Where Wrestling's Regional History Lives!
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Where Wrestling's Regional History Lives! |
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- Mike Norris Welcome back to
Kayfabe Memories' look at the Gulf Coast Wrestling territory. This month
we look at the year 1958. The
World Tag Team title is defended in the area and Antonino Rocca, Ed
"Strangler" Lewis and Gorgeous George make appearances. JANUARY: The Gulf Coast
Heavyweight title was still held up as the New Year began. This was
pending a rematch between former champion Mario Galento and challenger
Yvon Robierre. Their last match had ended in a no-contest and the Alabama
commission held up the title. A rematch was scheduled with the winner to
be crowned as Gulf Coast champion. The match started off relatively tame
in comparison to the wild match the two had engaged in previously.
Robierre won the first fall when he caught Galento in a flying
head-scissors. Galento came back to even up the score by winning the
second fall with a Boston Crab. Things got a little rougher in the third
and final fall when Galento started punching the popular Canadian around.
Robierre had absorbed a terrible beating when he found a second
wind. He reversed the tide and began knocking Galento around, cutting
Mario's forehead in the process. Just as he had Galento set up for a fall,
he missed a flying tackle and wound up with his head caught between the
top and middle ropes. This was the opening Galento needed and he began to
pound on the helpless Robierre. Galento got so carried away that he
punched referee Rocky McGuire when he stepped in to separate him from the
lifeless form of Robierre, who was hanging in the ropes. McGuire regained
his feet and untied Robierre, who crumpled to the floor. McGuire then
raised Robierre's hand indicating that he had disqualified Galento and
awarded the match and the title to Robierre. Rocky (Sputnik) Monroe came
to ringside and he and Galento lodged a protest, but it stood that Yvon
Robierre was the new Gulf Coast champion. Robierre tried to add another crown to his head as he teamed with Lester Welch to try and wrest the World's Tag Team title from the waists of Jackie & Donnie Fargo. Things looked good for the challengers as Welch & Robierre knocked Jackie Fargo around mercilessly until Welch finally pinned him to take the first fall. Jackie roared back in the second and kneed Welch in the groin several times and pinned him to even the score. Welch was severely weakened and had to be helped back to the dressing room for the rest period between falls. He wasn't in much better shape when he limped back out to the ring to begin the third and final fall. Robierre started the fall and was battered around quite a bit while Welch tried to recover. When Yvon was finally able to make it to the corner and tag Welch in, Lester had recovered and he was raring to go! He tore into the ring and knocked both Fargos around and finally trapped Donnie Fargo in a corner. This brought valet Sonny Boy Fargo up out of his ringside seat where he had been sitting quietly up until this point. Sonny Boy climbed up onto the ring apron and began hitting Welch across the back with his walking stick. Welch had absorbed two or three licks when he turned around, grabbed Sonny Boy and dragged him into the ring. He took the cane away from the pesky valet and broke it across his head. Robierre and the remaining Fargos then got into the action and everyone began battering whoever they could get their hands on. Referee Bud Clardy gave up on trying to control the wild action and called for the bell. He declared the match a no-contest, but was ignored by the contestants who continued to swing away at one another. Monroe came to rushing into the ring to aid the Fargos, but was quickly whacked by the cane-wielding Welch. Sputnik was knocked to the canvas and was so wobbly when he got to his feet he laid a haymaker on Jackie Fargo by mistake. Rocky McGuire and George "Baby Blimp" Harris then entered the ring to try and calm things but they too were knocked to the canvas. By this time, Robierre had what was left of the cane and was using it to hit everyone in the stomach with it. Finally Clardy and McGuire managed to get everyone separated and back to the dressing rooms. Because of the double disqualification, the Fargos were still the World tag champs. But it didn't end there. |
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