. It was back when he wore the suede vest. I probably would have been about 8 or 9 when my hand and about half of my arm vanished into his massive fist.
In addition to him, the Cuban As.sas.sin, the Beast, the Great Malumba, Jimmy Superfly Snuka, Leaping Lanny Poffo (Randy Savage's brother) and Killer Karl Krup were my fav's (despite Burke & Pettipas being the local legends).
Other giants of the industry that worked this east coast circuit included;Johnny Rougeau and his sons, the Rougeau Brothers, Dino Bravo, Rick Martel, Paul Peller, Sweet Daddy Siki, Killer Kowalski, Ken Patera, Billy Graham, Frenchy Martin, Bulldog Bob Brown, Roddy Piper, Big John Studd, Ted DiBiase, Abdullah the Butcher, Hulk Hogan, Ricky the Dragon Steamboat & Randy Macho Man Savage to name a few.
For me, it was almost like wrestling followed comics, in that this era was like the silver age (a little silly, a lot of fun and occasionally strange). Most of these guys look like your fat uncle and his fishing buddy, and the events were obviously more up-close & personal. By the early-mid nineties, with the massive increase in audiences, profits and production "value", it seemed to become more shiny on the outside but sort of hollow on the inside, or something.
I'm just waiting for the wrestling renaissance like comics have experienced in recent years!