Tuesday Night at the Gardens: Pro Wrestling in Louisville PDF Download

Author: Mark James
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781505702484
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 284

View

Book Description

Author: Lew Freedman
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
ISBN: 1440853517
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 329

View

Book Description
This book provides readers with an abundance of information and historical perspective as well as entertaining and memorable anecdotes about professional wrestling. Readers will also learn unusual snippets of trivia that will enhance their comprehension of the sport. This authoritative work on the history and culture of professional wrestling features the biggest names in the wrestling world since the sport emerged on the American sporting landscape. It comprises short biographies of all of the key players in the sport's evolution and rise to popularity—from old-timers to barrier breakers to household names such as Hulk Hogan, The Rock, Andre the Giant, and more—and includes not only men but also many women who have made a name in the sport. Surveying professional wrestling from its roots, dating centuries, to the modern era, pre–20th century and into the 21st century, the work tells the transformational stories of prominent wrestlers and the sport as a whole, in many cases bringing out the humor and outrageousness in the nature of an activity that has always straddled the line between show business and sport.

Author: Jim Cornette
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781490401225
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 350

View

Book Description
Jim Cornette and Mark James take a look back at the origins of Professional Wrestling's gimmick tables and merchandising in the Memphis and Tennessee territories of the 1960's and 1970's. These were the days before merchandising was a million dollar a year business.

Author: Jerry 'The King' Lawler
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1847397085
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 618

View

Book Description
An often controversial figure, Jerry 'The King' Lawler has been at the top of his profession both as a wrestler and most recently as a commentator for over 30 years. Holder of more than 90 regional or national titles over the course of his career, he is as well known for his feuds, both in and out of the ring, as he is for his achievements and his expertise. No stranger to the airwaves, he has hosted his own show both on radio and on television, and he is also a successful commercial artist whose work can be seen on several sites around his home city of Memphis. Outside the WWE arena perhaps his most famous dispute was with actor and comedian Andy Kaufman, a long-running conflict that at one point put Kaufman in hospital and culminated in a televised brawl on 'Late Night With David Letterman'. Now in a no-holds barred autobiography 'The King' is prepared to tell all both about his sometimes stormy career and about the backstage secrets of the WWE.

Author: John Cosper
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781500147655
Category : Wrestling
Languages : en
Pages : 0

View

Book Description
As the Attitude Era drew to a close in the early 2000s, the WWE already had an eye to the future. The stars who would succeed the Rock, Stone Cold, and the Undertaker were already well on their way to the big time, and Louisville, Kentucky had a front row seat to the future.They were all here - Cena, Orton, Batista, Lesnar. They were all on display every Wednesday night for free at Ohio Valley Wrestling's Davis Arena. Alongside established stars like the Big Show and Mark Henry, the Superstars of Tomorrow trained under the watchful eye of Jim Cornette and Danny Davis, waiting for their moment. More would follow in their footsteps. Some were already close by, like the brash young heel lighting it up every week for Southern Indiana's IWA Mid-South promotion, CM Punk.As stunning as that time in history now appears, it was only one of many golden wrestling eras for Louisville, Kentucky, a city that has always loved its fight sports. "Bluegrass Brawlers: The Story of Professional Wrestling in Louisville" covers them all, from the earliest days when wrestling was king to the vibrant independent scene of today.Beginning in 1880 with tales of circus stars and barn-storming grapplers, "Bluegrass Brawlers" chronicles the evolution of a sport and the city that embraced it. Louisville was one of many towns to play host to William Muldoon, the "solid man of sport" and the first true professional athlete in American history who proved to be the first true villain in Louisville wrestling history.Louisville bore witness to the first golden age of the sport in the years leading up to World War I. Top stars like Joe Stecher, Charlie Cutler, and the Zbyszko brothers all wrestled on stage at the opera house, and the sport's first true superstar gained the name that would make him famous here - Ed "Strangler" Lewis.Promoter Heywood Allen made weekly wrestling a local tradition in the late 1930s, playing host to world champions like Orville Brown, Cowboy Bill Longson, Lou Thesz, and Mildred Burke. Louisville also saw a number of masked men, freaks, and novelty acts pass through town as well as weddings, and alligator, and the legendary Ginger the Wrestling Bear. Allen was one of many promoters to bring African American stars to prominence, including Louisville's own "Black Panther" Jim Mitchell.In the 1960s Louisville saw the in-ring debut of the greatest manager of all time, teenage Bobby Heenan. Then in 1970 Louisville became the number two town for the hottest promotion in the country, Jerry Jarrett's Memphis Wrestling. For more than two decades the city thrilled to the Tuesday night showcases starring Jerry Lawler, Dutch Mantell, Bill Dundee, and dozens more. Louisville also became part of the proving ground for future stars like Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, Sting, the Ultimate Warrior, the Undertaker, Kane, the Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and the Louisville Slugger, Jim Cornette."Bluegrass Brawlers" covers it all, from 1880 to 2014. Through newspaper accounts, biographies, documentaries, and personal interviews, author John Cosper compiled the story of a city, a sport, and the unique impact both had on one another. The book also includes an introduction from Jim Cornette, more than 60 photos, and a final word from John Cena's former manager, Kenny "Starmaker" Bolin. "Bluegrass Brawlers" is a must read for wrestling fans, sports fans, fans of the great city of Louisville, and anyone who can appreciate a good tall tale.

Author: John Cosper
Publisher: CreateSpace
ISBN: 9781503171336
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 172

View

Book Description
Their signs hang in the windows of convenience stores, gas stations, and restaurants. They work out of high school gyms, warehouses, and roller rinks. They are professional wrestlers, and they want you to experience live wrestling this weekend.The old territories are long gone, replaced by the monolithic WWE, but indie wrestling continues to thrill fans who know that nothing can replace the live experience. This is the story of the men and women who make up today's independent wrestling scene. They are top prospects like Jamin Olivencia and Adam Cole; deadly beauties like Crazy Mary Dobson and LuFisto; entrepreneurs like Colt Cabana; and battle-hardened veterans like Mad Man Pondo.Eat Sleep Wrestle takes you on the road and inside the ring for a peek into the lives of today's dreamers and tomorrow's superstars. From their humble beginnings, to life on the road, to their moments at the top, these stories will inspire you in the pursuit your own dreams and make you look twice the next time you see a flier in the window for some rasslin'.

Author: John Berendt
Publisher: Random House
ISBN: 0679429220
Category : True Crime
Languages : en
Pages : 417

View

Book Description
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A modern classic of true crime, set in a most beguiling Southern city—now in a 30th anniversary edition with a new afterword by the author “Elegant and wicked . . . might be the first true-crime book that makes the reader want to book a bed and breakfast for an extended weekend at the scene of the crime.”—The New York Times Book Review Shots rang out in Savannah’s grandest mansion in the misty, early morning hours of May 2, 1981. Was it murder or self-defense? For nearly a decade, the shooting and its aftermath reverberated throughout this hauntingly beautiful city of moss-hung oaks and shaded squares. In this sharply observed, suspenseful, and witty narrative, John Berendt skillfully interweaves a hugely entertaining first-person account of life in this isolated remnant of the Old South with the unpredictable twists and turns of a landmark murder case. It is a spellbinding story peopled by a gallery of remarkable characters: the well-bred society ladies of the Married Woman’s Card Club; the turbulent young gigolo; the hapless recluse who owns a bottle of poison so powerful it could kill every man, woman, and child in Savannah; the aging and profane Southern belle who is the “soul of pampered self-absorption”; the uproariously funny drag queen; the acerbic and arrogant antiques dealer; the sweet-talking, piano-playing con artist; young people dancing the minuet at the black debutante ball; and Minerva, the voodoo priestess who works her magic in the graveyard at midnight. These and other Savannahians act as a Greek chorus, with Berendt revealing the alliances, hostilities, and intrigues that thrive in a town where everyone knows everyone else. Brilliantly conceived and masterfully written, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is a sublime and seductive reading experience.

Author: Randy Hales
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 244

View

Book Description
Randy Hales knows Memphis wrestling...he's lived it his entire life. From humble beginnings as a fan, fascinated by the larger-than-life heroes and villains doing battle in the squared circle, to getting involved as a picture seller and ring announcer, to rising up the ladder as booker and promoter, to finally running his own company, Randy Hales has done it all in the Memphis wrestling scene...and lived to tell about it. Through all the highs and lows, and thousands of miles traveled, Living The Dream is the story of how passion and hard work allowed a shy, awkward kid to live his dream and go on to become the Founder, Owner, and President of his own professional wrestling company that helped develop future wrestling superstars. Living The Dream takes you inside the Memphis wrestling scene with tons of stories about your favorite legends, wild stories from the road, infamous mega-matches of Memphis, and all about being a WWE developmental system. From "The King" to "The Superstar", from Mid-South Coliseum showdowns to Louisville Gardens throw downs, Randy Hales shares what it was like to be a part of the wild, wild world of Memphis wrestling and the incomparable legacy it left behind.

Author: Jim Cornette
Publisher: IDW Publishing
ISBN: 1684067677
Category : Comics & Graphic Novels
Languages : en
Pages :

View

Book Description
Pro-Wrestling's secrets and greatest moments are immortalized in this graphic novel from legendary wrestling personality Jim Cornette. A true-story style anthology, these insider tales will show the lengths that wrestlers went to uphold "kayfabe" (the old carny term for the presentation of legitimate conflict), as well as the noteworthy cultural, racial, and economic effects these events and characters had on society. This is the graphic novel that old school wrestling fans have been waiting their entire lives for: a no-holds-barred representation of the moments that wrestling insiders couldn't talk about for years.

Author: John Cosper
Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
ISBN: 9781543120639
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 366

View

Book Description
For 22 years, the Allen Athletic Club's weekly wrestling show at the Columbia Gym was the place to be on Tuesday night. Promoters Heywood Allen and his successors Francis and Betty McDonogh overcame the Great Depression, the 1937 flood, a World War, and a "crooked" athletic commissioner to bring the best of the golden age of wrestling to Louisville. Now for the first time, author John Cosper (Bluegrass Brawlers) presents the full story of "That Gang of Allen's," the wrestlers, referees, announcers, and others who made Tuesday Louisville's favorite night of the week. This is the story of the true golden age of wrestling, when men and women wore their Sunday best to see hometown heroes like Blacksmith Pedigo, Kid Scotty Williams, Stu Gibson, Mel Meiners, Sgt. Buck Moore, and "The Black Panther" Jim Mitchell mix it up with Lou Thesz, Gorgeous George, the French Angel, Buddy Rogers, Freddie Blassie, Johnny Valentine, Mildred Burke, Mae Young, Bobo Brazil, and Ginger the Wrestling Bear. From mud matches to masked men; from Wild Bill Cantrell to Wild Bill Longson; from live TV to live alligators, the Allen Athletic Club was Louisville's Greatest Show. This is the story of Louisville's first great wrestling promotion and the families that made wrestling a vital part of the city they loved.