September 2^nd, 1979 

This is my own personal defining moment in Mid Atlantic wrestling.  On this Sunday afternoon, which was my 21^st birthday, I had the pleasure of seeing a truly classic wrestling match at the Township Auditorium in Columbia.  The main event was Nick Bockwinkel defending his AWA World Heavyweight title against the NWA TV title of Ricky Steamboat.  This was a wonderful match up.  After trading holds and putting on a veritable wrestling clinic, the tried and true heel World Champion Bockwinkel intentionally got disqualified to retain his title.  The crowd was disappointed that Steamboat didn’t capture the AWA title, but were thoroughly thrilled by the match put on by these two great wrestlers.  It was probably the best birthday present I have ever given myself. 

September 17^th, 1981 

After being in the business for about nine years, “Nature Boy” Ric Flair finally ascended to the throne of NWA World Champion by beating Dusty Rhodes in Kansas City, Missouri.  This would signal a shift in the balance of power in the NWA.  Having Flair win the title would allow Jim Crockett to soon become more powerful in the wrestling business.  Flair’s reigns as World Champion were extremely successful for the NWA as well as JCP.  It wasn’t long after that Flair and the NWA title were almost exclusively seen in the Mid Atlantic area.  Flair’s tenure as champion from 1981 to 1983 and later into 1984 was really the last time that the NWA World Champion was a true traveling champion.  After that, the belt was defended mostly in the United States. 

November 24^th, 1983 

Wrestling history was changed on this night.  Jim Crockett Promotions put together a collection of matches and superstars, named it Starrcade, and made it available throughout the Mid Atlantic region through the marvels of Closed Circuit Television.  I saw the event live at the Township Auditorium in Columbia, South Carolina.  Columbia was one of the regular stops on the JCP tour for many years.  I had front row floor seats and enjoyed every moment of that night.  From then on, wrestling took on an entirely different persona.  From this closed circuit event we “evolved” into the Pay-Per-View bonanza we have thrust upon us every month by the current product.  But, twenty years ago, this was a groundbreaking gamble by JCP and it worked.  For many years after this evening, wrestling fans would eagerly await the buildup to Starrcade. 

November 28^th, 1985 

This was the night of Starrcade 1985.  One particular match on that card stood out, and has continued to amaze and delight wrestling fans every since.  Tully Blanchard was the United States Heavyweight Champion at the time.  His chief rival then was Magnum TA.  These two were embroiled in a bitter feud over the title, and were signed to meet in an “I QUIT CAGE MATCH” at the annual Starrcade event.  This match took brutality to a whole new level.  Although Tully never actually said the words “I QUIT”, he did give up while Magnum was using a broken table leg to pierce Blanchard’s forehead.  When most fans make up their top ten lists of all time best matches, this one inevitably finds its way onto those lists. 

October 14^th, 1986 

It was supposed to a simple drive home for a young man who had everything going for him in life.  He was a professional wrestler on the verge of being the top dog in the business.  But, fate intervened and dealt him a cruel hand.  On a slippery road in Charlotte, North Carolina, Terry “Magnum TA” Allen crashed his Porsche into a telephone pole and was severely injured.  He would never wrestle again.  He almost didn’t even walk again!  Once again, during the month of October, a tragic event happened that greatly affected wrestling, ended the career of a top-notch performer, and nearly took the life of a genuine human being. 

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