"Freddie Blassie - Pencil Neck Geek"(could have been talking about Obama lol)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McLw5Tg5GOc
That’s great. Freddie Blassie was da man (like Trump). All those guys were cool, “Killer” Kowalski, Gorilla Monsoon, “Professor” Toru Tanaka. All “heels” in the ring, and it was so much fun to jeer them and root for the “face”, but they were the nicest guys you’d meet outside the ring.
You are correct and obviously know the business. I can remember my late GrandDad watching ‘wrasslin’ on an old black & white TV on Friday nights, this was just prior to Gorgeous George retiring from the ring, I remember seeing Chief Jay Strongbow and marveled at his sleeper hold.
For all the scripting that is rumored to go on (what? wrestling scripted? who knew!?!) one match I’m convinced was NOT scripted was a grudge match I saw at the Capitol Center near Laurel Maryland in the late 70’s, former champion Bruno Sammartino came out of retirement to face Niklolai Volkoff, and not sure how it happened (deliberate, accident?), but Volkoff kicked Bruno right in the groin, and he was obviously in pain, but after a few moments, Bruno recovered sufficiently to open up a serious can of whoop-ass on Volkoff, if that was staged, it was worthy of an Academy Award, lol
Great times! :)