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Dallas Sportatorium
The Sportatorium, located in downtown Dallas, Texas, was a barn-like arena used primarily for professional wrestling events. The building, which stood at 1000 S. Industrial Blvd, or the intersection of Industrial Boulevard and Cadiz Street (near the I-30/I-35E Interchange), had a seating capacity of approximately 4,500. Early history Built in 1934 by the Cox Fence Company, the original Dallas Sportatorium was constructed in the shape of an octagon, and seated approximately 10,000. Its inaugural wrestling event, promoted by Burt Willoughby, took place on December 9, 1935. Willoughby promoted wrestling at the Sportatorium until 1940, when the company was bought out by its former concessions manager, Ed McLemore. From 1948 until 1966, the Sportatorium was also the site of the ''Big D Jamboree'', a weekly country music showcase similar in format to the '' Grand Ole Opry'' and ''Louisiana Hayride''; portions of the Jamboree were broadcast nationally on the CBS Radio Network. The ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dallas
Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 million people. It is the largest city in and County seat, seat of Dallas County, Texas, Dallas County with portions extending into Collin County, Texas, Collin, Denton County, Texas, Denton, Kaufman County, Texas, Kaufman and Rockwall County, Texas, Rockwall counties. With a 2020 United States census, 2020 census population of 1,304,379, it is the List of United States cities by population, ninth most-populous city in the U.S. and the List of cities in Texas by population, third-largest in Texas after Houston and San Antonio. Located in the North Texas region, the city of Dallas is the main core of the largest metropolitan area in the Southern United States and the largest inland metropolitan area in the U.S. that lacks any navigable link ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Grand Olympic Auditorium
The Grand Olympic Auditorium is a former sports venue in southern Downtown Los Angeles, California. The venue was built in 1924 at 1801 South Grand Avenue, now just south of the Santa Monica Freeway. The grand opening of the Olympic Auditorium was on August 5, 1925, and was a major media event, attended by such celebrities as Jack Dempsey and Rudolph Valentino. One of the last major boxing and wrestling arenas still in existence, the venue now serves as a worship space for the Korean-American evangelical church, "Glory Church of Jesus Christ". History Throughout the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s it was home to some of the biggest boxing, wrestling, and roller derby events. 1932 Olympics The Auditorium was leased by the 1932 Summer Olympics Organizing Committee for a very nominal sum sufficient to cover expenses, for the purpose of conducting the training and competitions of the Boxing at the 1932 Summer Olympics, boxing (1932), Wrestling at the 1932 Summer Olympics, wrestling (1932) a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Herb Kelleher
Herbert David Kelleher (March 12, 1931 – January 3, 2019) was an American billionaire airline businessman and lawyer. He was the co-founder, later CEO, and chairman emeritus of Southwest Airlines until his death in 2019. Early life Kelleher was born in Camden, New Jersey, on March 12, 1931, and raised in Audubon, New Jersey, where he graduated from Haddon Heights High School. He earned a bachelor's degree from Wesleyan University where he was an Olin Scholar and where his major was English and his minor Philosophy, and a Juris Doctor (cum laude) from New York University School of Law where he was a Root-Tilden Scholar. Career After clerking for a New Jersey Supreme Court justice, Kelleher moved to Texas intending to start a law firm or a business. He was a partner in Oppenheimer, Rosenberg, Kelleher & Wheatley, 1969–1981. Kelleher and one of his law clients, Texas businessman Rollin King, created the concept with banker John Parker that later became Southwest Airlines. An of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Frank Goodish
Frank Donald Goodish (June 18, 1946 – July 17, 1988) was an American professional wrestler who earned his greatest fame under the ring name Bruiser Brody. He also worked as King Kong Brody, The Masked Marauder, and Red River Jack. Over the years Brody became synonymous with the hardcore wrestling brawling style that often saw one or more of the participants bleeding by the time the match was over. In his prime he worked as a "special attraction" wrestler in North America, making select appearances for various promotions such as World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW), World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF), Central States Wrestling (CSW), Championship Wrestling from Florida (CWF), and the American Wrestling Association (AWA) among others. He worked regularly in Japan for All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW). Behind the scenes Brody was very protective of his "in-ring" image, hardly ever agreeing to lose matches and building a reputation of being volatile; he would on occasion intent ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gino Hernandez
Charles Eugene Wolfe Jr. (August 8, 1957 – February 2, 1986) was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Gino Hernandez. He is perhaps best known for his appearances with the Dallas, Texas-based promotion World Class Championship Wrestling between 1976 until his death in 1986. Hernandez's death was initially ruled a homicide case, but police later concluded that he had died of a drug overdose. Professional wrestling career Early career As a rookie, babyface wrestler in Ed Farhat's Big Time Wrestling promotion in Detroit, "Gino Hernandez" was a very young, fresh-faced performer who got over with female fans due to his long black hair, and good looks. He won Big Time's top title (its version of the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship) by defeating "Bulldog" Don Kent. During this time, Wolfe also wrestled at least one match for WWE forerunner the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF). Gino lost the (Detroit) U.S. Title to his real-life boss: The ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eric Embry
Douglas Eric Embry (born July 10, 1959) is an American retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances with Championship Wrestling from Florida, World Class Championship Wrestling, and the United States Wrestling Association. He also booked many places and is credited to having one of the best minds in the game. Professional wrestling career Early career (1977–1987) Embry wrestled in Southwest Championship Wrestling (later Texas, then USA All Star Wrestling) as one of the Fabulous Blondes, along with Ken Timbs and later Dan Greer. Later, he wrestled for 5 Star Wrestling in Baton Rouge. He would also wrestle in Canada, for Stampede Wrestling in Calgary, Alberta, All Star Wrestling in Vancouver, British Columbia. In 1980 Embry wrestled in Pacific Northwest Wrestling (Portland), as Eric Emery. In 1985, Embry first joined World Wrestling Council in Puerto Rico. On August 17, 1985, he defeated Super Medico II to win the WWC Puerto Rico Heavyweight Championsh ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chris Adams (wrestler)
Christopher Adams (10 February 1955 – 7 October 2001), best known as "Gentleman" Chris Adams, was an English professional wrestler, wrestling promoter, trainer, and judoka. By age 21, he was a three-time British National Judo Champion in his age and weight classes. In professional wrestling, Adams gained his greatest success in World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW), where he became the promotion's World Heavyweight Champion and one of its biggest stars. He also performed for companies such as World Championship Wrestling (WCW), and the Universal Wrestling Association (UWA), where he held the World Wrestling Federation's (WWF) Light Heavyweight Championship. All told, he held 26 titles over a 23-year career. Adams is known for training wrestlers such as Stone Cold Steve Austin and Scott Hall (Razor Ramon), and for popularizing the superkick finishing move, which was later used by many other performers. Early life Adams was born in Rugby, Warwickshire, the oldest son of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Skandor Akbar
Jimmy Saied Wehba (September 29, 1934 – August 19, 2010) was an American professional wrestler and manager better known by his ring name Skandor Akbar, which translates as "Alexander the Great". Akbar led the villainous stable Devastation, Inc. in Bill Watts's Universal Wrestling Federation during the promotion's heyday in the 1980s, as well as other regional territories, including World Class Championship Wrestling and the Global Wrestling Federation. Early life Wehba was born on September 29, 1934, in Wichita Falls, Texas, and grew up in Vernon, Texas. His father was from Lebanon, and his mother, Mary, had Arab roots, though she too was born in Texas. With two older sisters, Jimmy was the baby of the family. As a preteen, he started weightlifting (at one point he reportedly bench pressed 500 pounds) as his cousin had a gym. He also worked as a bouncer. Professional wrestling career Singles wrestler Akbar started out as a professional wrestler in 1963 as Jimmy Wehba. He chan ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Paul Bearer
William Alvin Moody (April 10, 1954 – March 5, 2013) was an American professional wrestling manager and licensed funeral director. He is best known for his tenure with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, later WWE) where he performed under the ring name and gimmick of Paul Bearer, manager and guiding light of The Undertaker. As Paul Bearer, he hosted his own talk show segment entitled ''The Funeral Parlor''. As Paul Bearer, Moody is also known for managing his storyline son/Undertaker's storyline half-brother, Kane, as well as archnemesis of The Undertaker, Mankind. Vader also served as Bearer's protégé for a short period while feuding with The Undertaker. Outside WWE, Moody was known by the name Percival "Percy" Pringle III and performed in various regional territories and promotions, as well as World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW). Early life Moody was born in Mobile, Alabama, on April 10, 1954, and attended San Antonio College and the University of South Ala ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ken Mantell
Ken Lusk, better known by his ring name Ken Mantell, is an American retired professional wrestler, promoter and booker who competed throughout the National Wrestling Alliance in the 1970s and 80s. He is a former NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion, having defeated Danny Hodge, and won the NWA World Tag Team Championship with Ron Bass in November 1975. He worked as the booker of World Class Championship Wrestling during its peak years and, as a promoter, formed the Wild West Wrestling promotion, which merged with World Class when he became part-owner in early 1988. Professional wrestling career Early career (1970–1973) Both Ken and his brother Johnny (who was also a professional wrestler) started amateur wrestling while in high school in California, before moving to Texas. Mantell began his career in Florida in 1970, wrestling under his real name. He established himself working for Championship Wrestling From Florida and soon began working the NWA Tri-State territory, wh ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gary Hart (wrestler)
Gary Richard Williams (January 24, 1942 – March 16, 2008) was an American professional wrestling manager, as well as a professional wrestler in his early career, best known by his ring name Gary Hart. Hart was one of the pivotal driving forces behind what is considered to be World Class Championship Wrestling's "golden years" in the early 1980s. Professional wrestling career Early career (1960–1979) Gary Hart started wrestling in Chicago at the Marigold Arena in 1960. His uncle, Billy Gates, worked as a booking agent for Chicago promoter Fred Kohler. After working in Chicago, he worked in Detroit until 1964. He then worked on and off in Australia under Jim Barnett until 1974 when he relocated with Barnett to Atlanta becoming involved in Georgia Championship Wrestling. After Georgia, he worked in Florida in 1975 managing Pak Song Nam. In the late 1960s, he retired from in-ring competition and transitioned into a managerial role, going under the name "Playboy" Gary Hart. Duri ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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