I heard somone mention the name of Paul Boesch the other day and I began 'waxing nostalgic'. When I was kid I remember Houston Wrestling came on Saturday nights and Sunday mornings. It seemed as though its only advertisers consisted of I.W. Marks Jewelers, Mr. Norman, and Mattress Mac (the REAL early days--back when his wad of cash in hand consisted of one's, not hundreds .) I would stay up on Saturday nights and watch the likes of The Junkyard Dog, Hacksaw Duggan, Kamala, etc.... Does anyone else have memories of this?
I have a GREAT Houston Wrestling story! When I was 8 years old (a looooong time ago), my Dad took me and three friends to see Houston Wrestling at the Sam Houston Coliseum. During the main event, I had to go to the bathroom. My Dad pointed me in the direction of the bathroom and said "don't get lost". So naturally, I got lost. In fact I got so lost that I couldn't find my way back to our seats. I wound up having to walk up to the ringside so that the PA announcer could announce "WILL THE FATHER OF "ROCKETMAN TEX" PLEASE COME TO RINGSIDE TO PICK UP YOUR SON". Needless to say, my Dad was a little angry, and to this day, he insists that I got lost just so I could hear my name being announced on the television replays of Houston Wrestling that Saturday and Sunday. The truth is, I was really lost, but I still watched the television replays just so I could hear my name on television!!!
Wasn't it call Mid South Wrestling with the greats like JYD Hacksaw Jim Duggin Hacksaw Butch Reed CO CO B WARE The Great Kibuki KAMALA!! Rocket River
Both of my parents had Peter Birkholz as one of their professors at Sam Houston while they were working on their MBAs. I'm sure that guy had tons of inside stories about Houston Wrestling. I know this is not what he said, but as an 11/12 year old kid, I always thought the Spanish version of the Mr. Norman commercial went similar as this... kdjlkjalskjdfljksadf (undecipherable Spanish) YAM YAM Mr. Norman lkjasdlfjklkjlkjasdl (undecipherable Spanish) YAM YAM Mr. Norman Of course, years later, I know that I just had no clue what in the world they were saying (other than guessing that the Spanish was similar to the English version). What a great memory...only rivalling the memories of when MTV actually played music videos!
HA! I remember all those guys. Anyone remember those Paul Bosch commercials where he wore the diamond earrings? LOL! That was so funny.
Need Plumbing work? Ya YA Mr. Norman! Need roof Repair? Ya Ya Mr. Norman! Need Heart surgery? Ya Ya Mr. Norman! I forget what they really did but there commercials cracked me up when I was a kid. Hacksaw Jim Duggin is the coolest wrestler of all time.
what about Mattress Mac actually dressing up in a freakin' MATTRESS!!!! yeah! some old school Houston Wrestling Wrestlers... Jose Lothario The Von Erich's Tiger Conway Jr. Houston Wrestling Commercials: hey... what about BLUE STAR OINTMENT? STOPS ITCHING FAST Tether, ringworm, psoriasis, stops itching fast! Interesting story.... before the Sam Houston Coliseum was torn down to make way for the new Hobby Center, my wife did some environmental survey work at that site. She said she saw the old Houston Wrestling sign (blue with light blue letters) that was somewhere down there in bowels of the old coliseum... there were also tons of old posters for bands that played there also!!
ENGRAINED IN MY MIND!! Bosch slowly turning toward the camera. . . then you see him with a ROCK in his ear "If they can make my ears look pretty . . . " Bosch would say. "Just think was I W MARKS can do for hers." \ oh yeah I for got. THUNDERBOLT!! "We still beleive in value . . .and we pass it on to you at THUNDERBOLT we fix it right and guarantee it too we put the YYYYEEEEEEE HHHAAAAAAAA back in your motor and transmission." Rocket River YAM YA SENOIR NORMAN!!!!
Oh, something else just came back to me.... I swear I remember a tag team called 'The Rock & Roll Express'. they come out with bandanas ties around their legs...I also remember some cheezy music video that would play on t.v. during the broadcast showing them in various "serious" situations to Z.Z. Top's 'Sharp Dressed Man'. There is NO WAY I could make that up!
I was too young for it. Buy my dad always went to them. I wanted to go check it out. He said i've been but i was like one or two. WrestleMania XIX has been announced for March 30, 2003, site TBA. I'm honestly pulling for Reliant Stadium and Axxess at Reliant Center.
You're welcome...that was me. The Mid South territory was a part of the NWA (National Wrestling Alliance) operated nationally by the Crockett family. This later was purchased by Ted Turner and called WCW. As many may know it went belly up and was purchased by Vince McMahon. WCW is currently defunct. Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson. Ricky later was a singles wrestler for a while in WCW and I think still takes indy bookings. I don't know about Robert. In the 1980s they were multiple time NWA Tag Champions.
Didn't good ole JR did commentary back then? Or hosting or something? Seems like I remember him doing that with Mid-South Wrestling in Houston...
According to JR's unofficial bio on fan sites, he did in fact do ring announcing and commentary for the Mid-South territory of the NWA. His first match was Ric Flair vs. Ted DiBiase. I'm not sure if any of his work was in Houston. Did Bill Watts appear at the Houston shows back then?
Refman, Awesome recollection! I also remember the 'Midnight Express' (possibly managed by Jimmy Hart?), Terry Taylor, DiBiase, et al. Its funny to think about being 8 years old and fascinated with the story line of Junkyard Dog getting 'suspended' for a month, yet a new wrestler emerges a week later looking suspiciously like JYD except for a mask while wrestling under the name Stagger Lee.
The Midnight Express ("Beautiful" Bobby Eaton and "Sweet" Stan Lane) were manged by James E. Cornette. Lane came in after there were contractual problems with "Loverboy" Dennis Condry. I was in the Sam Houston Coliseum the night that Ted DiBiase became "The Million Dollar Man." Do you remember Dusty Rhodes being suspended at the same time a fat guy with a mask called Midnight Rider came along? I'd love it too, but don't hold your breath. We just had WM XVII here in 2001. It took Toronto 12 years between WrestleManias. We may get one soon...but I'd say it will be 4 to 5 years at the earliest. Remind me of this while I celebrate if I am wrong.
OMG!! You guys brought back some memories!! I thought it was "Ya-ma Mr Norman"..in spanish no less.... Was Chief Jay in the NWA? I could have sworn I remember seeing him on the show Paul Boesch did...Used to be on the independent channels (20/39?) Hacksaw Ruled!! I followed him all the way til he retired...I quit watching soon afterwards Does anyone remember? Didn't Hacksaw end up in the WWF at the end? Also, did any of yall remember actually seeing Fritz VonEric wrestle? The inventor of the Iron Claw...Hilarious stuff.....LOL Man...too be young again and still believe it was real...
