Johnny Weaver Blog

Royal wins Weaver Cup 2011

2011-08-21T10:16:00.005-04:00

Congratulations to Arik Royal, winner of the 2011 (and 8th Annual) Johnny Weaver Cup Tournament.

For more information on the history of the Weaver Cup and details on this year's tournament, visit the Weaver Cup History page on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway.

The annual Johnny Weaver Cup is presented by CWF Mid-Atlantic Wrestling.

2011 Weaver Cup Finals are 8/20 in Burlington

2011-08-08T12:59:00.001-04:00

Time	Saturday, August 20 · 7:30pm - 10:30pm

Location	The Mid-Atlantic Sportatorium 1813 Frank Holt Drive Burlington, North Carolina

Created By	Cwf Mid-Atlantic

More Info	* Mid-Atlantic Hwt Champ Xsiris vs. Jason Miller! * Ric Converse vs. Arik Royal for the 1st time ever! * All Stars vs. Bombers for Tag Team Title! * Special guest James J. Dillon plus more! CWF Mid-Atlantic is incredibly proud to present the 8th annual Johnny Weaver Memorial Cup Tournament Finals! The tournament has taken place all summer long, as is tradition and we are down to the elite Final Four. The winners of two semi-final round matches come back in the night's main event to battle it out for the Weaver Cup trophy. Seven big bouts in all! Semi-Finals of the 2011 Weaver Cup Mid Atlantic Champ XSIRIS w/ William Cross VS. RGL Champ JASON MILLER Semi-Finals of the 2011 Weaver Cup - 1st time ever match up! RIC CONVERSE w/ William Cross VS. ARIK ROYAL 2011 Weaver Cup Finals for the trophy! Semi-Final Winner # 1 vs. Semi-Final Winner # 2 Special guest James J. Dillon will be in attendance all night long, taking photos, meeting the fans and signing copies of his critically acclaimed autobiography "Wrestlers Are Like Seagulls... Anything can happen in the Weaver Cup tournament! It's ALWAYS one of the most exciting nights of the year, reserve your seats today at http://cwf247.com/ and make your plans to join us Saturday August 20th! TRAINED PRO WRESTLERS (sorry, no fans!) message CWF Mid-Atlantic on Facebook for details about our exciting and unique training seminar with Mr. James J. Dillon on the afternoon of August 20th before doors open!

Source: CWF Mid-Atlantic Wrestling on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=116019891829527

Converse Wins Weaver Cup 2010

2010-08-22T12:07:00.004-04:00

Weaver Cup Report

Results courtesy of IndyInsiders.Com

Photo courtesy Slamfest Photography

PWI International Ultra-J Crown Champion Xsiris and manager William L. Cross escaped with a hard-fought win over the red-hot "Leelicious" Lee Valiant, who started out their bout like a house of fire. Xsiris took a beating early on to advance to the Weaver Cup Final by pinfall over the game Valiant.

CWF Mid Atlantic Heavyweight Champion "High Definition" Steve Greene w/Coach Gemini found himself across the ring from former friend "the 1st" Ric Converse for the last spot in the Weaver Cup Final. Converse put the brakes on any intentions that Coach Gemini had for his "team" by putting the heavyweight champ's shoulders to the canvas in under a minute and a half.

Xsiris & "the 1st" Ric Converse hit the ring like a hurricane, going straight to each other's faces from the opening bell. The PWI International Ultra-J Crown Champion showed off his conditioning by taking and giving an incredible amount of punishment, only to be matched move for move by the former five-time Mid Atlantic Heavyweight Champion. Xsiris spent much of the match avoiding any move that could be a set-up for the Ric-Tor Scale finisher, but eventually tasted the canvas with it as Converse made the pinfall win to become the seventh winner of the 7th Annual Johnny Weaver Memorial Tournament!

Weaver Cup 2010

2010-08-16T14:55:00.007-04:00

Click here for more information on the 2010 Weaver Cup finals.

Also learn more about the history of the event on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway.

Weaver Unmasks The Assassin

2010-08-15T00:01:00.001-04:00

Weaver Part of a Big Week in Charlotte

2010-07-07T16:35:00.002-04:00

Johnny Weaver's challenge for the NWA world heavyweight championshiop was just one part of an amazing week at the Charlotte Coliseum in 1972.

Check out the story on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway.

Jesus, Elvis, and All-Star Wrestling: One Amazing Week at the Charlotte Coliseum

Career Results

2010-03-18T18:03:00.005-04:00

The Mid-Atlantic Gateway website now features career results for Johnny Weaver. David Baker has compiled over 4,500 career results or match listings for Johnny's career, with more to be uncovered as research continues.

The results were gathered from a variety of sources and researches including Mark Eastridge, Scott Teal, Jim Zordani, and Carroll Hall, and Wendi Weaver (Johnny's daughter) who loaned us Johnny Weaver's personal journals.

The results can be found by clicking here.

Don't Miss Wrestling at 5 PM on Channel 3!

2010-02-27T10:47:00.001-05:00

Summer of 1976. Thanks to Wendi Weaver for this clipping.

Loaded Florida Card Includes Weaver vs. Dillon (1975)

2010-02-25T10:31:00.003-05:00

This loaded card from the beautiful Bayfront Center in St. Petersburg FL includes Johnny Weaver vs. Jim (James. J.) Dillon for the Florida TV title from April 1975.

Thanks to Wendi Weaver for this clipping.

Two Years Later: We Remember Johnny Weaver

2010-02-15T06:46:00.000-05:00

Johnny Weaver

November 17, 1935 - February 15, 2008

On this 2nd anniversary of the death of Johnny Weaver, we point you to the text of the eulogy delivered by Capt. Michael Smith at Johnny's funeral on February 20, 2008:

Thanks Kid by Capt. Michael Smith

We miss you, Johnny!

Johnny Weaver Debut for Crockett Promotions

2010-02-05T22:40:00.006-05:00

Johnny Weaver made his debut for Crockett Promotions on February 5, 1962 (48 years ago to the day as this posted) at the Charlotte Park Center. His scheduled opponent was Eddie Auger, but Weaver wound up wrestling Swede Hanson, which he discusses in his conversation with the Mid-Atlantic Gateway in November 2007:

"My first match for Crockett was in February, 1962. First opponent was Swede Hansen and I didn’t know him from Adam. We got in the ring – I think it was a one fall, 20 minute match. We got in the ring, locked up and I pulled him back to the corner and I’m going to be the, you know, the nice guy and I said OK man, and I laid one in. (laughs) He popped me back, and I mean he popped me, and then he said, “huh-huh-huh” (laughs). I had a cold but he knocked it out the other side. (laughter). No one hit harder than Swede, and he was letting me know... "

(See A Conversation with Johnny Weaver on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway.)

Here are the other clippings from the Charlotte newspaper regarding that show:

Special thanks to Mark Eastridge for the clipping and Mike Cline for reminding me of this special anniversary. Mike also has a great feature on Johnny's Crockett debut on his blog "Mid-Atlantic Grapplin' Greats". Click here.

Weaver vs. Hayes in Toronto

2010-01-23T16:24:00.003-05:00

Johnny Weaver and Lord Alfred Hayes started a great feud in the summer of 1981, and the two continued to battle things out well into 1982. This show in Toronto in January of 1982 featured Weaver vs. Hayes in a cage match as a semi-final bout.

The Toronto booking office was closely affiliated with Jim Crockett Promotions as well as the WWWF. The Crockett relationship began in late 1978 and continued until the WWF began it's exclusive booking arrangement with the Tunney office in 1984. Johnny Weaver helped book the Toronto cards in the early to mid 1980s.

Headlining this card was Bob Backlund defending the WWWF title against Greg Valentine and Angelo Mosca vs. Big John Studd for the Canadian title in a cage as well.

Thanks to Andrew Calvert at Maple Leaf Wrestling Pictorial and the Maple Leaf Wrestling Blog for this clipping.

Remembering a Birthday

2009-11-16T17:25:00.008-05:00

Tuesday November 17 is Johnny Weaver's birthday. He would have been 74 years old. Johnny left us in February of 2008. In the years before he died, Johnny had become a great friend of, and a great supporter of, the Mid-Atlantic Gateway. We miss him very much.

Please take time to browse through some of the older entries on this blog and remember the legend of Johnny Weaver, one of the great names in Mid-Atlantic Wrestling history.

Special montage created by Mike Cline at Mid-Atlantic Grapplin' Greats.

Billy Powell brings back Johnny Weaver

2009-09-22T17:05:00.017-04:00

A great card of wrestling on a hot July night in Greenville, SC, just over 35 years ago.

Listen to the voice of Greenville wrestling Billy Powell as he promotes Johnny Weaver's return to Greenville on this night (click the play button):

This originally aired on Mid-Atlantic Wrestling on WFBC TV 4 out of Greenville. It a 30 second audio-only spot inserted into the wrestling play-by-play by Bob Caudle.

Clipping courtesy of Mark Eastridge. Audio courtesy of Kent Smith.

Tag Champs with Dewey Robertson

2009-08-22T12:09:00.004-04:00

Dewey Robertson and Johnny Weaver were Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Champions in 1981, feuding with such international teams as Japan's Mr. Fuji and Tenyru, and the Russian team of Nikolai Volkoff and Chris Markoff managed by Lord Al Hayes.

Photograph by Steve Davies

Weaver Cup 2009

2009-08-18T16:08:00.010-04:00

Wendi Weaver congratulates The Kamakazi Kid on his tournament finals victory over Ric Converse in the 2009 Johnny Weaver Memorial Cup held August 15 at the Mid-Atlantic Sportatorium in Burlington NC. Mid-Atlantic wrestling legend Don Kernodle also made a special appearance at the event.

Randy Hedrick, who took the photo above, wrote the Gateway about Johnny Weaver and his daughter Wendi:

"He is the first hero I had as a child wrestling fan and working with him later in his life was a treasure. Wendi has turned into one of my very favorite guests as well, she's a very good representative of her father and all of the memories we cherish from the Mid Atlantic."

For more photos and information, visit the Weaver Cup History page on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway. (Special thanks to Randy Hedrick, IndyInsiders.com.)

Wrestling TV Celebrities

2009-07-14T19:15:00.000-04:00

New Wrestling Venue Dedicated in Memory of Johnny Weaver

2009-06-24T00:56:00.004-04:00

Wendi Weaver and Commissioner Cross dedicate the new Mid-Atlantic Sportatorium in Burlington NC to the memory of Johnny Weaver. The dedication took place before a CWF Mid-Atlantic wrestling event there, Saturday June 20. (Mid-Atlantic Gateway Photo)

Johnny Weaver and Dick Slater: Florida Tag Team Champions

2009-05-27T01:55:00.001-04:00

Tampa Florida, March 1975

Clippings courtesy of Mark Eastridge

Mother's Day

2009-05-10T05:11:00.001-04:00

Penny Banner and daughter Wendi, circa 1962.

Johnny Weaver TV Results

2009-04-16T17:15:00.005-04:00

Carroll Hall of WrestlingMemories.com has compiled a terrific list of Johnny's TV appearancers in the late 1960s and early 1970s:

1968 1969 1970 1971
1972 1973 1974

(The links above are to message board threads on the Fanfest Forum.)

Memories at Strawberry Hill

2009-04-16T16:59:00.009-04:00

_
I received some interesting e-mails from Rob Kell who is an exploration geologist working in Chile, South America. Rob grew up watching Mid-Atlantic Wrestling in Richmond and sent me some great memories from his days in the 1960s and early 1970s going to matches at Strawberry Hill. Here are some excepts from a couple of those e-mails. - Dick Bourne

Well, it would be tough to top what I have read in your column of memories. I was raised in Richmond, Virginia, and during the 1960's was able to go to wrestling events at Strawberry Hill (the State Fairgrounds) on numerous occasions.

Several times my buddies and I went to see Johnny Weaver. Clearly, I remember Johnny taking on Dory Funk, Jr. for the NWA championship belt. The match went the distance (i.e. best of 3 falls) with Funk retaining his title. But I am talking about being enthralled for an hour with back and forth incredible wrestling and Johnny on the verge of taking the title.

Of course, I remember Johnny and George Becker's tag team battles, but especially against the Bolos (never written about) and of course Rip Hawk and Rock Hunter or later with Swede Hansen.

The last time I saw Johnny in person was at Parker Field in Richmond, Virginia where he paired with Sailor Art Thomas to beat Skull Murphy and Brute Bernard. It was unusual because it was outdoors and on a Sunday, plus thunderstorms threatened the entire evening. This did not stop an exciting main event match.

However, as kids, we all tried to apply that sleeper hold and would always be sure on Saturdays to watch All-Star Wrestling with Bob Caudle and often were rewarded with a match of Becker and Weaver against a lesser opponent (i.e. Prince Omar and Pedro Zapata or Jack Vansky) to wet our intrigue with an upcoming match against the Great Bolos, Bronco Lubich and Aldo Bogni, Doc and Mike Gallagher, etc.

When I was kid - I was raised in a middle class neighborhood (all GI homes) and with lots of buddies my age - so, we'd get a parent to take us out to Strawberry Hill to watch the wrestling and another parent would pick us up at the end of the matches. We could not get out every Friday night - but usually maybe once or twice a month. So, I got to see some great professional wrestling - which has long ago disappeared.

Most people today look at the wrestling entertainment today - and although apparently immensely popular - lacks so much of what once was (i.e. actual wrestling).

I can still remember some matches - once - Bronco Lubich and Johnny "Rubberman" Walker wrestled to a 45-minute draw - it was Bronco Lubich's first introduction to Richmond and there was some promotion about this for the week ahead of the match. How the two wrestlers pulled that off - I don't know but incredible holds and escapes or reversals with neither being able to gain an advantage. Of course, a week or two later Bronco Lubich shows up again but with big/mean Aldo Bogni - and boy - saw them plenty of times in excellent matches - against Scott Brothers and once against the Infernos with Bronco Lubich getting his face burned up by that incendiary device Infernos used (not the loaded boot this time).

I saw the Gallagher Brothers many times and you don't read about them - but they were as formidable and won often with that "blinder hold" and the elbow smash off the corner top ropes - saw them put away George Becker and Billy Two-Rivers once - also they took apart the Scott Brothers as well. There were the numerous battles between the The Bolos and Kentuckians - and once match where Johnny Weaver had twisted the mask around so that one of the Bolos could not see - and still somehow the Bolos pulled off a win (in confusion Bolos pulled a switch and loaded head butt to George Becker ended that match as I remember).

The list goes on and on - Texas Death Match (remember those) - one was Rip Hawk and Swede Hanson versus Brute Benard and Skull Murphy - pretty bloody and horrific.

But many matches were quite cleverly thought out - Bronco Lubich and Aldo Bogni with Homer O'dell manager against Scott Brothers - toward heated end of the 2 of 3 fall match - Homer O'Dell hung his cane in one of the corners and Bronco Lubich irish-whipped George Scott into that corner - down he went and was pinned for controversial end to the match. There was a grudge re-match scheduled the very next week - so, we had to go see that - and this time again even at a fall apiece - I think they trade sleeper holds to win those falls (i.e. Lubich had his cobra wrap George Scott with sleeper on Bogni) - anyway the third fall - was again heated and you could not tell who was going to pull it off - again O'Dell snuck over hung the cane in the corner and together Lubich and Bogni together irish-whipped George Scott to that corner but Sandy Scott ran over - and jumped up to lay as a bridge across the corner to block and protect his brother from slamming into the cane - and the Scotts now had the cane and they used it - bloodying Lubich terribly and again lost the match - this time by disqualification - of course, the fans were going crazy.

Just tremendous times - who today would sit through an hour long 2 out 3 falls tag team or singles match today?

Anyway, I was very sad to hear that Johnny had passed away several years ago now. Difficult to believe.

- Rob Kell

"Royal Couple" on Grapplin' Greats Blog

2009-04-15T15:41:00.006-04:00

Mid-Atlantic Grapplin' Greats has some great photos up of Johnny, Penny, and Wendi at home from a 1960s magazine. Check it out at the links below.

Johnny, Penny, Wendi photo here

Mid-Atlantic Grapplin' Greats blog here

Johnny Weaver in TV Production

2009-03-31T08:52:00.003-04:00

Here is a great photo of Johnny working behind the scenes in TV production. Even though Johnny was by 1983 a regular member as a TV commentator and working behind the scenes as well, he still was fairly active in the ring, and would continue to be so well into 1984.

This photo was in the "Starrcade 83" photo album. I didn't think they were still using 2" video tape at that point, so this photo could have been taken a little earlier.

Pro Wrestling Illustrated Annual - Year In Review

2009-03-29T14:22:00.008-04:00

From the "Pro Wrestling Illustrated Annual" for 2008, where the review the significant events over the previous year:

Mid-Atlantic Legend Johnny Weaver Dead at 72
PRO-WRESTLING ILLUSTRATED ANNUAL 2008
Among the many wrestling heroes that came through the Carolina wrestling scene throughout the territory's rich history, perhaps none was more beloved than Johnny Weaver.

Weaver, whose wrestling career spanned more than 40 years, was found dead from natural causes in his Charlotte home on February 15. The accomplished wrestling announcer and booker was 72 years old.

"The business has lost one of the greats," Weaver's former friend and colleague, Blackjack Mulligan, told the Charlotte Observer. "He was a master at this business. He's going to be missed greatly."

Born in East St. Louis, Illinois, Weaver began his pro career in the mid-50s and came to work for Jim Crockett, Sr. in his Mid-Atlantic territory in 1962. Weaver made his first big splash as part of a main event tag team act with partner George Becker. The two captured multiple championships and took part in memorable rivalries against teams including Swede Hansen and Rip Hawk and Gene and Ole Anderson.

Using his "Weaverlock" sleeper hold, Weaver also saw singles success, and was a perennial top contender for the NWA heavyweight championship.

Weaver wore many other hats, including those of a creative team member and a likeable and knowledgeable color commentator – a role he played for nearly 20 years until leaving the wrestling business in the late 1980s. As an elder statesman, Weaver also helped groom some of wrestling's future stars working in the territory, including Greg Valentine, Roddy Piper and Ric Flair.

Weaver later took on a second career as deputy sheriff with Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, where he was set to retire months after his passing. In the job, Weaver transported prisoners around Carolina, through the various back roads he became familiar with during his years as a wrestler.

Pro-Wrestling Illustrated is the premier wrestling magazine on the market. Check it out at your local newsstand, supermarket, Walmart, or order online at http://www.pwi-online.com/
Thanks to Blake Arledge and Peggy Lathan for their help with this feature.

Moving Forward Without Johnny

2009-03-02T16:53:00.010-05:00

_
To: Dick Bourne, Mid-Atlantic Gateway
From: Captain Michael Smith, Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office
Date: February 27, 2009

I just wanted to again thank you for the continuous support for Johnny Weaver. I still miss that man everyday I come to work. We have many magnificent employees and dedicated individuals who put their life on the line and families on stand by on a daily basis. One thing we don’t have, or have not found yet, is another Johnny Weaver and I am sure we never will. He was the greatest.

Well things around here have moved forward. Many new faces have taken on the task but nobody has the trait of Johnny and nobody almost certainly ever will. I even miss Johnny more now than I ever thought I would.

I have about 8 more years until I retire and move on to another career and as much as I regret having to move on without my friend, co-worker, and a phenomenon and idol to many people, life goes on. And I miss Johnny.

Thanks for what you all continue to do to remember Johnny. You know he would not have wanted it, but he deserves it.

Captain Michael Smith
Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office

(See also: Thanks Kid - Remarks Made by Capt. Michael Smith At Johnny Weaver's Funeral)

Fate, Or Something Like It

2009-02-24T22:49:00.022-05:00

Fate or something like it.

Fate (noun) - the force or principle believed to predetermine events.

I can’t help but believe that fate played a part in finding this photo of Johnny Weaver.

George South frequently visits a little used bookstore called Value Village on Central Avenue in Charlotte. He has this uncanny knack of finding wrestling related books in there. As an example, he once stumbled upon a book on the 1960s era New York Jets only to find a photo of Wahoo McDaniel making a tackle. Things like this happen often to him.

This past January, he visited this store and saw a book about the inaugural season of the Carolina Panthers NFL franchise. "Carolina Panthers Sunday" by Wallace Sears. If you know George, you know what a big Dallas Cowboys fan he is, and you probably also know that as much as he loves the Cowboys, he hates the Panthers to the same degree. So normally you would think he wouldn’t even bother picking up a book on the Panthers, much less thumbing through it. But he was strangely drawn to this one.

The book chronicled the opening day game; it was a photo journal of the entire day. George picked it up and opened it and there in the center of the first page he turned to was a beautiful photograph of Mecklenburg County Deputy Sheriff Johnny Weaver.

Weaver had gone to work as a Deputy Sheriff after his career in the wrestling business had ended. He had been working in the front office of Jim Crockett Promotions when the Charlotte based wrestling company had been purchased by Ted Turner in 1988. Not wanting to move to Atlanta, Weaver left a 30 year wrestling career and joined the Sheriff’s Department in 1989. He worked there 19 years until his death in 2008.

So consider this: What are the odds that photographer Joel Sartore would pick Johnny's bus out of the dozens of buses that morning, would take Johnny's picture out of the thousands of officers working security that day, and would have selected that photo for the book? What are the odds that 13 years later, George would have spotted that old book out of hundreds of old books buried away in that little used book store, and would have turned to that one page out of the over 200 pages in the book and found that photo of Johnny Weaver?

When I told my friend Peggy Lathan this story, she was the first to suggest fate, or something like it, played a role. "It was just meant to be. Johnny knew that book was in that little book store and led George right to it. He knew none of us would have found it otherwise."

I kind of like believing that's true.

- Dick Bourne
Mid-Atlantic Gateway

Looking Back: Weaver vs. Kiniski in 1967

2009-02-15T12:00:00.000-05:00

Today, February 15, is the one year anniversary of Johnny Weaver's death, and we continue to mourn his passing but we also celebrate his life and his career.

Johnny is probably best remembered for his legendary tag team with George Becker in the 1960s and early 1970s. But he was also a top singles wrestler and was a top drawing challenger for the NWA world heavyweight championship, wrestling all the great champions of the era, including many title matches with Lou Thesz, Gene Kiniski, and Dory Funk, Jr. in particular.

On Thanksgiving night 1967, Johnny challenged Kiniski for the title in what was at that time a record breaking crowd at the Greensboro Coliseum, with hundreds of fans turned away.

Click the clipping above for a larger view.

We plan to continue to share memories and remembrances of Johnny's career here on the Weaver Blog. You can always find us by just typing in to your browser: http://www.johnnyweaver.net/ or find your way here via the Mid-Atlantic Gateway.

One Year Later: We Remember Johnny Weaver

2009-02-15T07:06:00.001-05:00

Johnny Weaver
November 17, 1935 - February 15, 2008

Thanks Kid by Capt. Michal Smith
Hall of Heroes Class of 2008
The Greatest Finish Man Ever by Blackjack Mulligan
Weaver Has A Hold on Everyone by Mark Wineka, Salisbury Post
Memories Of Johnny Weaver And Saturday Afternoons by Mike Mooneyham, Charleston Post & Courier
Johnny Weaver Weekend 2007
Johnny Weaver Weekend 2008

Tributes from Dick Bourne David Chappell Peggy Lathan Carroll Hall Rich Landrum Jim Nelson

Five Years Ago: Weaver Hits The Ring in Spartanburg

2009-02-07T11:30:00.010-05:00

Five years ago this month, Johnny Weaver made a special appearance at the "Wrestling Night of the Legends" show in Spartanburg SC, promoted by the Miss South Carolina organization. Johnny was recognized along with several other legends, but the real excitement of the evening was during the main event which featured The Rock and Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson) vs. The Masked Superstar (Bill Eadie) and George South.

The "bad guys" were putting the boots to Robert Gibson as Ricky Morton had been thrown from the ring. Miss Teen South Carolina Shelley Benthalland, who had escorted the Rock and Roll to the ring, ill-advisedly entered the ring to protest. Superstar and South turned toward her and actually looked like they might do her bodily harm. A noise began to rise from the crowd as someone came running down the aisle toward the ring. Long time wrestling fans in attendance could hardly believe their eyes as the legendary Johnny Weaver hit the ring, disposed of the Superstar with a roundhouse punch and then shot South into the ropes and applied his famous sleeper hold. The roof about came off the Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium.

It was a special treat to see Johnny in the ring again, if only briefly. It was something he would only do a few more times in the last years of his life.

This photo is of Johnny with Miss South Carolina 2003 Jessica Eddins.

See lots of photos from this event on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway by visiting the following link:
Wrestling Night of the Legends 2004

The Dean and The Voice of World Wide Wrestling

2009-01-20T23:24:00.009-05:00

Many of today's fans associate Johnny Weaver's broadcasting career with the Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling and NWA Pro Wrestling shows that aired in the 1980s, primarily as a result of Johnny's national exposure on NWA Pro when it was syndicated to markets all around the United States as Jim Crockett Promotions began to expand nation wide. But long time fans in the territory might best remember him with his first broadcast partner, the host of World Wide Wrestling from 1978-1982, Rich Landrum.

Landrum worked in Richmond VA as the ring announcer for Jim Crockett Promotions/Murnich Promotions shows in Richmond and the surrounding area going back to the late 1960s, and took over television host duties for the re-vamped "World Wide Wrestling" in 1978. Landrum made the weekly trek each Wednesday from Richmond to WRAL TV studios in Raleigh NC. He originally hosted the show solo with occasional guest co-hosts, and then took on Weaver as a regular partner in 1979, even though Weaver continued wrestling a near full time schedule through 1981.

They became a very popular broadcasting duo over the next four years, and are still remembered today, especially for one of their signiture spots where Johnny would offer his rendition of "Turn Out The Lights, The Party's Over" at the end of a match each week, as Landrum then reviewed the match's finish on instant replay.

In 2007, Landrum appeared on a Burlington NC wrestling event and briefly reunited with Weaver to introduce the finals of the Johnny Weaver Cup Tag Team Tournament. Weaver passed away 6 months later, and in November of 2008, Landrum made a second appearance at a tribute show for Johnny Weaver in Rocky Mount VA along with Johnny's daughter Wendi. The show also featured wrestling legend Jim Nelson/Boris Zhukov in action, who was one of Johnny's last tag partners during the last years of his career in the ring in 1983.

Special thanks to Wendi Weaver for providing this photograph from her father's personal collection.

Related blog post: Weaver does color commentary
Related feature: WRAL Studio Wrestling
Mid-Atlantic Gateway Interviews with Rich Landrum | Johnny Weaver

The Best of NWA Wrestling

2009-01-14T13:02:00.007-05:00

Lots of folks remember that Johhny was a popular co-host of wrestling programs in the Mid-Atlantic area, first with Rich Landrum on World Wide Wrestling in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and then with Bob Caudle on Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling and NWA Pro Wrestling throughout much of the the 1980s. Not many folks may remember that Weaver briefly hosted his own wrestling show in the fall of 1978 called "The Best of N.W.A. Wrestling". From the studios of WCCB-18 in Charlotte, NC, Weaver would review tapes from the other Mid-Atlantic TV shows as well as special arena film, and would have studio guests there to offer commentary as well.

For more information on this program, including several photographs of Johnny on the set of his show, check out the following link on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway:

Studio Wrestling: WCCB in Charlotte

Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Champs with Jay Youngblood

2009-01-09T13:30:00.012-05:00

On the Friday night after Thanksgiving, November 27, 1981, Johnny Weaver and Jay Youngblood formed an unlikely duo and upset Chris Markoff and Nikolia Volkoff (managed by Lord Alfred Hayes) to win the Mid-Atlantic tag team championship.

The next morning Johnny and Jay appeared on the TV taping of NWA Championship Wrestling in Knoxville TN hosted by Les Thatcher, who conducted one of his trademark "Personality Profile" segments with Weaver. Youngblood wrestled in a singles match, but Johnny did not wrestle on this show.

The two appeared together on the show in an interview with Thatcher following Youngblood's match. Photos from that interview are included here, as well some rare video below from the Personality Profile segment of the show, including a sentimental reference to Weaver's longtime tag team partner George Becker. They held many tag team titles in the 1960s and early 1970s.

Special thanks to Wendi Weaver for providing these photographs from her father's personal collection.

Earlier that same week, Johnny and Jay served as Grand Marshalls at the annual Christmas parade in China Grove NC. A link to an article about that day and a photograph can be found here: Grand Marshalls

Commentary by Johnny Weaver and Rich Landrum

2008-12-07T13:39:00.004-05:00

Ricky Steamboat and Jay Youngblood vs. Doug Sommers and Ricky Ferrara from June 1980. The referee is Stu Schwartz. Commentary is by Rich Landrum and Johnny Weaver on World Wide Wrestling. An added treat, Johnny sings his trademark "Turn Out The Lights" at the end of the match.

Great memories from 28 years ago!

Johnny Weaver's Birthday

2008-11-17T12:39:00.003-05:00

Today is Johnny Weaver's birthday. He would have been 73 years old today. We send our best wishes to our friend Wendi, knowing she is missing her father today. We miss him, too.

Her Father's Jacket

2008-11-06T11:26:00.008-05:00

Wendi Weaver appeared in Rocky Mount VA at the Night of Legends II: A Tribute to Johnny Weaver to present one of his special ring jackets that she had donated to be raffled off to benefit the chairatable activities of "We Care of Franklin County", an organization that works with the disabled and the disadvantaged. The raffle continues through Dec. 6th and the drawing will be held at the ACW show in Rocky Mount on that night. (Click here for more information.)

The night was a tribute to her father, the great Johnny Weaver. Fans enjoyed video highlights from Johnny's career shown up on a big screen, as well as a special video greeting from one of Weaver's very good friends in the business, Blackjack Mulligan. Also in attendance to pay tribute to Weaver was Sandy Scott, Rich Landrum, and Ric McCord. Jim Nelson wrestled Eclipso in the main event. Photos and a story from the show can be seen by clicking here.

Come out to Rocky Mount!

2008-10-30T14:25:00.003-04:00

For more information, visit http://www.midatlanticgateway.com/events.htm

Charlie Harville interviews Weaver & Nelson - 1972

2008-10-19T14:12:00.003-04:00

December 12, 1972
WGHP Studios in High Point, NC
Charlie Harville interviews Johnny Weaver and Art Nelson

Charlie Harville: This is Johnny Weaver and Art Nelson standing behind a seven foot chain link, steel fence like the one which they will be wrestling inside of at the Winston-Salem Coliseum on Tuesday Dec.26, a big holiday card there the day after Christmas. They will meet the (Royal) Kangaroos inside the chain link, steel fence, seven feet high, that will completely surround the ring and keep anybody from getting out of the ring, anybody from running. Johnny, what’s the purpose?

Johnny Weaver: Well Charlie, after the last match we had in Winston- Salem with them, a lot of the fans, they wanted us to get them behind a fence where they can’t run away from us. Well, we went a little better than that with a first in the Winston-Salem area. We’re gonna have a Death Match behind this fence. We have a piece of the fence right here. It’s a real strong fence. It’s gonna be one of the pieces they’re gonna put up around the ring. It’ll be seven feet high and go all the way around the ring. We will be inside the fence and then the fence will be sealed. There’s no getting around it, they’re sure not gonna go under it and they’re not gonna go over the top of it. There are little jagged edges on the top. If they try to go over that, they’re gonna get cut up. The last time we were there, we got cut up. One of the Kangaroos brought something in the ring, they busted both of us open. Before the match was over though we got it away from them and we found out that Royal blood that flows in their veins, it’s the same color as the Yanks blood we got over here. It’s red just like ours and went all over the ring until they ran to the dressing room. With a fence around the ring, a Texas Death Match means that falls don’t count, you can just continue to whip them until they can’t stand up. I think that’s what all the fans want and I know that’s what Art and I want because we’re fed up with these guys coming over here knocking the Yanks and talking about the Yank people and we’re gonna find out just how much more Royal blood they got in their veins.

Charlie Harville: All right, don’t forget that Texas Death Match too, that does mean that you just keep beating up them Art, as long as you want to?

Art Nelson: That’s right. An important thing involved too, there is a $3,000 dollar minimum purse to the winning team. Plus there is $100 for each fall that the winning team wins. Therefore the more falls that we win, the more money we’re gonna make. You know this is the match that… I’m in the business mostly for money like I’ve said many, many times but also this match is for prestige and being proud to be an American. Now this is a match I’ve been in many, many times. America is about the only place that we’ve had it. I’ve been in Australia five years. I never have seen a match like this there. But we’re gonna show these two Aussies how two Yanks can fight and how the better team will leave this ring and this gonna be Johnny and myself. When we get through with them, I think they’re gonna have a lot more respect for the Americans than they have been lately on television and everywhere else.

Charlie Harville: That’s right. Well, that will be in Winston-Salem the day after Christmas on Tuesday December 26. Now you’ve got a big match coming up also in the Greensboro Coliseum a couple of days later on Thursday, December 28. Johnny and Art will be meeting Ole Anderson and the Menace and I know you’ve tangled with Ole Anderson on several occasions.

Art Nelson: That’s right. The Anderson brothers are one of the best wrestling brother’s teams, I think, in the country. This masked man, the Menace, they seem to be going out there and coaching him and he seems to be out watching the matches and sometimes even around ringside and we don’t know if he’s a relative or brother or what. But he’s also close to them and they’ve been grooming him and leading him and he’s doing real good. I would say that we’re not going to underestimate this man. Ole is in there with the Menace because I think they are related to each other and if Ole could get a win over us, this would be a feather in his hat and the Menace, it would be a feather in his hat too. So we’re gonna have to be careful. It’s gonna be right after the tough match we have in Winston-Salem so that’s gonna be extra double tough for us.

Johnny Weaver: Getting back to Winston-Salem for just a minute if I may Charlie. After the last match over there, a Kangaroo went out of there with 14 stitches in his head. We hope we’re gonna put a lot more in both their heads this time.

Charlie Harville: Okay, we’ll find out. That’s in Winston-Salem on the 26th and Greensboro on the 28th.

* * * * * * * * * * * *
Transcription of original TV interview by Carroll Hall. Clipping from the collection of Mark Eastridge.

Win one of Johnny's Ring Jackets

2008-10-11T22:42:00.003-04:00

ACW Wrestling in Rocky Mount VA is raffling off one of Johnny Weaver's ring jackets that he wore in the 1960s and early 1970s. Johnny's daughter Wendi donated the jacket. Proceeds from the raffle will raise money for "We Care of Franklin County."

Find out all the details by clicking here: Johnny Weaver Raffle

Racers and 'Rasslers

2008-09-09T12:04:00.006-04:00

Wrestler's Eye View by Les Thatcher

Auto Racing Wrestlers

originally published in Wrestling News Magazine, Summer 1974

I had a great Sunday afternoon, just a couple of weeks back. I went out to Charlotte Motor Speedway to watch the International Hot Rod Association Southern Nationals. The sun was hot, I got the smell of burning rubber and nitro fuel in my nostrils, my mouth was dry, my hands itched to grab a steering wheel, and I loved it! These are the feelings of an ex-race driver. There are several in the ranks of professional wrestling.

Along with myself, the ones I know of are Johnny Walker, Johnny Weaver, Tim Woods and Mike Graham. The only one who is active now is Mike. I ran into him last winter in Atlanta and at that time, he was in the process of putting together a Corvette to run in Class C modified production at the drags. Once you have felt the power of a race car under you, then you're addicted. You'll find any one of this bunch, on any given Sunday, wide-eyed at some track around the country. Wishing it were they, not someone else, driving those cars on the track.

Johnny Weaver drove stock cars on the roundy-round tracks of the Midwest before turning to pro wrestling as a way of life. That's been over 14 years ago, but don't think for a minute he has let it slip his mind. Johnny makes four or five of the NASCAR big races every summer around the Southeast, watches the rest on television, and never misses an article in the newspaper about racing. When we both sit down in some dressing room, within five minutes the talk turns to racing.

Tim Woods hasn't handled a race car in about five years, but he had one of the fastest 442 Oldsmobiles, running the eighth mile drags in the Carolinas, and was very close to the national record in his class. A funny sideline to Tim's racing career was when he was beaten by a girl running a Chevy digger in his class in Shuffletown, North Carolina. It was a long time before the other wrestlers would let him live that one down. The story still comes up once in a while.

Johnny Walker drove stock cars for some years and was a top handler in his field. In 1969, they were holding wrestling matches at the speedway in Bowling Green, KY. John's ability was questioned by another wrestler who thought that he could outdrive him. Well, they were loaned two stock cars by local drivers and went at it for ten laps. After about three laps, Walker was so far ahead that he backed off to give the other wrestler a chance. Then finally before the finish, he lapped the surprised challenger. John hadn't lost his touch.

The first time I met Mike Graham, he was sixteen and, along with a buddy, had built a '55 Chevy to drag race. He has gone through a few cars since then and each one has excelled in its class throughout the Sunshine State of Florida. Graham's current "Vette" should be on the track by now, and I'm sure it will do well, also.

I started my drag racing at age fifteen, and during my racing days handled Fords, Chevys, Pontiacs and Plymouths. I was lucky enough to win a N.H.R.A. division title and to race several times at the National Hot Rod Association Nationals in Indianapolis. Like it's been for me in wrestling, it's been the same for me in racing. I just couldn't win that big one. I think I speak for all of the above when I say that racing was a great time in our lives and we are all still drivers at heart.

From the Summer 1974 issue of the Wrestling News magazine. We found these clippings posted on the Kayfabe Memories wrestling message board, posted by "Mr. Ambivalent" in the Southeastern Wrestling forum. Thanks to Peggy Lathan for transcription services.

A Family Together

2008-09-03T18:37:00.006-04:00

Pro-Wrestling Torch columnist Bruce Mitchell, who has written about wrestling for two decades, has a wonderful article about the NWA Legends Fanfest Hall of Heroes. It was recently published online, and may have been published as well in their print newsletter. I asked and was given permission to re-publish it on the Hall of Heroes pages of the Mid-Atlantic Gateway.

Bruce's piece captures well the spirit of the evening in general, and moments we cherish as they relate to the late Johnny Weaver and his daughter Wendi's acceptance for him that night in particular.

"For the professional wrestlers inducted into the Hall of Heroes, their families, and their friends, the banquet is a sometimes surprising reaffirmation that there are still fans who will always love and respect the wrestlers for the years of entertainment they provided. It's a time to re-unite with the travelling family they may have lost decades ago, a chance many thought they'd never have again."

Read the entire article on the Gateway by clicking here.

Hall of Heroes

2008-08-24T18:37:00.008-04:00

Johnny Weaver was inducted into the Hall of Heroes Class of 2008 during the huge NWA Legends Fanfest weekend in Charlotte, NC. The induction banquet and awards ceremony took place Friday, August 15, 2008. Johnny's daughter Wendi accepted induction for her father, who passed away February 15, 2008. Johnny's good friend and long time opponent Rip Hawk (a member of the Hall of Heroes Class of 2007) inducted Johnny into the Hall, which is now in its second year recognizing the lifetime contributions of the great names in Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling and the National Wrestling Alliance.

For more information visit the Hall of Heroes on the web at http://www.midatlanticgateway.com/heroes.htm

In Loving Memory - Six Months Later

2008-08-18T13:34:00.006-04:00

Charlotte Observer, Friday August 15, 2008.
Placed by Wendi Weaver on the six month anniversary of her father's death and on the day of his induction into the Hall of Heroes Class of 2008 at the NWA Legends Fanfest in Charlotte.

Victory in the Fence Match

2008-07-21T10:50:00.006-04:00

Johnny Weaver has his hand raised following his "fence match" with hated rival and manager J.C. Dykes.

Grand Marshalls

2008-06-03T10:20:00.007-04:00

In 1981, Johnny Weaver and Jay Youngblood served as Grand Marshalls for the South Rowan Christmas Parade in China Grove, NC. The annual parade was held each year on the Monday before Thanksgiving.

Featured in this photo, taken Monday November 23, 1981 are Jay Youngblood, Johnny Weaver, and local radio and television personality Bill Connell. (Bill did local TV promo inserts for Jim Crockett Promotions in the late 1970s.) The person on the far right is David Rogers, a member of the China Grove Parade Committee presenting plaques to Youngblood and Weaver.

Later that very same week, on Friday November 27, Johnny and Jay would win the Mid-Atlantic Tag Team championships from Chris Markoff and Nicolia Volkoff.

Photo credit unknown. From the collection of Johnny Weaver.

Penny Banner

2008-05-15T18:00:00.004-04:00

From all of us who maintain the Weaver Blog as part of the Mid-Atlantic Gateway family, our sincere and heartfelt condolences to Wendi Weaver on the recent loss of her mother, pro-wrestling legend Penny Banner (Mary Ann Kostecki Weaver).

Losing a parent is hard enough on anyone. Losing them both within such a short period is nearly intolerable. Our thoughts, prayers, and love are with Wendi during this difficult time, and our condolences also go to the entire Kostecki and Weaver families, and to the friends and colleagues of the lovely and gracious Penny Banner.

- Dick Bourne
Mid-Atlantic Gateway

My Best Friend

2008-04-01T12:02:00.008-04:00

A Poem by Don Kernodle

Around the corner I had a best friend,
in this great country of busy men.
I didn't see him very often, but knew he was near,
and that if I needed him, he'd be right here.

He was a champion, worked hard
and always strived for more.
You couldn't help but notice
the wonderful smile he wore.

He had great concern
for the needs of men,
and how he would give
'til the very end.

And now that he's in heaven
called to the Great Beyond,
my awesome memories of him
will always be fond.

But one thing I'll remember
Until the very end:
That around the corner,
I had a best friend.

Written by Don Kernodle for my Best Friend Johnny Weaver.
Presented at Johnny's Funeral, 2/20/08, Pineville, NC

Johnny Weaver page on CWF Mid-Atlantic website

2008-03-27T23:26:00.005-04:00

The CWF Mid-Atlantic website has a tribute page for Johnny up on their new website. The link to the page is the bottom of this post.

CWF Mid-Atlantic Wrestling is the group that hosts the annual Johnny Weaver Cup tournament each year, a series of matches that take place throughout the summer, with the finals being held at a special event at the Carolina Sports Arena in Burlington NC (one of the coolest places you'll ever watch wrestling.) Johnny had attended each event since its inception in 2004, and presented the Weaver Cup trophy to the winner.

In Rememberance: Johnny Weaver

Also check out these related links:
Weaver Cup page on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway
Wide World Wrestling Reunion at the 2007 Weaver Cup

Official Program - June 12, 1967

2008-03-20T17:00:00.000-04:00

Championship Wrestling
Official Program - June 12, 1967

Vol. 1 No. 37
As Seen On Your Favorite TV Station
Presented by Jim Crockett
Charlotte's Park Center
Photo by Gene Gordon

Title Chase

2008-03-16T20:32:00.005-04:00

Johnny Weaver's Title Chase
The Biggest and Most Prestigious Singles Program of His Career
by Mike Cline

An article appeared in the sports section of the February 1, 1971 issue of the CHARLOTTE OBSERVER. It read, "A world championship match and a unique team bout share the spotlight on the wrestling card tonight at PARK CENTER. Dory Funk Jr. places his title on the line against Johnny Weaver. It's a two-of-three falls bout with a one hour time limit."

And with this match, in Johnny's own words, "the biggest and most prestigious singles program of my career began." . . . . . .

>> Read the full article on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway.

The Greatest Finish Man Ever

2008-03-11T09:36:00.009-04:00

A Conversation with Blackjack Mulligan about his friend Johnny Weaver
by Dick Bourne

Blackjack Mulligan and Johnny Weaver had reunited with each other via the internet a year or so ago, and since then the two had enjoyed the exchange of memories and reminiscences, as well as the usual e-mail jokes that go around. Johnny had only recently learned to use the computer for e-mail correspondence, and was enjoying keeping up with some of the guys he had worked with over the years, including Blackjack, Rip Hawk, Ivan Koloff, Jim Nelson, and others.

Blackjack reminisced about Johnny Weaver, who passed away in February, during a recent phone conversation.

“I still can’t believe Johnny’s gone,” he told me. “We had just exchanged e-mails and we had spoken on the phone before Christmas.” Jack had invited Johnny to come spend Christmas with him and Julia and Barry at Jack’s cabin on the San Saba River, south of San Angelo, Texas. “He told me he’d have to pass, he was going to see his daughter Wendi on Christmas day.”
Jack’s nickname for Johnny was “J-Dub”, short for “JW”. The name was actually given to him by Dick Murdoch who liked the character by that name in the 1972 cowboy movie “JW Coop.”

“He called me Mully, I called him J-Dub,” he said. The two had not seen each other in over 15 years.

“We were close, we shared so much on the road.” Jack told me. “The best times were in 1978 travelling with J-Dub and Dickey Murdoch all around the Mid-Atlantic territory. We spent a lot of time and rode a lot of miles, Johnny always chewing tobacco, listening to 8-track tapes of Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, and Ernest Tubb.” Those 8-tracks resulted in a slight clash of musical tastes while driving those Carolina back roads. “Over and over and over again, those tapes would play, I got so sick of Merle Haggard,” Jack laughed as he told me. “I was into the new Southern Rock, the Marshall Tucker Band, Charlie Daniels, and those guys, and Johnny liked that old traditional stuff. Of course, all those guys Johnny loved, those guys are all on my iPod now,” he laughed, “but wow, he used to wear those 8-track tapes out!”

Thinking about that now, it makes sense that Blackjack remembers those times with Johnny in 1978. Back in those days, the good guys and the bad guys didn’t travel together, and up until the spring of 1978, Blackjack was one of the top bad guys in the territory. But the famous “Hat and Robe” angle changed all that, Blackjack became a fan favorite, and he and Murdoch formed the M&M Boys tag team, and Jack finally had a chance to travel with Weaver, even occasionally co-hosted a TV show with Weaver, for whom had a great respect.

“Riding with Murdoch and J-Dub, you were always learning,” Jack said. “Weaver had one of the greatest wrestling minds ever, one of the most creative people I ever met in the business. Back in those days, I’m talking the 1960s here, matches were two-out-of-three falls, and were long drawn out affairs. And the finish you came up with in that third fall was designed to sell tickets to next week’s show. It wasn’t so much the TV back then, TV was very different, you didn’t have all those wild and crazy promos to sell the tickets back then. It was what you did in that third fall in that town that week, and how you left the crowd, was what sold tickets for the next show. You didn’t wait until TV to find out what the next show was and then buy your ticket. Back in those days, they wanted a big advance from the fans as they walked out the door that night. They walked right by the ticket window on the way out, and bought their tickets to next week’s show. So the psychology of the match and the finish was key to the success of that town.”

Blackjack couldn’t say enough about how good Johnny was at making that all work.

“Johnny was a master. And you had to be creative, because you ran those towns every single week. Finishes had to be different from one show to the next; the people couldn’t see the same thing happen again. Now days, they (the WWE) run Greensboro once a year, so you don’t have to even think about things like that. But then, it was key to the success of a town.”

“Weaver was a master thinker,” Jack continued. “He and his partner George Becker both had good brains. Becker booked and Weaver helped him, and then later Weaver got the book. George Scott was probably the greatest booker of all time, but Johnny Weaver was the greatest finish man ever.”

Blackjack knew of Weaver’s reputation when he first came to the Mid-Atlantic territory in 1975.
“I had heard a lot about Johnny from Bronko Lubich,” Jack told me. Lubich and partner Aldo Bogni had been main opponents for Becker and Weaver in the 1960s. “I was with Lubich down in Houston. Paul Boesche and I didn’t see eye to eye, and Lubich suggested that I call George Scott, who was booking Charlotte. Lubich told me that Scott had always liked me, liked my work. But when I finally got the call from George to come to the Carolinas, I had just taken a spot with Vince Sr. in New York, Lanza and I were bringing our team there. The way the WWWF did things, you would go up there for several months and just do TV, and they would expose you that way before you ever started going to their towns. I was just getting ready to start their TV, and so I told George I could come in for a few months and do a few programs and put guys over on the way out. All I would need is two days every month to go to New York and do their TV in advance of me going there.”

Scott agreed and Blackjack burst upon the scene in the Mid-Atlantic territory. He stayed for a few months, and then as planned left for the WWWF where he and Lanza held the WWWF tag team championships. Following the Wilmington NC plane crash in October of 1975 that ended the career of the territory’s top bad guy Johnny Valentine and sidelined Ric Flair for months, booker George Scott brought Mulligan back to be his lead “heel”. He also brought back Weaver, who had left the territory early in the year after Scott had removed him from his “babyface” spot.

It was then that he met Johnny Weaver for the first time.

“Johnny and I hit it off pretty well from the minute I got there. He had quite a reputation in the territory where he had been on top for nearly 12 years, which was very hard to do.” In those days, wrestlers moved frequently from one territory to the next. This allowed promoters to keep talent fresh, and allowed talent more opportunities to work and stay on top by moving place to place. But once Weaver arrived in the Mid-Atlantic area after an early career in the Central States and Indianapolis, he basically never left except for a couple of short stints in Texas and Florida.

Following Jim Crockett Sr.’s death in 1973, the territory was in upheaval as son-in-law John Ringley took over the company, followed not long after by sons Jimmy Jr. and David. There had long been differing opinions over who should be booking the territory. George Becker was squeezed out in 1971, replaced by Weaver and Rip Hawk. Johnny mentioned in his 2007 interview with the Mid-Atlantic Gateway that Jimmy Jr. wanted him out as well, and had long pushed for the removal of the old guard. Weaver said that he felt Ringley was in his corner, but that Jimmy Jr. was adamant a change be made, and in 1973 George Scott was hired to book the territory.

“Johnny told me years later of how they fired him. Called him down late one night to meet them in the parking lot of the Coliseum on Independence. Very cold. That always hurt him, stuck with him.”

After Weaver and Mulligan independently returned to the territory following the Wilmington plane crash, they first got to know each other well during those long days of taping local promo spots to be inserted into the Mid-Atlantic and Wide World Wrestling TV shows. The wrestlers would tape these promos at WRAL TV in Raleigh NC during marathon sessions that lasted all day, and then they would tape the two one-hour television shows there as well. “There was a lot of time to spend sitting around and talking, all the guys sitting around for hours. You got to know these guys pretty well doing that,” Blackjack said.

Blackjack wrestled Johnny a few times over the years as well, including a series of matches in 1976 where he defended the US title against Weaver in several towns across the territory. Blackjack was another in what would be a long line of guys over the next few years (including Greg Valentine, Roddy Piper, and Tully Blanchard) who had to get past the legendary territory stalwart to prove his metal to the fans. Blackjack reminded me during our phone call - “Johnny Weaver was the man.”

“I had not seen him in a long time,” he said after a brief silence. ”But we had enjoyed keeping in touch with each other with e-mails and phone calls over the last year.”

A couple of days after Johnny died, Blackjack sent an e-mail to Johnny’s address, telling his old friend he missed him and he wouldn’t be long behind him. “I thought no one would ever see it, but his daughter Wendi got it and sent me a nice note back. Probably thought I was nuts. I just wanted to tell Johnny goodbye.”

This article is also archived on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway in Smoke Filled Rooms.

Goodbye to Mr. Mid-Atlantic

2008-03-07T14:54:00.000-05:00

by David Chappell

My real interest in professional wrestling started in the late 1960s and continued unabated through to the late 1980s when Jim Crockett Promotions ceased operations. During that two decade period there was one performer that was a constant that you could count on every week, and that wrestler’s name was Johnny Weaver.

Johnny was part of my very earliest wrestling memories. I don’t remember a lot of those Saturdays in front of my black and white TV in the 60s, or even how I wandered onto Channel 6 in Richmond at 5:00 for All-Star Wrestling. I do remember that my Dad used to watch the World Series of Golf from the Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio with me at 4:00 on those Saturday afternoons way back when. And I remember when that show ended, All-Star Wrestling came on. While I don’t remember much about that time, I do remember one wrestler, and his name was Johnny Weaver.

Johnny was the consummate good guy. He and his partner at the time, George Becker, would do battle with some real villains. I mean, villains that scared me at the time as a young child, to the point that I would turn the TV off. It was amazing to me that Johnny could stand up to the likes of outlaws such as Rip Hawk and Swede Hanson. But he somehow did, and I think that’s what kept me watching wrestling…I was drawn to that weekly confrontation between good and evil. And Johnny was there every week, representing good.

As the 1970s arrived, my interest in professional wrestling became an obsession! And Johnny was right there with me nearly every Saturday. Not only every Saturday, but a lot of Friday’s as well, as I started going to live matches in Richmond. Regardless of where Johnny was on the card, his match was always one I looked forward to seeing. Particularly if he was in a tag team match, I looked forward to joining in Johnny’s foot/ stomp and hand/clap when he was on the ring apron.

After his late 1973/early 1974 program with the Super Destroyer, Johnny was no longer a main event performer for Jim Crockett Promotions, and in fact was absent from the Mid-Atlantic area for the first three-quarters of 1975. But in the aftermath of the terrible plane crash in Wilmington, North Carolina in October of 1975, there was a bit of good news…Johnny Weaver returned! I remember how glad I was to see Johnny back in the ring on the Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling TV show, and in his first reappearance, he also showed his versatility by doing color commentary with Bob Caudle, subbing for David Crockett who was recovering from injuries sustained in the plane crash.

During the mid/late 70s, and on into the early 1980s, Johnny morphed from a main eventer, to the respected veteran who the top level bad guys had to overcome to earn that spot. Main event villains Greg Valentine in 1976/1977, Roddy Piper in 1980, and Tully Blanchard in 1984 all had to earn their stripes by getting by Johnny. And without a doubt, Johnny put them all through their paces!

In addition to the programs with Valentine, Piper and Blanchard, Johnny’s in-ring activity from the mid-70s to the mid-80s saw his memorable Claw versus Sleeper feud in 1978 with Baron Von Raschke, where Johnny also captured the NWA TV Title. Johnny battled Ken Patera over the Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Title in late 1978/early 1979. In 1981, Johnny was one-half of the Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Champions with both Dewey Robertson and Jay Youngblood. A memorable feud in 1982 saw Johnny battle Lord Alfred Hayes and the Russians. And in 1984, Johnny took the mask off of the Assassin, and wore it himself as the "Ultimate Assassin." As late as 1987, Johnny taught the "Weaverlock" to Dusty Rhodes, and appeared in Dusty Rhodes’ corner against Lex Luger in Starrcade 1987. And speaking of Starrcade, Johnny wrestled in the inaugural Starrcade in 1983.

While Johnny would properly be classified a "mid-card" wrestler from 1975-1985, he was much more than that. He won the majority of his arena matches, often giving the fans a good feeling going home, even when the bad guys may have won the main event match later in the evening. And Johnny would still get a main event match here and there even as the years wore on. My favorite memory in that sphere was from a card in Richmond in August of 1976, where Johnny headlined against Blackjack Mulligan for Mulligan’s U.S. Title. In the promos leading up to that match, Blackjack said there was gonna be a hanging…he was gonna throw a rope over the rafters in the Richmond Arena and hang ol’ Johnny Weaver, and have a good laugh! While Johnny didn’t win the U.S. belt that night, fortunately, he wasn’t hung from the rafters either!

But into the 1980s, most fans associated Johnny with his television announcing. When the World Wide Wrestling TV show came into the Richmond market in March of 1979, one of the first shows that aired had Johnny doing guest commentary with host Rich Landrum. Johnny would soon thereafter become Rich’s regular co-host, and the two meshed together wonderfully. Rich nicknamed Johnny "The Dean of Professional Wrestling," and Johnny would sing "Turn Out The Lights, The Party’s Over" to signal the end of a match. Johnny also announced with David Crockett, and later with Bob Caudle on NWA Pro Wrestling.

After Jim Crockett Promotions bit the dust in the late 1980’s, Mid-Atlantic fans like me were left to our memories, and often wondering what ever happened to our heroes. When Dick Bourne and I started the Mid-Atlantic Gateway in 2000, we hoped to sharpen our collective memories of the Mid-Atlantic years by doing a website. One of the wonderful results, and really unintended, was actually making contact with many of our Mid-Atlantic heroes from the past. With the help of Peggy Lathan, one of those was with "Mr. Mid-Atlantic," Johnny Weaver. It was a wonderful feeling to have a small part in reuniting Johnny and his former adversary, Rip Hawk, for two recent get-togethers in Charlotte. Likewise, it was wonderful to be a part of a surprise birthday party thrown for Johnny in Rocky Mount Virginia this past November. Little did I know, Johnny would pass away in a scant three month hence.

I received an email from Johnny just two days before he died. I still find it hard to believe that I was a regular on Johnny’s email list! I’m proud that the Gateway was able to get information out to Johnny’s fans about his illustrious career. There would have been so much more, had Johnny lived longer, and that is so sad. But one thing that I’m happy about, is that through the Gateway, Johnny truly realized how many fans still remembered him and his career, and the extent to which he touched so many lives. I have no question that when he passed away, Johnny knew without a doubt that he was still the "Dean of Wrestling" to so many wrestling fans, and not merely a forgotten ghost of wrestling’s past.

What a lot of wrestling fans didn’t know about Johnny was that he worked for years with the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Department near Charlotte after his wrestling career was over, transporting prisoners. Being a prosecutor for many years, I know that inmates are not often at their best going to and coming from Court. Transporting them is not an easy job, and is often thankless and always dangerous. But it is oh so important for everybody that works in the criminal justice system. From all accounts, Johnny was as reliable in his job as a Deputy Sheriff as he was working for Jim Crockett Promotions. I know, many times in trying to set events up for Johnny, we had to work around his schedule with the Sheriff’s Department! And his schedule there was brutal, much like it was as a wrestler in the Mid-Atlantic area. But somehow, I don’t think Johnny would have wanted it any other way.

Whether it was wrestling, announcing, booking (yes, Johnny booked matches as well!), or transporting prisoners, Johnny Weaver was a constant, and rock solid at whatever he did. Unassuming, and never one to try to draw attention to himself, Johnny’s abilities did that for him. When I think of Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling, Johnny holds my earliest memories, and he was that person that you always were going to see in some capacity every week. And somebody you needed to see for your wrestling week to be complete! To me, Johnny Weaver was and always will be, "Mr. Mid-Atlantic." The consummate good guy in the ring and on TV during the Mid-Atlantic years, I was blessed to get to know him as a good guy outside of the ring and when the glare of the TV lights were off… at the end of his full and eventful life.

Goodbye Mr. Mid-Atlantic…you have left a lifetime of wrestling memories for the many wrestling fans you’ve left behind.

David Chappell
March 2008

Hard To Handle

2008-03-05T11:00:00.000-05:00

by Peggy Lathan

Oh my goodness, where do I begin? The death of a friend is always hard to handle. I have mourned many of my wrestler friends in the past – Gene Anderson, Dick Murdock, Wahoo McDaniel, Ben Alexander, just to name a few. But I don't think I have ever been more shocked to hear of a wrestler's passing than I was the day I read about Johnny Weaver. Yep – I read about it on a wrestling message board and I couldn't believe my eyes. I immediately started calling people hoping against hope that it wasn't true. After all, Johnny couldn't be dead! It had to be a mistake. But, unfortunately, it was soon confirmed and I was totally stunned. I just couldn't believe it.

I had known Johnny for 30+ years. I was a front row "regular" at the matches in upstate South Carolina. I went to wrestling matches three to four times a week – every week - during the decade of the 70's and early part of the 80s and I was fortunate to be able to make lasting friendships with my wrestling heroes. Johnny was one of the first wrestlers I ever talked to and soon became not only my hero, but also my friend. I saw him every week, sometimes several times a week, and he'd always give me a hug and ask how things were going for me, and would ask about my Mom and Grandmother, who also attended the matches with me. He was just a sweet, kind person who was so easy to talk to and was always so available to the fans. He'd stand out in the arena and pose for pictures and sign autographs until it was time for him to wrestle. He always took time for the fans. That's why so many loved him, and why so many are mourning his passing. When you can make a connection with your hero, you never forget it.

But as lives go on in different directions, sometimes even the best of friends can lose touch. And during the late 80s and 90s, when the wrestling I loved so much began to change and Weave started working at the Sheriff's Department, that's what happened with me and Johnny. We lost touch for a few years.

But a few years ago, some friends of mine gave me a surprise 50th birthday party at a local hotel in Greenville. I have to hand it to them – I never suspected a thing. I walked into that room to a multitude of friends and family, some of whom I hadn't seen in quite a while. But can you imagine my surprise when I turn around and who do I see? Johnny Weaver! After so many years, Johnny took the time to drive to Greenville that Saturday afternoon to surprise me and help me celebrate my milestone birthday! And he even parked in back of the hotel because he was afraid I'd see the SLPERMAN tag and suspect something. I was just thrilled to see him again. And after that event, we stayed in close touch after that.

Since that time, I have been blessed with many opportunities to spend time with Johnny. My friends, Rochelle, Clay, Eddie and I have made many trips with Johnny to Myrtle Beach, where we joined up with Gentleman Jim Holliday at the local karaoke bar and I got to enjoy (and laugh – and sometimes cringe!) at hearing Weave sing every Willie Nelson song Jimmy had the music for. Johnny loved to sing that karaoke, and he always had such a good time there! And the first year we went to the beach, to my surprise, when he went swimming, guess what? He didn't wear swimming trunks – he wore those old, old red wrestling tights! Yep – 20 years later and they still fit him to a tee! That was a funny moment.

I was also fortunate enough to be invited to Johnny's house many times for cookouts and just to visit, not to mention getting to ride with him to various wrestling events that he attended. I was able to introduce him to a whole new group of fans of his – Dick, David, Carroll, Mike – all of whom grew up watching Johnny on TV, but never had the opportunity to actually meet him. He was amazed at the wrestling knowledge these guys had – he said they knew more about his career than he did! He really enjoyed getting to know them and talking to them about his early career in MACW. And they were all on his email list, too!!

When Johnny finally got a computer, we emailed each other almost every day. Because I didn't know what shift he was on each week, I didn't call him often because if I woke him up, he'd have trouble falling back asleep. But whenever he got up, he'd get on that computer and we'd "chat" with each other about college football, racing, baseball, and various other things. He always wrote in all caps with little or no punctuation. Sometimes it could take a while to figure out what he was saying. It was one of the little quirks of his that I will miss. I got a very sweet Valentine's Day e-card from him the day before he died. I will treasure that forever.

The things about Johnny that are my most treasured memories are: In the mornings, after he'd eat his breakfast (usually toast), he would work the crossword puzzle in the newspaper – and he was good at it, too. Nine times out of ten, he'd finish the whole puzzle. I also remember his little hand-held solitaire game – he LOVED playing that little game. He was always saying, "See if you can beat that," talking about his high score. And I couldn't! I also think about how he loved to mow his lawn. He had a large backyard and a riding lawnmower and he just loved to get out there and mow grass. And chase the rabbits out of his small garden area. And kill any snakes that happened to be lurking around his house. And let's now forget that red 1999 SLPERMAN Cadillac of his which today has only about 35,000 original miles on it. He drove his pickup truck all the time – only got the Caddy out for special events. Sometimes the Caddy's battery would be run down because it hadn't been cranked in so long and he'd have to push it out of the garage and jump off the battery. These are just a few little things that now mean so much to me and will stay fixed in my memories forever.

I know hindsight is 20/20, but looking back at the last six or so months of his life, I know that the Lord had a hand in the events that happened in Johnny's life of which I was a part. Last August in Charlotte, Johnny had a wonderful reunion and dinner with his old friend Rip Hawk. Later that month in Burlington, he had surprise reunion with Rich Landrum, Sandy Scott and Jim Nelson. It had been 25 years since he had seen Landrum, and the look on his face when Rich knocked on his hotel room door, and Johnny opened it, was priceless – What did he say? He looked at me and said, "Well, I'll be damned! You really got me!"

Then in November in Rocky Mount, VA, there was a second "reunion" with Sandy Scott and Jim Nelson, and most importantly, Johnny finally agreed to do an interview with the Mid-Atlantic Gateway and now his life story can be preserved as part of wrestling history. What a time we had – listening to Johnny tell his life story and looking at the clippings and photos in his scrapbook. And this didn't come across in his interview, but we all loved his impersonation of Brute Bernard!

In Rocky Mount, being as Johnny's 72nd birthday was only two weeks away, we decided to give him a surprise birthday party, as others on this blog have talked about. We turned the lights off (no pun intended) and had the candles on the cake lit. Johnny opened the door to the conference room and we immediately hit the light switch and all yelled out "Happy Birthday!" He was so thrilled and grinning like a cheshire cat! And what did he say to me? "Peggy, you got me again!" and gave me a big hug. Johnny was like a kid in a candy store – he was so happy to be there with his friends – both old familiar friends like me, Clay, the Kernodles, Sandy Scott, Rick McCord and Jim Nelson, and his "new" friends (Dick, David, Mike, Carroll, Kyle and Tonya), who he also loved dearly. Birthday cake, candles, birthday balloons, birthday banners, a gift of a Dale Earnhardt, Jr. calendar from the Rossers – we went all out for his surprise party. And I'm so glad I have that memory because little did we know, that was the last time we would ever see him.

Johnny always thought no one would remember him – but how wrong he was. He was an icon in this area – a true hero to many people. And he was loved by everyone. No one can talk about Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling without mentioning his name. He was MACW!

I will truly miss Johnny. Even now, it's unbelievable that he's gone. But he definitely is not forgotten. He will always occupy a place in my heart. And I will always remember just how happy he was the last few months of his life! And that gives me comfort and closure.

- Peggy Lathan

Goodbye to the Dean

2008-03-03T09:00:00.007-05:00

by Rich Landrum

Goodbye my friend. I’ll miss you.

I’m sure there are some who may have wondered why I had not posted anything sooner about Johnny’s death. Simply, it was just too emotionally difficult.

I had known Johnny, since the mid 70’s, when I started doing the ring announcing in Richmond. Which was a time when tag team wrestling was the major draw for JCP. And he was George Becker’s partner. By 1978, I was doing the World Wide Wrestling show and Johnny joined me as my co-host. If you’ve read my interview on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway, you know I dubbed him the “Dean of Professional Wrestling." But, little did either of us know, that moniker would stay with him the rest of his life. After that, Johnny would call me ”The Voice.”

After we both left wrestling, we lost touch with each other until several years ago and that reconnection was as if we just picked right back up to where we are at this point.

That Friday morning, I learned of his death quite by accident, as there was a one line post on a wrestling website that he had died that morning. I remember my reaction, as I said to myself, “No way! I just got an email from this morning. How sick can someone be to post something like that?” I then started contacting others (Ivan & Renae Koloff, Peggy Lathan, Dick Bourne and others) to confirm or deny if it was true. The first telephone response I received, said “No, it’s not true”, that they had spoken to him that morning and he sounded fine. Later, that Friday morning more replies confirmed his death. I was totally stunned and deeply saddened. My colleague and friend of 30 years, was gone. As the funeral arrangements were made public, there was no doubt in my mind that I would be there to say “Good Bye” to my best buddy.

Normally, funerals don’t have a lasting impact on me, as I rarely show my emotions. However, Johnny’s funeral has impacted me to this day and at times when I read stories about him or watch videos of him, I still get teary eyed. When my wife finds old pictures of Johnny and I on the World Wide Wrestling TV set, I just stare at them and fondly remember the time we had together.

The Sunday after his funeral, some friends at my church asked about the funeral. And I related to them, the visitation that Tuesday night and how many from the wrestling world had come to the funeral home to offer their condolences to Johnny’s daughter Wendi and other members of Johnny's family. And, how it also gave us a chance to see each other after many years and reminisce about the good old days, when wrestling was “wrasslin”. I also explained, that what they saw of us on TV or in the ring, was quite different from what it was like outside the ring. That, for the most part it was like one big extended family. We all looked out for each other and it was no different at Johnny’s funeral. We were there to pay our respects and say “Good Bye” the Dean and to support his family.

I’m happy that I had the opportunity to surprise Johnny in August of last year at what has become known as the “World Wide Wrestling Reunion” in Burlington, NC. It was the last time I saw him alive. And he couldn’t have been happier.

I shed a lot of tears that Wednesday at Johnny’s funeral and will probably shed a few more each time I see something about him. But, I rejoice in that I know he’s now in Heaven and probably working with Gene Anderson to promote some matches.

The lights may be turned out, but your memory still glows in my heart and mind.

- Rich Landrum

Thanks Kid

2008-03-01T15:59:00.011-05:00

REMARKS MADE AT JOHNNY WEAVER'S FUNERAL
BY CAPTAIN MICHAEL SMITH

* * * * *

These remarks were made by Johnny Weaver's supervisor, Captain Michael Smith, of the Mecklenburg Country Sherriff's Department. They were made at Johnny's funeral in Pineville NC on February 20, 2008. They are posted with Captain Smith's permission and the blessing of Wendi Weaver, Johnny's daughter. My personal thanks to both Wendi and Mike for allowing them to be shared here. -D. Bourne

* * * * *

I was hoping this moment would never come. As Johnny’s supervisor for many years I am proud to say we lost one of the preeminent hardworking, dedicated, enthusiastic, fanatical, focused, dependable, reliable, entertaining, pleasurable, compelling, witty, loyal, truthful, steadfast, professional, employee and friend that we will never be able to replace.

I guess a prodigy is a good place to start as I am about to take many people to places and events in the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office never before seen heard of or even believed by many. I have had the distinct pleasure of working directly with Johnny for about 10 year’s out of the 19. I will cherish my experience forever. I guess the one thing I can pat myself on my back for today is I finally have Johnny dressed the way I wanted to see him dressed for years and he doesn’t have a dip in his mouth and I don’t have to worry about how I would handle the complaint for him using tobacco products while on duty. We as command officers are continuously reminded to treat all our staff fair and equally. Favorites are not the way we do business but I must confess I have only had one favorite in 21 years and it was Johnny, so I guess I will never have another.

I am going to take you back to this last Friday February 15. It started out as any other day we all spend together except we couldn’t find Johnny. We all knew Johnny did not just not come to work or call, that was not the Johnny we all knew. Judges and juries don’t think we as officers have instincts but trust me, we do. I think we all new something was wrong and we need to go check on Sleeperman. As the first unit arrived he called out on the radio for others with a tone in the voice describing a sense of urgency telling us something was not right and Johnny needed help quick. Medical staff were summoned and so where his co-workers who just went on their own because the tone in the voice told it all. My instincts told me this was going to be the part of this job I have been trying to avoid with Johnny for many years. I turned on my lights and siren and began my journey to go get my friend and do what I could do to help. I was in the downtown area and as everyone knows sometimes traffic just doesn’t move too good then if you add the little blue lights and a siren you better hold on to your seat because it is show time.

So as I am proceeding to Johnny’s house under the sound of the siren and the minute of focus and decision making for some odd reason I heard a Rolling Stones song on my car radio. I leaned over turned up the volume and thought to myself as the adrenilin increased wow I wonder if this is what they listened to as they all road together in Johnny’s Cadillac from show to show. Now the siren was gone it was just me and the Rolling Stones and Johnny on the road. It made me really think because Johnny told me some of the stuff all you wrestlers did and if I stopped that Cadillac today, somebody would be going to jail, unless of course Johnny was driving and then it just might be your lucky day. So I say to you look around and take a good look at all these co-workers in uniform and realize one thing. We are well aware of what fun you all have had in the past in that Cadillac telling them lies and cherishing those moments as friends do. I asked Johnny one day how long it took to get from one place to the other and he said it depended who was in the car but usually two cases a beer and a bottle would get us there. Yep Johnny told on all of you. As I pulled up to Johnny’s house I saw the co-workers the expressions on there face and it confirmed what I already knew and it was not good. The second thing I saw was that old Cadillac still sitting in the driveway holding all the good times to it's self and then I said to myself, “well Johnny what do you think about that ride we just took that was some pretty good driving on my part”.

I guess I should have known and I actually do know now what Johnny was going to be like to work with and be around. Our first conversation was pretty short. I said "Hey Johnny what’s up?" He said "The price of beer," and kept walking and I said to myself this is going to be alright. Our companionship was off to a good start.

Johnny probably has not changed much over the years. He was still Johnny, strong as an ox, still a wrestler and loved life. We even used some of the skills he had to help us. One day Johnny just like many other days was moving a prisoner from one location to another and when they arrived at the final destination and went to open up the van door, out comes the prisoner without the leg shackles on he had when the trip started. Johnny took that devastating swing and the situation was well under control and as his co-worker said, “I am glad he didn’t hit me because something would have broke”.

Many people just don’t understand everybody young and old knows Johnny Weaver and as generations pass through our spinning wheels of justice there is still the case when somebody says "hey my dad wants to know if Johnny Weaver still works here" and the answer would certainly always be "well of course." I think on many occasions he probably still wishes he was back in the ring so he could most assuredly reduce any tension if it still did exist.

He told of one trip on the way to Raleigh how one unsatisfied customer asked him eight times to pull over because he wanted to wrestle Johnny to see it he still had it. I believe they may have stopped I just hope the one that started it finally made it to prison safe and sound. I guess the Dean of Wrestling took that one to school or at least I hope he made it to the prison.

As one of Johnny’s supervisors, I will always say he was a person who was a team player and cared more about everybody else than himself. Back when he was battling his prostate cancer a number of years ago he came in one day and said "hey Boss, if you don’t mind I need to run over there to Presbyterian Hospital real quick and get my dose of chemo and I will be back." I begged him to take the day off and as Johnny always said "no I got too much to do, I will be back." I told him "look Johnny just go home play in the garden do something, we won’t dock your pay, just go." He still would not do it but at least we were able to get him employee of the month shortly after this. Who else could deserve it more but a man who was older than all of us, had cancer surgery, treatment, and hardly missed a day of work, who could possibly be more worthy?

We idolize Johnny Weaver for the person he was and not being the wrestler that everybody grew up watching. Late last year it was time for our bi-yearly physical assessment, well we thought that it would be a good idea for us as A shift to do it all together so we could encourage each other as what everybody thought was going to be the worst day in our life. Johnny came to me and said he didn’t like doing this and it really stressed him out because he couldn’t pass all the requirements. Now when I say he could not pass all the requirements, trust me he passed most of them but that was not good enough for Johnny. I told Johnny he did not have to pass all of them everybody was already impressed what he did and many who were 30 years younger than Johnny could not even come close to achieving the level of physical fitness he did. I said "Johnny, you have nothing to prove to anybody. Don’t hurt yourself do the best you can and we are here for you. And if medic has to come and get you, don’t let them leave until I am done and we can go together." Well as we were getting ready to run our mile and half I looked at Johnny and I told him "you know, this run is nothing if I passed it last time you can pass it, but let’s do this. I will do it with you so it ain’t no big deal as long as you are ok. So if we fail the run we will fail it together." "No Boss go ahead" he said "I will be alright." I said "No Johnny, if you go down I am going with you." I did remind him next year we are going to get $300 if we pass everything. I said so next year you might have to get another running partner. We looked at each other and laughed.

Well go was the word, and off we went. Johnny took off, me right beside him, and he started running and I thought to myself "this may not be a good idea because at this pace I don’t know if I am going to make it." Well we continued on side by side and if Johnny wanted to jog we jogged, if Johnny wanted to walk we walked. I was the drill sergeant constantly telling him slow down, Johnny don’t hurt yourself take your time, rest if you need to. Well as we were getting closer to the finish line I told Johnny to go in front I want you to win. As we crossed the finish line and there was still some people behind us and they yelled out our time. Well Johnny missed the passing time by 13 seconds and me 15 seconds. I looked over at Johnny and said "Damn Johnny, if I knew we were going to be that close I would of left you the last 100 yards." Johnny was gasping for air, put his hand up on my shoulder and said "Thanks boss." I looked at him and said "See Johnny, you need to let that competitive spirit of yours from the Senior Olympics rest because you are going to kill me."

In August of 2007, we sent Johnny down to the Broad River Maximum Security Prison in South Carolina. He came back to Charlotte and called me on the phone and said "Boss I need to see you, I got a problem." Well this here is getting ready to be a first because in my 19 years with Johnny, this has never occurred. I immediately thought the worst. He decided we would meet behind HQ and I hurried to get over there. On the way over many things went through my head and not to many of them good. Well when I get there, Johnny is livid and I have never seen this way before. He starts to tell me when he was at the prison they lost his ID and some of his equipment he had. I looked at him, paused and said "Is that what you are worried about?" and he said "Yes I am. You got to do something about this." And I said "Johnny that ID ain’t nothing, it can be replaced." "I know," he said "but Boss, they lost it, not me." I said "no problem don’t worry about it." He said "Well you should see what they made me do. They made me stand away from them, hold my keys out, drop them, turn around walk through detectors, I kept setting them off. I told him, "Well Johnny, they just had some people escape down there a couple of months ago and I think they were in there for murder." He said "Well they never made me do this before. They made me keep going through the detectors, take my pins off do it again, take my shirt off do it again, take my vest off they took my badge from me. They wanted me to take my holster off, I told them I couldn’t it was secured on my belt with bolts. They made me take my shoes off and then he said they were going to make me take my pants off." I said "Stop Johnny. I know what it is, you didn’t have any underwear on and you got scared didn’t you?" Well he went back into his story still wide open and I again said to Johnny "Is this all because you did not have any underwear on?" Well to this day he still has not told me if had underwear on or not and I guess I will never know now, but boy was he mad.

Well as I told everybody Friday night as we met, I told everybody that things are going to change, we are going to have to work harder, go places we have never been, but pull together to get the job done. I told them Johnny can never be replaced and it will take at least two people if not more to do what he did as well as what he stood for and the way he worked. We are going to have to pull together, work harder, depend on each other, and carry out tasks we have not done for years. We are also going to have to by maps for the entire state of North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Florida and many others.

Johnny said he only wanted to work just a little longer because he wanted those medical benefits, but boy doesn’t he look sharp today. The nice shinny badge, gold pens, award and service pins, tie and tie tack, shined shoes and well rested.

Johnny’s trade mark after many of his matches I guess he would sing, “Turn out the lights”. Well Johnny the lights are out but there will always be a memory of what you have done for this agency and many of the people who have graced your friendship. Sleeperman, it’s your time to go to sleep.

Thanks KID!

- Captain Mike Smith
Mecklenburg County Sherriff's Department

* * * * *
This post was made with the permission of Capt. Mike Smith and with the blessing of Wendi Weaver, Johnny Weaver's daughter.

So Long, Johnny

2008-02-29T12:26:00.013-05:00

by Jim Nelson

It is so hard to believe that it has been two weeks now since I heard of Johnny Weaver's passing. I was headed home from Tennessee in my big rig that I drive for Sunbelt Transport out of Jacksonville Fl. I had to find a place to pull over and sit for a few hours before I could continue on.

Johnny had been a hero to me, he always put the match first. He once told me,"Kid, You are only as good as the guy you are workin with." I never did forget that. He was so right too.

I called my friend Dick Bourne back, hoping he was wrong on his message. I managed to get a hold of my longtime friends Don Kernodle and Mike Weddle. I was just devestated, but finally managed to get rollin again and make it on home. Johnny had and always will have a special place in my heart.

When I first came to Charlotte in 1980, Johnny just went out his way to help teach me in that wrestling ring. I grew up watching him and and just thought he was the best. He always had us wrestling fans in the palm of his hand. I was a fan first and not afraid to admit it. I learned so much from him and finally got to be his tag team partner. I left Charlotte and Mid Atlantic Wrestling in May 1983.

I got to go this past year down to Burlington NC and see him at a CWF event. We talked and I told him what a great honor it would be if he could come to one of our ACW events in Rocky Mount Va. He told me it would be hard with his schedule, but he came up with a date. Saturday Nov. 3 2007,he said he could make that one so we made it happen for sure. We had Johnny there along with Sandy Scott, Don and Rocky Kernodle and Ric MCcord. Thanks so much to Dick Bourne, Peggy Lathan, Carroll Hall and David Chappell we had the best time ever. I got to be in the ring again with my hero and great friend and see that famous sleeper hold one more time. It had been 24 years since the last time, half my life ago.

We had the pleasure of throwing Johnny a suprise birthday party. We just never realized at the time how special this night would be. So glad we got all the pictures and video we did that night.

It has been a long tough two weeks for me, as I just know it has been for so many of us. I just cannot imagine how hard this must be on Johnny's family. I am still teary eyed today, but know that "A Man is not Dead until he is Forgotten." So as long as we remember Johnny, he will always be with us in our hearts. It has just been too hard for me to say goodbye, so I will just say -"So Long-Johnny!

- Jim Nelson

* * * * *

Photo 1: Johnny Weaver applies the sleeper hold to Jim Nelson in the WPCQ TV studios in Charlotte, September 1981.

Photo 2: Johnny Weaver applies the sleeper hold on Eclipso in Rocky Mount VA on 11/3/07. It would be the last time Johnny would apply his famous hold in a wrestling ring. Behind them, Jim Nelson applies the Cobra Clutch on Eclipso's manager Douglas Wentworth.

Weaver Had A Hold on Everyone

2008-02-28T10:32:00.016-05:00

It was easy to figure out good guys from bad guys in wrestling.
by Mark Wineka (Salisbury Post, Publication date: Feb. 24, 2008)

The wrestling fraternity referred to the good guys as baby faces. Bad guys were heels.

Johnny Weaver was one of the all-time baby faces.

His signature move was the Sleeper hold. His muscled left forearm would come from behind, snake under the chin, link to the right forearm and encase his adversary's head in a human vise.
You were doomed to pass out in the Sleeper hold and could only beg Weaver not to snap your head off.

Mike Cline knows Weaver was too nice of a guy to ever do that. Growing up in Statesville, Cline reserved many of his Saturday afternoons for watching WBTV's Championship Wrestling. It was on his family's television that Cline first saw Weaver and felt the charisma pouring through the 21-inch, black-and-white screen. He liked the way Weaver conducted himself in interviews with Big Bill Ward and, later, Charlie Harville on Channel 8. When the Statesville Jaycees sponsored a wrestling event every summer at the old semi-pro ballpark, Cline was there and never disappointed. In person, Weaver gladly signed autographs and talked with his wrestling fans.

The road to the tag-team wrestling championship in those days had to go through Weaver and his veteran partner George Becker. Cline watched in a trance as they took on opponents such as the Masked Red Demons, the Alaskan and the Beast and the toughest heels of all, Rip "The Profile" Hawk and Swede Hanson. Cline figured out sometime in the 1960s that the wrestling matches were scripted, but he also realized it didn't matter to him. Spending those Saturday afternoons with Jim Crockett Promotions' Championship Wrestling was like watching old western movies. It was easy to figure out the good guys and bad guys, and Cline appreciated even then that he was watching some pretty good athletes.

In 1971, about the time George Becker was retiring, Johnny Weaver set off on an individual quest to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship from Dory Funk Jr. The wrestling storyline that year -- the most prestigious program of Weaver's career -- was like a soap opera, always fresh with new twists and turns. Funk's father offered a bounty to any wrestler who could put Weaver out of commission in the ring. And leading up to the big Labor Day match at the Charlotte Coliseum, media reports showed Weaver running up and down Independence Boulevard as part of his training, and playing handball at the YMCA with race car driver Bobby Isaac.

He was Rocky before there was "Rocky." Cline was there for the big Labor Day match, but the script's last twist didn't turn out in Weaver's favor.

Cline was writing a feature for Mid-Atlantic Gateway on that 1971 program when he learned of Weaver's death last Friday in Charlotte.

Incredibly, Weaver had wrestled from 1955 to 1988. When he was 52, he became one of the oldest men ever to take the basic law enforcement test and was hired as a Mecklenburg County sheriff's deputy. He spent many of the next 19 years transporting prisoners for the department.

During one trip, a prisoner had managed to free himself of his handcuffs and leg braces. When Weaver reached his destination and moved to the back of the van, the prisoner broke through the doors toward him and attempted to escape. Weaver knocked him out.

Three years ago, Cline finally met Weaver and his longtime nemesis Rip Hawk over breakfast. Some mutual friends arranged it at the 2005 Mid-Atlantic Fanfest in Charlotte. Cline almost cried when he saw Weaver and Hawk give each other a bear hug in the Bob Evans parking lot. The men then kept Cline spellbound with fabulous stories about all the wrestlers Cline had loved and hated as a kid -- guys such as the Great Bolo, Brute Bernard, the Missouri Mauler and Haystacks Calhoun.

Cline learned that a wrestler named Sonny Myers in St. Louis, where Weaver was from, had taught him the Sleeper hold. Weaver's car still had a personalized license plate that said, "SLPERMAN."

After that, Weaver sent Christmas cards to Cline, and they met again later over dinner. They traveled together last November to an independent wrestling event in Rocky Mount, Va., where Weaver was being honored. It was on that trip that friends held a surprise 72nd birthday party for Weaver, who was less than a year away from logging his 20 years with the Sheriff's Department and retiring. When Weaver had to be recertified as a deputy last summer, he passed all the requirements, including a mile-and-a-half run.

Cline sat at the funeral Wednesday next to famed wrestler Ivan Koloff, the "Russian Bear." The day was overwhelming for Cline and just reinforced everything he had believed about Weaver since he was young. At least 75 deputies were in the audience. The Charlotte Observer's obituary guest book for Weaver went on for 18 pages.

"Somebody at the funeral said that people from 3 to 103 liked Johnny," Cline said. It seems he had a hold on everyone.

* * * * *

Thanks to Mark Wineka for providing the text of this article, which was published in the print version of the Salisbury Post, but not online. We are proud to publish it here.
© Salisbury Post. Used with permission. You may contact Mark Wineka at 704-797-4263 or mwineka @salisburypost.com.

Editor's note: We will, of course, update information here regarding Mike Cline's article for the Mid-Atlantic Gateway website on the 1971 title chase between Johnny Weaver and Dory Funk, Jr. We will provide a link when it is publsihed.

Johnny Weaver And Saturday Afternoons

2008-02-27T18:24:00.011-05:00

Memories Of Johnny Weaver And Saturday Afternoons
By Mike Mooneyham
Feb. 24, 2008

"Turn out the lights, the party's over, they say that all good things must end." - Willie Nelson

Whenever I think about Mid-Atlantic Wrestling and Jim Crockett Promotions, my mind invariably takes me back to the days when County Hall was the place to be on Friday nights and the black-and-white Saturday afternoon wrestling show emanated from a small TV studio in Raleigh.

From Charleston to Norfolk and all points in between, it was a territory that thrived on unique characters who could make people believe and have them coming back each week for more. Many of those names from that bygone era are gone now, leaving behind memories that will last a lifetime for those who were lucky enough to be around that special time.

No name was bigger, and no wrestler was more beloved, than Johnny Weaver.. >>

Read the entire article on MikeMooneyham.com.
Originally published in the Charleston Post & Courier.

Learning Respect

2008-02-27T13:12:00.003-05:00

by Joe Laurinaitis
(E-mail to Greg Price at NWALegends.com)

Johnny Weaver was a great human being. He helped break me in the business and I will always be thankful for that.

One funny story that Sgt. Slaughter and I laughed about many times is when I was wrestling Johnny Weaver in Fayetteville N.C. Johnny was very popular, and me being so very green at the time, I came back to the dressing room talking to Sarge and Don Kernodle saying "there is no way they will believe that Johnny Weaver can put me to sleep."

Well the rib was on me when I was throwing Johnny around. In the middle of this, Johnny put his arm up in the air and just moved two of the fingers on his had to the crowd like he was saying "Come on, come with me. Help me beat up this muscle head." And the crowd went nuts and I was amazed and I respected Johnny from that day on, and I had hoped some day I could have that kind of control. Sarge and Kernodle laughed as they already knew.

God Bless you Johnny and take care of the boys who left us way too early!

- Road Warrior Animal Joe Laurinaitis
(Part of an e-mail exchange with Greg Price, Feb. 2008. Visit NWALegends.com)

Saying Goodbye

2008-02-21T23:31:00.014-05:00

by Dick Bourne

Funerals are never fun to attend. But there was something uplifting about what took place at Johnny Weaver’s funeral. That was due largely to the honest and moving words delivered by two who eulogized him, and the grace of a grieving daughter still wounded by the sudden and unexpected loss of her father.

Johnny Weaver was buried yesterday in Forest Lawn East Cemetery in Mathews NC. Ironically, he was buried less than 15 yards from where another legend of wrestling was laid to rest 16 years ago, his friend Gene Anderson.

I had never been in a funeral procession for someone in law enforcement before. One of the lasting memories I will have of that day was topping each hill on the way to graveside and seeing stretched out before me a line of seemingly endless patrol cars with blue lights flashing, slowing winding through Mecklenburg County, on their way to see Johnny laid to rest. It was a jolting reminder that a brotherhood of officers had lost one of their own. And they were there in force to say goodbye.

Many in the wrestling community had come to say goodbye to Johnny as well, great names in the business spanning generations, much like Johnny’s long career had touched so many generations of wrestling fans. Those that were there either at the family visitation or the funeral included wrestlers Ivan Koloff, Abe Jacobs, Sandy Scott, Don and Wally Kernodle, Rene Goulet, Nikita Koloff, Tony Romano, Bill White, Jim Nelson, Belle Starr, Jim Holiday, Rick McCord, George South, and Mike Weddle. Also present were wrestling broadcasters Bob Caudle and Rich Landrum, referees Tommy Young and Stu Schwartz, and a member of the family that ran wrestling in the Mid-Atlantic territory for over 50 years, Jackie Crockett. There were certainly others who I didn’t know or did not recognize or I may have forgotten. I apologize to them for not including them here. And of course, one of the biggest names ever in the business was there, supporting her daughter and her family, the gracious Penny Banner.

An hour or so before the long procession to Mathews, a service began which both mourned the death but also celebrated the life of Johnny Weaver. Johnny’s daughter Wendi had asked Don Kernodle to speak. Don and Johnny had been friends for Don’s entire career in wrestling which began in the early 1970s, but they had been best friends in the years that followed after their wrestling careers had ended. Don gave a quiet, emotional, gut wrenching eulogy. Breaking down several times, he shared what it had meant to him to know and love Johnny Weaver almost all of his life. “Have any of you ever loved someone before you even knew them?” Kernodle asked. “That is what it was like for me with Johnny Weaver. I loved him as child growing up watching wrestling.” In those few words, Don summed up what it was like for many of us as both fans and friends. “And then getting to know and working with Johnny was cool in other ways, too. Not only was Johnny one of the greatest wrestlers ever, he was married to the greatest woman wrestler ever, Penny Banner. And their daughter was a champion at horse riding. This was a championship family.” Don spoke about what a professional Weaver was through his entire career, always on time, always dressed in coat and tie, and what an example that set to everyone.

As most of you know, Johnny’s career in the wrestling business ended about the same time Ted Turner bought the Crockett family wrestling business. Faced with a forced career change, with his priorities now on benefits and securing a pension, something the wrestling business had never provided, at 53 years of age he became the oldest ever rookie in the Mecklenburg County Sherriff’s Department. But as his Captain later told us, he was tougher, stronger, and in better shape than some officers half his age.

Captain Mike Smith spoke last about Johnny in what was one of the most moving eulogies I’ve ever heard. His words were all at once thoughtful while honest, funny and then heart –breaking. We laughed and we cried. Captain Smith was Johnny’s boss on the force. He spoke very bluntly about what the day was like for him when Johnny unexplainably hadn’t shown up for work, something that just never happened, because Johnny Weaver never missed work and was always on time. It was a gripping account that told of a difficult trip through morning rush traffic, blue lights on, and then the cold feeling in his gut when he arrived at Johnny’s house and saw the telling looks on the faces of his fellow officers. He spoke of Johnny in recent years dealing with the insecurities of aging while trying to pass the rigorous physical tests required to remain on the force, and how inspired he was to run beside him during one of those tests. He told stories of prisoners who wanted to test the legendary wrestler to see if the old guy still had it in him, and how a few that did lived to regret it. Many in the department had grown up watching Johnny wrestle and were big fans, too. One of the best moments was lamenting the loss of one of Johnny’s great skills he brought to the department, that ability of wrestlers who spent 365 days a year for decades riding the roads from town to town to know the best way to get anywhere. Johnny knew all the back roads and shortcuts, and knew the best places to eat along the way. The department, he joked, would now have to buy maps of North Carolina, South Carolina and several other surrounding states because their friend and brother that had led them along all those the back roads was now gone.

And Wendi Weaver; what a warm and gracious lady, clearly devastated by the sudden loss of her father, yet greeting everyone after the burial with heartfelt thanks and hugs and that same warm smile that was her father’s.

It was an emotional day for everyone: for the family of course; for those officers who had worked with Johnny for 19 years at the Mecklenburg County Sherriff’s Department; for the wrestlers, several of whom had wrestled with and against Johnny in Mid-Atlantic Wrestling since back in the 1960s; and for friends, some life-long and others like me that, similar to Don Kernodle had loved Johnny long before they had the privilege to call him a friend.

Back in November of last year, just a little over three months ago, Johnny and I sang “Turn Out The Lights, the Party’s Over” together at a surprise birthday party several of us had thrown for him. It is a memory I will treasure for the rest of my life. And just as Captain Smith had also alluded to as he said goodbye to Johnny, the lights are now dark, but the light that Johnny brought to all our lives will shine brightly forever.

- Dick Bourne
Mid-Atlantic Gateway
February 21, 2008

Remembering A Legend

2008-02-19T20:13:00.007-05:00

By Carroll Hall

About two months after I watched my first TV episode of “Championship Wrestling” on WBTV, Johnny Weaver made his debut in Charlotte, NC for Jim Crockett Promotions. Johnny had lightning speed, great agility and personality that quickly moved him to the top of my list of favorites. For the next three years I would have to be content with seeing Johnny only on the Crockett TV shows. At first we could only receive the Charlotte, NC and Roanoke, VA shows. I was glad when the High Point, NC show debuted in 1964 as this increased the chance that Johnny would wrestle on at least one of the shows each week and if we were lucky, he appeared on all three. One of those occasions I remember is Johnny pinning Red Roberts with his roll-up on all three shows one week on 1965.

Johnny Weaver had tremendous success in singles and tag team competition. In 1963 Johnny teamed with Cowboy Bob Ellis to win the Southern Tag Team belts from Rip Hawk and Swede Hanson. For a major portion of 1964, Johnny teamed with Haystack Calhoun against the Great Bolo and Bolo.

1965 was a great year. My Dad had promised my brothers and I that if a show came to Winston-Salem or closer, he would take us. Dad always worked in retail, so it was difficult for him to get off work early enough for us to make a show. The opportunity came on Thursday May 13, 1965. We barely made it on time. The first match had already started when we finally got in the building but no matter. We got to see Johnny Weaver and George Becker win two out of three falls from Bronko Lubich and Aldo Bogni with their manager Homer O’Dell in the main event.

1966 saw Weaver and Becker swap the Southern straps with Lubich and Bogni. They also feuded with Rip Hawk and Swede Hanson and a new upcoming team of Gene and Lars Anderson.

The highlight of 1967 for me was Johnny Weaver winning the Southern Heavyweight belt from the Missouri Mauler. This match was broadcast on WBTV 3 Charlotte on Saturday Oct.28. Several months earlier, my two brothers and I had talked it over and agreed to save our money from working in tobacco to a buy color TV so we could see Johnny’s matches in color. We managed to buy a 19 inch General Electric for $ 369 which was seemed like a fortune to three kids in 1967.

In 1968 the Dobson, NC Lions Club sponsored a show there at the Surry Central High School which is about 12 miles from where I live. Johnny Weaver, George Becker and Sam Steamboat beat Bronko Lubich , Aldo Bogni and George ‘Two-Ton” Harris in the main event. We packed in there like sardines. They finally had to turn people away as there was no standing room left much less seats.

Six months later Johnny Weaver and George Becker came to the Mount Airy YMCA to defend their Southern belts against Gene and Ole Anderson. A week later we saw Weaver and Becker win the Atlantic Coast belts from Hawk and Hanson in Winston-Salem on May 1, 1969.

I have so many great memories of seeing Johnny Weaver wrestle from the sixties into the eighties. Johnny reigned as the top “good guy” from 1962 into 1974 for Jim Crockett Promotions. For me personally, it was a lot longer. I probably could write down enough memories about Johnny Weaver to fill a book. I will be sharing more of them in the future.

In August 2005 my friends Dick Bourne and Peggy Lathan arranged for me to meet my hero. This was a dream come true. I will never forget the time I was able to spend with Johnny talking about his career, especially the weekend with him this past November in Rocky Mount, VA.

When my good friend Dick Bourne called me with the news of Johnny’s passing on Friday afternoon, I was shocked and devastated. My last e-mail from Johnny was two days earlier. I could not believe he was gone.

Rest in peace my friend. I will miss you. I will cherish all the great memories.

- Carroll Hall
February 17, 2008
WrestlingMemories.com

Mooneyham on Weaver

2008-02-17T13:19:00.007-05:00

Mike Mooneyham's news on Johnny Weaver's passing was one of the better short obituaries written in the day following Johnny's death. Mike has indicated there will be a longer article on Weaver forthcoming on his website next week.

Carolinas Legend Johnny Weaver Dies
By Mike Mooneyham
Feb. 16, 2008

Johnny Weaver, one of the most popular professional wrestlers to ever appear in the Carolinas, died of natural causes Friday at his home in Charlotte at the age of 72.
(READ THE ARTICLE ON THE WRESTLING GOSPEL AT MIKEMOONEYHAM.COM)

UPDATE: Look for a feature article on the life and career of Johnny Weaver this weekend in the Charleston Post Courier and on MikeMooneyham.com.

Overwhelmed

2008-02-17T13:03:00.008-05:00

by Johnny Blackwell

When I got the news of Johnny's passing last night, I was overwhelmed.

When I got to North Carolina from Georgia when I was six years old, my earliest memories was finding Howard's Variety Store in Spring Lake, where I could buy my comics. Right up there with that was seeing Johhny Weaver wrestle on TV for the first time. A lot of my life growing up revolved around getting those comics and seeing Johnny Weaver on Channel 5 out of Raleigh every Saturday.

I went to see a TV taping with my Royal Ambasador group and Johnny Weaver and George Becker were close enough for me to touch. I still remember what a thrill it was to see Weaver lock on that sleeper. I will always have the memory of that for the rest of my life. Later, seeing Weaver live at the Cumberland County Memorial Arena as he became a mid-carder, was both sad and wonderful at the same time.

Today, I imagine that there is one heck of a tag team making their heavenly debut as George Becker and Johnny Weaver are together again, heading the card at the St. Peter's Gate Arena.

R.I.P, my hero. Say hello to my Dad for me.

- Johnny Blackwell
Hope Mills, NC
Original Post on NWALegends.com message board, Feb 16, 2008
Reprinted here with permission from the author.

Funeral Arrangements

2008-02-17T12:54:00.011-05:00

The funeral will be Wednesday at 12:00 PM at McEwen Funeral Service - Pineville Chapel in Pineville NC (Charlotte).

McEwen Funeral Service Pineville Chapel
Pineville NC (Charlotte Area)
Wednesday 2/20 12:00 PM (Visitation Tuesday Night 6 PM - 9 PM)

The funeral may be listed under Johnny's real name Kenneth Eugene Weaver.

McEwen Funeral Service Pineville Chapel
10500 Park Rd
Charlotte, NC 28210
Phone: (704) 544-1412

* * * * *

Charlotte Observer Obituary

Johnny E. Weaver

Johnny E. Weaver Johnny went to be with his Lord on February 15, 2008 at CMC University Hospital. Mr. Weaver, age 72, was a long time Charlotte resident.

After retiring from a 30 year career with the Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling, he has been employed with the Charlotte Mecklenburg Sheriff's Department for the past 19 years as a deputy. Johnny was an active member of the Fraternal Order of the Police.

Survivors include his wife, Penny and daughter, Wendi Weaver, both of Charlotte, and a son, Billy Weaver of Illinois. Also surviving are his grandchildren Scott and Christine Weaver also of Illinois. Johnny was predeceased by his parents.

A visitation will be held on Tuesday evening February 19, 2008 from 6 to 9 pm at McEwen Pineville Chapel 10500 Park Road, Charlotte, North Carolina 28210. Funeral service is Wednesday February 20, 2008 at 12 pm in the funeral home chapel. Burial will be at Forest Lawn East Cemetery in Matthews. In lieu of flowers memorials may be sent to Hometown Heroes, P.O. Box 953, Monroe, North Carolina 28211-0693.

Charlotte Observer News Report

2008-02-16T12:00:00.003-05:00

Posted on Charlotte.com Fri, Feb. 15, 2008

Wrestler Johnny Weaver dead at 72
CLEVE R. WOOTSON JR.

Johnny Weaver, a Charlotte wrestler who mastered the Sleeper hold, died Friday of natural causes. He was 72.

Weaver, who later became a Mecklenburg sheriff's deputy, was found in his home by fellow deputies after he didn't show up for work on Friday. Funeral arrangements had not been finalized by Friday night.

Weaver, who started wrestling in 1955, often fought in the old Charlotte Coliseum and in the 1960s and 1970s went up against foes like Baron von Raschke and the Missouri Mauler. He was in the ring in an era when Charlotte was a wrestling capital and performers would drive themselves to matches across the South.

"He was one of us," said George South, who was put in a Sleeper hold by him at a Spartanburg reunion a year ago. "It was nothing to run into him getting a cup of coffee at a gas station."

In his 50s, Weaver became one of the oldest people to take the basic law enforcement test and ultimately joined the sheriff's office. He spent most of his 19-year career transporting prisoners on the same back roads he'd traveled as a wrestler and promoter, colleagues say.

"Anytime we'd need to go anywhere, we'd ask Johnny," said Capt. Mike Smith. "If you needed to get from Surry County to Buncombe County, Johnny could tell you how to get there. And he could probably tell you where to eat along the way."

On the Web
http://www.johnnyweaver.net/

* * * * *
Original Link on Charlotte.com: http://www.charlotte.com/109/v-print/story/495655.html

Sad Time

2008-02-16T10:29:00.003-05:00

by Mike Cline

Such a sad, sad time.

At my house, Johnny Weaver WAS Jim Crockett Promotions and Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling. I can think of no one who was more of a "good will ambassador" for them for twenty-five+ years. He wore many hats and wore them all well.

On a personal level, how fortunate I am. Thanks to Peggy Lathan, Dick Bourne and David Chappell, a hero of mine for forty-five years became a personal friend, and I shall treasure the times in the last three years I was able to spend with Johnny.

With help (including Johnny's), I have been working on a feature for the MID-ATLANTIC GATEWAY concerning Johnny's fantastic program with Dory Funk Jr. and his quest to win the NWA WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP.

A little time will have to pass for now, but as soon as possible, I shall submit it to the Gateway for publication.

THANKS JOHNNY---GOD BLESS YOU ALWAYS.

Mike Cline

Rest In Peace

2008-02-15T17:30:00.001-05:00

It is with great sadness that we report that Johnny Weaver passed away Friday at his home in Charlotte NC.

Our sincere and heartfelt condolences to the friends and family of one of the greatest ever, Johnny Weaver.

- Dick Bourne
Mid-Atlantic Gateway

Johnny Weaver vs. Bull Ramos on WGHP

2008-02-11T07:47:00.002-05:00

by Carroll Hall

A great ad from the "High Point Enterprise" newspaper for an October 27, 1967 Friday night broadcast of "Championship Wrestling" on WGHP-8 in High Point NC.

This one gives me great pleasure. Johnny Weaver took Bull Ramos to school on TV. A mere few months later, Bull Ramos was challenging Bruno Sammartino for the WWWF Title in the main event at Madison Square Garden.

Clipping says: "Tex McKenzie and Nelson Royal vs. Aldo Bogni and Bronco Lubich. Miss Toni Rose vs. Donna Christian. Bull Ramos vs. Johnny Weaver."

Carroll Hall publishes WrestlingMemories.com

Two-Ton Gets A Haircut

2008-01-28T23:20:00.000-05:00

This photo appeared in the September 1964 issue of "The Ring" magazine. The caption read:

"George Two Ton Harris loses his curly locks. Johnny Weaver defeated him with a sleeper hold. Harris had bet that he would allow his hair to be cut off if Weaver could beat him. Those are the bald facts."

Clipping submitted by Carroll Hall, WrestlingMemories.com

On Channel 3 With "Big" Bill Ward

2008-01-18T10:31:00.001-05:00

This photograph was shot directly off a black and white TV screen, circa 1964. Johnny Weaver is being interviewed at ringside by wrestling host (and Charlotte TV personality) "Big" Bill Ward.

Jim Crockett Sr. started airing live wrestling from the WBTV-3 studios in Charlotte NC in 1958. The live (and later taped) broadcasts continued until 1974 when all of Crockett's regional TV tapings were consolidated to WRAL-5 studios in Raleigh NC. For more see Studio TV Wrestling on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway.)

From Johhny Weaver's personal scrapbook. Photo credit unknown.

Austin, Texas 1963

2007-12-27T14:26:00.001-05:00

Johnny is bloody in the ring in Austin, TX after a tough match with Louie Tillet in 1963. That's Leo Garibaldi in the ring behind him holding a microphone.

From Johnny Weaver's personal scrapbook. Photo credit unknown.

1973 Christmas Tree

2007-12-14T01:15:00.000-05:00

The image above was the back page on the December 1973 issue of Mid-Atlantic Wrestling Magazine. The ornaments on the tree were nine of the top "good guy" wrestlers at that time. Can you name all nine of these Mid-Atlantic Wrestling stars?

The text in the box at the base of the tree says: "From the staff of Jim Crockett Promotions, Inc. and all the Wrestlers"

Christmas ornaments on the tree: The star at the top: Jack Brisco. 2nd row: Johnny Weaver, Jerry Brisco,Sandy Scott. 3rd row: L.D. Lewis, Amazing Zuma. 4th row: Scott Casey, Nelson Royal, and Terry Sawyer.

Weaver Injured in Dobson NC Match

2007-12-08T22:12:00.000-05:00

by Carroll Hall (WrestlingMemories.com)

The Dobson, NC Lions Club sponsored their second Wrestling card on Thursday April 3, 1969. It was even better than the first. This time Johnny Weaver and George Becker defended their Southern Tag Team Championship against the current Atlantic Coast Tag Team Champions, Rip Hawk and Swede Hanson. After Johnny and George defeated Rip and Swede in the two-out-of-three fall match, the angry Hawk and Hanson attacked Weaver and Becker after the match. Rip and Swede picked Johnny Weaver up and threw him like a missile towards the ring corner. Johnny's head and shoulder struck the post between the top and second rope knocking Johnny out. We stayed and watched them remove the ropes from the ring and later Johnny was carried back to the dressing room

It was a good thing that members of the Surry County Sheriff's Department were able to hustle Rip and Swede to the dressing room because that is one of the hottest crowds I was ever a part of.

The following week on TV we saw that Johnny Weaver was okay but his shoulder and upper arm were taped up. Johnny and George got to pay Rip and Swede back four weeks later on May 1, 1969 when they won the Atlantic Coast Tag Team belts from Rip and Swede in Winston-Salem, NC.

I would not have missed that match for anything.

Also something else I forgot to mention was the small country store about two miles from my house was an "advance ticket outlet" for the shows and had the large posters in the window promoting each show. The store was called "Crooked Oak Grocery". The store still stands today but sadly is now closed. I asked the owner at that time if I could have the posters when the show was over and he told me that the person who brought them said they would be coming back to get them.The store owner then said if no one came back to pick them up I could have them. I did not get either of those posters but did get one for Sept.1981.

A Legendary Team is Born

2007-12-08T21:00:00.000-05:00

June 2, 1962
LEXINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA

Two new professional wrestling tag teams on the local scene appear in a featured match at the LEXINGTON YMCA tonight.

GEORGE BECKER, the all-time Carolina fan favorite, teams with young JOHNNY WEAVER, to meet the mad Russian combination of JOHN SMITH and IVAN KAMEROFF in a two-of-three falls contest. The match has a one hour time limit.

The Russians have been together as a team for some time now but are making their first LEXINGTON appearance as a combo. They are both mean and dangerous. BECKER has just recently taken on the up-and-coming WEAVER as his full-time partner. JOHNNY has been wrestling in the Carolinas only a few months.

The maniacal Mexican PANCHO VILLA returns to the arena to battle young REGGIE PARKS in the evening's semifinal event, set for two-of-three falls.

Prelim singles bouts scheduled are TONY BAILLARGEON against "Big" JIM WRIGHT and MAURICE LAPOINTE scrapping with FIRPO ZYBSKO.

Action gets underway tonight at 8:15.

Research and transcription by Mike Cline

Johnny Weaver Gateway Interview

2007-11-28T17:49:00.000-05:00

Johnny's interview with the Mid-Atlantic Gateway is now online on that website. You can go directly there by CLICKING HERE.

Sorry we haven't had many recent posts here on the Weaver blog in November, we've been working hard on getting the Gateway interview ready. The good news is, however, we have also been working hard scanning a great deal of the material in Johnny's personal scrapbook, which we will be presenting here on the blog, so look for it soon.

Also, don't miss the Gateway feature on "Johnny Weaver Weekend" in Rocky Mount VA.

Summer Nights

2007-11-08T22:23:00.000-05:00

This is a beautiful poster from 1968, from the collection of Carroll Hall at WrestlingMemories.com. It was a gift to him from Norman Harris in Wilkesboro NC. Carroll actually attended this show, and was understandably excited to come across this poster.
The main event featured the classic tag team rivalry of the 1960s:
Becker & Weaver vs. Hawk & Hanson.

From the Poster Collection on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway.

Johnny Weaver in Rocky Mount

2007-11-01T16:07:00.000-04:00

Edited 11/8/07: See a report and photos of this show on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway.

* * * * * * *

Johnny Weaver will be making a special appearance this Saturday night 11/3/07 at the American Championship Wrestling show in Rocky Mount, VA. The event is taking place in Ramsey Hall Gym at Franklin County High School. Bell time is 8:15 PM.

Also appearing on this show are Mid-Atlantic Wrestling alumi Sandy Scott, Don Kernodle, Jim Nelson, Keith Larson (Rocky Kernodle), and Ric McCord.

Rocky Mount VA is located about 20 miles south of Roanoka VA. For more information, including a map showing directions to the venue, click the link below.

Mid-Atlantic Legends in Rocky Mount VA Saturday 11/3

Fan Club Photo

2007-10-23T14:54:00.000-04:00

This is the 8 x 10" B & W photo of Johnny Weaver and George Becker from 1968. This came from the Becker/Weaver Fan Club, Pam Daniels was the president and she was from Norfolk. Each member received this photo along with the membership card and other items. Johnny signed this for me at the first fanfest in Charlotte. - Don Holbrook

Mr. October

2007-10-15T18:37:00.000-04:00

The Mid-Atlantic Wrestling softball team was alleged to have been unbeatable in the summer and fall of 1973. That's their story and they're stickin' to it.

Actually, this photo of the team appeared in an issue of Mid-Atlantic Wrestling Magazine published that year and was taken June 10, 1973 in Mooresville NC at a benefit to raise money for medical expenses for a brave 10-year old kid named Mike Atwell. The Mid-Atlantic All-Stars battled the Mooresville Policemen and Firemen to a 23-23 tie after 8 innings!

From left to right -
Front row: Nelson Royal, Johnny Weaver, Scott Casey, Klondike Bill
Back row: Jack Reid (coach), David Royal (coach), Les Thatcher, Big Boy Brown (in back), Angelo Martinelli, Bob Roop, Jerry Brisco, Ronnie Garvin, and Sandy Scott.
Not pictured: Big Bill Ward, John Ringo and Jackie Crockett. Jack Reid worked for Nelson Royal at his ranch and Western Store in Mooresville. Photo by Gene Gordon

Some highlights from the game included "Mr. October" Johnny Weaver making what was described as a "diving, rolling, Willie Mays catch" on the foul line in left field, as well as 4 hits and several R.B.I.s. Catcher Les Thatcher had the only home run of the afternoon, and Big Bill Ward pinch-hit and scored the eventual tieing run. But there were lots of funny moments as well, and I will be printing the text of the article that accompanied the photo above which will give the complete run down of the game. That will appear in a future post; October just seemed like a good time to post this photo. -D. Bourne

A Long Journey

2007-10-12T16:19:00.000-04:00

Johnny Weaver: 43 year old just keeps on wrestling and winning
by David Hunter, Mount Airy News, Mount Airy NC
March 26, 1979

Pilot Mountain - Swede Hanson staggers to his feet at the taunts of children surrounding the ring. “Come on Swede,’ ya big dummy,” they say. “Get out of the ring, you’ve been licked.” Gleeful shouts of “ha, ha, ha, ha! ” from children and adults alike.

Taking a moment to gain his equilibrium, the Big Swede gradually makes his way back to a locker room to recover from his ordeal.

Recover from what? Alas, the trials of a professional wrestler. The “Swede” is the latest in a long line of victims of the “sleeper” hold, compliments of Johnny Weaver. Weaver had long since left the ring in victory when Hanson was just gaining consciousness.

Yes. Johnny Weaver. The George Blanda and John Havlicek of professional wrestling.

Johnny Weaver appeared in Pilot Mountain Saturday night with some of his cohorts for a night of wrestling in Surry County.

By enduring everything from injury to just plain old age, Weaver has lasted through more than 20 grueling years of professional wrestling and is still going strong, more popular than ever with his many fans.

“I never wanted to do anything but wrestle and race stock cars” Weaver says, “ if I hadn’t wrestled, I don’t know what I would have done”

Weaver, a 6-1, 230- pound out of the basketball mad state of Indiana, raced stock cars for a living before he took up wrestling. Citing security, good benefits and an abiding love for the sport, Weaver got involved before moving to the Mid-Atlantic area in 1962 for greater opportunity.

Weaver said his wrestling travel averages nearly 100,000 miles a year in and around the Carolina’s and Virginia’s. As for his earnings? They’re somewhere near the same in numbers. Weaver did say he was a six figure man, but wouldn’t pinpoint how much exactly. “There are 14 or 15 of us who make six figures, said the 43 year old Weaver. “Of course a lot of it is inflation or I wouldn’t make that much and I wish I could save some. Then there’s income tax and that gobbles it up”.

Of course Weaver probably wouldn’t have to look far for someone willing to share his burden or trade places with him. He makes no money outside the wrestling ring. His earnings strictly come from a set fee in addition to a percentage of the gate attendance.” As long as the body stays in shape and holds up, I’ll keep wrestling”, he says determinedly. Asked if his peers view him as an old wrestler who won’t let go, Weaver said “ No, because I’m still winning. If I ever stop winning, they may start saying that. As long as I have the speed and technique, I’ll keep wrestling. I’ve got nothing but experience. My speed hasn’t really slowed down. It’s remained pretty much the same. I play an hour and a half of handball a couple of times a week and it helps keep me in shape. Strength isn’t all important, although it helps,” he says with a laugh.

Speed and technique have always been Weaver’s strong suit in a game dominated by size. Weaver began the profession as one of the bigger men around. Modern training methods, drugs and the “new breed” of younger wrestlers have made him one of the smallest. However, if he is not looked up to in size, he is in respect. “He’s a great wrestler”, says one of the younger “ kids”, Terry Sawyer. “We love him and really look up to him. If we have a problem, we talk it over with him”.

Weaver said, “I’m still learning. New holds and methods of wrestling are coming up all the time”.
Weaver’s most famous hold is probably the “sleeper,” which put out the lights of the massive Swede Saturday night. “I learned it from Mr. Moto, a Japanese wrestler years ago,” says Weaver in his simple way of speaking.

“You cut off the arteries carrying blood to and from the brain and your opponent loses consciousness,” he explains.

Weaver has never left the Mid-Atlantic area since arriving in 1962, except for a one-year excursion to Japan and injuries that kept him from wrestling for most of 1976. “Feel that,” he says, pointing to his scalp. Lumps seemingly jump out of his hair when my hands run across them. Look closely at his forehead and what appear to be wrinkles are actually well sewn up scars.

“I’ve been hit by canes, chairs, fists and posts and have to keep wrestling four or five times a week, especially all weekend long. The people who say wrestling is fake haven’t been in the ring.”

"But there is entertainment involved, isn’t there John?"

“You’ve got your colorful wrestlers, just like Joe Namath in football. There’s people with more personality who make it more interesting,” he says in defense of the widely held notion that most if not all of professional wrestling is nothing but a big show. “Yeah, it’s been going on for a long time,” he admits of the accusation.

“But it’s been fun,” he says with a big grin. “I’ve had the chance to do a lot of things I never would have been able to do. It’s really opened doors for me. I’ve got a lot of satisfaction out of it, met a lot of people and have traveled all over. It’s a living… not a game,” he states.

And so the show (if it can rightfully be called that) must go on. Weaver was to have been in Roanoke, Virginia Sunday night, followed by an appearance in Harrisonburg, Virginia Tuesday, Richmond, Virginia Friday and all the way down to Kingsport, Tennessee this Saturday.

That’s a lot of miles for a guy who already has plenty of mileage.

Research and Transcription of Article by Carroll Hall, WrestlingMemories.com

A Guiding Hand

2007-10-08T14:13:00.000-04:00

After publishing a feature on WGHP TV studio wrestling on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway a few years back, I received an e-mail from a fellow who, as a young man, had a life-changing encounter with Johnny Weaver. Here is that e-mail:

Dear Mid-Atlantic Gateway,

I spent many days at the TV tapings at High Point, and I got to know a lot of the guys, at least as well as a little kid that was star struck could. Two of my earliest memories are from those tapings.

I never had a dad around, and even as a very young man I was already showing signs of going down a bad road. I was fighting and telling lies. My mom saw where this kind of thing could lead. Well one day after we went to the tapings at WGHP, she went to Johnny and talked to him for a few minutes, then she called me over. I was in awe. The studio was empty other than us. Johnny was sitting on the ring near were the seats were and I was standing there next to him looking up at my hero. My mom had let him in on my acting up, and he asked me what was going on. I really don’t remember what I said, more than likely not a lot, people that have known me for a long time would be shocked that I was ever at a loss for words, but I was then. I do remember that he asked what I wanted to do with my life, and I said with out a moments thought that I wanted to be a wrestler. He smiled and said if I acted right at home and did not give my mom problems, and did good in school, that he would one day teach me how to wrestle.

Well I thought of that many times in my life after that. I ended up only being 5'8" so I never did call him on it! But I have no doubt that it changed my life. I did stop telling lies, and tried to be a good person, and I to this day try my best to live a life where I help people. In just a few minutes he became my role model, and I will never forget that.

- Michael Roach, February 2006
Originally published on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway

Southern Title Chase

2007-10-04T08:05:00.000-04:00

by Carroll Hall

In May 1965, Johnny Weaver made a trip to Tampa for for a special challenge match on Championship Wrestling from Florida hosted by Gordon Solie. The show aired on May 29, 1965 there in Tampa.
Johnny faced Big Bob Orton in this special TV match. Johnny Weaver used his rolling cradle on Orton. At that point Bill Dromo jumped up on the ring apron just as Orton pushed Johnny off at the count of two. Johnny collided with Bill Dromo, then Bob Orton covered Johnny Weaver for the win.

The Florida TV was already airing in a couple of TV markets in NC but for the benefit of fans who did not receive that show, the entire match was shown on the Crockett TV shows.

After Bob Orton regained The Southern Heavyweight belt during a June tournament in Florida, he immediately brought the title to Jim Crockett Promotions where he would defend it over the next six months. Not long after arriving here Johnny Weaver challenged Big Bob Orton to match on WBTV Charlotte, NC. Johnny Weaver pinned Orton in the one fall non-title match.

Weaver and Orton would have many matches throughout the territory. Some of the matches ended in a draw with Orton winning one fall with the "Piledriver" and Johnny winning a fall with the "Sleeper." Big Bob Orton left the area still the champion in January, 1966.

* * * * *

August 27,1965 Richmond,Virginia
Weaver Gets Big Chance On Friday

Richmond - Young Johnny Weaver gets his big chance on Friday's State Fairgrounds pro wrestling card.

The popular youngster will take on Southern Heavyweight Champion Bob Orton at two-out-of three-falls with a one hour time limit.

In the semifinal, Brute Bernard and Skull Murphy go against Omar Atlas and Gory Guerrero.

Diamond Lil meets Darling Dagmar in an all girls midget match, while in the opener it will be George and Sandy Scott,former tag team champions,against The Viking and Pedro Zapata.

Action starts at 8:30 p.m.

Johnny Weaver Must Not Be Sold!

2007-09-30T17:31:00.000-04:00

Carroll Hall at WrestlingMemories.com recently received a letter from long time wrestling fan Norman Harris of Wilkesboro NC. Mr. Harris had been kind enough to mail Carroll one of the rarest pieces of memorabilia I've ever seen. It is an "advertising pass" that gave the bearer a discount on the price of admission for a card at the Lexington YMCA in Lexington NC on July 6, 1968.

The pass features a photo of Johnny with the sleeper hold on George "Two Ton" Harris. I also love the references to the TV shows that aired on WBTV in Charlotte and WGHP in High Point NC. During those days. both stations aired unique programs taped at their local studios. The WBTV program was hosted by Big Bill Ward; the High Point show was hosted by NC Broadcast Hall of Famer Charlie Harville. (For more, check out Studio Wrestling.)

Norman had Johnny autograph the pass at the Mid-Atlantic Wrestling Legends Fanfest in Charlotte in February of 2004. - D. Bourne

* * * * * *

Here is the card from that night in Lexington, courtesy of Mike Cline:

LEXINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA
July 6, 1968

Rival tag teams of long standing and teams absent for sometime will clash in tonight's professional wrestling feature at the LEXINGTON YMCA.

The headlining contest will be GEORGE and SANDY SCOTT, THE FLYING SCOTTS, against ALDO BOGNI and BRONCHO LUBICH, now being managed by MR. GEORGE HARRIS, formerly known as "Two Ton". These four wrestlers have a bitter rivalry going back several years in the Carolinas, and one can only imagine what influence HARRIS will have, now that he's in the mix.

Another tag match this week sends the popular duet of North Carolina's own LUTHER LINDSAY and New Zealand's ABE JACOBS against the Spanish-Mexican rowdies PANCHO VALDEZ and THE MATADOR.

Both tag matches are set for two-out-of-three falls.

Single bouts on tonight's card will pit LES WOLFE against FRANK HICKEY and BOB NANDER taking on PEPPY GOMEZ.

Belltime, as always, is 8:15.

The Loaded Boot

2007-09-28T01:27:00.000-04:00

One of the memorable angles of the late 1960s was the loaded boot, a weapon of the masked Infernos and their manager the infamous J. C. Dykes. Weaver Blog contributor Carroll Hall (WrestlingMemoreis.com) remembers this angle so well, and did research on a show he attended in Winston-Salem on July 1, 1967, finding the newspaper clipping and photos related to the event. He presented his story and the related print material in his article on Wrestling Memories in April of 2005. I asked his permission to reprint the article here, so we might relive the night Johnny Weaver and George Becker turned the tables on the Infernos in a loaded card at the Coliseum. -D. Bourne

* * * * * * *

The Loaded Boot
by Carroll Hall

My two brothers and I were really wanting to go to the wrestling matches on that Saturday night in Winston-Salem. It didn't look too promising early in the week leading up to the card because Dad wouldn't be getting off work until 10:00 p.m. that night and I was not quite old enough to drive yet.

By mid-week we got lucky and worked out a deal with Jimmy, a close friend of the family. My brothers and I would help Jimmy chop the weeds out of his tobacco field in exchange for him driving us down to the Coliseum. He loved wrestling too.

My mom had never learned to drive at this point but she had made up her mind to do so. She had just bought a 1957 Dodge with the big fins on the back for $200. She let Jimmy drive that old Dodge to wrestling because the only thing that would run on his farm that day was his tractor. Well, Jimmy must never have driven anything so powerful as that old Dodge. He flew past every vehicle we came upon that night between Mt. Airy and Winston-Salem. Just imagine if you will three kids and one nut (just kidding Jimmy) flying down U.S. 52 in a "Batmobile" going to wrestling!

The old Coliseum was hot that night as it was nearly a full house and I don't believe that grand old building ever had air conditioning.

George Becker had made a promise on "Championship Wrestling" the previous week that he and Johnny Weaver had a big surprise for the Infernos and J.C. Dykes. The Infernos managed by J.C. Dykes had been wreaking havoc all over Virginia and the Carolina's during the Spring of 1967 with the Loaded Boot. Mr. Dykes explained in T.V. interviews that one of his Infernos was born with one leg shorter than the other. That was the reason he had to wear a built up boot. They won match after match when that Inferno would tap the toe of that boot to load it and kick his opponent in the stomach, then tap the heel to unload it.

In this match with Becker and Weaver the Infernos won the first fall with the loaded boot over Johnny Weaver. In the second fall Johnny Weaver used his rollup on Inferno1 and Inferno 2 came in and started tapping the toe of his boot to the mat. Of course the referee had his back turned while pushing George Becker back to his corner. Just as Inferno 2 went to kick Johnny, Weaver caught his foot and took him down. Becker then knocked the referee down so he could join Johnny.

Of course George and Johnny got disqualified which resulted in them losing two straight falls to the Infernos. No matter, they were going to remove that loaded boot at all costs. After they got the boot off, Johnny loaded it and started swinging it, clearing the ring of J.C. Dykes and the Infernos. Johnny then sat down in the middle of the ring and removed his own boot so he could try the loaded boot on. It would not fit Johnny, so in future matches with the Infernos, George Becker wore the boot. George would later loan the boot to the Scott Brothers (Sandy wore the boot) and Tex McKenzie and Nelson Royal (Nelson wore the boot).

Rip Hawk and Swede Hanson got disqualified in the semi-main event against the Kentuckians.

Was chopping weeds all day worth getting to see all this? You bet!
Link To Original Article on WrestlingMemories.com

One of Many Great Park Center Nights

2007-09-26T17:01:00.000-04:00

by Mike Cline

One summer Monday night in 1968 0r 1969, I journeyed down to Charlotte's Park Center after seeing the Saturday build-up on WBTV's Championship Wrestling for a big feud match between the Southern Tag Team Champions Gene and Ole Anderson versus crowd favorites George Becker and Johnny Weaver. Both teams were heavily pushed on TV that week, with Becker & Weaver promising to regain the belts from "The Minnesota Wrecking Crew".

The two-out-three-fall match began (all tag matches in Crockett land back then were of this nature). Well, after two falls, all was even (this was usually the case). The winner of the third fall would get the Tag Team Belts. I recall vividly the point of the match in which Johnny Weaver ended up on the Park Center floor, and before he knew what was happening, Ole Anderson posted Johnny's noggin' against the solid steel ring post. Johnny disappeared from our site. The crowd is going crazy. Finally, Johnny staggered to his feet, his face the proverbial Gordon Solie "crimson mask", and I mean big-time. Johnny is delirious, swinging and attacking anything close to him. He gets back into the ring, and he slugs Gene, he slugs Ole, he slugs George, and he slugs the referee. Oh no---slugging the ref means a DQ, and no belts.

The show is over. Johnny is dragged to the dressing room seeking medical attention. Everyone goes home. I'm disappointed, because George & Johnny remain beltless. But they were still champions in my eyes.

Taken from "The Road To Statesville", as originally appeared on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway in July, 2003.

Thesz vs. Weaver

2007-09-24T14:31:00.001-04:00

by Dick Bourne

In the spring of 1965, NWA World Heavyweight Champion Lou Thesz made a string of title defenses for Jim Crockett Promotions. Two of those defenses were back to back shows in Greensboro NC against Johnny Weaver, who had worked his way into title contention over his first three years in the "All Star Wrestling" area.

On Thursday April 8, Thesz met Weaver for the title on a loaded card that also featured two tag matches between four of the top teams in the area at that time. In "The Battle of the Bullies", Rip Hawk and Swede Hanson squared off against Bronco Lubich and Aldo Bogni managed by Mr. Homer O'Dell. The two teams were both disqualified. Another tag match (and remember, the Mid-Atlantic territory was primarily a tag team territory at this time) featured the brother combination of George and Sandy Scott defeating Nelson Royal and the Viking in three falls.

But the main event that night was the NWA title tilt between the venerable Thesz and his challenger Johnny Weaver, who by this time had arguably become the most popular wrestler in the territory.

The Greensboro newspaper reported the outcome:

Lou Thesz, on the verge of being pinned in the third fall, came off the ropes to defeat challenger Johnny Weaver in the feature match on the wrestling program at the Coliseum Thursday night.

Thesz won the first with a flying body press after 19 minutes. Weaver took the second with a sleeper hold in five minutes, and he had Thesz down for what appeared to be the clincher. But the champ had his foot over the rope, and the referee forced Weaver to get up.

Thesz then grabbed Weaver from behind for the clincher.

Weaver's excellent showing in this match earned him a return shot at Thesz on the next Greensboro Coliseum card on May 27. Not only that, villains Rip Hawk and Swede Hanson enlisted the aide of longtime fan favorite George Becker to continue their brutal "battle of the bullies" in a six-man tag match against Bogni, Lubich and manager Homer O'Dell. We'll report on that big card soon right here on the Johnny Weaver blog.

Clipping from the collection of Mark Eastridge. The clipping also appears in a print collection of newspaper wrestling clippings "Classic Clips #32" compiled by Scott Teal and Mark Eastridge and published by Crowbar Press.

Becker & Weaver Fan Club

2007-09-22T01:33:00.000-04:00

Back in the late 1960s, Pam Daniels ran the official George Becker and Johnny Weaver Fan Club. Members received, along with other material (much of which we hope to post here later) an offical membership card signed by both Mr. Becker and Mr. Weaver!

There likely aren't too many of these left to be found. Weaver Blog contributor Don Holbrook is working on locating other mateirals from the fan club, materials that are over 37 years old!

Pam also ran a fan club for the Minnesota Wrecking Crew in the 60s. Some material from that news letter can be found on the On The Road feature on the Anderson Brothers Classic website.

Membership card provided by Don Holbrook.

Victory Ride

2007-09-19T21:00:00.000-04:00

by Don Holbrook

I have vivid memories of George Becker and Johnny Weaver from here in Greenville. I began following wrestling in 1962, at 8 years old, when my dad took me and my best friend to the matches in Greenville. The feuds Becker and Weaver had in Greenville over the years, especially with Hawk and Hansen, remain in my mind until this day.

I can recall a deal once where the NWA President, Sam Muchnick, came to Greenville to sit at ringside and monitor the match and to award the tag title belts to the winner of a match between these two teams. They had a standing room only crowd and they turned hundreds of people away that night. George and Johnny won and the crowd actually carried them out on their shoulders. It was amazing. I will never forget that. Talk about living legends and household names, these two guys were all that and more around here in those days.

- Don Holbrook, Greenville SC

Photograph by Gene Gordon © Ditchcat Photogrpahy. Used with permission.
Photo from the collection of Carroll Hall, WrestlingMemories.com

"Stretch him, Johnny!"

2007-09-16T20:00:00.000-04:00

By Carroll Hall

I wish that I could have talked to George Becker and Johnny Weaver when I was growing up and going to the matches, but we always got our tickets at the door on the night of the shows, so most of the time we sat in the general admission sections. There was one time in Greensboro during early March 1968 that we got close to Johnny Weaver and my youngest brother yelled out "there's Johnny!" and Johnny turned around and said something like "hey guys." Johnny beat World Champ Gene Kiniski by DQ that night.

That was the first time, and one of the rare times, we ever sat in the ringside area. We went that night with my cousin and her fiancee before they moved to Wisconsin. When she came home for a visit last year she brought this up (36 years later) and said, "I still remember George Becker and Johnny Weaver."

In the third fall of that match, Kiniski had escaped the sleeper and the roll up. I told my brothers that I wish Johnny would surprise Kiniski by using Becker's abdominal stretch. So all three of us yelled at the same time "stretch him, Johnny!" Then the crowd at ringside joined in with a chant of "stretch him, stretch him!"

Lo and behold Johnny Weaver whipped Kiniski in to the ropes and locked him in the abdominal stretch. Kiniski could not escape so the whole crowd was on it's feet. We just knew in a few more seconds that Johnny Weaver was going to be the new "Woilds Champeen" as George Becker had predicted. Then Kiniski reached up and grabbed the referee with his free hand and pulled him in to Weaver knocking all three down thus causing the immediate DQ.

Though we were sad that Johnny did not get the belt, we went home happy thinking that Kiniski knew Johnny Weaver had him beat.

Oh how I wish I could go back to that time.

- Carroll Hall, Mount Airy NC

Visit WRESTLINGMEMORIES.COM

Classic Rivalry

2007-09-14T01:50:00.000-04:00

By Carroll Hall

Johnny Weaver and George Becker wrestled Rip Hawk and Swede Hanson in the main event at the Greensboro Coliseum on Thanksgiving night Nov.26,1964. Their match there on Jan. 28,1965 (as featured on Wayne Brower's old poster) had more to do with what we were seeing or maybe I should say hearing in TV interviews with Charlie Harville. George Becker and Rip Hawk had been at each others throats for three years. They had wrestled each other in a singles match on the TV show which Rip won when he used the neckbreaker and maintained the hold into a bridge. When the referee started his count, Rip placed his feet on the bottom turnbuckle thus scoring the pin on George Becker.

George Becker and Doug Gilbert had a program with Hawk and Hanson in the fall of 1964 while Johnny Weaver and Haystack Calhoun were winding down their program with the Bolos.

George Becker and Doug Gilbert got into a scuffle with Rip Hawk and Swede Hanson on the High Point show during this time. Becker and Gilbert had their coats and ties on when they came out. In one of Wayne Brower's channel 8 photos where Rip Hawk looks very angry, I am almost positive that is George Beckers' coat we see in the photo after this altercation. Becker and Gilbert's shirts were ripped to shreds but they got the best of Rip and Swede.

When Johnny Weaver teamed up with George Becker as his permanent partner, the feud with Hawk and Hanson continued and just got better. They would wrestle each other hundreds of times over the next seven years.

- Carroll Hall, Mount Airy NC

Poster from the collection of Wayne Brower. Photo of poster by Steve Hall. One of the highlights of our weekend at Fanfest in Charlotte was when Wayne brought out all his old wrestling posters! -D. Bourne

Weaver Wins the NWA TV Title

2007-09-14T01:15:00.000-04:00

The photo I posted earlier of Johnny Weaver with the NWA TV title prodded me to follow-up with this posting of the newspaper result form the 3/5/78 card in Charlotte. Johnny defeated Baron Von Raschke for the NWA TV title that night in the Charlotte Coliseum. He became only the 2nd NWA TV champion.

Baron Von Raschke had held the Mid-Atlantic TV title since 6/15/78, when he defeated Ricky Steamboat for the belt in the WRAL television studios. Baron then won a (ficticious) tournament comprised of all regional TV champs, the winner to be crowned the new NWA TV champion and presented with the new NWA TV title belt. -D. Bourne

Clipping from the collection of Mark Eastridge.

Champions in The Ring

2007-09-10T13:15:00.000-04:00

This photograph was taken by the late, long time wrestling photographer Gene Gordon in Spartanburg SC on 3/25/78. Johnny Weaver is wearing the NWA TV title and "Mr. Wrestling" Tim Woods is wearing the U.S. title (a rare photo of both with those belts.) On the floor at ringside, behind Johnny, is ring annoncer/former wrestler/long time Crockett veteran George Harbin.

Johnny won the NWA TV title from Baron Von Raschke on 3/5 in Charlotte, and Tim "Mr. Wrestling" Woods had just won the US title a week earlier on 3/19 in Greensboro.

The two were wrestling against the former champions Raschke and Mulligan in a Texas Tornado rules tag team match in the Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium. All four contestants would be in the ring at the same time. The newspaper reported that Raschke and Mulligan won the tag match, which drove interest in the rematches for the respective singles titles. - Dick Bourne

Photo by Gene Gordon © Ditchcat Photography. Used with permission.
Nwspaper clipping from the collection of Mark Eastridge.

A Legend Comes Home

2007-09-07T14:12:00.000-04:00

by Dick Bourne

When I first regularly started watching wrestling in 1975, a legend in the Mid-Atlantic area had just returned to action there: Johnny Weaver. For a kid who had only recently gotten hooked on professional wrestling, this was big. It was like Bart Starr had just returned to the Green Bay Packers or Johnny Unitas had returned to the Baltimore Colts.

As a young child, really up until I was around 10 years old, I was only a casual sports fan. But I had grown up hearing the names George Becker and Johnny Weaver. Just as I knew the names of Starr and Unitas in football, Pete Rose in baseball, or Wilt Chamberlain in basketball, I knew the names Becker and Weaver and I knew they were wrestling’s greatest tag team. For long time fans in the Carolinas and Virginia, there were no bigger names, and no bigger stars. In grade school, my friends would talk each Monday about the home run Pete Rose had hit, the touchdown pass Johnny Unitas had thrown, and right in there with all that discussion was how Weaver and Becker had just won the tag team titles. All of these guys were heroes.

So in 1975, as a young teenager now hooked on the weekly exploits of the Anderson Brothers, Wahoo McDaniel and Paul Jones, Blackjack Mulligan and a new kid on the block named Ric Flair, I was delighted to learn that one of the biggest names of them all was coming back to Mid-Atlantic Wrestling.

What I didn’t know then was that Johnny Weaver had been away on conquests in other territories, most notably the state of Florida where he held titles there. Johnny Weaver was wrestling royalty, and he was treated as such on his return by TV hosts Bob Caudle and Les Thatcher. It was as if Vince Lombardi had just sent Bart Starr back in the game to step under center once again.

And just as Unitas had that great arm, and Pete Rose had that famous head first slide into base, Johnny Weaver had the famous sleeper hold. And while there was always a big pop from the crowd when Wahoo went into the war dance or when Rufus R. Jones wound up the freight-train, there was no bigger reaction from the fans than when Johnny Weaver shot his opponent in to the ropes and then locked on the sleeper hold. It was something I looked forward to on television every week.

Yes, Mid-Atlantic wrestling’s biggest star was back. And as the old saying goes, business was about to pick up.

Weaver/Landrum Reunion

2007-09-06T14:10:00.000-04:00

by Rich Landrum

FLASHBACK

I first met Johnny Weaver in the early 70’s when I started doing the ring announcing for the Richmond shows. This was a time when tag team matches were the stalwart main event and Johnny was teamed with the ever popular George Becker. They made a good combination back then … George the older wiser wrestler and Johnny the young, take it to them, youngster. Facing such villain tags teams as Aldo Bogni and Bronco Lubich with their manager, Homer O’Dell, Rip Hawk and Swede Hanson, Brute Bernard and Skull Murphy just to name a few, helped fill the seats each and every Friday night.

As years went on and we moved from the Fair Grounds to the Richmond Coliseum, I got to know Johnny a little better and came to realize that he was more than just a wrestler to JCP and as I transitioned into doing the TV announcing I realized that Johnny was the glue that held JCP together. Both as a mentor to the young up and coming wrestlers, as well advisor to the office.

Once Johnny was brought on board as my co-host to World Wide Wrestling, his longevity and knowledge of the wrestling business became more apparent to me and I gave him the moniker “The Dean of Professional Wrestling”. Those were exciting, fun times for me and I looked forward to going to work every week despite the sometimes, long hours and travel.

FLASH FORWARD

All though I hadn’t seen Johnny in 25 years, we only stayed in touch by phone and email … that is until recently, when the idea of a surprise reunion came up for the 2007 Weaver Cup Finals in Burlington, NC. With the help of Peggy Lathan, Don Kernodle and Dick Bourne the whole thing was put together and the secret was well kept. I later learned that Sandy Scott and Jim Nelson would also be making a surprise visit, which made it equally exciting for me.

After my wife and I carefully checked into the same hotel that Johnny was staying that afternoon, I got his room number from Peggy and quietly approached his door and knocked. When he opened the door I announced, “The Dean and The Voice together again!” The surprised look on Johnny’s face was worth a million dollars and the feeling of camaraderie instantly returned as Don & Rocky Kernodle, who had been patiently awaiting my surprise arrival in Johnny’s room, as was Peggy Lathan, greeted me. I never will forget what Johnny said shortly after my arrival, “How’d you do this? I just sent you and email at 2:00.” It was then 5:30.

Later that evening, Johnny received another surprise by Sandy Scott and Jim Nelson when they walked out from behind a tent, while we were waiting for the Weaver Cup Tournament to start. Johnny seemed to have a constant smile on his face that night and it got even bigger when the promoter of the tournament, who tapes the show for TV, asked if we would open it just as we did for the old JCP World Wide Wrestling TV show. With little or no planning I walked on to set and welcomed everyone “to another exciting evening of World Wide Wrestling” and brought in my co-host, the “Dean of Professional Wrestling, Johnny Weaver.” The fans erupted into applause when he came on to the set and John’s smile got even broader. The evening at that point was a total success.

Some things I learned that night that I had forgotten … True friendships had been forged 25 years ago in professional wrestling and they last a lifetime. You can’t catch up on 25 years in one evening. Sadly there are only about 25 of us left from that era of JCP. And finally, we can’t party like we used to, nor do we need to.

- Rich Landrum

For more photos of the reunion of Johnny Weaver and Rich Landrum in Burlington, including photos of Sandy Scott, Jim Nelson (Boris Zhukov), Don Kernodle, and Rocky Kernodle (Leith Larson), visit the Mid-Atlantic Gateway page on the 2007 Johnny Weaver Cup Tournament Finals.

2007 Weaver/Landrum photo by Randy Hedrick, IndyInsiders.com

Most Popular Team Ever

2007-09-05T23:50:00.000-04:00

Weaver and Becker were probably the most popular team ever in Greenville SC. Years after their run there were many others who were loved by the fans but overall I would have to say that they were tops. That does not mean others were not popular.

I think Weaver and Becker's success was mainly because of how the business was so well protected and believable back then. Plus a lot of hard work in the ring each and every night because back then, Crockett's area was known for the standard tag team main event and 2 out of 3 falls 60 minute time limit. So basically all their matches were long and hard fought. I recall them holding the Southern Tag Belts and Weaver held the Southern Heavyweight Belt at the same time, for what seemed to be years.

Truthfully, I don't remember the titles changing around all that much back then. Could it have been because it took several weeks for the angles to get over through television exposure? With no cable TV back then and in most markets around here, Crockett's All-Star Wrestling was about the only show that was seen throughout the territory. But it was a 1 hour tape and the local stations aired it each Saturday. I cannot even begin to imagine this formula for success ever working again, but it sure did back then!

- Don Holbrook, Greenville SC
from an ongong E-mail exchange with the Mid-Atlantic Gateway and Carroll Hall

To this day I have never seen another team get the response and fan support that Becker and Weaver had. In late 1964 after the feud between Weaver/Haystacks Calhoun vs. The Bolos ended, Calhoun and the Bolos left the area. That is when George and Johnny announced to Charlie Harville on the High Point show that they had decided to make their team permanent. They had teamed once in while since 1962 but most of the time they had teamed with other partners.

George Becker had been teaming with Doug Gilbert against Rip Hawk and Swede Hanson prior to this in the fall of 1964. Once Becker and Weaver teamed up for good their main foes were Aldo Bogni and Bronco Lubich with manager Homer O'Dell. After Bogni and Lubich won the the Southern Tag Team Championship from Eddie Graham and Sam Steamboat in Charlotte in May, 1965, it was on.

Becker and Weaver won the belts in Greensboro on Sept.9, 1965 while Haystacks Calhoun sat on Homer O'Dell outside the ring (I did not get to see this match. This is what Charlie Harville told on the channel 8 news.) Becker and Weaver held the Southern belts most of the time until 1969. The only teams that I know for sure beat them for the belts were Bogni and Lubich and Gene and Lars Anderson beat them for the belts on the High Point show but the belts were held up a week later. I have read that the Infernos and Missouri Mauler and Pampero Firpo had short reigns in 1967. If those title reigns happened they were in a part of the territory I was shut off from. Some title histories list the Infernos winning the belts on July 20,1967 in Greensboro but the newspaper clipping says Becker and Weaver won in two straight falls.

On May 1,1969 I saw Becker and Weaver win the Atlantic Coast Tag belts from Rip Hawk and Swede Hanson at the Winston-Salem Coliseum. For a while after George and Johnny would carry the Southern Tag belts over their shoulders and wear the Atlantic Coast belts or vice/versa depending on which belts they were defending on any given night. I don't really know what happened to the Southern belts. It is possible they decided to retire them on a TV show I might have missed.

- Carroll Hall, Mount Airy NC
from an ongong E-mail exchange with the Mid-Atlantic Gateway and Don Holbrook

I don't think that people who were not from around this area ever knew or understood the popularity of George and Johnny. I was in grade school and I remember all the kids at school knew who they were and everybody talked about the TV wrestling all the time. But a lot of the kids never got to go see the matches live. Their families could not afford it or didn't like it or whatever, but it was amazing how things were in those days. I don't ever recall Becker teaming with Doug Gilbert, I missed that somehow. But I do remember Johnny and Calhoun because they did the very same thing you described in Greenville during that time. I do remember the old Southern Tag Belts. They had a silver plate on them with red around the edge. I could only guess that some of the Crockett family has them tucked away someplace now.

Here's a tid-bit for you about George and Johnny. Last week I was telling Dick about the Asheville TV show on WLOS. It was hosted by a guy named Muncey Milliway who sat there and talked on and on while the tape ran as they couldn't show High Points promos. So Muncey would talk. One show I remember he was talking about how it had been over a year and a half since Becker and Weaver were in Asheville. They were making such a huge deal of them coming in next week. For years I could not figure out why they never went into Asheville. It was many years later that I figured it out. It was because Asheville ran on Wednesday nights in the old city auditorium and Becker and Weaver were busy every Wednesday doing TV in Raleigh.

It is so strange to think how individualized each little section of the territory could do things and the other towns knew nothing about it. The good ol' days!

- Don Holbrook, Greenville SC
from an ongong E-mail exchange with the Mid-Atlantic Gateway and Carroll Hall

Becker/Harville/Weaver photo courtesy of Wayne Brower

Let's Get Together

2007-09-05T15:32:00.001-04:00

This newspaper ad was in the Winston-Salem Journal in 1970. The photo is of Championship Wrestling host Charlie Harville at ringside with George Becker and Johnny Weaver.

Learn more about studio TV wrestling: Studio Wrestling: WGHP-8 in High Point NC

Clipping from the collection of Carroll Hall, Wrestling Memories.com

Johnny Weaver's Charlotte Debut

2007-09-03T02:19:00.000-04:00

Charlotte Observer
February 5, 1962

HANS SCHMIDT, a brutal 240-pound German, will headline tonight's PARK CENTER wrestling card. SCHMIDT, noted as one of the roughest wrestlers now on the American circuit, will go against LENNY MONTANA. **

The bout, which will be a real test for the popular MONTANA, has been set for two of three falls, one hour time limit.

The rest of the card is dotted with new faces. The semi-final brings in newcomer BILL DROMO, a youngster with a big reputation, to meet rugged SWEDE HANSON. DROMO is from Detroit and specializes in the scientific approach to wrestling, unlike Mr. HANSON.

Another prelim unveils two newcomers to Charlotte, JOHNNY WEAVER,from Indianapolis, and EDDIE AUGER.

The 8:15 p.m. opener brings in still another new face, SIR ALLAN GARFIELD, who will team with TINKER TODD to meet STEVE BOLUS and KEN COOPER.

** MONTANA would later appear as Luca Brasi in the 1972 film THE GODFATHER. Remember the scene in which his hand is pinned to the bar with a knife and he is strangled with a wire.

Research by Mike Cline

TV Wrestling on Ch. 8

2007-09-03T02:12:00.002-04:00

Clipping from the collection of Carroll Hall, Wrestling Memories

Jack Brisco on Johnny Weaver

2007-09-03T01:48:00.000-04:00

Question for Jack Brisco:
I would like your take on Johnny Weaver as a wrestler and why he never went outside the Mid-Atlantic. One memory, watching Johnny go down to Florida to challenge you for the World title but he was under a hood as a "Mr Wrestling" and the "storyline" was he had come down to take you on in disguise because you were "ducking" him in the M-A.

Jack’s response:
I wrestled Johnny several times in the Carolinas. We sold out every time we wrestled. I have a very high opinion of Johnny. He is a good friend of mine. He made good money in the Carolinas and was always on top. He had no desire to leave there. He would have been a headliner anywhere he wrestled. - Jack Brisco

edited from the Jack Brisco Forum on the Wrestling Classics Board

Andersons Meet Becker, Weaver

2007-08-31T23:39:00.000-04:00

Richmond, VA, Nov. 1, 1968

Three weeks ago the six-man tag team battle between the three Anderson Brothers and the team of George Becker, Johnny Weaver and Sailor Art Thomas drew a record throng to the State Fairgrounds professional wrestling arena.

Two of the Andersons will return Friday night to battle Becker and Weaver in a fence match to finish with no disqualifications. A six-foot chain link fence will be erected around the ring by the Atlas Fence Co. of Richmond.

Gene and Ole will represent the Anderson family as Lars is recovering from a knee injury suffered on a TV show.

Other bouts: Haystacks Muldoon vs. Tinker Todd; Mr. Wrestling and Abe Jacobs vs. El Gaucho and Leon Baxter; and Les Wolff vs. Billy Spears. The first bout is scheduled for 8:30 pm.

This preview article for the Friday night matches on Nov. 1, 1968 comes from the Petersburg,VA Progress-Index. The knee injury of Lars Anderson on TV is mentioned.

Gene and Lars Anderson had wrestled Johnny Weaver and George Becker at Raleigh TV taping in Oct. 1968. It was a 2 out of 3 falls match. After the two teams had split the first two falls,Lars Anderson climbed to the top rope during the third fall for a kneedrop on Johnny Weaver. Johnny rolled out of the way. Lars injured his knee.
When the show resumed after the commercial break,Gene and Lars had gone to the dressing room. The referee called for the bell and began the twenty count. (This was changed to a 10 count in Aug. 1973.)

When Gene and Lars did not return to the ring the third fall and the match was awarded to Johnny Weaver and George Becker.

I saw the match on All Star Wrestling hosted by Bob Caudle. The show aired on WSLS channel 10 Roanoke,Virginia on Saturday afternoon's at 12:30 p.m. in 1968.

- Carroll Hall