Congratulations to all of the recently announced inductees and honorees to the Tragos-Thesz Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame Class of 2025, but in particular to Tim Hornbaker (James C Melby Award for journalism) and David Crockett (Gordon Solie Award.) I have so much personal and professional respect for these two individuals.
The 2025 Tragos-Thesz Hall of Fame inductions are scheduled for July 17-19 at the Dan Gable Museum in Waterloo, Iowa.
If there was ever a true champion for wrestling fans, especially in the Carolinas and Virginia, it was Bob Caudle. And a champion needs a belt.
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| Bob Caudle with his own title belt, a gift from the Mid-Atlantic Gateway, at his home in Raleigh, NC. |
Originally published June 18, 2024
One of the things that I've always felt made Bob Caudle so special to wrestling fans from several generations is the fact that he was the steady constant on our televisions every week for near 34 years. The wrestlers came and went, but Bob was the constant. Almost every single week from when he took over for Ray Reeve at WRAL in Raleigh on All Star Wrestling in 1961 to the last days of Smokey Mountain Wrestling in the 1990s, Bob was the constant.
He is best remembered as the voice of Mid-Atlantic Wrestling throughout the 1970s and 1980s. His friendly smile and welcoming voice was a warm embrace every Saturday afternoon, and the relationship he established with fans transcended that time to where even well into the 2010s, Bob was attending fan conventions and received warmly by fans.
If there was ever a true champion for wrestling fans, especially in the Carolinas and Virginia, it was Bob Caudle. And a champion needs a belt.
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| The belt on display at my home before making the trip to Raleigh. Also in this photograph are Bob's Hall of Heroes plaque which he gave to me on my 50th birthday (and I treasure), as well as the photograph used for the main plate of the belt. |
The Mid-Atlantic Gateway presented Bob with a special, one of a kind, commemorative belt paying tribute to the Voice of Mid-Atlantic Wrestling. It was presented to him and his wife Jackie on June 17, 2024 at his home in Raleigh.
I wasn't sure how Bob would receive it. While he loves reminiscing about the "old days," he generally is not at all interested in holding on to wrestling memorabilia. Soon to be 94 years old, and in a no-holds-bar match against the ravages of father-time, Bob said it will be a tough task for anyone to take this title away from him. "They will bury me with this!" he said with a big smile.
It was a nice moment with a truly wonderful man.
- D. Bourne
Charting the Territories Presents:
The 1971-1973 Jim Crockett/Mid-Atlantic Wrestling Almanac
A Book by Al Getz (For more information, visit https://chartingtheterritories.com. )
UPDATED 12/12/24
Working with statistics makes my head hurt. I love reviewing them, but have no patience for compiling them. David Chappell is better at it than I am. But nobody can do it better or has taken as much time to process them than Al Getz, in his books and at his website Charting the Territories.
I am delighted to report that Al has finally completed his first almanac devoted to Jim Crockett Promotions and it covers the years 1971-1973. 1973 in particular was a pivotal, transformational year for the company which makes this collection of statistics and analysis particularly interesting.
This 400-page monster looks at the company from a statistical standpoint from every angle, pillar to post, port to starboard, stem to stern. The amount of research is staggering and the scope is comprehensive. From the talent, to the towns, to the results, this book of statistics and analysis charts it all.
The Gateway was proud to make contributions. When Al contacted me in 2021, he was looking for more detailed
information regarding the placement of talent on cards, etc., and so we asked Mark
Eastridge (the greatest newspaper researcher we've ever known or come
across) if he would allow us to share his vast newspaper ads &
results archives with Al to assist with his statistical analysis. Mark was happy to oblige. His
collection goes back beyond the 1950s, and he has been building it for
decades. Mark's work is featured prominently.
Al has credited the Mid-Atlantic Gateway's Almanac in the past as inspiration for his work. We are honored by that, and are happy to spread the word about this amazing piece of work.
From detailed analysis of every wrestler at every level on the card, to a look at the towns, big and small across the territory, this book covers it all. If you are into the details, you'll love this book. We can't recommend it enough.
Al Getz is a fellow recipient of the James C. Melby Award for pro-wrestling journalism given each year by the George Tragos / Lou Thesz Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame, part of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame's Dan Gable Museum in Waterloo, Iowa.
Here is a direct link for people who want to pre-order the book. It is for customers in the continental U.S. only.
You can find more information on the book at the Charting the Territories website and by following author Al Getz on Twitter/X at @AlGetzWrestling.
- Dick Bourne
Mid-Atlantic Gateway
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From the back of the book:
Jim Crockett Sr. was a renowned empresario in Charlotte, North Carolina for nearly four decades. In addition to promoting concerts, sporting events, and even the fine arts, his professional wrestling territory stretched across the better part of three states.
Unlike most other territories of the era, Crockett placed a heavy emphasis on tag teams. Rule breaking duos such as Rip Hawk & Swede Hanson, Brute Bernard & the Missouri Mauler, and Gene & Ole Anderson did battle with fan favorite combos including George Becker and Johnny Weaver and
Nelson Royal & Paul Jones.
In the early 1970s, changes were afoot in the Carolinas and Virginia. New stars were brought in to prop up a stale main event scene. One of the most popular wrestlers of th previous twenty years was being nudged - begrudgingly - towards retirement. New blood behind the scenes wanted to reshape (and rename) the promotion to move in a different direction. Two deaths would rock the territory - the second to its very core - prompting the next generation of the Crockett pro wrestling empire to emerge.
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Author Al Getz will be signing copies of this new book at WrestleCade in Winston-Salem!
For more information, visit https://chartingtheterritories.com.
This week's pro wrestling column in @PostandCourier
— Mike Mooneyham (@ByMikeMooneyham) December 2, 2024
READ: https://t.co/Gtzb8q7MMe pic.twitter.com/gtMayQuDOG
"If I had anything I needed a grown person’s opinion on, I would go to Mr. Crockett. I always referred to him as ‘Mr. Crockett’ — I could never call him ‘Jim.’ We had kind of a camaraderie. He was a great man.”- John Ringleyhttps://t.co/8alq8GkjTV
— Mike Mooneyham (@ByMikeMooneyham) November 25, 2024
Four Horsemen in FULL COLOR HARDCOVER
now available at
Amazon.com
Every member! Every version! Every associate! The women! The managers!
It's all laid out month by month, year by year, with photos and charts included.
(August 2011) One of the greatest wrestling t-shirts ever designed hit the NWA Wrestling Legends Fanfest in Atlanta. It photographically depicts the various emotions of the one and only Ole Anderson. Except that each photo placed above each listed emotion is the exact same photo.
Joy, sorrow, excitement…same photo of Ole. It is brilliant and captures Ole Anderson to a tee.
"Never let 'em see you sell, kid," his Dad taught him.
Gene obviously once taught Ole Anderson that lesson well.
(Edited from an original post on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway, August 2011.)
