If you’re a fan of racing on the road or the water, the name Wild Bill Cantrell might sound familiar. Cantrell’s wrestling career was not a long one, lasting not even a…
Dale Pierce, author of the Ohio wrestling history “Wrestling in Akron,” is now blogging about the history of pro wrestling in Arizona. He’s got a great website, filled with wonderful stories, and…
If you don’t know, the two men in the photo at left are Hy Zaya and Shane Mercer, two of the very best wrestlers in the Midwest. These two men have been…
In the early days of broadcasting, two stars did more to put televisions into homes than anyone else: Milton Berle and Gorgeous George. Born George Wagner, the gorgeous one began his wrestling…
This is the best clip I’ve found of “The Black Panther” yet. Jim Mitchell was a native of Louisville, Kentucky. Born in 1909, Mitchell was a football player who, under the advice…
From the author of Bluegrass Brawlers: The Story of Professional Wrestling in Louisville and the woman who co-founded Kranken Welpen, the world’s only heavy metal polka band, comes the story of a…
A year or so ago, I wrote the following story for a book project I have since set aside. In honor of the recent passing of Muhammed Ali, I thought it would…
Last week, Ohio Valley Wrestling presented their second Run for the Ropes program as part of the Kentucky Derby Fest-a-Ville. The riverfront wrestling program is a welcome addition to the Kentucky Derby…
Heywood Allen ran his first show under his own banner in Swiss Park on June 4, 1935. They drew 1000 people that night, 822 of them paid, for a gate of $485….
“When I started wrestling, everyone like Gorgeous George had on capes [and] big robes; really gaudy and everything. Then I came along and all I had was pair of trunks and my…