Subject: [Rec.Sport.Pro-Wrestling] FAQ (part 02/02)
Date: 4 Oct 1995 22:11:11 GMT
Summary: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions for rec.sport.pro-wrestling
URL: http://grumpy.emich.edu/~macika/FAQ/faq.html
Editor: macika@grumpy.emich.edu (Dominic Macika)
Posting-frequency: every third Friday
Previous-editor: jewell@Data-IO.com (Cal Jewell)
Previous-editor: jnelson@iastate.edu (Jeremy Nelson)
Original-editor: a0cb@cc.pdx.edu (Chris Bertholf)

                 Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
                                  for
                        rec.sport.pro-wrestling

..    email: rspw-faq@grumpy.emich.edu

                       Generated: October 4, 1995

Copyright

This document is compilation copyright (c) 1995 by Dominic Macika
and compilation copyright (c) 1993, 1994 by Cal Jewell. It
may be freely copied and/or distributed in its entirety as long
as this copyright notice is not removed. It may not be sold for
profit or incorporated into commercial products without the
editor's written permission. [Compilation copyright means that
you can freely use individual sections of this document, but any
significant collection of sections is subject to the copyright.]

Please read this document before posting to
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Comments, additions, suggestions, and corrections are encouraged.
Send them to rspw-faq@grumpy.emich.edu

Changes are marked with a preceding "|" (a pipe). You can skip to
them by typing g^| in most newsreaders (e.g., rn, trn).

Note: this FAQ has been formatted as a digest. Many newsreaders
can skip to each of the major subsections by pressing ^g
(CTRL-g).

Index 

1. Rec.Sport.Pro-Wrestling
2. Other information sources
3. WWF
4. WCW
5. NWA
6. Other North American promotions
7. Japan
8. Mexico
9. Deaths
10. Injuries
11. Where Are They Now?
12. Wrestling Groups and Teams
13. Miscellaneous questions about wrestlers.
14. The Law and Pro Wrestling
15. Miscellaneous
Contributors

-----------------------

Index of questions in part 2

9.  Deaths

9.1.  Ilio DiPaolo
9.2.  Other recent wrestling related deaths

10.  Injuries
10.1.  What happened to Rick Steamboat?
10.2.  What happened to Cactus Jack's right ear?
10.3.  Did Sid Vicious and Arn Anderson really get stabbed in
         England?
10.4.  What's the deal with Brutus Beefcake's face?

11.  Where Are They Now?
|11.1.  Who is the Ultimate Warrior and where is he now?
11.2.  What happened to Tully Blanchard?
11.3.  What happened to Rick Rude?
11.4.  What happened to Missy Hyatt?
11.5.  What happened to Curt Hennig?

12.  Wrestling Groups and Teams
12.1.  Who were the Four Horsemen?
12.2.  Who were in the Midnight Express?
12.3.  Who were the Legion of Doom?
|12.4.  Who were Power Team USA?

13.  Miscellaneous questions about wrestlers.
|13.1.  Who was/is...?
13.2.  Who is Doink the Clown?
13.3.  Who is Steve DiSalvo?
13.4.  Did [X] play organized football?
13.5.  Are Randy Savage and Miss Elizabeth really married?
13.6.  Didn't the Ultimate Warrior and Sting wrestle together
         once?
13.7.  Who are the Von Erichs?
13.8.  Is Jesse Ventura really a mayor?
13.9.  How are all the Samoan wrestlers related?

14.  The Law and Pro Wrestling
14.1.  Who is Charles Austin?
14.2.  Did Vince McMahon get indicted?
14.3.  Were there charges of sexual harrassment filed against the
         WWF in 1992?
14.4.  Who is George Zahorian?
14.5.  Who owns the rights to "Hulkamania", "Hulk Hogan" and
         "Hulkster"?
|14.6.  Why do many wrestlers change their ring names so often?

15.  Miscellaneous
15.1.  Who was the first World's Champion of professional
         wrestling?
15.2.  How many times has Ric Flair won the World Title?
15.3.  What is a wrestling ring made of?
15.4.  Where can I get wrestling attire and related products?
15.5.  Where are there schools that can train me to be a wrestler?
15.6.  What does [X] mean?
15.7.  What does kay fabe mean?
15.8.  What are some examples of shoot matches?
15.9.  How do I contact my favorite wrestlers or promotion?
15.10.  How do I rate a match?

------------------------------

9. Deaths

9.1. Ilio DiPaolo

     Ilio DiPaolo (D: May 10, 1995) - Ilio DiPaolo was struck by a car
     and killed in New York.

     [Editor's note: Unfortunately, I have no records of Ilio DiPaolo's
     career in any of my notes, regarding real name or anything else. I
     anyone has information on the career of Ilio DiPaolo, please
     contact the FAQ editor at rspw-faq@grumpy.emich.edu.]

9.2. Other recent wrestling related deaths

     John Minton aka Big John Studd, March 20, 1995, age 47. Wrestler
     and trainer.
     Thomas Edward Gilbert Jr. aka "Hot Stuff" Eddie Gilbert, February
     18, 1995. Son of Thomas Gilbert, brother of Doug Gilbert.
     Jerry Blackwell, Janurary 22, 1995, Age 45. Wrestler and promoter.
     Arthur Barr aka Love Machine Art Barr, November 23, 1994, Age 28,
     Wrestler 1987-1994. Son of Ferrin "Sandy" Barr and brother of
     Ferrin Barr Jr. aka Jesse Barr aka Jimmy Jack Funk.
     Larry Simon aka Boris Malenko, October 1, 1994, Age 61. Wrestler
     and father of Dean and Joe Simon (aka Dean and Joe Malenko)
     Joey Marella, July 4, 1994, Age 31. WWF referee and son of Robert
     Marella (aka Gorilla Monsoon)
     George McCarthur aka "Crybaby" George Cannon July 1, 1994, Age 62.
     Wrestler and promoter.
     Ray Canty aka Ray Candy, aka Kareem Muhammad, May 23, 1994, Age
     43. Wrestler 1971-1994.
     Don Ouderkirk aka Don Kirk, May 18, 1994. Wrestler 1943-1960.
     Mark Bodey, May 13, 1994, Age 26. ACW promoter, promoter of the
     first Terry Funk vs. Sabu match
     Ernie Hason aka Ernie Dusek, April 11, 1994, Age 85. Wrestler.
     Andre Rousimoff, aka Andre the Giant, January 27, 1993, wrestler.
     Frank Goodish aka Bruiser Brody, July 17, 1988, wrestler.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

10. Injuries

10.1. What happened to Rick Steamboat?

     Rick Steamboat suffered a serious back injury during his August
     24, 1994 Clash of Champions US title match against Steve Austin.
     Steamboat continued to work injured in main events against Austin
     until August 28. WCW fired Steamboat in November, 1994, citing an
     "incapacitating injury" clause in his contract. Steamboat
     subsequently announced his retirement.

10.2. What happened to Cactus Jack's right ear?

     It was accidentally ripped off on March 16, 1994 in a wrestling
     match in Munich, Germany against Vader. During the match, Cactus
     got his head caught between the top and middle ropes. The tension
     in the tightened ring ropes was enough to tear his right ear
     completely off and badly tear his left ear. Part of the right ear
     was iced and saved. The left required 12 stitches. Cactus
     continued the match for another two minutes before going to the
     planned finish. Cactus was in good spirits afterwards with little
     damage to his hearing and some trouble with his balance. Cactus
     returned to the ring April 17, 1994. Reports were that Cactus was
     planning to take a few months time off to have reconstructive
     surgery on the ear, however, to date, he has yet to take time off
     and is currently working for both ECW and SMW.

10.3. Did Sid Vicious and Arn Anderson really get stabbed in England?

     Yes. In fact, they stabbed each other. On Wednesday, October 27,
     1993, Arn Anderson and Sid Vicious began squabbling on a bus while
     returning from a show in Cardiff, Wales. Later that evening,
     somewhere between 2:30AM and 4:30AM, Vicious and Anderson got into
     a fight in/outside Arn's room at the Moat House Hotel. During the
     fight, Arn was stabbed 20 times and Sid 4 times. As a result of
     the stab wounds, Arn reportedly lost 1.5 pints of blood and almost
     lost an eye.

     Arn's story: Sid knocked on Arn's door. When Arn answered the
     door, Sid hit Arn with a chair. In self defense, Arn grabbed pair
     of scissors and attacked Sid. Sid took the scissors from Arn and
     attacked Arn.

     Sid's story: Sid went to Arn's room to apologize for the heckling
     earlier in the day. Arn attacked Sid with the scissors. In self
     defense, Sid took the scissors from Arn and attacked Arn.

     The results: Both were taken to the hospital following the
     incident. None of the wounds were serious as the scissors were
     blunt (ie, most wounds were less than 1/2" deep). Following
     treatment, both were deported. Both were suspended from WCW.

     In the days following the stabbings, there were reports that
     several WCW wrestlers threatened to not work the upcoming Clash
     XXV, only two weeks away, unless Sid was fired and Arn was allowed
     to wrestle. As it turned out, the wrestlers who reportedly
     threatened the boycott were at the Clash. Sid and Arn weren't. The
     following week, Sid and Arn were phased out of WCW's plans, with
     Sid being dropped for the long term and Arn put on the shelf
     temporarily.

10.4. What's the deal with Brutus Beefcake's face?

     On July 4, 1990 Brutus Beefcake (real name Ed Leslie) was involved
     in an accident that smashed his face. He was on a lake in Tampa
     FL, when a parasailer crashed into his head. The force of the
     impact collapsed part of Brutus' skull. Since then, Brutus has
     undergone massive plastic surgery to rebuild his face. To date,
     Brutus still has several surgical steel reinforcing plates in his
     head. Brutus has been working for WCW until recently as "The
     Butcher" and now wrestles as "The Man with No Name"

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

11. Where Are They Now?

11.1. Who is the Ultimate Warrior and where is he now?

     The Ultimate Warrior is Jim Hellwig. Always has been. Jim Hellwig
     is still alive.

     Stories are circulating that Jim Hellwig is scheduled to make a
     return to wrestling on July 22, 1995 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

     During his stints with the WWF, the Ultimate Warrior underwent
     several cosmetic changes, including getting his hair dyed, getting
     his teeth capped, gaining and losing weight, and changing the
     amount and style of face paint he wore. Despite the different
     "packaging", the Ultimate Warrior has always been the same person.

     The Ultimate Warrior quit the WWF without notice on November 8,
     1992, 20 days before his scheduled Survivor Series main event
     teaming with Randy Savage against Ric Flair and Razor Ramon.
     Apparently, the Warrior was scheduled to wrestle Nailz in the
     matches following the Survivor Series, and apparently he was not
     happy with his planned role in the company. Fifteen seconds into
     the November 16, 1992 "Prime Time Wrestling" show, Vince McMahon
     announced that the Ultimate Warrior would not be in the Survivor
     Series. Since then, the Ultimate Warrior's name has not been
     mentioned in the WWF.

     The Ultimate Warrior started working the independent circuit as
     "The Warrior". In September/October 1993, Jim Hellwig reportedly
     changed his name to "Warrior", presumably so he would be able to
     use the Warrior name without having to worry about the WWF's
     lawyers suing him. In May 1994, one r.s.p-w'er reported that
     Hellwig was running the Ultimate Warriors gym in Scottsdale, AZ.
     Despite many rumors and "Warrior sightings" Jim Hellwig has not
     wrestled professionally in well over a year now.

11.2. What happened to Tully Blanchard?

     After getting suspended/fired from the WWF in November 1989, Tully
     Blanchard spent a few months in the AWA and then retired and
     became an evangelist. Depending on who you listen to, Tully was
     fired for failing a drug test (the WWF story), or Tully was tired
     of the WWF and failed the drug test on purpose, hoping to get
     released from his contract (Tully's story).

     Tully returned to wrestling on May 22, 1994 forWCW for one match
     at Slamboree '94 wher he wrestled Terry Funk to a DDQ. He began
     wrestling regularly for Jim Crockett's new NWA promotion in 1994.
     By the end of 1994, he had left Crockett's company and began
     making regular appearances for ECW.

     Reverend Tully can be reached at:

          Tully Blanchard Ministries
          P.O. Box 2724
          Matthews, North Carolina 28106

11.3. What happened to Rick Rude?

     Rude left WCW in May, 1994, because he wasn't getting booked the
     way he wanted to and because he wasn't going to be able to go out
     the way he wanted to (Rude's story). Rude left because he wasn't
     cooperating with WCW management and because he had been a general
     disappointment (WCW's story).

     Prior to May 1994, Rude had been working injured (back and knee).
     His performances at major shows had been sub par and WCW officials
     had expressed their displeasure over Rude's poor work. As WCW
     officials saw it, Rude was getting paid big money and, despite the
     injuries, was not performing up to expectations.

11.4. What happened to Missy Hyatt?

     She was fired, apparently for going over Eric Bischoff's head (to
     Bob Dhue) regarding a contract dispute. Missy's contract was due
     to expire at the end of February 1994 and, depending on who you
     listen to, she was fired (her story) or her contract was simply
     not renewed (WCW's story).

     On March 29, 1994, Missy Hyatt (real name Melissa Ann Hiatt) filed
     a claim with the Georgia Equal Employment Opportunities Commission
     claiming that during her 5 years at WCW she was frequently
     harassed by supervisors, cameramen, and wrestlers, and that she
     was paid substantially less than her male counterparts (ie, other
     announcers and managers) who had no greater talent.

11.5. What happened to Curt Hennig?

     Hennig left the WWF shortly after his stint as guest referee at
     Wrestlemania X. Despite repeated rumors that he will be wrestling
     for WCW, he has yet to return to the ring. Due to a large sum of
     money from an insurance settlement, Curt has no financial
     incentives to return to the ring.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

12. Wrestling Groups and Teams

12.1. Who were the Four Horsemen?

     Over the years 11 different wrestlers have been part of the
     Horsemen. They are: Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Ole Anderson, Tully
     Blanchard, Lex Lugar, Barry Windham, Butch Reed, Kendell Windham,
     Sting, Sid Vicious, and Paul Roma. Both JJ Dillon and Ole Anderson
     have served as managers.

     The Horsemen name was first used in January, 1986, with the
     original group being Ric Flair, Tully Blanchard, Ole Anderson and
     Arn Anderson.

12.2. Who were in the Midnight Express?

     Randy Rose, Dennis Condrey and Norvell Austin formed the Midnight
     Express in Alabama in 1981. The group moved to Memphis in late
     1981 and returned to Alabama in the summer of 1982. During 1983,
     Midnight Express, Inc. included at one time or another, Rose,
     Condrey, Austin, the Midnight Stallion, Ron Starr, Rick Harris,
     and Wayne Ferris.

     Condrey left Alabama and joined Mid-South in 1983, where he formed
     a tag team with Bobby Eaton, managed by Jim Cornette, also called
     the Midnight Express. The Alabama version disbanded in early 1984,
     while Condrey, Eaton and Cornette would go on to achieve fame in
     Mid-South, World Class and finally, the NWA in 1985. In April
     1987, Condrey left and was replaced by Stan Lane.

     In 1987, Dennis Condrey and Randy Rose joined as the "Original"
     Midnight Express, managed by Paul E Dangerously. This group came
     to the NWA to feud with Cornette, Lane and Eaton.

12.3. Who were the Legion of Doom?

     The Legion of Doom was a originally a group of wrestlers managed
     by "Precious" Paul Ellering in Georgia in 1983. At one time or
     another, the group included Jake Roberts, the Spoiler, King Kong
     Bundy and Buzz Sawyer. The headline team of the group was always
     the Road Warriors. By 1984, the Road Warriors were the sole
     charges of Paul Ellering. After that, the name Legion of Doom was
     just used as another nickname for the Warriors.

     When the Road Warriors jumped to the WWF in mid 1990, they called
     themselves the Legion of Doom, but that was merely a
     marketing-driven name change from their NWA/WCW personas of the
     Road Warriors.

12.4. Who were Power Team USA?

     Power Team USA was a group of bodybuilders formed by Red Bastien
     in California in 1985. Bastien intended to train them to be
     wrestlers, but soon abandonded the plan. Upon disbanding the
     group, Bastien observed "they have great bodies, but they can't
     wrestle a lick." The members of the group were Jim "Justice"
     Hellwig (later the Ultimate Warrior), Steve "Flash" Borden (later
     Sting), Mark "Commando" Miller and Garland "Glory" Donoho. Donoho
     and Miller never wrestled after the disbanding of the group.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

13. Miscellaneous questions about wrestlers.

|13.1. Who was/is [x]?

     First of, in the current "Who is..." list:

        * Kama - Charles Wright (aka Papa Shango)
        * Savio Vega - Juan Rivera (aka Kwang)
        * Dr. I Yankum - Glen Jacobs (aka Unibom in SMW)
|       * Golddust - Dustin Rhodes (real names Dustin Runnels)

     Here are a few of the more commonly asked "who was...?".

        * Battle Kat - first Brady Boone, then Bob Bradley
        * Gobblygooker - Hector Guerrero
        * Jerry Lawler's Knights at Survivor Series 93
             o Black/Silver Knight - Glen Jacobs (aka Unibom in SMW)
             o Blue Knight - Greg "The Hammer" Valentine
             o Red Knight - Barry Horowitz
        * Photographer at King of the Ring '93 - Harvey Whipleman
        * Ultimate Warrior - Jim Hellwig and only Jim Hellwig

13.2. Who is Doink the Clown?

     That depends on which Doink the Clown you are talking about. Since
     Doink the Clown debuted in the WWF, the following wrestlers have
     appeared at least once as a Doink:

        *  Matt Osborne (aka Big Josh, aka "Maniac" Matt Borne)
        * Steve Keirn (aka Skinner)
        * Steve Lombardi (aka Brooklyn Brawler, aka Kim Chee)
        * Ray Lichicelli (aka Ray Apollo)
        * Butch & Luke (the Bushwhackers)
        * Mo, Oscar, and Mabel (Men on a Mission)

     The current Doink in the WWF is Ray Lichicelli.

13.3. Who is Steve DiSalvo?

     Steve DiSalvo has wrestled all over the world, including as
     "Strangler" Steve DiSalvo in Stampede Wrestling in Calgary, as
     Steve Strong in Montreal, and as the Minotaur in WCW. He really
     exists.

     For a short while Steve DiSalvo was an "in joke" on r.s.p-w. It
     started in mid 1991 when Sean Ryan mentioned that the WCW's
     Diamond Studd (really Scott Hall) resembled Steve DiSalvo. Not
     knowing any better, other r.s.p-w'ers took Sean's remark to be the
     explanation for the different looks of Scott Hall. Shortly
     thereafter, "The Diamond Studd is not Scott Hall... It's Steve
     DiSalvo" posts began showing up on r.s.p-w. What began as an
     honest misunderstanding quickly mutated into r.s.p-w'ers answering
     "Who is...?" questions with "It's Steve DiSalvo!". The joke ran
     its course long ago, and is now more annoying than amusing.

13.4. Did [X] ever played organized football?

     The crossover between wrestling and football is high. Many current
     professional wrestlers played football in college, and perhaps
     professionally.

     First a few notes:

          The Manny Fernandez who played for the Miami Dolphins in
          the early 70s is NOT the same person as the wrestler
          Manny Fernandez. Manny the wrestler was in junior high
          when Manny the Dolphin was earning Super Bowl rings.

          Bronko Nagurski deserves recognition as the only athlete
          to be a member of the Pro-Football Hall of Fame and hold
          a World Heavyweight Championship in Wrestling. Nagurski
          was a tackle at the University of Minnesota, 1927-29
          (All-American in 1929) and played Fullback with the
          Chicago Bears 1930-37 and 1943. He was one of the
          initial inductees into the Pro Football Hall of Fame,
          and is also a member of the College Football Hall of
          Fame. [6'2 216-238] Nagurski held the National Wrestling
          Association title twice, from June 23, 1939 to March 7,
          1940 (defeating Lou Thesz, losing to Ray Steele) and
          from March 11, 1941 to June 5, 1941 (regaining from Ray
          Steele and losing to Sandor Szabo.)

     Below is a brief list of current wrestlers with football
     background, clipped from a posting by Gary Will.

     Jim Duggan: Linebacker at Southern Methodist University. Signed as
     a free agent with the Atlanta Falcons in 1977 and spent the season
     on injured reserve list. Tried out with CFL Toronto Argonauts in
     1978 or 1979 and may have played.

     Stan Hansen: Linebacker at West Texas State University; 11th round
     pick of the Baltimore Colts in 1972 but did not make the team.

     Lex Luger: Offensive tackle with Pennsylvania State University and
     the University of Miami. Played for the CFL Montreal Alouettes
     after being suspended from the Miami team. On the Green Bay
     Packers' reserves in 1982. Later played for the USFL Memphis
     Showboats (1983) and Tampa Bay Bandits.

     Jim Neidhart: Was on track team at UCLA but did not play football.
     Dave Scheid remembers him as a back-up nose guard for the Oakland
     Raiders in late 70s who may also have been with the Houston
     Oilers; other sources say he never played in the NFL but did
     attend a Raiders training camp.

     Paul Orndorff: Fullback at University of Tampa. Drafted by Kansas
     City Chiefs in 1973 but didn't make the team. Tried out for New
     Orleans Saints in 1974 and was again cut. Played for WFL
     Jacksonville Sharks in 1975.

     Brian Pillman: Middle guard for Miami University. Signed as a free
     agent by Cincinnati Bengals and played there in 1984. Tried out
     for the CFL Calgary Stampeders in 1986 and may have played there.

     Ron Simmons: Nose guard for Florida State University. All-American
     in 1982. Drafted in the 6th round by the Cleveland Browns in 1983
     but did not make the team. Played for the USFL Tampa Bay Bandits.

     Big Van Vader: Played at University of Colorado. Drafted by the
     Los Angeles Rams and was on injured reserve for at least one
     season but never played.

     Steve Williams: Offensive guard with University of Oklahoma where
     he was All-Conference and Honorable Mention All-American in 1981.
     Signed with USFL New Jersey Generals in 1983, played little and
     was traded to the Denver Gold before the 1984 season, where he was
     cut.

     COLLEGE ONLY:
     Animal (LOD) Morehead State University Defensive Tackle
     Tully Blanchard West Texas State University Quarterback
     Ted DiBiase West Texas State University
     Ric Flair University of Minnesota Offensive Guard
     Terry Funk West Texas State University Offensive Guard
     Doug Furnas University of Tennessee
     Kevin Von Erich North Texas State University Fullback
     Erik Watts University of Louisville Quarterback

13.5. Are Randy Savage and Miss Elizabeth really married?

     Not any more. They were divorced in 1992. "Macho Man" Randy Savage
     (real name Randy Poffo) and "Lovely" Miss Elizabeth (real name
     Elizabeth Hewlett) were officially married December 30, 1984 in
     Frankfort, KY. Their "Match Made in Heaven" was just a gimmick
     Vince McMahon used as a draw for SummerSlam '91.

13.6. Didn't the Ultimate Warrior and Sting wrestle together once?

     Yes. Jim Hellwig (The Ultimate Warrior) and Steve Borden (Sting)
     trained together in 1985 under Red Bastien as part of Power Team
     USA. They received their first major exposure in Memphis,
     Tennessee in November 1985 wrestling under their real names as The
     Freedom Fighters. They were originally a face tag team but they
     turned heel after about 3 weeks. Toward the end of their 2 month
     stint in Memphis they wrestled as the Blade Runners: Rock
     (Hellwig) and Flash (Borden). They soon moved to Mid-South
     Wrestling. While there, Flash changed his name to Sting.

13.7. Who are the Von Erichs?

     To begin with, there are no "real" Von Erichs. The Adkisson family
     has used the last name "Von Erich" for their wrestling personas
     for years.

     The patriarch of the Adkisson/Von Erich clan is Jack Adkisson. He
     took the ring name Fritz Von Erich and wrestled in the 50's and
     60's with a Nazi German gimmick, complete with goosestep and iron
     claw.

     Waldo Von Erich (real name Bill Sheppard) is not an Adkisson. He
     formed a successful tag team in the 60's with Fritz.

     Jack had six sons, five of whom were involved with wrestling.
     Jack's first son, Jackie, died of electrocution at age 6 in 1959.

     Kevin Von Erich began wrestling in the mid-70s. He rarely competed
     outside of his home state. His few trips out of Texas saw him
     compete in Japan, and in St. Louis. Kevin is currently wrestling
     for Jim Crockett's NWA promotion in Dallas. Kevin is the only of
     Fritz's sons still alive.

     David Von Erich (nicknamed "the Yellow Rose of Texas") began
     wrestling on June 28, 1977. David was the most successful of the
     Von Erich boys in the late 70s and early 80s, competing in St.
     Louis, Japan and Florida, as well as his home state of Texas. It
     is believed that David was scheduled to win the NWA title from
     Harley Race in November, 1983, but Jim Crockett came up with the
     idea for Starrcade, which postponed David's title reign until
     1984. David was found dead in his hotel room in Japan on 84/02/10.
     His dreams of winning the NWA World title were never realized.

     Kerry Von Erich achieved the most national fame of the Von Erich
     boys. His pinnacle came on May 6th, 1984, when he defeated Ric
     Flair for the NWA World title in Texas Stadium, at a memorial card
     for David. This event made Fritz and Kerry the only father and son
     duo to hold World singles titles (Fritz had held the AWA title in
     1963) Kerry lost the title back to Flair in Japan on May 24, 1984.

     Kerry's entire career was haunted by troubles stemming from drug
     use. His troubles only got worse when, on June 4, 1986, Kerry was
     involved in an automobile accident in which his right leg was
     severely damaged. It wasn't until after Kerry's death in 1993 that
     his family would confirm that he had lost his foot in the
     accident. He wrestled for the rest of his career with a prosthesis
     on his leg. He did not return to the ring full time until late
     1987. On February 18, 1993, Kerry shot himself in the heart at his
     home in Sandy Shore, TX. He was 33.

     Mike Von Erich debuted in November, 1983. Months later he was
     thrust in the role of being David's successor, a role he never
     quite looked comfortable in. In 1985, on a tour of Israel, Mike
     suffered a shoulder separation on an exceptionally hard ring.
     During recovery, Mike contracted toxic-shock syndrome. His fever
     rose to a reported 106, but he recovered. However, Mike lost a lot
     of weight and strength during his layoff. He returned to the ring
     in July 1986. He died on April 13, 1987, at the age of 23, of an
     intentional overdose of Placidyl (depressant/muscle relaxant).

     Chris Von Erich, the youngest of Fritz's sons, began appearing at
     ringside for his brothers matches in the mid-80s. He was involved
     in a few angles. He finally made his wrestling debut in the late
     80's. Chris died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head on
     September 12, 1991. Chris was 21.

     In 1985, Fritz brought in Kevin William Vaughn, using the ring
     name Lance Von Erich, and billed as a cousin of the Von Erich
     boys, a son of Waldo. In reality, he was no relation to either
     Fritz's family or Waldo. Fritz's plan of creating a new Von Erich
     eventually backfired, after Lance left Fritz's promotion and Fritz
     admitted publicly that he actually wasn't related.

13.8. Is Jesse Ventura really a mayor?

     Not any more. Jesse Ventura was the real life mayor of Brooklyn
     Park, Minnesota. Brooklyn Park is a suburb of Minneapolis and has
     a population of 56,000. Jesse was elected in November 1990 to a
     4-year term as mayor. He did not run for re-election.

13.9. How are all the Samoan wrestlers related?

     The original Samoans, Afa & Sika are brothers, real names Alofa
     and Sika Anoia. Yokozuna, aka Kokina Maximus, real name Rodney
     Anoia, is the son of Sika. Headshrinker Samu, aka Tahitian Prince,
     aka Samona #3, aka Samola, real name Samula Anoia, is the son of
     Afa.

     The Tonga Kid (Islander Tama, Samoan Savage, real name Sam Fatu)
     and Headshrinker Fatu (real name Solofa Fatu) are brothers. It has
     been reported that the Fatu brothers are either cousins to Samu
     and Yokozuna, or long-time family friends to the Anoia's. Both
     families are of Samoan descent and grew up in the San Francisco
     area.

     Headshrinker Sionne (Konga the Barbarian, real name Sionne
     Vailahi) is not related to either family, although he is of Samoan
     descent and also grew up in San Fransisco.

     Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka (real name James Reiher) is of Fijian
     descent and grew up in Hawaii. He has one brother who wrestled as
     Cocoa Samoa (Sabu the Wildman in Memphis ca. 84, real name John
     Reiher.)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

14. The Law and Pro Wrestling

14.1. Who is Charles Austin?

     In December 1990, Austin and The Genius (Lanny Poffo) jobbed for
     The Rockers (Jannetty & Michaels) at a WWF television taping at
     the Sun Dome in Tampa FL. Before the finish, Jannetty executed the
     Rocker Dropper on Austin. As planned, Austin leaned forward and
     bent at he waist as if doubled over, and Jannetty leapt up and
     dropped his leg across the back of Austin's neck. Austin was
     supposed to take a face-first bump, landing on his stomach and
     face. Unfortunately, Austin did not take the face-first bump.
     Instead, he attempted a forward roll and wound up landing on his
     head. Austin broke his neck. The match then finished when Jannetty
     rolled a limp Austin over and Michaels came off the top rope with
     a splash for the pin. At the time of the accident, doctors feared
     that Austin would be a quadriplegic (paralyzed from the neck down)
     for life. By mid 1994 Austin had regained some feeling in his arms
     and legs and can get around with crutches. Austin sued the WWF,
     Jannetty, and Michaels for US$3.8 million. Michaels was dismissed
     from the suit by a judge.

     On April 29, 1994, after a two-week trial and deliberation, a
     Hillsborough County FL jury awarded Austin US$26.7 million. The
     jury determined that Titan Sports was 90% responsible (US$23.5
     million), that Jannetty was 5% responsible (US$1.3 million), and
     that Austin was 5% responsible.

14.2. Did Vince McMahon get indicted?

     Yes. On Friday, November 19, 1993, the Brooklyn, NY office of the
     U.S. Department of Justice handed down an indictment against Vince
     McMahon and Titan Sports Inc. The indictment contained charges of
     conspiracy, possession and possession with intent to distribute.
     No wrestlers were indicted.

     On July 22, 1994, after deliberating for 16 hours, the jury found
     McMahon and Titan Sports not guilty of the charges.

14.3. Were there charges of sexual harassment filed against the WWF in 1992?

     No. In 1992, former ring-boy Tom Cole, former referee Rita
     Chatterson and former TV announcer Murray Hodgekins came forth
     with allegations of sexual abuse by WWF employees. Specifically
     named employees included booker Pat Patterson, ring attendant Mel
     Phillips, booker Terry Garvin and Vince McMahon himself.
     Patterson, Phillips and Garvin were dismissed by the WWF as a
     result of the allegations. Patterson subsequently returned to his
     position.

14.4. Who is George Zahorian?

     Dr. George Zahorian was a physician appointed by the Pennsylvania
     state athletic commission to attend WWF shows in Hamburg, PA and
     Allentown, PA.

     In 1991, Zahorian was convicted in a Pennsylvania court for
     selling steroids and other controlled substances to pro wrestlers
     and to a college strength coach. Zahorian was sentenced to three
     years in federal prison. During his trial, Zahorian testified that
     between November 1988 and March 1990, he sold steroids to Vince
     McMahon and to many professional wrestlers, including two of the
     WWF's then-top draws: Hulk Hogan and Rowdy Roddy Piper.

     Zahorian was released from prison in Febraury, 1995.

14.5. Who owns the rights to "Hulkamania", "Hulk Hogan" and "Hulkster"?

     Marvel Comics. Marvel came out with their Incredible Hulk comic
     book character long before Vince McMahon dreamed up Hulk Hogan.
     When the Hulk Hogan character was created, McMahon gave Hogan the
     title "The Incredible Hulk Hogan". Marvel objected to the use of
     their intellectual property. Specifically, Marveli objected to the
     use of all words derived from their "Incredible Hulk" comic book
     character.

     So, Titan Sports and Marvel Comics worked out a deal: Titan
     recognized Marvel as the owner of the Hulk-derived words and
     Marvel gave Titan an exclusive license to merchandise the
     Hulk-derived words. When Hogan joined WCW in 1994, WCW obtained a
     license to produce Hulk Hogan merchandise. Presumably the details
     were similar to the license the WWF had.

14.6. How come so many wrestlers change names so quickly?

     Wrestlers change name, appearance and style quite frequently, and
     often it is a challenge just to keep up with who is currently
     wrestling under what name.

     While many times, name changes stem from attempts to get a better
     reaction from the audience, there are times when a name change has
     it's roots in a legal matter. For instance:

        * Big Van Vader - When Leon White left New Japan Pro Wrestling
          in 1993, New Japan claimed that it owned the rights to the
          Big Van Vader gimmick, as well as the name. New Japan won a
          minor victory, causing WCW to simply bill White as Vader from
          then on. The courts ruled that due to the popularity of
          George Lucas' Star Wars movies, New Japan couldn't claim
          rights on the name Vader alone.
        * Demolition - When Demolition first appeared in the WWF in
          early 1987, the team consisted of Axe (Bill Eadie) and Smash
          (Randy Culley). Within a month, Culley was replaced by Barry
          Darsow. A brief legal battle ensued, with Culley claiming
          that he created the Demolition team and therefore owned the
          rights to the Demolition name. Culley lost the battle, the
          WWF retained the tag team name, and Culley was forced to give
          up the Detroit Demolition name he had been using on
          independant shows.
        * Doink - A story has recent surfaced that the WWF is filing
          legal action against Matt Osbourne. Osbourne was the first
          wrestler to play the role of Doink in the WWF, and has since
          used the same role on many indeendant shows.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

15. Miscellaneous

15.1. Who was the first World's Champion of professional wrestling?

     That depends on what you recognize as a "World's" Champion.
     William Muldoon, who wrestled during the 1870s and 1880s, is
     widely considered to be professional wrestling's first World
     Champion. Muldoon retired in late 1891 after having held the
     Greco-Roman title since 1883. He was followed by George
     Hackenschmidt, who was first recognized as a "World's" Champion in
     1901. Some consider Hackenschmidt to be a European champion and
     recognize Frank Gotch. Gotch defeated Hackenschmidt on April 3,
     1908 in Chicago, IL and held the honors until his retirement in
     1913.

15.2. How many times has Ric Flair won the World Title?

     That's depends on what changes you wish to recognize.

     In July 1994, Ric Flair said many times that he was an 11 time
     world champion. This number was come to by recognizing his 8
     undisputed NWA title reigns, 2 WWF title reigns and 1 WCW title
     reign. However in addition to this, there have been a number of
     disputed or not widely recognized reigns, which are listed below.
     Adding in these reigns gives Flair up to sixteen reigns.

     On March 21, 1984, Flair was defeated by Harley Race in New
     Zealand for the NWA title. He regained it on March 23, 1984 in
     Singapore. This switch was never recognized in the US.

     On March 21, 1991, Tatsumi Fujinami defeated Flair in Tokyo,
     Japan. The Japanese referee for the match counted a pinfall, while
     the WCW referee for the match DQed Flair for tossing Fujinami over
     the top rope. Flair defeated Fujinami May 19, 1991 in St.
     Petersburg, FL to end the dispute.

     On April 17, 1994, Ric Flair and Rick Steamboat went to a double
     pin finish. On April 21, 1994, (aired on TV May 21, 1994) Flair
     defeated Steambaot to end the dispute. It was never officially
     announced that the belt was held up, although Flair gave the belt
     to WCW commissioner Nick Bockwinkel and said he wanted it held up.

     There are also stories that Flair did title switches with Jack
     Venano in the Dominican Republic and Victor Jovica in the
     Caribbean, similar to the New Zealand/Singapore title switch with
     Harley Race.

15.3. What is a wrestling ring made of?

     Wrestling rings vary more in composition than they do in size. The
     ring posts are usually hollow steel, about 8 feet tall, and about
     6 inches to a foot wide at the base. Several layers of carpet or
     plywood are usually placed under the ringposts to protect the
     floor of the venue.

     The ring ropes are usually steel cables or rope covered with a
     rubbery plastic coating, or colored duct tape, or painted rope, or
     a painted garden hose.

     The ring floor is usually a layered affair: a layer of canvas over
     layers of padding over plywood, all on some sort of structural
     support.

     One r.s.p-w'er reports having setup the following ring:

          "The padding consisted of 2 or 3 layers of very dense
          foam. The plywood sheets used were marine-grade plywood
          for durability. I remember 2 layers: the bottom layer
          consisted of 10 sheets, with a smaller number of larger
          sheets (maybe 4 or 6) used on top of that."

     Under the padding is some sort of structural support, two types of
     which have been reported. One type is a very large and very heavy
     center piece, usually made out of steel and semi-solid, which
     usually (but not always) contains a spring of some sort in the
     center. The other type is similar to a deck with 20ft long 2x10s
     or 2x12s resting on joists.

     All in all, a wrestling ring is very similar to a boxing ring
     except that in a wrestling ring the ropes are much tighter and
     that the floor is generally more heavily supported.

15.4. Where can I get wrestling attire and related products?

     Ted Hobgood of r.s.p-w runs New Frontier Wrestling Gear. He makes
     custom masks and ring outfits. He will work from your design or
     from your description, and will work within your budget. Ted can
     be contacted via email at: NewGear@aol.com

     For a catalog, send an SASE (two stamps please!) to:

          New Frontier Wrestling Gear
          4600 University Dr. #607
          Durham, NC 27707

     For those interested in championship belts, Joe Marshall
     (Beltster@ix.netcom.com) runs the following shop:

          From the maker of the NWA worlds title and UFC title
          belt currently held by Dan Severn and many other indy
          titles.
          J-Mar Championship Belts
          7671 Eastwood Street
          Reynoldsburg Ohio 43068-2626
          or 8-9PM EST 614-863-4699

     And other related shops:

          B & A Boot Shop-Bill Ash-owner
          37 South Elm St.
          Paris AK 72855
          (SASE for inquiries)

          K & H Wrestling Wear
          PO Box 447
          Johnstown Ohio 43031
          (SASE for inquiries)

          Bizare Bazzar - Exotic Adrian Street - owner
          PO Box 6188
          Gulf Breeze FL 32561 (zip code uncertain)

          Baby Doll's Gimmick's - Nikla Roberts (Baby Doll) -
          owner
          PO Box 1763
          Lubbock TX 79408

15.5. Where are there schools that can train me to be a wrestler?

     There are a number of schools and camps run by current and former
     wrestlers. Below are listed a few. If you have any to add, please
     contact the editor.

          Spoiler's Wrestling Academy - the original Spoiler
          3615 W. Waters-Box 110
          Tampa FL 33614

          Ivan Koloff Wrestling School
          P.O. Box 23360
          Charlotte, NC 28227

          Walter "Killer' Kowalski
          PO Box 67
          Reading MA 01867

          Institute of Professional Wrestling 10 Stemmers Run Rd.
          Essex MD 21221

          Body Slammers Wrestling Gym - Al Snow
          PO Box 1472
          Lima Ohio 45802

          Slammers Wrestling Gym/Slam U.
          P.O. Box 1602
          Studio City, CA 91614
          Phone: 818/897-6603

          Pacific Coast Sports
          Home of the Superstars Pro Wrestling Training Camp
          21063 Cabot Blvd., Suite 1
          Hayward, CA 94545
          (510) 785-8396 - Main number
          (510) 888-2454 - ALL PRO WRESTLING Fundraiser Hotline

          "School Of Hard Knocks" Wrestling School
          Operated by Jesse Hernandez and Bill Anderson
          3265 North "E" Street San Bernardino CA. 92405
          (909) 886-5201

          Mike Shaw (aka Bastien Booger)
          P.O. Box 200
          Skandia MI 49885
          Phone:(906) 942-7255

          Hart Brothers Pro Wrestling Camp
          run by the Hart brothers in Calgary

          Knoxville - There is an SMW associated school, I believe
          run by Robert Gibson.

          Toronto - Ron Hutchinson and Sweet Daddy Siki operate a
          school in Toronto.

15.6. What does [X] mean?

     The following is a list of commonly used terms in this newsgroup.

     BLADE
          verb. To cut onesself intentionally in a match in order to
          bleed.

     FACE
          noun. & adj. [Babyface] A good guy.

     HEAT
          noun. Enthusiasm, a sustained crowd response. The WWF uses a
          heat machine. The response can be positive (cheering) or
          negative (booing). See Pop.

     HEEL
          noun. A bad guy.

     INTERNATIONAL OBJECT
          noun. Foreign object, something not allowed in the ring.
          Derived from an order not to use the word "foreign" by the
          Turner Broadcasting Companies.

     JOB
          noun. A staged loss. A clean job is a staged loss by legal
          pinfall or submission without resort to illegalities.
          v.i. To lose a match. Sometimes combined with a descriptive
          adjective (stretcher job, rope job, tights job.)

     JOBBER
          noun. An unpushed wrestler who loses regularly for pushed
          wrestlers.

     JUICE
          noun. Blood.
          v.i. to bleed, usually as a result of blading. To juice
          hardway is to bleed unintentionally.
          noun. Steroids. (Juicer - a steroid user).

     MARK
          noun. *Note this definition is the topic of much debate, what
          follows are the most popular meanings*
          - any fan who spends money on wrestling, whether they know it
          is a work or not. This leads to some people adding adjectives
          describing what promotions people are marks for. Ex: someone
          who refers to themself as a WWF mark is someone who is
          willing to spend money on the WWF product.
          - a fan who believes that wrestling is legitimate, ie. not a
          work.

     OUTLAW PROMOTION
          A promotion that would try to run against another established
          promotion in its home area. Refered to as an outlaw because
          it was attempting to "steal" fans.

     POP
          noun. A loud fan reaction to a wrestler. Pop is used to
          describe a more individual reaction, while heat tends to
          refer to a sustained reaction (Ex: A crowd will pop for a
          good move, while an enitre match will be described as having
          good heat or no heat)

     PUSH
          verb. to give a wrestler a series of matches that will
          improve his standing in the fans eyes.

     SCREW-JOB
          noun. adj. A match or ending which is not clean (definite)
          due to factors outside the "rules" of wrestling.

     SELL
          v. t. To make an opponant's move look legitimate.

     SHOOT
          noun. The real thing, i.e. a match where one or more
          participants are really attempting to hurt one another, or
          the participants stop working cooperatively. A legitimate
          match. Opposite of a work.

     STIFF
          noun. A jobber.
          adj. Connecting harder with blows and moves to make the match
          look more legitimate.
          noun. A wrestler who doesn't move well.

     WORK
          noun. an event with a predetermined outcome. (Ex: The match
          was a work.)
          v. t. to participate in a wrestling related event (Ex: to
          work an interview or match or show)

     WORKRATE
          noun. The approximate ratio of action to non-action in a
          wrestling match

15.7. What is Kay Fabe?

     The term Kay Fabe comes from ancient carnival talk, appropriate as
     professional wrestling has it's origins in the carnivals. Kay Fabe
     practices were old tricks, from three card monte to cure all
     elixers and, of course, magic acts. A kay fabe violator exposed
     the secrets behind these practices. In wrestling, the term has
     come to mean not exposing that the business is worked. In the 80s,
     Satoru Sayama, the original Tiger Mask, wrote a book entitled Kay
     Fabe, exposing many secrets of the business.

15.8. What are some examples of shoots?

     Listed are some well-known shoots in pro-wrestling:

        *  25/04/15 - Stanislaus Zybysko defeated World Champion Wayne
          Munn.
        * 36/03/02 - Dick Shikat defeated World Champion Danno O'
          Mahoney
        * 85/04/27 - Road Warriors vs. Larry Hennig & Jerry Blackwell.
          Hennig and Blackwell rough up the young Road Warriors, who,
          until that time, refused to sell moves for thier opponants.
        * 85/09/02 - Akira Maeda and Super Tiger (Satoru Sayama)
          wrestled to a Double DQ in 18:57. The ref stopped the match
          because he felt both Sayama and Maeda were getting out of
          hand.
        * 86/04/29 - Andre the Giant vs Akira Maeda (New Japan) Andre
          refuses to cooperate with Maeda and Maeda takes him down with
          several vicious kicks to the legs.
        * 87/01 - Bruiser Brody vs. Lex Lugar (Florida) Brody stops
          cooperating with Lugar, who gets himself DQed.
        * 87/11/19 - Riki Chosyu, Masa Saito & Hiro Saito def. Akira
          Maeda, Nobuhiko Takada & Osamu Kido. (New Japan) Maeda
          delivers a hard kick to Chosyu's face, which breaks 3 bones
          in his cheek.
        * 91/04/01 - John Tenta vs. Koji Kitao (SWS/WWF) Tenta and
          Kitao, two former sumos, stop cooperating but never come to
          blows.

|15.9. How do I contact my favorite wrestlers or promotion?

     Since most wrestlers would prefer not having their home addresses
     published, you can attempt to contact them through the promotion
     they currently work for. Listed below are addresses for some
     promotions. If you have any additions or corrections, feel free to
     send them along to the FAQ editor.

         WCW                            WWF
         1 CNN Center                   1241 E. Main St.
         Atlanta GA  30348              Stamford CT  06902
         Phone: 404 885-7174            Phone: 203 352-8600
                                        Press Info: 203 353-2891
                                        FAX: 203-352-8699

         Smoky Mountain Wrestling       ECW
         P.O. Box 1279                  101 S. 10th Street
         Morristown TN  37816-1279      Philadelphia PA  19107
                                        ticket info: 610-544-0421
                                        offices: 215-928-9772
                                        merchandise: 800-357-8393

         Midwest Territorial Wrestling  Motor City Wrestling
         P.O. Box 4428                  PO Box 1483
         Dearborn MI  48126             Warren, MI  48090-1483

         American Commonwealth Wrestling
         P.O. Box 549                   New England Wrestling Alliance
|        Dauphin PA  17018              PO Box 20592
         [Inactive]                     Cranston, RI 02920
                                        Phone: 401-943-2534

15.10. How do I rate a match?

     When rating a match, or reading match ratings, it is important to
     consider what exactly is being rated. Some people prefer to rate
     matches based on how much they enjoyed the match, others rate
     matches based on the workrate involved in the match.

     The most popular way of rating matches is through the 5-star
     system, originated by Norm Dooley and Jim Cornette. It was
     originally designed to rate the workrate of a match. Here's how
     Dave Meltzer, editor of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, has
     described the 5-star rating system

            *****     Match of the year candidate
             ****1/2  An almost-perfect match
             ****     Excellent
              ***1/2  Extremely good
              ***     Good
               **1/2  Better than average but nothing special
               **     Average
                *1/2  Below average but not atrocious
                *     Pretty bad, but at least some action
                 1/2* Terrible, but at least a high spot in there
                        somewhere
               DUD    Of no value
            -stars    Not only terrible, but completely offensive to
                        the ticket-buying public

     In the end, any form of match ratings is *always* a matter of
     personal opinion. One person's match of the year is another
     person's snoozer.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Contributors

     Thanks to all who have contributed, (listed in alphabetical
     order):

     Peter Akers, Jeff Amdur, Ideen Barimani, Chris Bertholf, Caroline
     Bunce, Jason Campbell, Mark Carlton, William Comer, Fred Deaton,
     Curtis Desjardins, Mark Duell, Ray Duffy, Rick Duggan, Ted
     Edwards, Bryant Farley, Maurice Forrester, Charlie Gavinelli, Greg
     Gershowitz, Sheldon Goldberg, Paul Herzog, Otto Heuer, Christopher
     Hilker, Steve Hooper, Rob Hoffmann, James Hussell, Rodney
     Hutchings, Cal Jewell, Ron Knight, Herb Kunze, Dominic Macika, Joe
     Marshall, Andy McDonel, Robert McMullen, Tom Misnik, Jeremy
     Nelson, Dave Prazak, Andy Patrizio, Stephen Patterson, Oliver
     Postlethwaite, Bob Rusbasan, Sean Ryan, Dave Scheid, Dave Scherer,
     Theo Seiz, Anthony Shubert, Nick Simicich, David Sipila, Jeremy
     Soria, Chris Stamper, Jason Steeves, Hisaharu Tanabe, Timothy
     Walker, Mike Wallace, Matt West, Gary Will, David Worrell,
     Christopher Robin Zimmerman

     My apologies if I inadvertently omitted your name from the list.
-- 
"Evil is just plain bad!  You've got to slap it in the nose with the
rolled up newspaper of goodness!  Bad dog!  Bad dog!"  - The Tick
http://grumpy.emich.edu/~macika
