It had been snowing for a couple of days and the anticipation had been building all week for "the day". Sunday December 11,1977 at Maple Leaf Gardens, it was to be an all-star show featuring both the WWWF and AWA champs. I couldn't contain my excitement as I gazed at the tickets knowing what a great card it would be.

In those days we would have to make the trip down to the ticket office a week before the show and the wait always seemed longer. By the time the date hit we would be worked up beyond return and would want to head down early and try to meet or get photos with the stars.

We started at the local hotels, hanging around the lobbies waiting to see if any of our favorites would show, we had some success there before, truth be told I was the youngest and would hang back, a little intimidated by the giants. This was a quiet day and a couple of hours before the start time we ambled over to the north side of the Gardens off Wood St where we would wait for our heroes to appear.

Sometimes a limo, but usually a cab or a rental car would pull up and there, larger than life they would step out, a smile or a sneer maybe, where they would enter through the doors and sign in at the desk before going to the dressing rooms. It was always a little strange to see some of the guys in suits and without "props" when later they would transform into evil Germans or Indians with elaborate headdresses and such. On this night I remember former World Champ Verne Gagne stopping to talk and shake hands, and I noticed how much respect he was treated with by the staff at the door.

Attending a card at the Gardens always filled me with a sense of history, the building was full of ghosts from days gone by, the lighting and the atmosphere was not far off from the 50's. Maple Leaf Gardens was the home of our beloved Leafs and was used for anything and everything from rock concerts to the Circus.  We purchased our program and made our way down the tunnel. As usual we had seats next to the ramp. Essentially a walkway that went from the dressing room entrance to the ring and was about 5 feet high. The wrestler would come out of the opening and climb a few steps and make his entrance. It enabled the wrestlers to be seen all the way to and from the ring and made for a great place to brawl. We had seen some of the greats dueling on the ramp exchanging blows all the way back to the dressing room. It was also a good way for the villains to work up the crowd. On those occasions we couldn't get ringside seats, we would sit in the golds or reds, which were still close enough to see all the action. The Gardens held around 16,000 for hockey and if needed could hold about 18,000 for events with floor seating. It was a good crowd, maybe 10-13,000 which was normal around this time.

We watched the reds and greens and finally the grays start to fill in and I knew it was here. Norm Kimber came out to a light applause, the ref running in behind him, and the house lights dimmed.

I clutched my program, folded over to the event list and waited. I scanned the list, Peter Maivia, Waldo Von Erich, Ken Patera, and Bobby Duncum. My first chance to see Verne Gagne and the High Flyers (Jim Brunzell and Greg Gagne). Nick Bockwinkel defending the AWA belt against the great Edouard Carpentier and in the main event Superstar Graham putting the WWWF title on the line against Chief Jay Strongbow. My favorite of the night was the Superstar, looking incredible back then and just plain unbeatable. There were no title changes but as was the par, a great card full of WRESTLING.

A couple of months later Chief Strongbow got a shot at Nick's AWA title. The Tunney's seemed to have free reign in booking matches that crossed promotional bounds and we would see matches that might not be made in other areas. The next few years would bring a constant parade of World Title Matches from the three major promotions with some unlikely matchups courtesy of the creative booking style.

We went home happy but tired, worn out from the emotional roller coaster we had been on for the past 2 ½ hours, and on the way home on the subway, re-living the night's matches and already talking about the next card. That would be after Christmas and in the new year-1978, '78 already.. man how the time flies.

To all a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year

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Ten Great Moments 1970 - 1984