CAC Finale 2009

This week’s column brings a close to a memorable midweek in Las Vegas and the beautiful time I enjoyed there with many friends.

During the five days I was there, I had stayed with the Orton family in their estate near the expressway and also stayed with Bill White at the Wyndham Grand Desert resort. I dined with many good friends during the three-day event at the Gold Coast and got a lot of hugs from the girls. I met new and old friends and shared many stories about our private lives that most fans never see.

It was truly a reunion I enjoy each and every year, and I look forward to 2010 and the 45th reunion with baited breath. It will be held at the same Casino next to the Rio and across the street from the Palms.

Following a very successful Cribbage Tournament that ended up in a brawl on the card table between 2006 champ Bill White and Dick "The Destroyer" Beyer. That matching left both very exhausted and crowned a new champion in Dick Beyer, for whom the Tournament is named.

We took a short break and went to change for the evening’s banquet dinner held in the big ball room of the Gold Coast. In a list of who's who, the door was held wide open for many of the legends of wrestling, including Sgt. Slaughter, The Iron Sheik, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Ken Patera, Harley Race, Nick Bockwinkel, Ted DiBiase and so many more in attendance.

Lady wrestling stars Beverly Shade, Melissa Anderson, Awesome Kong, Jaime D and OBD graced the floor. Reporters from Slam Sports, newspaper people, radio and internet people were there as well. It was the same opulence that one would give to the Academy Awards. This seems to be a giant magnet drawing people to our spotlight each year, and rightfully so, as we paid our dues for many years doing what we loved to do every night.

Following a dinner prayer, we were given a wonderful meal of prime rib and shrimp with a very nice dessert of chocolate covered cake. In the near decade I have been attending, this was the nicest so far with meals. The folks at the Gold Coast went out of their way to make us feel welcome.

As the inductions began to unfold, I quietly sat and thought about Princess Jasmine not being there to attend. I had tears streaming down my beard as I remembered the many times we would sit and chat. She has a unique way of warming up a room, and I will forever miss her wonderful smile and hugs.

The evening started out with the posthumous awards to Eddie Sullivan and George Gordienko. Then, it came time to induct a very famous member of the Vachon Family, Luna. When she arrived on the stage a huge round of applause rang out from every seat in the building, and they all stood up in reverence to a job well done.

Luna, Paul "Butcher" Vachon's daughter and niece of Maurice "Mad Dog " Vachon and niece of Vivian Vachon, was in tears as she was so elated by the outpouring of love in the room. She spoke of many things in her short acceptance speech but, mostly, about being born again and accepting God into her life some 10 years before. A more deserving recipient could not have been found in the crowd.

I was called to present the trophy and Braggin’ Board to this year’s Cribbage Champion. I spoke about how Dick Beyer has started this tournament years before but was never able to put his name into the history books, but now he is. I spoke of raising over $300 again for the Benevolent Fund that helps people that need help. I welcomed Dick to the stage and listened to one of the best speeches of the night about Cribbage.

Next was quiet, soft spoken Akio Sato, who usually never said more than three words. Not so that night, as he had people, including his wife Betty, in awe of his speaking talents. He told many stories of road experiences and time that he spent in his native Japan.

Next was Bob Roop, who accepted the Lou Thesz award. Now a school teacher in Michigan, he commented on the many that had taken him to the top and the many friends that he had. He spoke of what the award meant to him and the friends that supported him that night. Of course, my name was mentioned on more than one time, and I liked that.

Reggie Parks accepted the Lifetime Achievement Award. The retired wrestler and belt maker for the sporting industry had a lot to talk of in his career highlights as he spent a lot of good years battling in the AWA.

The Mike Mazurki award for our Main Event had not been revealed yet as it had been kept a huge secret for some reason. All the past honorees in that class, including Harley Race, Terry Funk, Tom Drake, Dick Beyer and Gene LeBell were on stage when they unveiled the belt with the mystery person’s likeness on it. They called out his name and welcomed him to the spotlight … none other than CAC President Nick Bockwinkel.

Unlike his more characteristic speeches where he would go on and on ... he simply stated that Warren Bockwinkel would have been very proud today.

All the wrestlers were called to the stage, and we sang "We Did it Our Way" in the tune of the late Frank Sinatra. Many of us, including me, had tears streaming down our faces when it was over as it was a very moving moment for a lot.

And so ... the story closes on another huge event for the history books of time. We had the opportunity to once again be in the spotlight, even if only for a few short moments. We had a chance to pay tribute to the fallen members of our fraternity who had been called to that big ring in the sky. We had a chance for families to be together and share stories, and, most of all, we had a chance to LOVE doing what we loved best.

Percival A. Friend, Retired
The Epitome of Wrestling Managers