Dory Funk, Jr. #1 Page 2
Nevertheless even though he was blind, he continued as promoter of the Oklahoma Territory. Being possibly Oklahoma State's best ever wrestler, Danny Hodge was Leroy's top wrestler. My important matches as champion in the Oklahoma territory were against Danny Hodge and Harley Race, the latter being refereed by WWE's Jim Ross.
Eddie Graham came to West Texas in the late '50's wrestling as Rip Rogers as a part of the tag team Rip Rogers and Art Nelson. Eddie also wrestled as a single as the West Texas version of Buddy Rogers. (Buddy had some heat in the business and Eddie with the blond hair worked well in the spot) In the early sixties, Eddie left the Amarillo Territory and purchased a part of the Florida territory from Cowboy Luttral and built the territory on wrestling, credibility and hot angles as he had learned form his friend, Dory Funk Sr. Eddie also helped in the creation of Florida Sherrif's Boy's Ranch, patterned after Cal Farley's Texas Boy's Ranch. My important matches in the Florida territory were against Jack Brisco, The Gladiator (Ricky Hunter), Mr. Wrestling (Tim Woods) and Dick Murdoch
Roy Shire was the promoter in the highly successful San Francisco territory. It is a little known fact that Roy Shire was actually on the same wrestling team as Dory Funk Sr. at Hammond High School in Hammond Indiana where Dory Funk Sr. was born and went to school. My father said Roy was intense and a good wrestler. Shire was fortunate to have some very good talent in Ray Stevens and Pat Patterson who he claimed credit for developing. Roy was a strict disciplinarian and expressed himself in no uncertain terms. The only match I worked in San Francisco was at the Cow Palace in his annual Battle Royal. Roy was an NWA member and publicized the World Champion but openly complained about having to pay the champion's percentage for title matches.
Gene Kiniski was the silent partner of Rod Fenton in the Vancouver Territory. Gene was also NWA World Champion from mid '67 until losing the belt to me February 11, 1969 in Tampa, Florida. Gene learned much from my father, Dory Funk Sr. when he broke into the wrestling business in Arizona. Gene worked the wrestling matches in Phoenix and Tucson as a body guard while he was playing football for University of Arizona. My important matches in Vancouver were against Gene Kiniski and Don Leo Johnathan.
Nick Gulas was the promoter in the Tennessee Territory. He had close relations with Senator Estes Keifauver and claimed credit for the existence of professional wrestling when during the days of the quiz show investigations and subsequent legislation to regulate television, the words "Except in the case of professional wrestling" were inserted into legislation to protect the business. Nick was proud of this accomplishment and often wondered where in the Hell all those other "Bastards" (Referring to the other promoters) would be if it wasn't for him." Nick and Eddie Graham worked closely in protecting their territories. In Nick's territory as champion I faced Johnny Walker (Mr. Wrestling II) Whitey Caldwell, Bearcat Brown and Lou Thesz in title matches.
Ray Gunkel was the promoter in one of the most consistent territories, Atlanta. Ray was an amateur wrestler out of Purdu University, another Big Ten school and close friend of Dory Funk Sr. Ray bought his interest in Atlanta from Paul Jones who owned real-estate in downtown Atlanta, namely the old White House Hotel. Their booker was one half of a noted father and son tag team, Leo Garibaldi. (His father was Gino Garibaldi) In Atlanta I faced Paul DeMarco, Tarzan Tyler, Bobo Brazil, The Professional (Doug Gilbert), Bob Armstrong and Joe Scarpa in important title matches.
Sam Muchnick was the owner of the St. Louis Territory and for the most part it consisted of one town, St. Louis, Missouri. His town was considered the most important to get over in within the National Wrestling Alliance. With the NWA champion there, Keil Auditorium was a consistent 12,000 people sell out. Top draws there were Lou Thesz, Gene Kiniski, Harley Race, Pat O'Connor and for four and a half years, myself, Dory Funk Jr. Sam ran the most respectable business in the NWA. Sam came to the wrestling business from the Newspaper business and was taught by Tom Packs. At one time Sam's TV originated from the Chase Park Plaza Hotel where we often wrestled in the dining room with guests being served quail, rabbit and champagne. Important title matches in St. Louis were with Harley Race, Pat O'Connor, Black Jack Lanza, Gene Kiniski, Rufus Jones, Jack Brisco, Walso Von Erich, Fritz Von Erich and Johnny Valentine.
Don Owen was the fiery promoter in Portland. Don used to like to say he had a turkey farm with 10,000 turkeys and he could eat one turkey a day for the rest of his life so all the promoters in the NWA who might be upset with him could go "f" themselves, he could survive and would run his town like he wanted to. Percentage wise, Don was the best pay-off man I ever worked for. He ran his show in a remodeled bowling alley. One night I worked there and Don said, "Come with me, with all this cash someone may want to hit me over the head. As we drove away he said he had just made his last payment on the building. He owned it along with his turkey farm now and once again affirmed to me what all the other promoters could do. In the Portland Territory I faced Lonnie Mayne and Dutch Savage in world title matches.
Jim Crockett Sr. weighed in at 300 pounds and was a dominating personality. He ran his territory with authority from an old house on Morehead Street in Charlotte, North Carolina. The first time I met Jim, I walked into his office as NWA world champion in my second week. He looked at me and said, "I just want you to know you are our champion and you are not an "F"-ing recruiter for your father. Keep your hands off my talent." I knew not to recruit his talent. Corckett's territory was one of the largest in that he ran four towns a night throughout Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina and kept a large number of wrestling talent. In the Mid Atlantic territory I faced Johnny Weaver, Paul Jones, Bronco Lubich, and J.J. Dillon in world title matches.
Vince McMahon Sr. was the promoter in the Northeast United States and in the mid sixties was not a member of the NWA but was a close friend of Eddie Graham in the Florida Territory. Vince later joined the NWA under the condition that he recognize one world champion, the NWA world Champion and that was the reason his champion was called the WWF Champion. Vince was known as a man of his word, what he said you could count on.
Stu Hart was the tough old bastard who promoted the Calgary Territory. In the Calgary territory one of the most popular ribs in the business was the Mable Party....
On that note, this will be continued next month.