Honoring wrestling royalty

Remembering the Von Erichs

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter
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During our trip last week to the Dallas area for WrestleMania, one of the things I wanted to do was visit the grave sites of the Von Erich family.  That probably sounds morbid to some, but I view it as a way to pay respects to one of the greatest wrestling dynasties in the history of the business.

Friday afternoon we headed to Grove Hill Memorial Park.  After watching a YouTube video to explain where the markers are for Fritz, Doris, Kerry, David, Mike, Chris and Jack "Von Erich" we tried to find the spots.  However it was a bit more complicated and after some driving and walking, we finally found the area where three generations of Adkissons have been laid to rest.

Baby Natosha and David's sites

The first marker Chad and I found was that of Natosha Zoeanna Adkisson.  I had forgotten she was the infant daughter of David and Candy and died in 1978, the same year she was born.  Next to her as you might expect is David's final resting spot.  I had just started watching wrestling when David died in Japan.  He was only 25 years old.  His death was the first of many losses in the world of wrestling I'd experienced as a fan.

After David died, the Modern Day Warrior, Kerry became the number one contender to the NWA World Heavyweight title.  On May 6, 1984 he beat Ric Flair for the gold.  Kerry was my favorite as a kid and remains one of my all-time favorites to this day.  He went on to wrestle in the WWF and became the Intercontinental champion.  In 1993 he ended his own life.  Four years later, the family's patriarch, Fritz died after a battle with cancer.  He and Kerry and buried side by side.

Mike, Chris and Doris

Mike and Chris Von Erich both committed suicide too.  Mike died in 1987 at age 23.  Chris four years later.  He was just 21.  Jack Adkisson, Jr. was just six when he died in 1959.  He was shocked by a downed power line and drowned in a puddle.  Mother Doris Adkisson died in October 2015.  She is buried next to Kerry and Fritz's plot.  

Kevin's appearance at the Hall of Fame

Chad and I stood in silence as we paid our respects to a family that has endured so much loss.  I thought of surviving brother Kevin and remembered his Hall of Fame speech from 2009, telling fans not to feel sorry for him.  The next night we were surprised as Kevin was brought out and gave a brief speech, reminding us of his original words.  

Paying tribute to The Freebirds and the Von Erichs

At WrestleMania on Sunday we paid tribute to World Class Championship Wrestling.  It was my favorite promotion growing up, so when Chad made the suggestion, I jumped at the chance.  He wore a "Badstreet USA" t-shirt representing the family rivals, The Fabulous Freebirds.  My t-shirt was dedicated to Kerry, who wrestled at the Texas Tornado during his stint in WWF.  I slapped the classic claw on Chad in front of AT&T Stadium as we waited to take our seats.  It just seemed like the thing to do.

Easy Like Sunday Morning

Our weekly host on WWF Superstars 

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

I've had a bit of writer's block for the last couple of days, but this morning as I was scrolling through my Facebook feed, a friend of mine asked the question "What's a favorite Sunday memory you have growing up?"  For me the answer was easy, watching wrestling.

It wasn't just that I was watching wrestling.  It was about who I was watching it with.  Long before I became obsessed, my dad, brother, and uncle watched every week and would go to live events when the NWA would come to St. Louis.

World Class Championship Wrestling
Photo courtesy: WWE

Soon, I'd start watching too.  This was the mid-1980's, so we had several different wrestling programs that aired on the independent station in town, KPLR Channel 11.  I believe they showed both Wrestling at the Chase and WWF Superstars.  Over on one of the other stations, we'd watch World Class Championship Wrestling.  It was hours and hours of wrestling fun.  From the Von Erichs and Freebirds beating the crap out of each other to Roddy Piper cutting down a popular babyface in Piper's Pit, we always had a good time.

Wrestling at the Chase

We'd often go to church before wrestling would start, and I remember counting down at the end of the service so we could make it home in time to catch the action.  Some weeks we'd get out late and miss the start of the show.  At one point, I remember WCCW started airing on Saturday nights too, so I'd watch that along with Central States Wrestling and just focus on WWF on Sunday mornings.  My mom always made a big breakfast and we'd eat with the TV on, watching our favorites do their thing in the ring.

Those days are long gone.  I miss the variety of wrestling programs with different characters and storylines.  But more importantly I miss that time that I spent with my dad, brother, and now dearly departed uncle.  Those memories will stay with me forever though, and for that I'm grateful. 

Gone, But Not Forgotten: Buddy Roberts

Buddy Roberts

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

I couldn't let the passing of Buddy Roberts go by today and not write a few words about it.  For those who remember World Class Championship Wrestling from the mid 1980's, Roberts was one third of the Fabulous Freebirds.  Along with Michael Hayes and (the late) Terry Gordy, Roberts was one of the company's best heels.

When I was a kid I hated the Freebirds.  They of course were engaged in war with the hometown superheroes The Von Erich brothers.  One of my favorite memories of Roberts was when he was battling Iceman King Parsons in a hair match.  Roberts cheated to win, but ended up losing his hair anyway when Parsons rubbed the mysterious "Freebird Hair Cream" on Roberts' head.  He ended up wearing head gear after that for a time, using it to gain the upper hand in his matches.  Here's the link to that match.

The 'Birds and the Von Erichs battled it out for years in WCCW, trading the six man tag team championships several times.  Roberts would go on to manage the Samon Swat Team and team up with Parsons after he turned on the Von Erichs too.  His raspy voice (due to years of smoking) was his trademark, as well as his love of Jack Daniels, earning him the nickname "Jack."

In addition to tag team gold, Roberts won the UWF TV title as well as the WCCW version of the belt.  He may not have been the biggest dog in the fight, but at times he was certainly the dirtiest.  He truly had a man you love to hate type personality in my view.

The Freebirds with singles gold

Prior to his time as a Freebird though, Roberts was a part of the Hollywood Blonds with Jerry Brown.  This was in the 1970's, long before I started watching wrestling, but it's my understanding the duo was successful in Florida, Georgia, and other parts of the mid-south region.

Roberts was successful wherever he went, but an underrated star of the 70's and 80's.  He was just 65 years old.  Rest in Peace Buddy Jack.

Black History Month: Iceman King Parsons

Iceman cometh

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger

Growing up in the 80's exposed me to a lot of regional wrestling.  This was right before Vince McMahon went on his world domination of the business.  One of my favorite regions, actually it was my favorite region was World Class Championship Wrestling based out of Dallas, Texas.  And one of the most popular guys on the show was Iceman King Parsons, who by the way hailed from my hometown of St. Louis, Missouri.  That made his appeal that much greater for me.

Parsons was a short and compact baby face.  He came to the ring to "We Are Family" and was very popular among the fans.  Iceman teamed up often with the ultimate good guys, the Von Erich brothers.  Parsons also teamed up with the likes of Bruiser Brody, "Rock n Roll" Buck Zumhofe, and Brian Adias.  He wore tag team gold as well as the WCCW TV championship.

One of the best memories I have is when he wrestled Buddy Roberts of Fabulous Freebirds fame in a hair vs. hair match.  With his tight braids, Iceman was proud of his unique look. Roberts cheated to "win", but the referee restarted the match. Parsons ended up knocking out his foe with a butt bump and rubbed the hair removal cream in Roberts hair.  This resulted in the Freebird wearing a wig and headgear for several months.

Zumhofe & Parsons

All seemed hunky dory with the Iceman.  Fans cheered him as he head butted and butt bumped his way to victory after victory.  He would dance in the ring and keep the crowd pumped up.  But in 1987 he became a heel and joined forces with Terry Gordy and Buddy Roberts as they feuded with the Von Erichs and Michael Hayes.  He even won the company's heavyweight championship during his stint as a bad guy. I was disappointed by his heel turn, as I enjoyed his work as a face and remember, I was a huge Von Erich mark back then.

I remember he coined the phrase (or at least I heard it from him first), "raggedy roody poo" in reference to people he didn't care for.  Eventually Stevie Ray (Harlem Heat) and the Rock would use the phrase too.

After World Class folded, or maybe even before, Iceman jumped to Global and wrestled with Perry "Action" Jackson.  He's been semi retired since about 2001 and apparently still lives in Texas.

While he never wrestled for "the big leagues", Parsons certainly made a name for himself in smaller promotions.  He left an impression on me as a kid with his charisma and excitement he brought to each and every match.

Two Lost Legends

Brody vs. Gordy

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger on Twitter

I must admit with all the buzz surrounding the WWE Money in the Bank match featuring CM Punk and John Cena, I lost site of just about everything else wrestling related.  I knew the anniversary of Bruiser Brody's death was nearing, and ended up missing it.  It was Sunday (July 17th).

Brody was one of the best big men in the business.  Another great one, Terry Gordy died July 16, 2001.  Both men captured my attention back in the 1980's and World Class Championship Wrestling.  You can see in the pic to the left, the two were extreme long before ECW came around.

Let's start with Bruiser Brody.  As a kid, I remember watching his wild antics on World Class Championship Wrestling.  He was tough as nails and kicked as every time he was in the ring.  Although he jumped back and forth from being babyface and heel, my best memories of him are when he was helping the Von Erichs battle the Freebirds.  Brody also waged war on Skandor Akbar and his Devastation Incorporated.  Gary Hart also had his men, including Abdullah the Butch battle Brody.  Those two took each other to the limits, carving up one another's foreheads with whatever weapons they could find.

I only got the chance to watch Brody live in action.  It was in 1985, and he was battling the NWA World champion Ric Flair.  They were the main event of an NWA house show in St. Louis.  Much to my disappointment Brody beat Flair, but only by disqualification, so the title didn't change hands.

I remember one of the wrestling magazines from my youth named Brody the best wrestler.  I think this was in 1986.  He scored just above Ric Flair for the top spot.  Brody was great.  He could brawl and go toe to toe with just about anyone.  In fact, he wrestled Andre the Giant to a double DQ at a house show in St. Louis in the early 80's.

Brody was a heel in his days in the AWA.  Gen. Adnan al Kaissie was his manager.  At that time he feuded with Greg and Verne Gagne and Crusher Blackwell.  It was a surprise to me that the big man never won the world title in either the NWA or AWA.  There were also rumors that Verne Gagne offered him a large sum of money to attack Mr. T on his way to the ring at the original Wrestlemania.  Can you imagine if that would have happened?  I often wonder what would have happened had Brody signed a contract and wrestled in the WWF.  Would he have been fed to Hulk Hogan like other big men of that day, Big John Studd, King Kong Bundy, and Nikolai Volkoff all come to mind.

Of course Brody was in a class all his own.  I would have loved to seen him come in and destroy Hulkamania.  I say that now, but as a kid I would have likely protested that idea.

On July 16, 1988 was stabbed in the locker room of an arena in Puerto Rico.  He died the next day. Wrestler Jose Gonzalez stood accused of the crime after other wrestlers saw him holding a knife after Brody went down.  But because no one would testify against him, and because Gonzelez claimed it was self defense, he was acquitted of any wrong doing.

I remember reading of Brody's death in the St. Louis Post Dispatch and later in an issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated.  Back then there was no internet to alert fans of such tragic events.  Brody's life was taken way too soon.  And although he accomplished a lot during his career, I can't help but to think there was much more in store for this legendary big man.  I hope Vince McMahon one day inducts Brody into the WWE Hall of Fame.

The Fabulous Freebirds

The 10 year anniversary of Terry Gordy's death was over the weekend too.  Another great big man who I first saw wrestle on WCCW.  He was teaming up with Michael Hayes and Buddy Roberts against the Von Erichs.  At first though, it seemed they were all friends.  Then Gordy slammed a steel cage door in Kerry Von Erich's face as Kerry was challenging Ric Flair for the NWA title.  This was Christmas 1983 and set up on of wrestling's greatest rivalries of all time.

Gordy played the brawn of the Freebirds while Hayes was the brains of the operation.  The trio ventured briefly to the WWF in the mid 80's before coming back home to WCCW.  They also wrestle in Bill Watts' UWF where Gordy was the company's champion.  He feuded with the likes of Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Ted DiBiase, and Steve Williams.

Williams and Gordy would eventually team up overseas to much success.  They also had a semi successful run together in WCW in the early 90's, having a classic feud with the Steiner Brothers.  After bouncing between the U.S. and Japan, Gordy signed with the WWF in the late 90's and played the Executioner.  He and Mankind were managed by Paul Bearer.  But Gordy's time in the company was brief.

In 2001, Gordy died of a heart attack, caused by a blood clot.  He was only 40 years old.  Gordy's son, Ray wrestled in the WWE as Jessie and than Slam Master J.  The company never acknowledge the legacy.  That's a real shame, because I think they could have played that up more.  Here's to hoping that Gordy and his Freebird brothers also find their way into the WWE Hall of Fame one day.

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Flashback Friday: This Means War



From Camelclutchblog.com

 Christmas is a time for peace and love.  Friends and family.  Unless you're a wrestler. 

Christmas 1982 was anything but Merry for the Von Erich family and their fans at Reunion Arena in Dallas. It was a part of the annual Holiday Star Wars event put on by World Class Championship Wrestling.

Beloved Von Erich brother Kerry was gearing up for a shot against the NWA world heavyweight champion, Ric Flair.  But this was no ordinary title defense.  It would be inside a steel cage, and furthermore, there would be a special guest enforcer on hand too.  That referee was Michael Hayes, who with Terry Gordy and Kerry's older brother David had just won the WCCW 6 man tag team titles.

So it seemed like a lock.  The newest Von Erich ally was going to be calling the biggest match of Kerry's young career.  What could possibly go wrong?  Well, it is wrestling, so everything. 

Flair of course was the heel champion who everyone hated.  He and Hayes went back and worth throughout the match.  Terry Gordy hung out outside the cage as added enforcement.  This was long before the 4 Horsemen, so Flair was truly on his own at this event.  Or so it seemed.

When the official official in the match, David Manning was knocked out, Hayes took over.  He decked Flair and told Kerry to cover him.  Kerry refused.  Then Hayes forced Kerry to make the cover put the honorable Von Erich wouldn't let Hayes make the count.  As Kerry tried to leave the ring, he was greeted with the door of the cage right into the face.  That of course rendered him nearly unconscious and the opportunistic Flair, who had no honor, made the cover and won the match.

This set off one of the greatest rivalries in wrestling history.  The Von Erichs and Freebirds feuded for years.  The two sides swapped the 6 man tag titles and spilled plenty of blood in the years that followed.  Father Fritz would even come out of retirement to help his sons avenge the evil actions of the 'birds. 

So, a night of peace on earth turned into one of the biggest and best rivalries in the history of wrestling. 

Merry Christmas everyone.