Kansas City 2005 Part Two

I had been up for 20 hours and traveled from Toledo to Atlanta and then to Kansas City. Rod Phillips was a great host, showing me all the different sights in Kansas City that had changed since I had been there last in 1976.

The old Kansas-Citian hotel, where Heart of America Sports had their offices on the third floor, had been replaced by a huge structure that housed entire trains in a museum of sorts. The downtown auditorium still stood and is used for many functions. The Hotel Mulebach still stands, where I spent a few nights; it has been completely re-done and is a beautiful example of fine lodging and dining while in the downtown area.

Kemper Arena is situated where a lot of the former stockyards were. It was just being built when I retired from wrestling. A lot has sure changed in the nearly 30 years since I was a part of the Midwest.

Friday morning, I rose around 8 a.m. and started to get ready to go to St. Joseph, Missouri to see Lord Littlebrook. Rod had returned to the house, as his day was rained out from the tail end of Katrina that hit the Gulf Coast. We shared a nice breakfast, and I proceeded to Highway 435 North and then on to 29 North.

It was a short 50-mile drive that I had made countless times almost every Friday to be a part of wrestling cards in the old city auditorium, promoted by Gust Karras. I exited at Frederick Avenue, as I had done many times before, and began to drive towards downtown. I looked for the Baskin Robbins Ice Cream shop, but it was gone. Many familiar sights began to come back to my memory bank as I neared 18th Street.

The home where Jesse James was killed is still standing and is in beautiful shape. There is also a Pony Express National Museum, along with a Fire Museum and a few other museums to the memory of the past greatness of this city that opened up the West to many travelers in the 19th century. To find out more about St. Joe and the many things they do there, please visit www.stjomo.com.

I proceeded north on 18th Street to the lush hill country that encompasses some of the more beautiful scenery within its city limits. Turning left on a private road, I went about a block, and there stood the huge natural Greystone home of the World's Champion Midget Wrestler, Lord Littlebrook.

The front drive had a 1975 Silver Eldorado convertible parked in the number 1 spot with the Missouri tag LL1 on it. Next to it was a late model Red Lincoln Town Car with the tag LL2. Also in the drive was a huge Gold Oldsmobile with the tag Bobby 1 on it.

Looking down the hill, I saw a four-car garage that had a lot of sound coming from it. Loud bangs on the canvas and shrilling cries came from the students of Littlebrook Wrestling Academy. A lot of stars other than Midgets have graduated from the academy, including "The Natural" Butch Reed, Mike George and Easy Ed Wiskowski (Colonel DeBeers).

As it was nearly noon, I decided to go to the house and pay my old nemesis a visit. As many of you readers will remember, Littlebrook and I were involved in a six-man tag team match in Wichita back in the early 70’s. He taught me a few things about wrestling and was successful in pinning me to win the match.

I passed the large outdoor pool and several motorcycles that were built very close to the ground. They must belong to Bobby Dean and some of his kids. A large brown Great Dane dog came at me, and I rang the bell on the front door. Quickly, it opened, and one of Littlebrook's granddaughters grabbed the dog by the collar and began to berate it for getting loose from the kennels on the west side of the house.

I was taken to a large door that had been carpeted with plush velvet-like covering. It had a big silver sign on a chain that had a picture of his eminence and the words "THE CHAMP'S ROOM" on it.

Inside the room, I began to glance at the many pictures that covered most of three walls. Many of the greats in our business were there, including one of Angus and myself. Suddenly, an inner office door opened, and there stood Littlebrook, in a plaid sport coat with red slacks and a nice yellow shirt. He extended his hand in friendship and invited me to sit down and share some lunch with him.

I glanced at the big ring on his finger, and he told me it was from the professional wrestling hall of fame in New York. The fiery diamond nearly blinded me when he grabbed at his beard. As we spoke, his son Bobby Dean came in and shook hands with me and gave me a small hug. He is still recovering from an auto accident that broke his leg in half below the knee.

For the next three hours, we spoke and looked at pictures and called friends on the phone. Some of who had not been in contact with Littlebrook for many years. It is always nice to hear voices of friends that you made. It seemed like the 76-year-young veteran of 46 years on the mat was wearing down and needed to rest a bit.

I reminded him that he should remain retired and remember the example we made of him in Wichita. With that, he put his little hand out, and, as I went to take it, he threw me over his shoulder and to the thick carpet on the floor. I never once said ANYTHING, as I knew that I was in the hands of the MASTER and quietly said so long to all in the room. As I exited the door to go to my car, I looked back, and Littlebrook had an evil little grin on his face.

Going back down the hill to Frederick St. to get back to the expressway, I thought to myself … I am glad that we didn't do more to him in Wichita that night. I would sure hate to have this little man angry with me.

To be continued ...

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2004 CAC Honoree