When Wrestling Was Rasslin'
Page 15
Terry explained that he wanted to bring Sylvester Stallone and his staff to the Paul Boesch spectacular since Stallone had never been to a real live professional wrestling show. I informed Terry that would be no problem, and I would set everything up. Already my promoter’s blood was pumping with the thought of having Sylvester Stallone in person at the Houston Wrestling show that night, but then came the bombshell from Terry Funk. He said, “This is where the favor comes in, Pete. You cannot tell anybody that Stallone will be there that night.” I swallowed hard and promised Terry Funk that I would not say a word.
That vow was the easy part. The hard part was keeping my big promotional mouth shut! I fought the temptation to “leak” the information to millions of Houston Wrestling fans watching the television show that Sylvester Stallone, better known as “Rocky,” would be at the matches. As a promoter, I knew that would probably mean a sold-out arena and fantastic publicity. But also as a promoter, I had given Terry Funk my word, and to violate the code of honor would have been unforgivable.
Sure enough, that Friday night, Terry Funk, Sylvester Stallone, and Stallone’s traveling entourage came busting through the back door of the Sam Houston Coliseum. Stallone had sunglasses on and a big hat trying to hide his face, but it did not work. It took the Houston Wrestling fans a matter of seconds before they recognized Stallone and started chanting “Rocky! Rocky! Rocky!”
The group made their way into the dressing room. Despite various disguises, every time Stallone tried to sneak out of the dressing room to watch the live matches and get ideas for his upcoming movie, the crowd would start chanting “Rocky! Rocky! Rocky!”
Finally, Stallone gave up and approached me in the dressing room. He asked if I would be kind enough to officially introduce him to the crowd. Of course I agreed, though deep inside I wanted to tell the actor that if he would have given me the green light to spread the word earlier, there would not only be a sold-out crowd but all kinds of media there publicizing his upcoming movie. Sylvester Stallone escorted Terry Funk to the ring, and it was my pleasure to introduce “Rocky” as Terry Funk’s official second that night. Stallone sat at ringside with Boesch during the telecast of the match. The curious soon-to-be-movie-director got a firsthand look at a great live wrestling show. I will always remember this story as the sold-out crowd that got away. Nevertheless, it was a fun night for the Houston Wrestling promotion, Houston Wrestling fans, and most of all for Sylvester Stallone, who really enjoyed the show!
The Sam Houston Coliseum hosted the annual Twenty-Two-Man Two-Ring Battle Royal to start the year, but this particular night included a Six-Man Two- Ring tag team match featuring Fritz Von Erich and his sons David and Kevin, against the team of Killer Brooks, Dutch Mantell, and Playboy Gary Hart. It was the first time in professional wrestling history that a father-and-sons trio would compete in the newly-conceived event. The Von Erichs won, making history.
Germany’s Karl Von Krupp was one of the top “heels” of 1978. He was German and had his own version of the “Iron Claw,” so he was the natural enemy of Fritz Von Erich and his wrestling sons. The rivalry lasted throughout the year. Von Krupp’s invasion also pitted him against stars like Jose Lothario, Wahoo McDaniels, and upcoming star Alberto Madril.
World Title action was another major element, as National Wrestling Alliance World Champion Harley Race found himself in an explosive mat war with Wahoo McDaniels, setting more records on the mat and at the box office. The feud was sustained all year, but in the end, Harley Race remained the World Champion, and Wahoo continued to maintain his number one ranking.
Edward “Wahoo” McDaniel was born on June 19, 1938, in Bernice, Oklahoma. His father, known as “Big Wahoo,”worked in the oil business and moved his family to Midland, Texas, when Edward was young. Even as a child, he possessed great athletic ability. While playing Little League baseball in Midland, one of his baseball coaches was George H.W. Bush. Bush liked Wahoo and followed his professional sports career, just as Wahoo followed his former coach’s political career.
Wahoo was a Choctaw-Chickasaw. His tremendous sports achievements ranked him right up there with other great Native American athletes like Jim Thorpe. Wahoo attended the University of Oklahoma, where he competed in both football and wrestling. Some of Wahoo’s football records still stand there today.
Wahoo went on to play professional football for the Houston Oilers, Denver Broncos, New York Jets and Miami Dolphins. He was an outstanding linebacker and one of the hardest hitters in the game. Wahoo, much like Ernie Ladd, wrestled professionally during the off-season to supplement his salary. He started wrestling for his first trainer, Dory Funk, gaining valuable experience before he came to Houston Wrestling.
Wahoo also excelled in golf and played with greats like Lee Trevino. Trevino tried to talk Wahoo into joining the PGA tour, but Wahoo was making more money in professional wrestling. He was not only a superb athlete, but a great party animal. This drove Oklahoma coach Bud Wilkinson crazy, as well as professional wrestling promoters throughout the country. Even President George H.W. Bush affectionately commented that he never saw anybody burn the candle at both ends like Wahoo did.
Wahoo has been inducted into various professional wrestling Halls of Fame, and also still holds various records in both college and professional football. He passed away on April 18, 2002 while waiting for a donor for a kidney transplant. Houston Wrestling lost one of its greatest superstars, and professional wrestling lost one of its greatest assets.
To this storyteller, Wahoo was more than a superstar. He was a wonderful human being who never refused an opportunity to help anybody, especially his loyal fans. You have read about his kind heart and how he graciously gave back to the community. The Indian Chief was always thankful for his millions of fans who supported him so that he could spend his life competing in the business that he loved so much. I, too, was a big fan of the “free spirit” Wahoo, and at times we were partners in different professional wrestling promotions around Texas. I will always appreciate what he did for Houston Wrestling and my career. More than anything, he was a close, dear friend. May the Lord be with you, Wahoo.
One of the most unique aspects of the 1978 season was the appearance of many sons of famous professional wrestlers, including David and Kevin Von Erich, AWA champion Nick Bockwinkel, Jake Roberts, Berry Orton, Mando Guerrero, and Houstonians Tiger Conway Jr. and Gino Hernandez. Later in the year, David Von Erich made professional wrestling history by winning the Texas Heavyweight championship, since he and his father Fritz were the first father and son duo to hold the very prestigious title. That record did not last long, because a few weeks later Gino Hernandez upset David Von Erich, which made him and his stepfather, Luis Hernandez, the second such team to hold the Texas title.
In addition to the times that NWA World Champion Harley Race came to Houston, there were several appearances by American Wrestling Alliance World Champion Nick Bockwinkel. Bockwinkel, with his coveted belt, was the focal point of some of the year’s best action. Superstar Billy Graham, who had upset Bruno Sammartino for the WWF Championship belt, also made a couple of appearances in the Houston Wrestling ring that year.
There were also some returning crowd favorites, stars like Boris Malenko, Pepper Gomez and even Johnny Valentine. Valentine was paralyzed from the waist down; however his love for the business brought him back as a manager. Fans were glad to see him and gave him a standing ovation the first time he came back to the Houston Wrestling ring.
The biggest show of the year was promoted as another “Super Sunday in the Summit,” and took place on Sunday, May 28, 1978. The card included the NWA World Champion Harley Race against Wahoo McDaniels, AWA World Champion Nick Bockwinkel against Jose Lothario, World Women's Champion The Fabulous Moolah against Wenona Littleheart, WWF top star Superstar Billy Graham against Ivan Putski, Southern States champion Dick Slater against Alberto Madril, and many other top stars. It was one of the largest professional wrestling crowds to ever come to the Summit.
After sitting out of professional wrestling briefly, he asked me for a second chance. I went to bat for Brody and convinced my uncle to let him try once more. He became a big star for Houston Wrestling, and I never had any trouble with Brody when I worked with him at Houston Wrestling and in other towns I promoted in the early eighties. In fact, he was my Golden Triangle Champion and a tremendous help in my efforts to bring professional wrestling back to Port Arthur and Beaumont on a consistent basis. Brody and I became very good friends. I still remember the night when my wife and I decided to visit the French Quarter after a big show in the Superdome in New Orleans. It was a Saturday, and things were pretty wild! Brody spotted us, quickly made his way over, and told me to stay close so he could watch over us. Bruiser did not have to make the offer twice. I thanked him, and believe me, we did stay close. Bruiser Brody made a wonderful bodyguard.
The professional wrestling business, like any other, can get rough and dangerous. There was always the possibility of a personal conflict between wrestlers, or with a wrestler and a promoter. The best course of action was to stay calm and make a point to not work together in the future. Keep your cool, politely shake hands, and allow both parties go their separate ways.
But some individuals cannot do that. Tragically, Bruiser Brody and wrestler Jose Gonzalez of Puerto Rico were two of them. On July 16, 1988, the men got into an argument in the locker room in a wrestling arena in Puerto Rico. No one knows for sure what the argument was about, but it turned fatal. Fellow wrestler Tony Atlas heard the commotion and ran to the shower just in time to see Brody bent over and holding his stomach as Gonzalez stood there with a knife. Brody was rushed to the hospital, but it was too late. Bruiser could not be saved. Gonzalez was charged with murder, but was later acquitted as he claimed self-defense. The professional wrestling world once again lost one of its big stars, and I once again lost a very good friend.
One day in late August while I was working in the office at 1919 Caroline, I was told there was a man in the lobby who wanted to talk to me. I stepped outside and was met by a very tall black man who extended his huge right hand. I could not help but notice how big his hand was as I shook it. He looked familiar, but I could not remember his name. After finding a seat in my office, he smiled his friendly smile and I immediately remembered who he was--“Big Cat” Cleveland Williams, one of boxing’s greatest stars in the fifties and sixties. The last time I saw Cleveland Williams in person was when he battled Muhammad Ali for the world boxing title in the Astrodome in Houston, Texas, on November 14, 1966, in front of over thirty five thousand boxing fans. I still remember that day because I was with my uncle Paul Boesch and Wild Bull Curry, who had been a professional boxer before turning his focus to professional wrestling.
As I looked across my desk, I noticed the friendly smile was the same, but not the impressive physique that the “Big Cat” once had. Cleveland Williams asked me for help. He had no money and wanted to become a professional wrestler. This was not the first time a discarded professional boxer came to professional wrestling for help. I wanted to do something for him. However, he had no wrestling experience, and at his age and current physical condition, becoming a professional wrestler was not an option. The disappointed look on his face was hard for me to take. As a teenager, I was one of the thousands of fans cheering the “Big Cat” on in the Astrodome, hoping that he would pull the big upset over legendary Muhammad Ali.
I couldn't bear to see him helpless, so I asked Cleveland Williams if he would be willing to be a special referee. He told me he would do anything to make some money. I knew the next step was to determine whether Cleveland Williams would be willing to “do business” and cooperate with the wrestlers and promotion so everybody could give the wrestling fans their money’s worth. The “Big Cat” said he would do whatever he was told, and explained there was not a dime’s difference between boxing and wrestling. The name of the game was putting on a good show. I was trying to find a delicate way of asking the former boxing great if he could “pull” a punch, make it look like he really punched somebody when in reality he would barely touch them. Cleveland Williams looked me straight in the eyes and said, “Mr. Pete, I can pull a punch!”
I told him I would see what I could do. I could tell he needed money, so I opened my wallet and gave him $200 in cash as advancement. He smiled as he shook my hand and expressed his gratitude. Now the pressure was on me to create the situation that would warrant having “Big Cat” Williams as a special referee. The promoter had to create the right situation, or it wouldn’t appeal to wrestling fans. However, the right scenario would catch fans’ imaginations and send box office receipts through the roof!
At this time, the feud between Jose Lothario and Gino Hernandez was red hot. The two Houston Wrestling stars continued to draw big gates, but to have Cleveland Williams referee their wrestling match did not make sense. My creative juices started to flow. I told “Big Cat” Williams I would need a little time to set the proper scenario for him to be a “special” referee. Lothario was known as “Supersock” Jose Lothario, and fans knew that he had a lot of experience in boxing as well as in wrestling. I had Jose Lothario get on television and challenge Gino Hernandez to a battle to a finish where the use of fists would be legal. The cocky Hernandez accepted the challenge. I had to be careful because I had a license with the State of Texas to promote professional wrestling, but not professional boxing. It could not be a boxing match--it had to be a wrestling match with both men wearing karate gloves with the use of fists being legal.
The final touch was to convince wrestling fans that no regular professional wrestling referee would be able to keep this vicious showdown under control. I was able to do that by having the regular wrestling referees publicly refuse to be involved because it would be too dangerous and their personal safety would be at stake. The stage had been set. One of the wildest feuds in recent Houston Wrestling history would come down to a battle to the finish with the use of fists being legal. I then got on the Houston Wrestling television show and told fans that there was only one man big enough, tough enough, and brave enough to referee the dangerous battle, and that was “Big Cat” Cleveland Williams, one of the greatest boxers in the world.
Jose Lothario and Gino Hernandez produced some great television interviews leading up to the showdown. In fact, Gino added icing to the cake by claiming that if “Big Cat” Cleveland Williams stuck his big nose into the battle, he would personally “knock him out.” Talk about igniting wrestling fans' imaginations! They were fired up and demanding the showdown, and the fact that Cleveland Williams was going to be the special referee fit perfectly into my story, adding fuel to the raging rivalry between Lothario and Gino. A huge crowd came to the Sam Houston Coliseum on September 29th, 1978. The behind-the-scenes strategy had paid off at the box office. Now, came the challenge of deciding what would happen in the ring.
As I said before, fans seeing Cleveland Williams referee would not be enough. They had to witness the “Big Cat” in action. I suggested that we use the classic finish where the manager, in this case Playboy Gary Hart, would keep interfering in the match until the special referee had enough. Then Cleveland Williams would “deck” Playboy Gary Hart, distracting Hernandez, and giving Jose Lothario the opportunity to “knock out” Hernandez. The fact that crowd favorite Jose Lothario wins the match is important, so the special referee is called a “hero.”
This Cinderella-type finish required two important elements. First, Cleveland Williams would have to effectively “pull” his punch against Gary Hart, and Gary Hart would have to trust both Cleveland Williams and me enough to leave himsel
f wide open for the pulled punch. In the dressing room that night, I continued to remind Cleveland Williams to be sure to pull the punch. Anxious Playboy Gary Hart also kept reminding him to do the same. Several times that night, Gary Hart cornered me and expressed his concerns. Keep in mind for this to work, Gary Hart would have to leave himself vulnerable to one of the hardest-hitting athletes in the world. Hart and I were both nervous.
The much-anticipated showdown would be the final event of the evening. Both Lothario and Hernandez made their way through the enthusiastic crowd to the ring, and fans went wild when “Big Cat” Cleveland Williams was introduced. You could feel the excitement in the air as the bell sounded and the battle began. Jose and Gino were classically explosive, and Playboy Gary Hart kept trying to interfere in the match. This of course made Cleveland Williams mad, and on several occasions he jumped into his boxing stance. When he did that, the crowd went wild screaming for “Big Cat” to hit him! Finally, it was time to end the match. Gary Hart jumped into the wrestling ring. Cleveland Williams hauled off with his extremely powerful right hand and clobbered Hart! The helpless Hart went down like a ton of bricks and the crowd exploded. I was shocked. I had witnessed hundreds of pulled punches, and that had not been one of them!
I was furious and could not believe that Cleveland Williams had double-crossed me. Gary Hart had trusted me. I had put one of my “boys” in an extremely dangerous situation and now he was hurt. I was fuming as I rushed back to the dressing room, ready to confront Cleveland Williams and his dangerous right punch. I knew he would probably deck me too, but that would be nothing compared to the damage to my reputation in the professional wrestling business if I did not stick up for one of my “boys.” I was willing to pay for my mistake, so enraged that when I got to the dressing room, I ripped off my coat and tie. I am not sure whether I really thought I could last two seconds against Cleveland Williams, or if I was more concerned about getting blood on my coat (my blood on my coat...)! All I knew was that I was ready to fight anybody, even Cleveland Williams.