CAC 2009 Part Three

Tuesday morning started off very good for me with a beautiful breakfast with Dr. Ken Ramey and Bill White. We shared a few war stories about travel and pranks that we pulled on other guys while wrestling.

At 11 a.m., we started the Tournament for a 2009 Cribbage Champion. Now, this was with about three to four hours of sleep. First out of the chute was Dave Bodell, the defending 2008 Champ, going against “Mad Dog” Maurice Vachon. In two straight falls, the Dog showed everybody that he is still a great competitor by winning. Dick “The Destroyer” Beyer squeaked by Chris Ostrovsky by going the distance of three falls. Paul “Butcher” Vachon, the first CAC Cribbage champion, was bested by Andrew Carmichael, a first-time player in the tournament.

Loren Miyake lost next to Wes Daniels, and I still suspect a controversy there as Loren is a super player. Bill White, another defending champion, went against last year’s runner up, Jeff Sharkey. It took the limit to beat Jeff, but Bill came thru with flying colors. Chad Kelly faced me, and I got all the wrong cards. (I have to blame it on something). I had to break away from the tournament and do a seminar.

Terry Funk faced the only lady in the tournament, Skye Castellucci. While Terry might be "Middle Aged and Crazy in the ring," he behaved himself and got caught in a few submission holds that even he couldn't break out of and lost. Karl Lauer was quick to bring it up on the house speakers that Terry had been beaten by a girl. Needless to say , Terry was not a happy camper , but, being the true professional that he is, he shook hands and kept a smile on his face the rest of the day.

Richie Rotten came into the tournament and lost to another newcomer by the name of Enrico Ventola. The eight winners then set into games of their own and moved into the next brackets.

Mad Dog Vachon faced Dick Beyer, and Dick handed him his head in a barrel by beating him in a tough three-fall match. Andrew Carmichael made real quick work of Wes Daniel by beating him in two straight falls. Chad Kelly was bested by Bill White, and not by far, as Bill only won by seven points in the third fall. Skye Castellucci won a three-fall match with Enrico Ventola.

We ended the day around 4 p.m. and returned to Bill's condo to get ready for the Baloney Blowout that night. I quickly showered and got things ready for the evening. At 6:00, we returned to the Gold Coast and went to the big room, where it was filling up with many legends of our family.

One by one, the names were called out during the meet and greet session as Greg Oliver went around the room with a hand held mike. The Iron Sheik was the loudest in the room and didn't need a mike. He was so elated to be there that he just kept shaking everybody's hand. Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase was there, along with Sgt. Slaughter and Hacksaw Jim Duggan. Ken Patera, Superstar Billy Graham and Billy Anderson were there as well. The girls from TNA were also present as they went throughout the room selling raffle tickets for the CAC Championship belt.

Jaime D. and Melissa Coates were also there and having a ball at their first-ever CAC. Jaime impressed Billy Graham so much that he took her under his wing and will be guiding her career in the near future.

Next was the Blowout, and it featured many different salads and cold cuts of ham, turkey and roast beef. Then, they had an assortment of chips and cookies for desert. Along with drinks and the food, we had a wonderful meal with Keri, Dyllan and her mom from Arizona.

The main part of the program had started, and, after a few announcements, they honored BJ Race for all her efforts of holding stuff together and being there for everybody like a room mom. Shuhei Aoki was given the Red Bastien Friendship award, and Steve Yohe was given the James C. Melby Historian award and honored by last years winner Scott Teal.

Next was an announcement that the Wednesday night awards would have two people not attending. Bill Sky had just undergone some heart surgery and was unable to attend. Then came the bombshell that made my heart jump into my throat that Princess Jasmine was in a hospital in the Chicago area with pancreatic cancer and was not expected to live much longer.

I was then called to the podium to make a special presentation to Bp. Jason Sanderson. I wiped the tears from my eyes, and, like the professional I was, I went onstage. I called Fr. Sanderson to the podium, and, while he was making his way there, I spoke about the wonderful time I had while at last year’s New England Wrestling Reunion.

I spoke about the friendship I had with Fr. Sanderson and being able to spend some quiet time with him and his family and the other friends that I made while at his home. It was then that I started to go into my briefcase and retrieve what I had designed for him. I spoke of how I was impressed with the reunion at his home and how I called my Uncle Basil in Florida and commissioned a Tiffany piece to be built for him. It was then that I brought out a beautiful sun catcher made by my uncle, Basil Friend.

Fr. Sanderson spoke about the upcoming reunion and invited everybody, and then he spoke of Basil's works being in Jerry Ford’s Presidential Library and the Smithsonian, as well as many other places. We took pictures, and then he grabbed me in a Bear Hug and began to shake and asked me, "How much do I owe you, my friend." I told him that he just paid the bill.

To be continued…

Percival A. Friend, Retired
The Epitome of Wrestling Managers