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This week’s column is dedicated to the memory of Brian Hildebrand. A small man in stature but huge in heart. He fought the biggest battle there is … CANCER … and now he is with all the greats in wrestling in Heaven.
I was not fortunate to ever meet this superman of our business but did have contact with him by e-mail in the mid-90's. He kept in contact with me on a regular basis. I doubt anyone ever had an unkind word about Brian, as he became your friend for life just by meeting him.
He beat cancer twice and lived a life that I wished that I could have. His attitude about our business couldn't be matched by anyone. He was trained by a good friend, Domenic DeNucci, in more than just referee status. Brian studied many different arts and practiced the moves almost nightly before an amazed locker room full of professional athletes who just watched in awe.
September 8, 1999 is a date that will live in my heart until I can no longer breathe. That is the day that Brian made the trip to the big ring in the sky. His wife Pam was there with Brian, along with many friends, when the final moment came. During the next few days, hundreds of calls, mounds of flowers and cards flooded their home. Brian was truly loved by a lot of people.
During the next few days, many people that could not attend his services sent their memories of "The Shooter" to his website. That handle came from a match where a fan tried to get into the ring, and Brian (Mark Curtis) jumped on the guy's back and front face locked him and held him until security could remove the intruder. Bobby Heenan's comment was, "That guy just got taken down by the smallest referee in the business."
His funeral was held in Morristown, TN on September 11. Chris Jericho, Dean Malenko, Mick Foley, and Les Thatcher were among those who eulogized him, along with his doctor, talking about his STRENGTH as a patient, and the most emotional was K.C. O' Conner, whom he actually had problems with when both worked for Smoky Mountain, but they had long since buried their differences.
Among those also attending were Keenan, Bill DeMott (Hugh Morrus), Eddie Guerrero, Terry Taylor, Jimmy Del Ray, Johnny Grunge, Ted Allen, Chris Benoit, Nancy Sullivan, Perry Saturn, Al Snow, Tim Horner, Tony & Kim Anthony, Dean Roll (Shark Boy), Beau James, WCW ring announcer Dave Penzer, and former referees Ron West and Mac McMurphy, along with independent area promoter Terry Landel. At the end, with Bette Midler singing "The Wind Beneath My Wings" from the movies Beaches, everyone went to pieces.
Please visit www.brianhildebrand.com for more tributes written by more of the best in our business.
This is just one of the tributes written about Brian from my webmaster Rob Moore…
"The Way I See It: A Tribute to Brian Hildebrand, remembering Smoky Mountain Wrestling"
by Rob Moore 9/13/99
August 1994. There was no way that I could make it to Smoky Mountain Wrestling Fan Week. I wanted to, because they were going to use an idea of mine, called the "King Of The Mountain" tournament, on a show in Morristown, Tennessee. However, I could not get the full week off from work, because I had not been there one full year, which is the requirement for getting a week's paid vacation. I managed to talk them into letting me have a three-day weekend so that I could leave D/FW Airport on Friday morning and return on Monday morning.
The next step was to make some kind of arrangements with Smoky Mountain Wrestling. I did not have the money at the time for the official Fan Week package, and besides, I could only go two days, anyway. Enter Brian Hildebrand.
I spoke with Brian, the "scoutmaster" for the week, on the phone about possible arrangements. Because I was not going to be officially part of the Fan Week crew, I realized that I would not be entitled to most of the perks of the package. One sticking point was the fact that I could only drive my rental car, which I rented in Georgia, to adjacent states, meaning that I could not go through Tennessee to Kentucky, where SMW would have a Friday night show in Barbourville. After I pleaded my case, Brian kindly allowed me to travel with the Fan Week crew on their bus (which was not exactly top-of-the -line, and they knew it---that situation was rectified the next year). The ride from Knoxville, Tennessee to Barbourville allowed me to meet other wrestling fans from around the country, most notably John McAdam, whom I had told I would be coming that weekend, and who had with him a videotape I had ordered from him, since he knew I was coming.
When we got to the school where the matches would be held, we got off of the bus and started to go inside. I asked Brian if I needed a ticket, and he said no. A few minutes later, when we were seated in the bleachers, Brian came out and asked for a volunteer to ring the bell. Without thinking, I volunteered in a heartbeat, so I ended up as the bell ringer at my very first Smoky Mountain Wrestling show! Jim Cornette came to the ring with the Heavenly Bodies (Tom Prichard & Jimmy Del Ray) for their match with the Thrillseekers (Chris Jericho & Lance Storm). Cornette got in the ring and glared down at me, not knowing who I was, and I grabbed the bell ringer, as if to defend myself. Brian, in his role as referee Mark Curtis, walked up to Jim, pointed at me, and said, "Rob Moore---King Of The Mountain." Jim jumped out of the ring and approached me, and started yelling about how "Your idea nearly got me sued---Some guy has a copyright on 'King Of The Hill' and wanted to sue over 'King Of The Mountain!' Forget him!!" I said, "Yeah!!" and he went about his business.
The next day, after a day of sightseeing in Knoxville, including mammoth Neyland Stadium, where the Tennessee Vols play football, I drove myself to Morristown to see the "King Of The Mountain" tournament. I got there early and caught part of the FanWeek Wrestling Training Class, with Brian and Chris Jericho overseeing the class. At one point, Chris asked me to hold his watch for him (I gave it back later---of course). Before the show was to start, I asked Brian if it would be alright if I took pictures at ringside, and he said yes. Doing that was probably the most fun I'd ever had at a wrestling show. Jericho was playing around with me during the Bodies-Storm handicap match, asking me if I had a license to be there (I THINK he was playing). During the Robert Gibson-Chris Candido tournament match, Candido climbed to the top rope right above me, Brian quickly walked over to me and said "GET OUT OF THE WAY!" and when I did, Gibson dropkicked Candido off the rope, out of the ring, and to the floor, where I was just standing. Otherwise, I tried to be conscious of my position relative to what the wrestlers were doing, because the last thing I wanted to do was screw them up. My one regret about that night was that I didn't get any pictures of Tammy Fytch (Tammy Lynn Sytch). We did say "hi" to each other, but that was it.
The next year, I made sure that I was able to pay my way to Fan Week, taking the four-day package and going to shows in Knoxville, Barbourville, Louisville, and Marion, Virginia, before heading on for two days of pestering Music Row in Nashville. You can look at my SMW Tribute section and share some of my memories. I had no idea whatsoever that, by the end of November, it would all be over.
I said all of that to say this---if it were not for Brian Hildebrand, his love of professional wrestling, and his understanding of what it's like to be a stone-cold mark, I might not have had such a good time. I have NEVER heard ANYBODY have a bad thing to say about him.
From all accounts, Brian is a rarity---someone universally liked in the wrestling world. I wrote those words for the July 26, 1999 edition of The Way I See It as a way to plug the upcoming "Curtis Comes Home" benefit card in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to raise money to help with Brian's medical expenses. That column came just days after the last time I spoke with Brian. I had posted information about the card on my homepage, but, unfortunately, some of the information was incorrect. Brian emailed me and asked me to call him and get it straightened out. I called, and his wife Pam answered the phone. Brian had gone out to the mailbox and would be right back. Pam was just as nice as she could be, although she and I had never met. Our only contact had been through the Internet and through a pair of orders I had placed through their website, Renfield Merchandise, for an SMW T-shirt and the SMW "First & Last" package (video of SMW's first TV show and last house show, and an SMW T-shirt.) Brian came back from the mailbox and got on the phone; he was just a bit winded from the walk from the house to the road, where the mailbox was, and back. We first talked about the misinformation I had posted on my site; he assured me that he had no heat with me, and I was grateful to hear that. We then chatted for a few minutes about things like his health, the upcoming show, and whether or not Greg Valentine would show up at a spot show scheduled near my home (he didn't). We ended our conversation with me telling him how great it was to talk to him again and to take care of himself and get better, and he thanked me for my support of the benefit show.
Tommy Noe emailed me Tuesday night (9/7) to inform me of Brian's worsening condition. I had missed both Nitro and Raw on Monday night, so I didn't hear Tony Schiavone or Mick Foley talk about Brian. I read about their messages later on wrestling websites and message boards. Then, late Wednesday night, after I got home from work, I got another email from Tommy, this time with the sad news.
Pro wrestling has suffered so much this year with the losses of Rick Rude and Owen Hart. With all of the wrestlers who've gone on to the next life, I guess God needed a take-charge referee to handle things. I can picture Brian lobbying the HWF (Heaven Wrestling Federation) booking committee to let him ref the match between Brian Pillman and Owen Hart. Brian would be right at home in a match like that. I'm sure he wouldn't even mind taking bumps if he needed to.
To Brian---Thank you for being a friend. I can't claim to be as close a friend as those you have in and around the wrestling business, but I am grateful for the support and encouragement you gave to me and to my website. Hardcore Holly's gimmick is that of a "little guy" who thinks he's a super heavyweight; you, my friend, were the real deal. You truly had a super heavyweight heart. There will never, EVER, be another man like you. Peace, brother.
And, feel free to pet my cats. I'm sure Renfield wouldn't mind.
Rob Moore, Texas Wrestling Announcer.
The kind of person Brian was is also the reason that WCW honored him with a night dedicated to him on Sunday, November 29, 1998 at WCW's show in Knoxville, Tennessee; with a classic match of Chris Jericho/Eddie Guerrero against Dean Malenko/Chris Benoit ... and with Ric Flair totally unannounced and the Four Horsemen presenting Brian with a replica of Ric's championship belt.
In closing, I only hope that when I am called to that big ring in the sky, that people will only remember me ¼ as much as they did Brian. He deserved every word written and spoken about him.
We miss you, Shooter! Rest in Peace.
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
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