Two Venues

This blogger has been asked often regarding a first wrestling show and a first Southeast Asia show due to the blog.  I'll divide this quickly into two portions and two venues.

 

My first wrestling show, after beginning to follow pro wrestling in 1968, was at the Cow Palace in Daly City (about 12 km. from downtown San Francisco).  I took in an event on 11 July 1970 before around 15,000 fans.

 

The five match wrestling card had some known names such as Pedro Morales (former WWWF Champion), Freddie Blassie, Haystacks Calhoun and Peter Maivia, the late godfather of WWE superstar, The Rock.

 

The main event was a between bitter rivals, Pat Patterson (c) vs. Ray Stevens.  Today, it would be called a match that would go on until a wrestler could not continue.  Stevens had forfeited the United States Regional Title about a year before because of injury.  Patterson, his scheduled opponent at the time of the mishap, defeated Pedro Morales and became champion.

 

The match went five falls and was one of the most grueling matches ever.  Stevens won when Patterson could not respond by the count of 10.

 

Stevens and Patterson carried pro wrestling in the Bay Area during the era.  They were great singles wrestlers and were also a tag team, perhaps the best in the Territory Era.

 

Over 50 years later, it was a new adventure for this fan.  In December 2022, this blogger went to his first pro wrestling show in Southeast Asia.

 

Pictured above is the Peta Theater Center in Quezon City, Philippines.  It was home for, at the time, the Manila Wrestling Federation.

 

That night with a great gathering of around 300 fans, MWF provided the fans with 10 matches including two title encounters.  The fans were knowledgeable, were really into the action, and were well behaved, something that is great to see.

 

Being from America, one didn't know what to expect that afternoon and evening.  However, it was every bit as enjoyable as the one at the Cow Palace.  To this day, I'm grateful for the support and everything that happened that night.  It was definitely a day not to forget and to appreciate!

 

Since then, I've been to several more shows in the Philippines at Circuit Makati and at the Brawl Pit Bulusan.  The venues have been electric and enjoyable.

 

This year, the plan is to expand traveling in the region.  Since Thailand is the furthest from where I live, will definitely make the journey.  The country has always been exciting with the views, culture and the food.  There are three wrestling promotions there and the hope is to see all of them (at least two!).

 

Since I have running and wrestling fans in the Philippines, yes, I will be back this year as well.  Please be patient though!

SF Bay Area Wrestling

Hello everyone.

 

For those who are interested in reading past pro wrestling history where I live in the San Francisco Bay Area, I have a surprise.

 

The SF Bay Area Wrestling blog has just launched.  It will be about pro wrestling past and present in the Bay Area.  This blogger will have stories and more on every promotion that has hit the area.

 

It is in its very early stages.  Here is the link for those that are interested.  I have a link on the side of this blog as well.

 

 https://sfbaw.blogspot.com/

Before The Rock

Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, in the 1960s into the 1970s, wrestling was big on KTVU Channel 2 every Friday night with the great Walt Harris doing the announcing.  The hour long show from the station's television studios had some of the big names in pro wrestling back in the day.  You could say that the 9-10pm time slot had more viewers than probably the other stations combined.

 

The other day, when I saw The Rock in the Wrestlemania 40 segment on WWE Smackdown, I couldn't help but thinking of the past.  The "Soulman" Rocky Johnson, The Rock's dad, was one of my favorite wrestlers growing up.

 

During the Territory Era, Rocky was a huge draw in Northern California.  He was part of the huge names such as Ray Stevens, Pat Patterson, Pepper Gomez, Peter Maivia, Kenji Shibuya and Mr. Saito.  It was a great time for this blogger as a wrestling fan.

 

Rocky Johnson could certainly wrestle.  It didn't matter if it was singles competition or tag team wrestling.  He, and a couple of partners in Pepper Gomez and Pat Patterson, held the San Francisco version of the NWA Tag Team belts.  Johnson was not only athletic, but he had one of the best drop kicks ever (then and now).  The timing of every one of the dropkicks was perfect!  

 

Rocky didn't have to say a lot in the interviews we saw.  He let his wrestling do the talking for him.

 

I remembered when the NWA and later, the AWA left out area.  By then, Rocky Johnson along with Pat Patterson hooked on with the WWF (WWE today).  I still enjoyed both wrestlers, but the feeling was different than before.  They were in a different company than what the NWA did for me.   

 

His son, The Rock (Dwayne Johnson) is definitely an icon in the business.  Certainly, there's been a lot of attention with him and the upcoming Wrestlemania 40 show in Philadelphia.  I'm actually excited to see his latest project in the United Football League turns out.