March 23, 1972

First off, I need to wish everyone a Happy New Year 2006.

It's hard to believe that this story happened nearly 34 years ago in Kansas City. Harley Race was campaigning in Japan because he had been barred for six weeks for unnecessary roughness in a match with Terry Martin. That match took place in Emporia, Kansas, of all places.

It just so happened that the commissioner on duty that night for the state of Kansas got involved in a melee that took three guys to the hospital. He went on to state that he was seeking a permanent injunction against the former Central States Champion.

To top that off, promoter Gust Karras stuck his nose in my business by letting Rufus R. Jones get a Texas Death match against Black Angus Campbell. "Sure, Rufus got his hand raised. Why did he get his hand raised? Any intelligent person knows why! Because MOODY was the referee," I stated on KBMA-TV 41 on Wednesday night just before the matches on Thursday.

"Moody is not a referee, he does what Karras tells him to do. He favors flat-heads like Rufus and dummies like that gutless coward Danny Yellowbear,” I went on to state. "If Karras could find anybody with an education that could count to three, he would be a very dangerous person in our business. That big-eared, ruptured-brain Moody should be the one barred from referee duties, forever."

Needless to say, all the phones on the reception desk at the TV station lit up as soon as I was finished talking. People just didn't understand my way of positive thinking about my great champion, Black Angus.

Rufus had gone to Karras after the matches last Thursday and begged the old one-legged promoter for a Texas Death match against Angus. He then went on to say that he wanted me in wrestling gear and in the ring as well. He apparently did not realize whom he was dealing with and the fact that I was the one that gave Angus the ideas for winning matches from my vast array of wrestling knowledge.

He probably figured that he would get Moody for a referee in the match, and that would even the odds in his favor. He then went on to complain to Karras that it was me that threw my "Loaded" briefcase into the ring for Angus to gain an advantage in the match. The truth of the matter is that Rufus threw Angus out into the audience and then attacked me and broke the case loose from my grip.

He then told Moody to turn his head while he wore a knot on the forehead of Angus with the new Samsonite case I had just gotten. Moody then went on to disqualify Angus for the briefcase being involved in the match. It was a complete setup as far as I was concerned.

What a fine display of sportsmanship this guy Rufus had in front of the overflow crowd at Municipal Auditorium. We vowed revenge for what he had done to Angus and, especially, for crushing the sides of my new case. After all, it only contained special paperwork on the wrestlers I managed, not "Loaded" like it was claimed by Rufus.

The entire building had been sold out, and the standing room only signs were placed in the lobby as fans entered the building. Angus and I had to park three blocks away at the police station and be brought in to the auditorium in a city police car. It was not a sight that I want to remember, but the fans had pelted my new Cadillac the week before and caused nearly $1000 in damages to the exterior throwing rocks at it.

Angus and I entered the building almost as the first set of interviews was starting to be done backstage. At the side of our studio broadcast area sat Gust Karras, resplendent as he could be in the finest clothes that my money could buy from fines that he levied on me in Missouri that past week. He silently waved and smiled at us as we passed him on the way to the microphones to talk about upcoming matches in the tri-state territory governed by Heart of America Sports.

It wasn't long before the first match went to the ring. It had Steve Bolus teaming up with Terry Martin to face Black Jack Black and Frank Diamond. That match went the entire 30-minute distance, and neither team got the duke for their efforts. It was one of the few times that I had seen Frank compete in the ring other than as a referee. He possessed a great amount of talent and knew many counter holds to foil his opponents.

Omar Atlas was next and faced Benny Rameriz, the former masked superstar known as "The Mummy". Benny had cast a shadow on Omar Atlas that left him with many aches and pains. It also gave him a reason NOT to ask for a rematch after the 20 minutes he was put through just trying to stay alive in the ring.

Benny got his hand raised with the help of a hold that had been banned in most of the Central American states below the borders of Mexico. It was like a claw hold on the sides of the temple, but it put the fear of God in the hearts of any that it was applied on as their skin would literally pop open and blood would begin to burst out of the skin. Omar was smart enough to yell out to referee Ronnie Etchison before he got that far.

As the third match started to the ring, The Viking and his small following began to charge towards the other side of the building, where Bob Orton Sr. would be coming out of his dressing room area. These two had fought some bloody battles as of late, and they were at each other’s throats again tonight.

To be continued…

Percival A. Friend, Retired
The Epitome of Wrestling Managers
2004 CAC Honoree