Sunday, December 06, 2015

Ricky Steamboat Looks Back at 1978 NWA Title Match with Harley Race

Ricky Steamboat in Concord NC 12/4/15 with vintage poster from 1978
(Poster from Robert Everett Collection / Tony Hunter Photo)

At a recent EWA show in Concord, NC (Friday 12/4/15), Ricky Steamboat had a chance to reflect on a NWA World Heavyweight Title match he had with then NWA champion Harley Race.
In the photo above, he is holding a vintage Greensboro, NC, event poster from April 2, 1978. Robert Everett brought the poster for Steamboat to sign.

The show at Concord's C.C. Griffin Middle School served as both a fundraiser for the 8th Grade Bus Trip to Washington D.C. and also a tribute to the late pro wrestling legend Chief Wahoo McDaniel. The show was promoted by both George South and Tony Hunter.

Special guests included Steamboat and up-and-coming star Tessa Blanchard, the daughter of the legendary Four Horseman Tully Blanchard.

Steamboat and Race headlined a huge card at the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, NC in April of 1978. That Greensboro card also featured Mid-Atlantic Wrestling legends Mr. Wrestling Tim Woods, Blackjack Mulligan, Wahoo McDaniel, Greg Valentine, Johnny Weaver, Dick Murdoch, Bobo Brazil, Ken Patera, Baron Von Raschke and many others. A virtual "Who's Who" of wrestling superstars of that era.

The show in Concord drew a nice house and raised substantial funds for the 8th grade trip. Ricky Steamboat signed lots of autographs and took lots of photos with fans, and opened the show with an address to fans as well.

More photos after the jump (by clicking the link below.)




Ricky Steamboat with friend (& Wahoo McDaniel tribute show promoter) George South.

Nice crowd at the Wahoo mcDaniel Tribute Show
A fundraiser for CC Griffin Middle School 8th Grade Bus Trip to Washington DC

Photo collage from Platform Gym's facebook page. At bottom left in the collage,
Ricky Steamboat addresses the crowd to open the show.
Tessa Blanchard in action.

Aimee South with Ricky Steamboat

Event Poster
Photos provided by George South. Newspaper clipping from Mark Eastridge.