CAC 2007

I began Friday morning much like I always do, with going onto my computer and checking e-mail. I also check the current newspapers from 6-10 major newspapers around the globe to keep myself current and up to date with all the happenings.

At about 7 a.m., my train of thought was interrupted by Rhonda Orton letting her dog out to the well-manicured back yard. While she was there, she checked on the recent renovations that had been done to the pool area.

I showed her some of the songs that I had put on the family computer, and she went right to the Alison Krauss folder, and it started to fill the room with beautiful music that she really enjoyed. We began to speak of her dad, Bob Orton Sr., and some other subjects.

I began to show her some of the other stuff I had put on the computer for the family to enjoy. Almost five gigs of music was now added in various selections, including some old time radio programs featuring Amos ‘n’ Andy, Jack Benny and Abbott and Costello.

At 8 a.m., Cowboy Bob came through the door and said, "I'm HUNGRY!!! Let’s go and eat.” We piled into his rented SUV, and not far from the compound was Blueberry Hill, a restaurant that Bob Sr. frequented a lot. Elaine (Randy's mom), Bob Jr. and Rita (Mrs. Orton) joined me in a wonderful breakfast.

Not long after getting back to the compound, Bob Jr. and I headed back to the Riviera for me to get checked in. It wasn't much afterwards that the Cribbage tournament began.

Since I was defending champion, I had the honors of getting the affair started. All the names were put into a hat and drawn for spots on the board. I drew J.J. Dillon for the first match, while Ox Baker drew Bill White. Mad Dog and Butcher Vachon, along with The Destroyer, Loren Myaki, Pat Patterson and Bob Orton Jr., began their quest to be the 2007 champ.

As luck would have it, J.J. caught all the good cards and handed me a defeat in the third fall of the two out of three fall event. I shook his hand and, quietly exiting, stopped at Ox Baker's table and gave him the sign that was on the side of my briefcase and told him that I was headed for the showers.

Ox laughed and said he was headed to the same spot, as he had been beaten as well. As it was nearing 4 p.m., I decided to go to my suite and take a power nap and get changed for the Canada night tribute during the Baloney Blowout.

Arriving back at 6 p.m., I was met by Dyllan and his mom, along with three other friends from Arizona. We exchanged hellos, and it was then that I had two of the strongest hands in the business grabbing me by the tops of my shoulders and squeezing the tar out of me. I turned, and it was Danny Hodge, my friend of 40 years from Oklahoma.

After letting go of me, he and his wife Delores met everyone at the table. I only wish that I had half of the charisma that Danny has. This former NWA Junior Heavyweight champ will be 75 next month and shows absolutely NO SIGNS of slowing down. He told me that he was going to have to enlarge the den area of his home in Perry, Oklahoma to accommodate all the awards that he had been receiving the past few years.

Danny will be honored in New York next month at the inductions, and rightfully so. He has paid his dues defending the honor of our business for over a half a century. He was an NCAA champ, AAU champ and an Olympian. Danny was also the first wrestler to have his picture on Sports Illustrated. Currently, he serves on the state board of control for Oklahoma wrestling.

Following a beautiful dinner, we turned our attention to the stage area, where Scott D'Amore and Greg Oliver were co-hosts for the night honoring wrestlers from Canada. Greg is the editor of Slam Sports on the internet, and Scott is a trainer in Windsor now for TNA. Karl Roach began the event with a beautiful rendition of "Oh Canada" and had the entire house standing at attention some with tears running down their cheeks.

They spoke about how much the Canadian wrestlers had an equal impact in our business and how wonderfully they meshed with the wrestlers from the lower 48 states. It was then with hand held mikes that they went into the audience and began to get stories from some of the greatest that our business had ever had in it.

Maurice and Paul Vachon, Don Leo Jonathan, Pepper Martin, Bruce Swayze, Jack Laskin, Ross Hart and his famous brother, Bret Hart, along with many others, spoke during the evening. To listen to the praises and accolades given was well worth the travel to Las Vegas to attend the 42nd CAC.

I was asked by our table to go back into my past and tell a few stories. I was not at a loss for words, and, nearly an hour later, I had to stop, as they were closing the banquet room so it could be prepared for the following night.

Hugs and handshakes were abound, and, finally, I retired to my suite. I looked at my watch, and it was nearing midnight. That is 3 a.m. Eastern, and I had been up again for another 19 hour day.

To Be Continued…

Percival A. Friend, Retired
The Epitome of Wrestling Managers

2003 BWC Hall of Fame Inductee
2004 CAC Hall of Fame Inductee
2006 LWA Hall of Fame Inductee
2007 TCCW Hall of Fame Honoree