When Wrestling Was Rasslin'

by Birkholz, Wrestling Promoter Peter

  That territory was composed of several booking towns, with Houston as the most prominent. This was great for Boesch, because it kept him competing with top talent in the business. It also was an opportunity for him to establish a personal relationship with Morris Sigel. As I mentioned earlier, this relationship became extremely important to Paul after his auto accident, and led to his career as a radio and television announcer. As Boesch’s responsibilities expanded with the Houston Wrestling promotion, so did his exposure to its fans. He became the unofficial figurehead, which was important when he assumed the job of official Houston Wrestling promoter.

  His purchase of Gulf Athletic Club Inc. was officially announced to Houston Wrestling fans in the wrestling program of January 27, 1967. The entire front page was dedicated to welcoming Houston Wrestling fans to the first-ever Houston wrestling card promoted by Paul Boesch. He tried to keep members of the Sigel family, especially Ronnie Burke, involved in the business, but the Sigels thought professional wrestling had peaked and was dying a slow death. Boesch was determined to prove them wrong. Besides, he had no other way to make a living.

  Paul Boesch was a special and fascinating person. To me he was even more special because he was my uncle, mentor, partner, and most importantly, my friend whom I loved and admired. As I started to write this chapter on the man who meant so much to me, I came across an inscription that my uncle had written to me inside his wrestling manuscript Hey Boy! Where’d You Get Them Ears! In it, he expressed his feelings about our own relationship. No one could have described this bond any better. I would like to share that inscription with you:

  Paul Boesch was not only a great promoter, but he loved his fellow man. His life story is full of numerous tales of helping others, whether through the many organizations he supported or personal efforts. In his nearly fifty years of living in Houston, he constantly and enthusiastically championed many good causes. Whether it was the tens of thousands of young boys he helped through the Boys Club of Houston, or other great organizations like the March of Dimes, Big Brothers and Sisters, the Veterans Association, and many others, Boesch touched millions of people in his continual efforts to support the community.

  He always made you feel special with his gentle smile, his warm expression, and his firm and appreciative handshake. Boesch charmed everyone from the average man on the street to Prince Phillip of England, governors, state legislators, mayors, city council members, members of Congress, U.S. Senators and even Presidents of the United States. Of the many relationships Boesch developed, the most special and one of Boesch’s favorites was the unique friendship with former President George H.W. Bush.

  It started in 1966, when George H.W. Bush was running for the office of United States Representative from District 7 in Houston. Boesch was impressed with the young and enthusiastic Bush and invited him to the Houston Wrestling matches, where Boesch introduced him on television and the live crowd. Bush went on to win the election, and continued this new tradition of stopping by the Houston Wrestling matches every time he ran for office, including his run for President of the United States. Once he was not only endorsed by Paul Boesch, but superstar Wahoo McDaniel, who awarded George Bush a beautiful Indian headdress in the middle of the Houston Wrestling ring. It was Wahoo’s way of thanking Bush for being his Little League baseball coach in Midland, Texas, when he was a little boy. Former President George H.W. Bush had relationships with many professional wrestling promoters and wrestlers in addition to Boesch and Wahoo, including Sam Muchnik, Ernie Ladd, and Ric Flair.

  As a young man, it was interesting for me to witness Boesch and Bush's friendship become stronger. The men enjoyed each others’ company, and stayed in touch throughout Bush’s political career. In March of 1982, then-Vice-President Bush invited Boesch, myself, and our wives to have coffee with him in the White House. It was a thrill to visit with the Vice-President and be treated to a ride in his limousine. He arranged for the four of us to receive a VIP tour of the White House and the Capitol Building. I still recall how he jumped out of his office in a wrestling stance, which prompted my uncle to leap into his wrestling stance as the two men moved around the room as if they were ready to grapple. The scene was very amusing to everyone except the two secret service men, who were taken by surprise and not sure what to do until Bush and Boesch started laughing and shaking hands.

  Another Boesch and Bush story took place when Bush was running for President in 1988. Boesch was in Methodist Hospital in Houston, and his doctors had warned him that his heart condition was serious and he may not have much more time. Boesch sent a telegram to then-campaigning Bush, and wished him good luck in the upcoming election. Boesch expressed how much he cherished their friendship, and told Bush that, although he may not live much longer, for him not to worry because he had already voted absentee.

  Nothing better symbolized their mutual admiration than the personal note that President Bush sent to Boesch on March 7, 1989. President Bush woke up that morning and felt an overwhelming urge to contact Boesch. He wrote the following note, hoping Boesch would contact him and the two could get together for a visit.

  President Bush sent the note that morning, and Boesch died that evening. He never received the gracious note, but President Bush phoned the family to personally express his heartfelt sympathy. Paul Boesch was an extraordinary individual who loved his fellow man, his country and the professional wrestling business in which he spent the last 55 years of his life.

  BOESCH’S FIRST YEARS

  Paul Boesch was wrapping up his first year as Houston Wrestling's promoter as the 1968 season began. He was determined to keep Houston Wrestling moving forward. By using a strategy of aggressive promotions and good talent, Boesch was able to make 1968 better than 1967.

  He brought in new faces, like former Mr. America Steve Stanlee, Spoiler #2 (who joined the ranks of Spoiler #1), Playboy Gary Hart, 400-pound Grizzly Smith from Alaska, Dirty Dusty Rhodes (who returned to Houston Wrestling a few years later as “The American Dream”), and he brought home Jeff Davis High School graduate Manuel Ramos. Ramos was not a new face, but he had a new character: Bull Ramos. He had just finished starring in main events in both the old Madison Square Garden and the new Madison Square Garden, and had a bitter feud with WWF champion Bruno Sammartino.

  Boesch used much the same strategy as Sigel: he sought wrestlers he knew would give him great action, top names, highly ranked tag teams, girl wrestlers, midget wrestlers, a wrestling bear, and he booked World Champion Gene Kiniski whenever possible. Boesch also wanted to bring an international flavor to Houston Wrestling and featured France’s Rene Goulet, Germany’s Kurt Hess, Japan’s Seiji Sakaguchi, Poland’s Firpo Zybysko, European champion Baron Raschke, and the heavyweight champion of Mexico, Pedro Valdez.

  Other newcomers to the Houston Wrestling mat wars included Houston Oiler Carel Stith, Tom Jones, Pancho Lopez, Mr. Kleen, SMU graduate George Gaiser, Stan Pulaski, Jack Vansky, Billy Garret, Frankie Hester, and the wrestling bear Not-So-Gentle Ben.

  1969 was perhaps Boesch's most important promotional year. The year's programs showcase a parade of talent, including many wrestlers who would become some of the biggest superstars in Houston Wrestling history. That year helped Boesch lay the foundation that would restore Houston Wrestling as one of the capitals of the wrestling world.

  To start the year, he signed a World Heavyweight Title showdown between World Champion Gene Kiniski and his arch-rival, U.S. American champion Fritz Von Erich. To make the event more spectacular, Boesch set the battle inside a wired fence with no limit on the number of falls, no time limit, no disqualifications, and no wrestling outside the ring.

  Boesch also signed the “Brown Bomber,” Joe Louis (whom some claim to be the greatest heavyweight boxing champion in history) to be the special referee. This bout captured the imagination of Houston Wrestling fans who packed the Sam Houston Coliseum, and impressed fans from around the world. Von Erich, who was fighting the “Hong Kong” flu, would not back out of the mat
ch, and he gave Kiniski the battle of his life. Kiniski barely held onto his title, and Boesch drew the biggest box office gate of his early promotional career.

  Kiniski and Von Erich left the ring injured. Some say Kiniski was never the same, and history gives credence to that claim. Weeks after the battle with Von Erich, Kiniski lost his World Championship belt to Dory Funk Jr. in Tampa, Florida. Dory Jr. beat Kiniski by applying his crippling "spinning toe hold" on the same leg that Kiniski had hurt while wrestling Von Erich.

  Boesch went to work attempting to sign the new champion, since Houston Wrestling had the greatest challengers for the coveted belt: Fritz Von Erich, Johnny Valentine, Dr. Dan Miller, Dirty Dusty Rhodes, Jose Lothario, Ernie Ladd, Lou Thesz, Gene Kiniski, Spoiler # 1, Grizzly Smith, T-Bolt Patterson, and one of Houston Wrestling’s all-time greats, Indian Chief Wahoo McDaniel, who made his debut in 1969.

  Handsome Johnny Valentine returned to the Houston Wrestling ring that year. He was more explosive and controversial than ever, and grabbed the main event spotlight as he battled Fritz Von Erich, Ernie Ladd, Bull Curry, Duke Keomuka, Waldo Von Erich and defeated Dr. Dan Miller for the Texas Heavyweight title. No one could stop the “Blonde Bombshell” from Seattle, so it was with great anticipation that Dory Funk Jr. made his Houston debut as World Champion against Johnny Valentine on Friday, August 15, 1969. Funk Jr. barely held onto his new title, but proved he was just as tough as his father, Dory Sr.

  The year was marked with several important debuts and returns, including the return of Jose Lothario, who would become a mainstay in Houston Wrestling for over twelve years!

  As I mentioned, Indian Chief Wahoo McDaniel made his Houston Wrestling debut on April 11, 1969, and became an instant sensation. He excelled at football, amateur wrestling, baseball, golf, and, most importantly, professional wrestling. Oklahoma football coach Bud Wilkenson regarded Wahoo as one of the greatest athletes he'd ever coached!

  Boesch did everything he could to shape Wahoo McDaniel into a superstar, and in turn, Wahoo worked hard to make Boesch one of the biggest wrestling promoters in the country. Together they created a synergy that propelled both men to the top of their profession.

  The year also marked the invasion of Russian Boris Malenko, and his arrogant Englishman manager, Lord Montague. Malenko would set box office records feuding with Indian Chief Wahoo McDaniel. This year also introduced T-Bolt Patterson, Canadian strongman Reggie Parks, Crusher Kowalski, Alex Medina, Virgil Butcher, Tank Morgan, Pepe Villa, Japan’s Yashimira, Sonny King, Buster Lloyd, Hercules Graham, Gorilla Lopez, Tom Andrews, and the out-of-this-world debut of the “Moonman.”

  Boesch also employed the talents of Texas Girl’s Champion Evelyn Stevens, as she made numerous appearances against top lady grapplers, including Women’s World Champion the Fabulous Moolah. There were also several appearances of midget wrestlers including the World Midget Champion, Lord Littlebrook.

  Indian Chief Wahoo McDaniel and Johnny Valentine also had an explosive feud that provided fans with great action and Boesch with record box office receipts. One of these showdowns occurred on Friday, October 10, 1969, with special referee Joe Louis.

  On one of the occasions when Louis was brought to referee a showdown, I was working the ticket office. An elderly black man came in with a young black boy. The grandfather took his grandson to the big picture of Joe Louis on the wall, and got down in the classic boxing pose which Louis made famous. The grandfather proceeded to tell his grandson of how, when he was the young boy's age, he listened to Joe Louis fights on radio. As he told the story, he shuffled back and forth as if ducking and throwing punches. His wide-eyed grandson absorbed every word his grandfather was saying. With big smiles on their faces, they walked up to me and the grandfather bought two wrestling tickets for the Friday night matches that would feature the “Brown Bomber.”

  One of the advantages of professional wrestling is that it's a mixture of sport and showmanship. Promoters have flexibility in regards to what happens in the show. If a wrestling promoter features someone like Joe Louis even in a non-wrestling role, he has to involve that individual in the action. Fans paid hard-earned money to see their hero in person, but more importantly, they want to see him in action!

  On this particular night, referee Joe Louis was taunted by the bad guy’s manager. Every time Louis was taunted, he snapped into his world-famous boxing stance and the crowd went wild, screaming for Louis to hit him. This occurred several times during the showdown, and each time the crowd screamed louder. Finally, the manager pushed Louis too far. Louis jumped into his stance and threw his powerful right punch, decking the manager. He hit the ground like a ton of bricks, and the good guy took advantage of the chaos and won the match. While the good guy won, Joe Louis was the hero! “Good” had again triumphed over “evil.”

  As the crowd was cheering, something caught my attention out of the corner of my eye. I looked up in the stands and saw the grandfather and grandson jumping up and down, cheering and hugging each other. One can only assume that no matter what happened in that young boy’s life, he would never forget the night that his grandfather took him to see the legendary Joe Louis. Maybe that is what professional wrestling is all about--creating memories which fans cherish for the rest of their lives.

  In 1969, Houston Wrestling also set a record for its television show. Ratings climbed, and it became the number one watched television show during its time slot, as well as one of the highest-rated shows in the Houston television market. These figures encouraged Channel 39 to make the show ninety minutes instead of the standard sixty-minutes, and to air the show twice a week. Houston Wrestling could be seen on Saturday night from 10:00 pm to 11:30 pm, with a rebroadcast on Sunday afternoon from 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm. The rebroadcast eventually moved to Sunday morning, 9:30 am to 11:00 am. This new ninety-minute format lasted for the next eighteen years!

  The sixties started off precariously, as the professional wrestling business tried to adjust to television challenges, declining box office receipts, and in the case of Houston Wrestling, the loss of the old City Auditorium and Promoter Morris Sigel. The encouraging news was that Houston Wrestling not only survived these challenges, but emerged stronger than before. Now the challenge for Boesch and the professional wrestlers was to carry this momentum into the next decade.

  THE SURGING SEVENTIES

  Boesch launched the seventies with a showdown between World Champion Dory Funk Jr. and the number one contender, Indian Chief Wahoo McDaniel. Boesch had a special give-away that night as thousands and thousands of “Wahoo” buttons were presented to fans. Wahoo had developed into a Houston Wrestling superstar--attendance at live wrestling matches was growing at a record-setting pace and the television show made “Wahoo” a household name. On Friday, January 2, 1970, fans witnessed a battle that ended in a sixty-minute draw. The new wrestling year was off to a sensational start.

  As box office receipts increased, so did wrestlers' pay-offs. When that happens, promoters can easily keep top talent while other top stars desperately try to get booked in the hot market. This was the case at Houston Wrestling in 1970. Boesch kept superstars like Indian Chief Wahoo McDaniel, Fritz Von Erich, Johnny Valentine, Ernie Ladd, Professor Boris Malenko, Killer Kowalski, Spoiler # 1, Gene Kiniski, Bull Curry, Killer Karl Kox, Lord Montague, Gary Hart, Nick Kozak, “Mr. Wrestling” Tim Woods, and the entire Funk family--World Champion Dory Funk Jr., Terry Funk, and their father Dory Funk Sr.

  Just when fans thought it couldn't get any better, Mil Mascaras, “the man with a thousand masks,” came on the scene! Mascaras was a professional wrestling legend in Mexico, and a legend in the movie and television industries. He was a great athlete and an outstanding addition to the Houston Wrestling superstar dressing room.

  One of the biggest feuds that year featured Wahoo McDaniel against Russian Professor Boris Malenko, who was managed by Lord Montague. This feud rivaled the one between Wahoo and Johnny Valentine, as longtime fans still talk about the devastating blows they e
xchanged in the Sam Houston Coliseum. Wahoo was also continuing his assault on World Champion Dory Funk Jr. Wahoo was a busy athlete, and making big, big bucks!

  Even Boesch entered the action, facing Professor Boris Malenko in an added attraction with a ten-minute time limit. Malenko boasted that it would take less than ten minutes to beat “Mr. TV Announcer,” a term that he made famous when addressing Boesch. Boesch looked great for the first eight minutes, but the last two must have felt like an eternity. He barely survived, but one of the main advantages of being the promoter and the man who signs checks was his ability to set time limits. Nevertheless, Houston fans enjoyed watching Boesch in action again.

  The biggest card of the year was on Friday, May 30, 1970, one that drew the biggest crowd in Texas Wrestling history at that time. The five title showdowns featured World Champion Dory Funk Jr. against number one contender Indian Chief Wahoo McDaniel, Boris Malenko risking his American Heavyweight title against Fritz Von Erich, Johnny Valentine with his Texas Heavyweight title on the line against Mil Mascaras, Texas Girls champion Evelyn Stevens challenging Betty Nicoli, and Spoiler #1 battling Killer Kowalski for the Texas Brass Knucks trophy. Terry Funk also made his debut on that historic night. His outside interference caused Wahoo to lose against his brother, Dory Funk Jr. Now the issue became personal, as Indian Chief Wahoo McDaniel was on the warpath against the entire Funk family!

  The summer action at Houston Wrestling was just as hot as the soaring temperatures. After the May 30th record setter, Boesch signed a showdown between Wahoo McDaniel and Professor Boris Malenko, with the loser getting his head shaved in the middle of the ring. Malenko lost, so ten thousand fans frantically celebrated as he was shorn. Newly-bald Malenko challenged Wahoo McDaniel to a brutal and bloody Russian Chain Match, so Boesch jumped at the opportunity and signed the match with Ernie Ladd as referee. The bout drew ten thousand fans. Wahoo was again victorious, but Malenko, who now wore a leather helmet, was not convinced. A few months later, Malenko challenged Wahoo to a Russian Chain Match with the loser having to leave town. The sold-out crowd cheered Wahoo to victory, after which Malenko packed his bags. Houston Wrestling fans would have to find someone else to “love to hate.”