When Wrestling Was Rasslin'

by Birkholz, Wrestling Promoter Peter

  Wild politics still ruled the wrestling business. Boesch said it best when he stated that professional wrestling was beginning to look like a bowl of alphabet soup. Professional wrestling already had the NWA, AWA, WCW, and WWF. Then came the newest ingredient, the UWF. The newly-formed Universal Wrestling Federation was the brainchild of Cowboy Bill Watts, its President and Chief Executive Officer. The name was designed to give Bill Watts' wrestling organization a more universal appeal, especially for his television show as it caught on in other markets across the country. The Mid-South Sports professional wrestling organization was no more. The Houston Wrestling promotion would promote under the UWF’s banner.

  The first order of business for President Bill Watts was to establish a new UWF Champion. Houston was selected for the single-elimination fifteen-match one-night tournament. The city was one of the top markets in the wrestling business, and Houston Wrestling had KHTV’s Channel 39 television production truck there to record every single match of the historic tournament. It took place on Friday, May 30, 1986, at the Sam Houston Coliseum. Terry Gordy, of The Fabulous Freebirds, was the ultimate winner and the brand new UWF Champion!

  Another highlight of the 1986 season was August 9, 1986, when the Houston Wrestling promotion hosted the Wrestling Fans International Association National Convention. It was a lot of fun to greet wrestling fans from all over the country. They watched professional wrestling and had an opportunity to visit with wrestlers and promoters one on one. The WFIA was founded by professional wrestling fans, and everybody--fans, wrestlers, and promoters--had a great time that weekend.

  During the summer of 1986, things started to get tense between the UWF and the Houston Wrestling promotion. The UWF changed the booking office’s cost structure. At the same time, the City of Houston changed the lease for the Sam Houston Coliseum, increasing rental fees and staffing by almost one hundred percent, which made it more difficult to make money. The State of Texas continued to enforce an additional 6.25% sales tax on all wrestling tickets, in addition to the 3% state commission tax which had been levied against professional wrestling live gates since the thirties.

  When I approached Bill Watts and showed him how the numbers would not allow an independent local promotion like Houston Wrestling to last much longer, he asked if I wanted to be bought out. After careful thought, I said yes. Watts instructed me to come up with a written proposal, which I did and handed to him. Watts never got around to giving me an answer or counter proposal. To this day, I am not sure whether he was sincere in wanting to buy me out or whether he was just buying time. Either way, the winds of change were at hurricane-force around the Houston Wrestling promotion. Something would have to give.

  Believing that Watts was sincere in wanting to buy my interest in the Houston Wrestling promotion, I moved to Huntsville, Texas, and starting teaching at Sam Houston State University, my Alma Mater. I commuted back and forth so I could continue my involvement in the Houston Wrestling promotion until a deal could be worked out with Bill Watts. That deal never took place.

  Changes were taking place in the ring, in the dressing room, in the promotional office and even in the Houston Wrestling arena program. The last program was written and sold on September 21, 1986. That marked the end of an era. For over forty years there was a Houston Wrestling arena program sold at the live wrestling matches. The arena programs sold after that date were the UWF official bulletin, written for the entire UWF territory, and personalized for Houston Wrestling by a one-page insert. It was becoming more and more a UWF promotion than a Houston Wrestling promotion.

  Since there were no Houston Wrestling programs being written from September 21, 1986, through May of 1987, details of the various periodic promotions are sketchy. One thing was for certain; with every UWF/Houston Wrestling promotion during that time, things were getting more tense and challenging. Looking back after over twenty years, the blame for the deteriorating situation cannot be fully laid on the dramatic changes in the professional wrestling business. There were other factors, including poor communication, mistrust, and a certain amount of paranoia.

  Finally, just like a piece of metal snaps from metal fatigue, the Houston Wrestling promotion’s relationship with Bill Watts snapped. Could it have been avoided? Possibly if there had been better communication, but then again, maybe it was fate.

  Boesch heard rumors that the UWF and Bill Watts were negotiating with a competitor, Jim Crockett and the National Wrestling Alliance, on a possible merger. Despite Paul Boesch’s attempts to speak with Bill Watts, the two men never were able to discuss the rumors nor any of the other challenges facing the Houston Wrestling promotion. In desperation, Boesch called Jim Barnett of the World Wrestling Federation and arranged a meeting. He was assured that if he felt the time had come for a change, all it would take would be one phone call and the WWF with Vince McMahon would be there to answer.

  In the spring of 1987, Paul Boesch made that phone call.

  Boesch’s call to the World Wrestling Federation opened a new chapter to the over sixty-year history of the Houston Wrestling promotion. He was very excited about the move, and so were Vince McMahon and the WWF. The agreement made over the phone was simple:the WWF would furnish the wrestling talent, and the Houston Wrestling promotion would handle the television and all other promotional duties. The financial details were left open since Vince McMahon said he wanted to fly down and discuss them in person. Vince assured the Houston Wrestling promotion that the financial breakdown would be fair to both parties. Both Boesch and Vince were anxious to move forward and begin the new working relationship. But was it a new beginning, or was it the beginning of the end?

  Even though Houston Wrestling promoted a few live wrestling shows in conjunction with the Universal Wrestling Federation, the significant 1987 wrestling season started with Boesch’s call to the WWF. Incidentally, Bill Watts and Jim Crockett did make a deal. However, by the time they chose to inform Boesch of the details, it was too late.

  It was a total shock to Houston Wrestling television fans when in May of 1987 they turned on their television sets to witness the historic transition from the UWF to the powerful World Wrestling Federation under the direction of Vince McMahon. The move was quick and decisive.

  The first live professional wrestling show promoted by the Houston Wrestling promotion and the WWF took place on Friday May 15, 1987. Vince flew the big stars down to Houston so that Paul Boesch and I could do live interviews for the Houston Wrestling television show. It was imperative to establish the personal association between wrestlers and fans as soon as possible. My first television interview with a WWF superstar was with Randy “Macho Man” Savage. He had just signed to take on Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat for the WWF Intercontinental Title in the upcoming main event. As this story is being written, I am still saddened by the tragic news of the death of Randy Savage on May 20, 2011--just a few days ago at the time of this writing.

  Randy was a second-generation professional wrestler. His father was the famous Angelo Poffo, who had starred at Houston Wrestling during the fifties and sixties under the guidance of manager Bronko Lubich. Randy’s younger brother, Lanny Poffo, was also a professional wrestler. Most wrestling fans will remember Randy’s colorful style, including his flamboyant outfits and his raspy voice screaming, “Ooh yeah!” Fans will also remember his beautiful manager “Miss Elizabeth,” who was Randy’s wife at one time though later they divorced. Randy “Macho Man” Savage was a true professional wrestling superstar, and a man who lived life to the fullest.

  When Vince McMahon came to the Houston Wrestling Ticket Office at 1919 Caroline, he was impressed with the hundreds of professional wrestling pictures on display all along the walls. Vince always had a great deal of respect for the history of professional wrestling, demonstrated by the great professional wrestling Hall of Fame that he has founded. However, Vince was not there to look at the pictures. He was there to talk business. He quickly laid out the financial proposal for the new working relat
ionship. Silence followed the presentation.

  I finally spoke up and diplomatically explained that the proposed breakdown of the gate receipts would not work for the Houston Wrestling promotion. I knew the numbers since I had also been the bookkeeper for the Houston Wrestling promotion for over ten years. Vince politely listened to my concerns, then said he felt that my calculations were based on the past Houston Wrestling gates and not the new much higher gates that the WWF would draw. He went on to state that we should give him and the WWF a few live shows to prove his point, and if the gates did not increase enough to make the new financial arrangement work for the Houston Wrestling promotion, we would sit back down and renegotiate. He suggested that Boesch and I be patient and give him a chance to prove his point. In a spirit of cooperation, Paul Boesch and I agreed.

  Vince McMahon and the WWF wrestling organization were extremely cooperative and supportive. I still recall how, just minutes after talking to Vince McMahon for the first time on the phone, I received a phone call from his wife, Linda. She was very excited about the new arrangement and wanted to let me know that she and the WWF would do whatever it took to make it work. I enjoyed working with Linda McMahon. She was very enthusiastic and extremely efficient. At the time of this writing, she is making her second run for the United States Senate. Anyone who could keep Vince and the rest of the wrestlers in line will have little trouble whipping the United States Senate into shape.

  Vince and the WWF provided great wrestling talent and tremendous support on television. The Houston Wrestling promotion matched their tremendous effort. Yet, despite a one hundred and ten percent effort by both parties, the numbers did not work for the Houston Wrestling promotion.

  When Boesch voiced his concern and his desire to renegotiate the arrangement, Vince McMahon informed Boesch that the arrangement was off. Boesch was shocked and crushed. There were no more options. After over sixty years of success, the Houston Wrestling promotion would have to close its doors. After fifty-five years in professional wrestling, Boesch’s career was suddenly over. No final farewell. No final curtain call.

  I was vacationing in Las Vegas with my father when I was paged in the casino and was told there was an emergency phone call. My heart began pounding and my eyes filled with tears. I knew my uncle had heart problems, so I feared the worse. I picked up the phone and identified myself to the casino phone operator, who connected me with the caller.

  What a relief it was when I recognized my uncle’s voice. But the relief did not last long as Boesch, his voice cracking with emotion, told me about Vince’s phone call and that we would have to shut our doors. I swallowed hard and, after the initial shock, I told my uncle not do anything until I got back to Houston. I assured him that I was catching the next flight and that I would think of something. After hanging up, I called Vince McMahon and asked him to please not do anything until I returned to Texas , and I would call him the next day. Vince told me he would wait for my phone call.

  My head was spinning. I had already started teaching at Sam Houston State University. I had invested my professional wrestling income well, and was financially secure. But I was overwhelmed by the thought that my uncle would not be able to retire with dignity and integrity from the business that he loved so much.

  There had to be an answer. There had to be a solution. There had to be a better way to wrap up the arrangement with Vince and the WWF. My wheels started turning. The first flight back to Houston was in the early morning the next day, so there was no sleeping that night, only tossing and turning and a lot of frantic brainstorming.

  On the flight, I scribbled ideas on the cocktail napkin that accompanied the cup of coffee served right after take-off. As I wrote, it started to come together. It would be critical to convince Vince McMahon that it would be to the best interest of the WWF if this transition was done with class and dignity. Paul Boesch deserved a final curtain call!

  The carrot I planned to offer to Vince McMahon consisted of several factors. First and most important, as part of the deal the Houston Wrestling promotion would give Vince and the WWF its television arrangement with KHTV, Channel 39. The record-setting Houston Wrestling television show would be a tremendous asset to Vince as he continued the effort to establish the WWF in the Houston market. A second selling point was that a Paul Boesch retirement extravaganza would capture the headlines of professional wrestling magazines and publications all across the nation. Numerous publications would feature the story of legendary Paul Boesch turning the reins of the famous Houston Wrestling promotion over to Vince McMahon. Vince would be smart enough to realize that the national spotlight of professional wrestling would be shining on the Houston Wrestling ring as Boesch stepped down and passed the torch to Vince and the WWF. The third and final selling point was that it was just the right thing to do, a way to carry through the transition with class and dignity. I hoped that Vince would recognize that fact and be convinced that a Paul Boesch Extravaganza was indeed the answer.

  The proposal included a very fair financial package for the Houston Wrestling promotion. Boesch would have his well-deserved last appearance and would surely make professional wrestling history. Vince McMahon would have the attention of the professional wrestling world as millions of fans witnessed him enjoying another major promotional conquest.

  The plane landed and I headed straight to the Houston Wrestling ticket office, cocktail napkin and scribbled notes in hand. I frantically organized my ideas and took a deep breath as I dialed Vince's number. Once I reached Vince, I asked him to please listen to the entire proposal before giving an answer. Immediately I started talking and kept talking--I did not want to give Vince a chance to politely say “No.” I saved the best part for last, stressing that the Houston Wrestling television time period would become his, and Paul Boesch would retire and turn the reins of the world famous Houston Wrestling promotion over to him! Victory would be his!

  Silence. After what seemed like an eternity, Vince broke the quiet. He simply said, “Let’s do it!”

  I will always be grateful for Vince McMahon and his willingness to cooperate on the “Paul Boesch Retirement Extravaganza.” It was a very lucrative deal for Vince, but to this day I feel that the financial incentives were not the deciding factor. McMahon did it because it was just the right thing to do. He respected the business and individuals like Boesch, who gave their lives to the business they loved. It was a class act by Vince McMahon, and everybody came out a winner in a situation that seemed headed for disaster.

  Vince and the WWF furnished one of the greatest wrestling cards in the history of professional wrestling. The Extravaganza set a record at the box office and for historic action in the Houston Wrestling ring. Everyone involved in the show felt it was an honor to be a part of it, and gave the event everything they had. Wrestling fans still talk to me about that show nearly twenty-five years after the fact. Vince also flew in professional wrestling stars and dignitaries from all around the business, just to participate in the activities surrounding the event. McMahon took it one step further, and organized a wonderful retirement party at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Houston to honor Paul Boesch and give him one last chance to visit with his many dear friends in the business. It was a true extravaganza for wrestling fans, television viewers, and most importantly, Boesch. On television he congratulated Vince McMahon, and symbolically announced that McMahon was the new “King of Houston Wrestling.” Long live the new King!

  This is the storybook ending of this classic wrestling story.

  Boesch and I had the opportunity to say goodbye and thank all our wrestling fans, both on the Houston Wrestling television show and in front of the record-setting crowd at the Sam Houston Coliseum that night. I remember holding back my emotions as best as possible, and I recall my uncle’s voice cracking and choking at times. It all started to sink in. This is it. Up until that point I had focused so much on putting the huge extravaganza together and vigorously promoting it. There had been no time to think about the true s
ignificance of the moment. My uncle was saying good-bye to the business that had been his life for over fifty-five years. I was saying goodbye to the business that I had grown up in and worked in over twenty-five years. Houston Wrestling had been a major part of my life. Now it was coming to an end. An eerie feeling of uncertainty accompanied the emotional goodbyes. What would it be like to live without professional wrestling at the nucleus of my being?

  After all the ring introductions of the many professional wrestling dignitaries in attendance, and the goodbyes from Paul Boesch and me, we exited the ring. The crowd was cheering as I noticed my uncle stop halfway up the aisle to look around, absorbing every sound and every vision so that he could remember that special moment for the rest of his life.

  As we were about to enter the dressing room, I turned to Lou Thesz and commented, “I cannot believe it is over!”

  Thesz looked straight into my eyes and said, “Not for you, Pete. You are too young and it is in your blood. It will always be in your blood.”

  Lou Thesz was right. It was not completely over that night. There was still one more chapter left for the Houston Wrestling promotion--the last and final chapter. But first, I must give credit to everyone that made Houston Wrestling possible.