Downs, Kansas Part Two

Last time, I had begun to tell you the story about my trip and memories of Downs, Kansas. I realize that a lot of people don't know much about Downs, so I will enlighten you with a few facts.

Downs, Kansas, was founded in 1879 when Major William F. Downs brought the Central Branch Union Pacific Railroad into the area. The Central Branch (as it was called and will be referred to in this article) laid out the town at the "Y" junction where the railroad tracks split, with one branch going southwest toward Osborne, where it followed the south fork of the Solomon River west, and the other northwest following the north fork of the Solomon.

The town's commerce began, of course, with a railroad store at the junction of the Central Branch rails as they were built westward from here up both forks of the Solomon River in 1879. The first private business on this site was the Pioneer Store established by N. M. Hardman, who first sold his goods from a tent and later constructed a wooden frame building. Forgotten in the course of events is J.B. Craney, the town's first mayor, who was credited in the first issue of The Downs Times (February 19, 1880) with being the first merchant to put in a heavy stock of general merchandise.

On down through the years, many merchants' names became familiar to those who drove their wagons and buggies, their Maxwells and Model T's, and their ever more modern conveyances into this business center. Once well-known at their local establishments were the Washburns, the Skinners, the Johnsons, the Pheasants, the Carneys, the Meibergens, and a legion of other equally active and prosperous merchants.

Railroads continued to serve Downs until 1960 when the last passenger train pulled through in November. Service was continued by a tri-weekly freight train that served Atchison to Denver and Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Many major events were held in the Municipal building in downtown, but others were held in the theater that had been converted for dual use. Downs was happy every time something would come there.

We were just one of those events that cowboys and ranch owners from a 60 mile-radius would come to. Many would still be full of joy juice and leftover dinners when they arrived and be ready for a fight with the first person that looked at them wrong.

That hot summer night of June in 1972 proved how dangerous that professional wrestling could be . The Viking and Yasu Fuji battled to a draw. Chati Yokouchi submitted to Ronnie Etchison after he applied a bear hug on him. Ronnie had superb upper body strength and was very quick on his feet .

Juan Sebastian and Billy Howard battled to another draw and left the fans screaming for more as they used hold and counter hold to try and outdo each other in the ring.

I was led to the ring with Harley Race and Black Angus by a member of the Downs police force. He then went to a chair near ringside and promptly fell asleep. I had stopped his snoring by kicking the legs out from under the chair, trying to get away from this cowboy that had singled me out for no apparent reason other than to make a trophy on his wall.

The deputy had regained his composure and told his friend "Doboy" to return to his seat and then began to do his job in the corner watching me. Harley began the match with Danny Littlebear and gave him one of the best wrestling lessons that anyone ever had, including Angus.

There was some tagging in and out by Littlebear and Omar Atlas, but they could not contain the onslaught of Harley Race and his vow to make short work of both of these "SO CALLED ATHLETES." Angus finally got his chance, along with me, to show Downs why we were among the very best in the world on the mats.

Angus used side suplex moves along with Salto and Russian grapevine moves that had never been seen here in the States. I reminded him that those moves should be used in much larger cities and on better opponents that Atlas and Littlebear.

As I stood up to protest an unfair move by Atlas, I felt two huge hands on my shoulders pushing me back to my chair. Some ranch hand that had probably rode a bull earlier that day and smelled as bad had somehow made it past Barney Fife and was going to make sure that I didn't move again.

I turned to see the cop hired to guard me asleep in his chair again and kicked towards the guy that had grabbed me and kicked the cop right square in the leg. I had my special made Dingo boots on with the steel toes and steel heels in them.

I must have made quite an impact, as he once again sprawled out on the floor between me and the guy again. This time, he grabbed me and began to drag me towards the dressing room.

In all the excitement, Angus was pinned by Omar Atlas, the smallest man in the ring . Omar had sidestepped Angus and sent him crashing to the mat face first. He then rolled him over for a three-count.

I was not happy with the policeman putting his hands on me and voiced my feelings at the top of my lungs outside the dressing room door. I called him a few names that were not becoming a law enforcement officer. He said he was sorry that he had fallen asleep but that he had worked nearly two straight days on duty while the chief was on a binge.

We shook hands, and he said that, when I went with Roger Kirby to the ring, he would not let anyone near me. He had already cost me a huge portion of the winner’s take of the last match.

Archie Gouldie, better known in these parts as The Stomper, would be facing Kirby for the Central States Belt. Archie would go to any length to claim that belt, as he was the top contender in the area.

Roger won the first fall with a dazzling array of moves that started with a top wrist lock and ended up with a fireman’s carry and then into a figure four leglock that had been invented by Buddy Rogers.

The second fall was a fluke as The Stomper used those size 15 tan boots to kick the living daylights out of my champion. He then pinned him near the ropes, and the referee, old rabbit ears Moody, didn't see Roger’s foot on the ropes when he came down for the three-count.

The third and deciding fall took less than a minute to unfold, as I threw my briefcase into the ring and Roger hit Stomper right between the headlights with it. The referee had no other choice than to disqualify Kirby and award the match to Stomper.

We left the ring still champion, and poor Stomper was carried out by a team of goat ropers from northwest Kansas.

Roger lost the belt to Archie in Waterloo, Iowa a few nights later in a highly disputed ending between both bloodied combatants. I still say that he got help from the fans.

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