6-16-1972

Please continue to keep Penny Banner in your thoughts and prayers as she goes through one of the biggest battles of her life. WE LOVE YOU PENNY !!!!!!!!!--Percival

In a city blessed with a history of wrestling from the greats like Gust Karras, Orville Brown, Sonny Myers, Ronnie Etchison, Larry Hamilton and others, I was proud to be part of this night in St. Joe.

Most fans in attendance would have welcomed the change in ownership of the Central States Championship belt just eight days earlier in Kansas City. Most fans did not care for me one bit, and, if something happened to me, they were very happy. Angus had lost the belt by the quick hands of "Rabbit Ears" Moody, the referee that couldn't call a herd of hungry hogs to a slop party.

It was a much-contested battle that left me almost crying over the fact that, instead of 75% of the title money, I would have to be satisfied with just 35% of the money that Angus made that night ... plus my travel expenses.

The evening began by having two international stars meet in the opener. Yasu Fuji from Japan against The Viking from Oslo, Norway. There was no respect for either man’s talent when these two collided in midring. Fuji was a multi-time tag team champion, and the Viking was loaded with accolades from around the world.

The match went the entire 20-minute time limit and sent one fan to jail for trying to interfere. Ringside was a lot different then, as fans could reach into the ring without hardly any problems and grab somebody before the police could stop them. Most of the time, we could take care of matters by ourselves and just brush away hands and arms and legs.

Chati Yokouchi, Fuji's tag partner, had been put into a very special match against Ronnie Etchison as a result of the match the week before. Yokouchi had blinded Ronnie with a packet of ceremonial salt that had been hidden from Moody. Ronnie was out of action and lost four days because of this injury to his eyes.

The match lasted only 45 seconds, but it took nearly 5 minutes and 12 uniformed officers to pull Etchison from his Oriental adversary. Yokouchi ended up in traction for almost a week because of the hometown hero getting his revenge. I never could understand fan support, and, for the life of me, I don't know why they carried him out on their shoulders to the dressing room area.

Juan Sebastian from Albuquerque, New Mexico was next and faced a newcomer by the name of Billy Howard. You might remember that Howard was the young man that nearly ended the career of Bob Orton, Sr. just a week back here in St. Joe. The Spanish Gaucho (Sebastian) could not contain the onslaught of this multi-talented young athlete from Minneapolis. He tried every move that he could get on Howard but ended up losing by pinfall after only 15 minutes of battle.

It was during intermission that I went and spoke to Harley and Angus about their match that would follow. Danny Littlebear and Omar Atlas were a super tough team, and they needed an edge to defeat them. I told Harley and Angus what to do and went back to the private area where I was dressing. Roger Kirby, former Junior Heavyweight Champ, was there waiting for me.

We chatted for a couple of minutes, and I assured him that tonight would be the happiest match he had ever been in as he would become the NEW Central States Champ ... with my guiding hands.

The bell began to ring for the tag team semi-main event. Littlebear and Atlas were in the ring when Harley Race and Black Angus came through the large oak doors unto the arena floor. Fans just didn't like either of them and began to catcall and throw things at them. Angus turned towards the crowd coming up behind them and growled at the throng of people. They scrambled every which way to get out of his menacing movements.

At about the 10-minute mark of the one fall match, I came to ringside wearing an immaculate banana yellow sport coat with Kelly Green slacks, offset with a pale blue silk shirt and a flowered tie and red, white and blue Dingo boots. I had my briefcase in hand and took my spot in the corner of my two wonderful champions.

Many of the ringside fans began to berate me and call me lots of funny sounding names. Mertie and Gertie Hite sprang from their chairs and began to wave those loaded purses and swing the umbrellas they carried at me. It took four officers to get them back to their seats. The strangest part of it was the fact that I had not even done ANYTHING to provoke their assault on me.

As I glanced over to the opposite side of the ring, where promoter Gust Karras sat at the timer’s table, I saw that former World Champion Pat O'Connor had come and sat down. He began to speak to Gust Karras and continued to point at me. He shook his finger at me, and it looked like he was issuing an ultimatum my way. Fat Pat always liked sticking his big nose where it didn't belong.

To be continued...

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