More from Rob Moore: 1990 Spot Shows

Once again WCM presents playlists of two spot shows from Rob Moore's YouTube channel! Rob served as ring announcer for both shows, which took place in 1990 at the Greenville, TX (Rob's hometown) Middle School Gym. The above playlist consists of three matches from a June 21, 1990 USWA card, and opens with Matt Borne taking on Chico Torres. When Torres demands another five minutes, Borne refuses unless Torres puts his own money on the line...which leads to Chico coming up with the cash in a most unusual and unexpected manner! In the first of two main events, Gorgeous Gary Young hits the ring next to face Kevin Von Erich -- who gets five minutes in the ring with Young's manager Skandor Akbar if he wins! The evening's second and final main event pits Gentleman Chris Adams against his former protege, the highly promising rookie Stunning Steve Austin...and as you might expect, we're off to catfight city as their respective valets, Toni Adams and Jeanie Clark, prove to be as impossible as ever to keep separated!

Playlist #2 includes a pair of matches from a November 22, 1990 card billed as Wendy's Thanksgiving Star Wars (promoted, we believe, by Chris Adams, who appears here but was no longer working for Kevin's revived WCCW by then). Percy Pringle goes up against Tugboat Taylor (who had appeared in World Class a couple of years earlier as the masked Doctor Who) in the first clip, followed by a bout between Steve Simpson and Steve Austin. (UPDATE 1/1/2018: Rob has now posted the Toni Adams-Jeanie Clark match from this card, and we have added it to the playlist.) Sadly, back at the Sportatorium, the WCCW promotion would close its doors for good just one night later.

For Your Viewing Pleasure: Two WCCW Spot Shows from 1984!

[Updated 12/26/2017] Thanks to longtime Texas wrestling commentator Rob Moore for posting these rare videos from the heyday of WCCW, which we've assembled into a pair of YouTube playlists! Both shows are from Greenville, TX; the above playlist is a complete benefit card (with matches in the correct running order) from the Greenville Intermediate School Gym on January 12, 1984. Kicking things off, after a short clip of Marc Lowrance's Championship Sports promo for the card, is a bout pitting Iceman King Parsons against Devastation Inc.'s Super D #2. [Our apologies for originally including the wrong video of this bout, which had some technical issues; we've now replaced it with a glitch-free version.] Next up is Devastation's Missing Link taking on Johnny Mantell. Kevin Von Erich hits the ring in the main event (though not the final match of the night) to wrestle Fabulous Freebird Buddy Roberts. Closing the show is yet another in the heated series of battles between Gentleman Chris Adams and Gorgeous Jimmy Garvin. (Also notable is the fact that this was ring announcer Moore's pro wrestling debut!)

The playlist below consists of three of the four (?) matches from the November 15, 1984 show at the Greenville High School Gym. Fantastic Bobby Fulton clashes with Jake "The Snake" Roberts in the opener. The second bout is of particular interest, with the newly heel-turned Chris Adams (managed, of course, by Gary Hart) going up against Mike Von Erich. The main event here is a fairly short but wild encounter between Kerry Von Erich and The Missing Link. If you remember the excitement surrounding WCCW in its 1983-85 boom period (or if you're too young to remember it, but curious), these videos will bring it all back. Hope you enjoy 'em!

NWA World Champ Lou Thesz vs Wild Bill Longson 6/17/52

Duke Keomuka vs Tommy "Nature Boy" Phelps

From Longview, Texas circa 1954, this clip was rescued from station KTVE, which went off the air not long after the bout was filmed. Phelps, playing the heel role here, was one of the independent wrestlers who worked for Ed McLemore during the 1953-54 promotional war with Houston promoter Morris Sigel, and stayed on for a time after the dispute was finally settled; the referee is Big Humphrey Pennyworth (real name: Joseph Vitale). Despite the partially obscured view of the ring, this is a fascinating historical clip.

Von Erichs vs Freebirds 2/18/83 and 9/3/84

The first full-fledged six man encounter in the original Von Erichs-Freebirds feud, taking place after almost two months of buildup:

...and the last, from Labor Day Star Wars '84:

Nowhere But Texas 2: Big D Jamboree

Although wrestling gets only a passing mention, this 2008 episode of the KERA/PBS series Nowhere But Texas is a great look at the Sportatorium and the Big D Jamboree, with lots of rare footage. (NOTE: Video may not play in Firefox but does work in IE and Google Chrome.)

Johnny Valentine vs Bill Frazier 1962

From the Chase Hotel in St. Louis. The commentator is the fondly-remembered MLB player, sportscaster and game show host Joe Garagiola, who unfortunately seems to have taken pro wrestling none too seriously.

Johnny Valentine vs George "The Animal" Steele 9/7/74

Silent home movie footage shot at a taping of Wrestling at the Chase in St. Louis. Though he was long past his prime here, JV was obviously still an intense in-ring performer. Interfering at the end is Dr. Bill Miller.

TV champ Brian Adias vs Wild Bill Irwin 7/19/82

The Von Erichs: The Next Generation!

The matches of Ross and Marshall Von Erich, collected in one easy-to-find location. As more videos of the brothers are posted to YouTube, we'll be adding them to the playlist!

Jerry "The King" Lawler vs Andy Kaufman

Another epic-length playlist (3 1/4 hours) -- this time recapping the legendary Jerry "The King" Lawler-Andy Kaufman feud. Thanks to PopCultureStu and SouthernGospel for posting the clips!

***NOTE: Over the years, the UNCENSORED version of the famous David Letterman interview has leaked from NBC and has been posted to YouTube...we've included it here, but we've tacked it onto the very end of this playlist so you can easily skip it if you're at work, if your kids are watching with you, or if you simply have no interest in seeing it. Again, the last clip in this playlist is NSFW!***

Eric Embry vs Devastation Inc...from Start to Finish!

For those who have five hours to spare (heh heh), here's the first playlist from our ALL-NEW YouTube channel: the COMPLETE Embry-Akbar feud, from Eric's babyface turn to the removal of the WCCW banner from the Sportatorium wall. Thanks to "markc75" for originally posting the clips!

Mike vs Gino in Tel Aviv

A fascinating YouTube find: rare footage of Mike Von Erich taking on Gino Hernandez during WCCW's 1985 tour of Israel. The tour, sadly, would be the beginning of Mike's tragic decline as a shoulder injury he suffered necessitated the surgery that resulted in his near-death from toxic shock syndrome.

Chris Von Erich: "My Dad Can Whip Your Dad"

Posted to YouTube by Lori Collier. Thanks Lori!  (See the FAQ for more info on this mid-'80s single by Chris.)

Dangerous Danny McShain vs Pepper Gomez

From Ed McLemore's syndicated Texas Rasslin' series, here's a vintage Sportatorium bout (from May 3, 1960, according to Tim Hornbaker's Legacy of Wrestling site, not December 1958 as posted).  Although bits and pieces of the footage (including the finish) are missing, this is a fine look at two old school legends in what appears to be their only singles match in Dallas.

Hell Hath No Fury...!

The famous Sunshine promo (aired 11/12/83) taped shortly after she was dumped by Jimmy Garvin in favor of Precious.  A classic WCCW moment!

Remembering Bruiser Brody

On this, the 25th anniversary of Bruiser's passing, we pay tribute to the hardcore legend by presenting one of his wildest-ever clashes with Abdullah the Butcher, from Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, PR on 2/28/87.