Ken Patera: A Tale of Two Very Different Mid-Atlantic Wrestling Runs

by David Chappell
Mid-Atlantic Gateway

PART ONE

An exciting newcomer by the name of Ken Patera came onto the Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling landscape in February of 1975. Ken came to the territory with great credentials, primarily from the world of amateur weightlifting. Ken won a gold medal at the Pan American games in 1971, and participated in the 1972 Olympic Games in the sport of weightlifting. Patera, rightly so, was introduced as “Wrestling’s Strongest Man” during his first Mid-Atlantic stint, which lasted for about a year.

The Ken Patera of 1975 and early 1976 was a friendly, soft spoken and educated man, often referring to the fact that he had attended Brigham Young University in his interviews. Despite all of his credentials, Ken was exceedingly modest, a trait that seemed to endear him to the Mid-Atlantic fans. Patera showcased his strength in a number of incredible feats of strength shown on the Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling television show in the spring and summer of 1975. The most memorable of these feats was Ken holding back a pickup truck, his back against a wall with his feet against the bumper, with announcer Les Thatcher having the vehicle in reverse, flooring the accelerator with smoke bellowing from the screeching tires!

Patera’s in-ring feats were also noteworthy during his first stint with Jim Crockett Promotions. Ken was an excellent tag team wrestler, and came close numerous times to dethroning World Tag Team Champions Gene and Ole Anderson with a series of partners from the “good guy” side of the fence. On the singles side of things, Patera had interesting feuds with none other than Johnny “The Champ” Valentine during the spring and summer of 1975, and with Blackjack Mulligan and Steve Strong during the fall of 1975.

Patera tricked Valentine on a TV segment where Johnny was putting lower card wrestlers’ names in a fish bowl, saying he would randomly draw a name out and give the lucky man a shot at his 2000 silver dollars. Valentine’s 2000 silver dollar TV challenge was legendary around the area at this time. During a commercial break, Ken exchanged all the names in the fish bowl with his own name, and Valentine about had a coronary when he drew the name “KEN PATERA” out of the fish bowl! This led to a silver dollar match on TV where Ken had Johnny flat out in the ring at the 10 minute mark, but the referee decided that Valentine didn’t submit so the “Champ” kept his money.

The two battled evenly in the areas’ arenas over the next few months, with Patera getting a number of shots at Johnny’s prestigious United States Title. These bouts had tremendous intensity, and often revolved around Patera cinching Valentine in a headlock or bear hug with his powerful arms sapping the strength out of the “Champ.” Valentine would often somehow manage to pull out a victory, but Ken typically walked out of the ring immediately while Johnny lay motionless on the canvas for a number of minutes!

Ken’s last major angle during his first run in Jim Crockett Promotions played off of his weightlifting background. In October of 1975, Superstar Billy Graham challenged Patera to a bench press weightlifting contest on TV. Graham put forth his friend, the muscular Mid-Atlantic newcomer Steve Strong, to actually participate in the competition. By the time the contest actually took place, a couple of weeks later, Blackjack Mulligan had joined Patera and Strong in the contest to see who could bench press the most weight. After the weight had risen to over 400 pounds, Mulligan and Strong attacked Patera as he was attempting to lift, with the result being that the weight crashed down on Ken’s neck and chest. Patera was out of action for about a week, but it was amazing that he wasn’t hurt more seriously. This incident led to a brief feud in November and December where Patera attempted to exact revenge on Mulligan and Strong.

The “World’s Strongest Wrestler” was then deemphasized and left the Mid-Atlantic area in February of 1976. Other than making a couple of “guest” appearances in the territory later in the year, Mid-Atlantic fans didn’t see Patera again in the territory until the early months of 1978. During the interim, fans saw Ken participate in the CBS “World’s Strongest Man” contest and for the fans that read the national wrestling magazines, they saw that Patera was wrestling in the WWWF territory in the northeast.

The Ken Patera that was wrestling in New York was a far different grappler than the one Mid-Atlantic fans grew to love in 1975, in appearance, personality and wrestling style. The hair had become long and blonde, the modesty had been replaced by arrogance and the scientific wrestling had been replaced by ruthless rulebreaking. The question then became, if Ken Patera came back to the Mid-Atlantic area, which version of the Olympic strongman would we get? It wouldn’t take long to find out!


... To be continued in Part Two

 

Originally published December 2015

1974 Concludes With a Bang!

By David Chappell
Mid-Atlantic Gateway 

One of the most memorable televised matches ever on Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling TV wasn’t actually a scheduled match at all. And occurring in the middle of 1974, it in many ways was “Exhibit A” in the evolving change of Jim Crockett Promotions from a tag team based territory to an area focused on a hard-hitting singles style.

Indian star Wahoo McDaniel was on his way to the Carolina’s in early July of 1974 when he came by the High Point, North Carolina TV studios to help announcer Charlie Harville with color commentary. Johnny “The Champ” Valentine was in the squared circle and was none too happy to see Wahoo in the territory, goaded McDaniel into the ring, and the two proceeded to have an impromptu slugfest that was talked about for years hence! In fact, a clip on the Wahoo-Valentine brawl was shown due to popular demand on a Jim Crockett Promotions highlight year-in-review show way off in 1980!

And on the subject of Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling year-in-review shows, the December of 1974 version featured the Wahoo-Valentine in-ring brawl in one of its segments. Wahoo and the Super Destroyer were both in the studio when the tape of the High Point fracas was shown to the viewers.

Announcer Sam Menacker began, “This is really a highlight, boy-o-boy, Wahoo McDaniel and Johnny Valentine! What a feud these two men have. Look at these punches and chops! It’s just a testimony of the condition of both of you.”

Wahoo commented, “I want the Destroyer to be sure and take a good close look at this, because this could happen to him at any time too.” Menacker noted, “The Destroyer is sitting here watching intently, very intently.” The Super Destroyer chimed in, “Well Mr. Wahoo, it just goes to show one thing, that you pick, like you pick your opponents. You picked that tape to make yourself look good. They should show a few of the tapes where I beat you decisively in the center of the ring, with a one, two, three count that really counts.”

Watching the wild action Menacker exclaimed, “Wahoo, boy I’m telling you, I can’t remember ever seeing anything like this, all these chops! You didn’t beat him, I mean he gets up. He’s tough, but you’re still withstanding his punches too.” McDaniel agreed, “That’s right, it’s just a tough battle. In a short period of time like this, it’s hard to tell who the best man is. As you can see he’s holding his own and I’m holding my own.”

Menacker continued excitedly, “You dropped him there! The fans are cheering you on!” Wahoo then added some important context, “Sam, I want to bring up one thing. This was one of the first weeks I was here. Valentine wanted to test me early. He got a good showing early that I wasn’t gonna back down from him. I want the Destroyer to answer this, because he waited an extra week to see what I could do. They wanted to feel me out ahead of time. He’s felt me out since; he knows how I am. Now Valentine knows that you’re not gonna run over me.”

Sam, still awe-stuck at the ferocity of the spontaneous brawl stated to Wahoo, “Here [Valentine’s] wasting time, you dropped him there. He’s purposely wasting time here, he’s regaining his bearings a bit in doing this. He’s trying to get his second wind. Again, look at these punches fly! Another chop! And that stops him; that backs him up.”

The Super Destroyer then interjected, “It just goes to show the great condition of the Super Destroyer and as you can see on your screen, Johnny Valentine.” McDaniel disgustedly retorted, “Yeah, he looks in real good shape there. I tell you, I’m tired of sitting out here. I don’t want to sit at the table with this man.” Wahoo then stormed off from the announcer’s table leaving Menacker and the Super D. behind as the segment wrapped up.

Sam concluded, “I certainly don’t blame Wahoo for leaving. Say fans, in this match you’ve seen a lot of punching and a lot of toughness on the part of both these wrestlers. Oh, look at that chop by Wahoo McDaniel! Another chop to the back of the head! That shakes up Valentine as the Destroyer watches intently, and we now must go to a commercial break.”

Poster: Valentine and Wahoo Headline Stacked Card in Greensboro (1975)

by Brack Beasley
Mid-Atlantic Gateway Contributor

This poster takes us back to Sunday, September 28th, 1975 and features an absolutely loaded card at the Greensboro Coliseum. 

Johnny Valentine defended his United States Heavyweight title in the main event against perennial foe Wahoo McDaniel in what was sure to be a hard hitting, violent affair. Unfortunately, it turned out to be Valentine's last match in Greensboro due to the Wilmington, NC plane crash less than a week later. 

In the semi, Gene and Ole Anderson put their NWA World Tag Team belts on the line against the exciting duo of Dusty Rhodes and Paul Jones, while Ray Stevens came into town trying to collect Valentine's bounty on Tim Woods. 

The mid-card match had Ric Flair vs. Tiger Conway Jr. and the undercard included Ken Patera, The Avenger (Reggie Parks), Great Malenko, Spoiler No. 2, Danny Miller, and Steve Keirn. 

The poster's horizontal layout has red and black print over a two tone hot pink and yellow background. In addition, images of seven wrestlers adorn both sides and are accompanied by the signatures of Wahoo and Ole. 

Oh, what we wouldn't do to go back maybe just once and experience an event such as this one, professional wrestling as it should be.

NO. 37 IN THE BRACK BEASLEY POSTER SERIES

Flair and Valentine at WRAL

by Dick Bourne
Mid-Atlantic Gateway
Photographs from the Bleachers at WRAL by Ric Carter



We've been featuring a series of rare photographs taken by photographer Ric Carter from the bleachers of the studio during an hour of "Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling" in July of 1975.

Now we take a second look at the team of Johnny Valentine and Ric Flair in a great photograph in the moments after their victory over Kevin Sullivan and Bob Bruggers. (See more photos from that match here.)

At left, Sullivan kneels over his partner who had just taken a vicious suplex and elbow drop from "The Champ" Johnny Valentine.  Referee Johnny Heidmann checks up on the losing team as well.

Johnny Valentine had taken Flair under his wing somewhat during this time and the two teamed frequently on TV. Valentine was the reigning United States Heavyweight champion and Ric Flair held the Mid-Atlantic Television title.

In another great photo from the bleachers, Ric Cater grabbed a shot of the new United States Heavyweight title belt as it lay on the ring apron before the match, just moments before ring attendant scooped it up. You can see the ring attendant in the background, just placing Flair's TV belt over his left arm. This was the first time the new U.S. title belt, with its sparkling gold plated cast plates and shiny red crocodile leather, had been seen on T.V.

 

The story on every title change and every belt from the Crockett Promotions years.

As mentioned in our earlier post on this match, it was Johnny Valentine's first TV appearance as United States Heavyweight champion. He had just defeated Harley Race six days earlier for that title in Greensboro. During Valentine's TV match, Les Thatcher told fans that they would be reviewing tape of the title change from Greensboro on next week's show.

Champions At This Time:
NWA World Champion: Jack Brisco
World Tag Team Champions: Gene and Ole Anderson
United States Champion: Johnny Valentine
Mid-Atlantic Champion: Wahoo McDaniel
TV Champion: Ric Flair

This show was taped Wednesday, 7/9/75 and aired on Saturday, 7/12/75. Other matches on this show included Chief Wahoo McDaniel vs. The Blue Scorpion, "No. 1" Paul Jones and Rufus R. "Freight Train" Jones vs. "Crusher" Jerry Blackwell and George "Two Ton" Harris, plus Ole Anderson vs. Bob Burns.

This is the fifth and final installment in our series of photos from WRAL studio in 1975. 

1975 Photo Feature Summary
1. Wahoo McDaniel vs. The Blue Scorpion (Part 1)
2. Wahoo McDaniel vs. The Blue Scorpion (Part 2) 
3. Johnny Valentine & Ric Flair vs. Sullivan & Bruggers (Part 1)
4. Paul Jones & Rufus R. Jones vs. Blackwell and Harris 
5. Johnny Valentine & Ric Flair vs. Sullivan & Bruggers (Part 2) (This post)

All photographs in this series by Ric Carter, © CartersRXd.net. Used with permission.

Vintage audio provided by Gary Wray.

Edited from an original post in August 2018.

Johnny Valentine's Softer Side

by David Chappell
Mid-Atlantic Gateway

In early December of 1974, Johnny “The Champ” Valentine was a dominating force in Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling. Known as the “Hammer,” Valentine was the Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Champion and was running roughshod over foe after foe. But in an edition of the Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling television show that was taped right before the wrestlers took off a little bit of time before the Christmas holidays, we learned some surprising things about the Hammer.

On this TV show, Valentine faced off against Belton, South Carolina’s favorite son, Tommy Seigler in a non-title bout. Johnny’s 2,000 silver dollars were not at stake in this match. This contest was the final bout on the show, and as such the length of the match was set for television time remaining. Seigler, a solid mid-card performer would be expected to give Valentine a good tussle, but in this match he held Valentine to a TV time limit draw. This surprising result may finally have exposed a small chink in Valentine’s armor.

But the biggest surprise to come out of this TV bout for me was a bit of information that was produced from color commentator “Big” Bill Ward. To put this bit of surprising news in perspective, one only had to think back to when Valentine was wrestling “Mr. Wrestling” Tim Woods on Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling television two months earlier, his deliberately breaking Woods’ leg, and smiling as Woods screamed in agony from the broken bone.

Ward told the Mid-Atlantic faithful, “A lot of times the fans write in, and we like to honor their requests. Someone wanted to know the hobbies of Johnny Valentine…well, you’d be surprised. A rugged guy in the ring like Johnny Valentine, can you imagine what his hobbies would be? Painting and gardening! Now, that’s amazing isn’t it?”

A shocked announcer Bob Caudle paused and then replied, “It really is…you wouldn’t think it was his nature.” Ward responded, “Well, the delicate touch he has in that ring could be applied to gardening and to painting. But it amazes me that a man that can be as rugged in that ring can have hobbies like that!”

Witnessing Johnny Valentine brutalize Mid-Atlantic opponents with his sledgehammer right hand in nearly every bout he participated in for Jim Crockett Promotions, I’m not quite sure when and where Bill Ward saw the ‘delicate touch’ of Johnny Valentine that he mentioned. But I certainly agree with “Big Bill” that I was amazed to hear that Johnny’s hobbies were painting and gardening.

I’ll never forget when TV announcer Les Thatcher followed up with the same line of thought with Valentine on Les’ Mid-Atlantic Wrestling TV show later in 1975, and even got Johnny, the Hammer, to talk about his garden. I about fell out of my chair when Valentine told Les that it was a source of great pride for him that the vegetables he grew in his garden were bigger and healthier than those of his neighbors. It’s just hard to imagine the brutal Johnny Valentine comparing and contrasting his tomatoes to those of his next door neighbors.

Oh well, I guess even a Hammer can have a softer side!

 

 

Originally posted in December 2016 

Poster: Johhny Valentine and Ric Flair Heat Up Lynchburg

by Brack Brasley
Mid-Atlantic Gateway Contributor

Lynchburg, VA was a regular stop on the Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling circuit for so many years and this particular poster promotes a great card held on Saturday, August 23, 1975 in the City Armory.

The tag team main event featured the short lived but formidable team of Johnny Valentine and Ric Flair versus fan favorites Tim Woods and Paul Jones. The Fabulous Moolah also defended her Women's World Championship against Susan Green. It was billed as a "Ladies Title Match" although Moolah was anything but a lady the couple of times I saw her wrestle live in the late 70s.

The midcard match featured Tony Atlas White, as he was promoted at the beginning of his career anytime he wrestled near his hometown of Roanoke, VA.

With a vertical layout the poster has all black print over a light pink background and images of Valentine, Flair, Jones, Green, Moolah with her World title belt, and Danny Miller with the old Eastern States title around his waist. Peter's News Stand would have been your source for advance tickets.

As hot as it must have been on this August night in the Armory, I'm sure it was nothing compared to the heat Valentine, Flair, and Moolah were drawing.  

NO. 14 IN A SERIES

Johnny Valentine Returns to County Hall

"I will never forget this town. Because there was a time I was a sellout for wrestling. There was a time - - it was hot in this building but I loved the town, and I still do, and I love the town today. You know, it hasn't changed, the people are great, and it's a pleasure to be here."
- Johnny Valentine, Charleston SC, 1998

 

County Hall in Charleston SC hosted many matches over the years. My journey there started in 1974. The legendary figures that passed through the hallowed hall were many, but there was something special about Johnny Valentine. He just stood out. His battles with Wahoo were something to behold in person. I will never forget.

After all the years had passed and the limited appearances that he made, it was an incredible honor to have him back at County Hall in 1998. Unfortunately, Johnny would pass away a couple of years later, making this one of his last personal appearances at a wrestling event. However, his memory lives on in the heart of Mid-Atlantic Wrestling fans to this day.    - Andy McDaniel

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Video produced by Andy McDaniel. Check out Andy's book Reunion at County Hall: The Night the Wrestling Legends Returned to Charleston. Available on Amazon.com.

Poster: Wahoo McDaniel and Johnny Valentine Battle it Out in Greensboro

by Brack Beasley
Mid-Atlantic Gateway Contributor

Here we have a poster promoting a spectacular triple main event at the Greensboro Coliseum dated Thursday, March 13th, 1975. The famous feud between Johnny Valentine and Wahoo McDaniel continued this night with an Indian strap match, and I'll bet the fans in Greensboro were on their feet bell to bell. 

It was a matchup of masked men with The Super Destroyer vs. The Avenger, Reggie Parks himself, the legendary belt maker. Reggie's belts were handmade pieces of art that showed his great talent other than professional wrestling. 

Ric Flair and Dusty Rhodes faced off in a return grudge match, and three new names not so familiar to Mid-Atlantic fans at the time appear on the undercard: Blackjack Mulligan, Mr. Fuji, and Chris Taylor.

Southern Poster did a great layout on this one showing black print on a two-tone pastel blue and bright yellow background with the date and three main events in high impact red. I like how the older Greensboro posters say "War Memorial Coliseum" as opposed to the later "Greensboro Coliseum" and this one also has the familiar "Wrestling" splash in the top left corner. 

One other thing that stands out here is the six images of completely contrasting individuals, a Chief, a tough guy, a big masked man, a brash young blonde, an up and coming African American star, and a bald lunatic. Something for everyone I suppose.

 NO. 7 IN A SERIES

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Gateway Notes:
This was during Blackjack Mulligan's first short run in the Mid-Atlantic area before moving on to the WWWF where he and Blackjack Lanza would hold the WWWF Tag Team titles. Later that same year of 1975, though, Mulligan would be recruited by JCP booker George Scott to come back to the area to replace Johnny Valentine as the top heel in the promotion following Valentine's career ending injury in the October 1975 Wilmington plane crash. Read more about that first short stint for Mulligan in our series "Mulligan Faces the Indian Strap."

The Flair/Rhodes confrontation was one of the earliest matches between the two men who would later be involved in a feud that defined pro-wrestling in the 1980s. Flair and Rhodes met several times in Greensboro in the 1970s. 

Chris Taylor was a bronze-medal winner in the 1972 Munich Olympics in wrestling, and was making a short string of appearances in the territory at this time. Check out Chris Taylor's Mid-Atlantic Cup of Coffee on the Gateway.

Poster: Andre the Giant's First Night in Greensboro (1974)

by Brack Beasley
Mid-Atlantic Gateway Contributor

This poster is from the famed Greensboro Coliseum and dated June 6, 1974. It represents Andre the Giant's first appearance in Greensboro, during his first tour of the Mid Atlantic territory. 

Can you imagine the reaction of the fans that night to seeing the Giant in person? I know I'll never forget the first time seeing Andre in the late 1970s, also in a battle royal. 

The layout is pretty simple on this one with black print standing out against a light orange background but as usual, it promotes a loaded Greensboro card. 

While Johnny Valentine is most remembered for his singles work, the team of himself and the Super Destroyer Don Jardine appears quite intimidating. Other Mid-Atlantic legends such as Rip Hawk, Swede Hanson, Johnny Weaver, Abe Jacobs, Sandy Scott, and Danny Miller are also featured.

Andre the Giant, announcer Big Bill Ward, and Andre's friend,
driver, and interpreter Frank Valois.

 

Notice Frank Valois is in an early match vs. Sandy Scott. Valois was Andre's driver and interpreter (and great friend.)

My apologies in advance if any of these posters have been posted on the Gateway in the past but maybe some of the newer visitors will see them for the first time. 

* * * * 

For more on Andre the Giant's first tour of the Mid-Atlantic area, see the following articles by Dick Bourne and Les Thatcher:

• Andre The Giant's First Tour Through the Mid-Atlantic Area - Part One
• Les Thatcher's Lost Opus: Andre the Giant Arrives - Part Two
• Andre The Giant's First Tour Through the Mid-Atlantic Area - Part Three
• Andre the Giant's First Night in Charlotte

Previous poster: Flair/Valentine vs. Wahoo/Steamboat (Winston-Salem 1977)

NO. 2 IN A SERIES

The Champ and The Chief Wrap Up 1974 (Best of the Gateway)

by David Chappell
Mid-Atlantic Gateway

Johnny “The Champ” Valentine and “The Chief” Wahoo McDaniel had many memorable battles inside the ring while in Jim Crockett Promotions, but one of their most memorable exchanges for me didn’t involve fisticuffs, but was of the verbal variety. The two squared off during the Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling 1974 year-end highlights show hosted by Sam Menacker, and the verbal sparks would fly!

With Wahoo and Valentine together in the empty TV studio in December of 1974, Menacker showed a clip of Valentine brutalizing the preliminary wrestler Tapu on TV several months earlier with Wahoo coming in the ring to aid the fallen Samoan grappler. The Chief caught the Champ with a suplex and left Valentine in an exceedingly rare posture…on his back, looking up at the television studio lights.

Wahoo couldn’t help but gloat a bit at the clip saying, “There’s your champion right there. Now that’s a championship position for Johnny Valentine…prone lookin’ at the lights. Now, does that look like a champion?” When Johnny didn’t immediately respond, the Chief continued to push the point. Wahoo asked, “What do you have to say about that Valentine, you see it? You’re not on the winning end now, what’s the matter…you lost for words?” Menacker joined in, “Yeah, you’re out cold there Valentine!”

A visibly upset Valentine fired back exclaiming, “You had no reason to come in that ring, you had no right in that ring and you attacked me from behind!” Wahoo countered, “I only came in the ring to save the boy and you hit me, and I just retaliated.” The Champ followed, “Well, it will be a different story when you’re face to face with me.”

Menaker, now trying to keep order noted, “Look, I’m not taking sides. Listen, the fact remains John, you saw what happened there. He came in there to try and help.” Johnny would have none of it saying, “Well, it wasn’t his concern. I wasn’t expecting anything and he was able to accomplish something that he wouldn’t have accomplished if I had been watching him, which I wasn’t. I wasn’t expecting to be suplexed by the man with my own suplex.”

The Chief dismissively answered, “You know, they should start calling Johnny Valentine ‘Alibi Jones.’ That’s when you can’t get it done. And all the time when he’s on the top he has wonderful things to say about himself, but when you’re laying down lookin’ up Valentine, it’s hard for you to find anything nice to say about yourself.” Johnny retorted, “Anyone can be hurt and upset when they’re not expecting something. I wasn’t expecting the suplex I will admit, and that suplex hurt because it was my favorite hold so it’s bound to hurt me too.” Wahoo countered, “That’s right, you should know that somebody else is gonna use it and if it does that much for you and somebody else should know the same hold and you should be able to guard against it.”

Wahoo McDaniel and Johnny Valentine had a feud for the ages.

The Champ was getting increasingly exasperated and fired back, “You can make sure that I’ll have guards up whenever I get in the ring with you; you’ll never suplex me again, that’s for sure!” McDaniel shot back, “I’ll tell you one thing, I know about three or four different type suplexes…little different from yours. But they’re all the same…you land right on your head!” A seething Valentine replied, “You just have no idea how deep I run; how deep my bag of tricks are! You don’t know how many tricks I have at the bottom of that bag; I’ll dig way to the bottom and I’ll have tricks you’ve never heard of!”

“I know you, and I’ve probably wrestled you more than anybody. You’ve beaten me and I’ve beaten you; you’ve hurt me and I’ve hurt you,” Wahoo commented. Valentine replied, “Yeah, but I’ve got stronger for it and you’re weaker…look at you! You look terrible!” Wahoo beginning to lose his composure shouted, “I’m in the greatest shape of my career!”

Trying to end the segment without the two grapplers coming to blows, Menacker implored the two legends, “Just try to relax a little bit gentlemen…we are showing some highlights of 1974 and I realize there’s a lot of animosity.” Johnny then gleefully poked at the Indian, “I want you to see some of the scars on his head…I put ‘em there!” Wahoo pounced on that and responded in kind, “Well, ask him about the broken fingers he got and look at them scars he got there…he wouldn’t win any beauty contests in Atlantic City either, I can tell you that!” Valentine edged closer to Wahoo smirking, “Well, you got some more comin’!” The Chief then pressed his nose to Valentine’s snarling, “I can hardly wait!”

As Menacker bid the fans goodbye and the segment went to commercial, I couldn’t help but wonder if the verbal sparring between the Champ and the Chief would lead to immediate blows during the break, or rather if they would save the physicality for inside the squared circle in the New Year of 1975. For two all-time greats that weren’t necessarily blessed with the gift of gab, this entertaining verbal exchange put a nice bow on the year of 1974. And you just knew that each would follow up these heated words with scorching action against the other in 1975!
 

Originally published June 21, 2017 on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway.

Johnny Valentine and Wahoo McDaniel Close Out 1974

by David Chappell
Mid-Atlantic Gateway

Johnny “The Champ” Valentine and “The Chief” Wahoo McDaniel had many memorable battles inside the ring while in Jim Crockett Promotions, but one of their most memorable exchanges for me didn’t involve fisticuffs, but was of the verbal variety. The two squared off during the Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling 1974 year-end highlights show hosted by Sam Menacker, and the verbal sparks would fly!

With Wahoo and Valentine together in the empty TV studio in December of 1974, Menacker showed a clip of Valentine brutalizing the preliminary wrestler Tapu on TV several months earlier with Wahoo coming in the ring to aid the fallen Samoan grappler. The Chief caught the Champ with a suplex and left Valentine in an exceedingly rare posture…on his back, looking up at the television studio lights.

Wahoo couldn’t help but gloat a bit at the clip saying, “There’s your champion right there. Now that’s a championship position for Johnny Valentine…prone lookin’ at the lights. Now, does that look like a champion?” When Johnny didn’t immediately respond, the Chief continued to push the point. Wahoo asked, “What do you have to say about that Valentine, you see it? You’re not on the winning end now, what’s the matter…you lost for words?” Menacker joined in, “Yeah, you’re out cold there Valentine!”

A visibly upset Valentine fired back exclaiming, “You had no reason to come in that ring, you had no right in that ring and you attacked me from behind!” Wahoo countered, “I only came in the ring to save the boy and you hit me, and I just retaliated.” The Champ followed, “Well, it will be a different story when you’re face to face with me.”

Menaker, now trying to keep order noted, “Look, I’m not taking sides. Listen, the fact remains John, you saw what happened there. He came in there to try and help.” Johnny would have none of it saying, “Well, it wasn’t his concern. I wasn’t expecting anything and he was able to accomplish something that he wouldn’t have accomplished if I had been watching him, which I wasn’t. I wasn’t expecting to be suplexed by the man with my own suplex.”

The Chief dismissively answered, “You know, they should start calling Johnny Valentine ‘Alibi Jones.’ That’s when you can’t get it done. And all the time when he’s on the top he has wonderful things to say about himself, but when you’re laying down lookin’ up Valentine, it’s hard for you to find anything nice to say about yourself.” Johnny retorted, “Anyone can be hurt and upset when they’re not expecting something. I wasn’t expecting the suplex I will admit, and that suplex hurt because it was my favorite hold so it’s bound to hurt me too.” Wahoo countered, “That’s right, you should know that somebody else is gonna use it and if it does that much for you and somebody else should know the same hold and you should be able to guard against it.”

Wahoo McDaniel and Johnny Valentine had a feud for the ages.

The Champ was getting increasingly exasperated and fired back, “You can make sure that I’ll have guards up whenever I get in the ring with you; you’ll never suplex me again, that’s for sure!” McDaniel shot back, “I’ll tell you one thing, I know about three or four different type suplexes…little different from yours. But they’re all the same…you land right on your head!” A seething Valentine replied, “You just have no idea how deep I run; how deep my bag of tricks are! You don’t know how many tricks I have at the bottom of that bag; I’ll dig way to the bottom and I’ll have tricks you’ve never heard of!”

“I know you, and I’ve probably wrestled you more than anybody. You’ve beaten me and I’ve beaten you; you’ve hurt me and I’ve hurt you,” Wahoo commented. Valentine replied, “Yeah, but I’ve got stronger for it and you’re weaker…look at you! You look terrible!” Wahoo beginning to lose his composure shouted, “I’m in the greatest shape of my career!”

Trying to end the segment without the two grapplers coming to blows, Menacker implored the two legends, “Just try to relax a little bit gentlemen…we are showing some highlights of 1974 and I realize there’s a lot of animosity.” Johnny then gleefully poked at the Indian, “I want you to see some of the scars on his head…I put ‘em there!” Wahoo pounced on that and responded in kind, “Well, ask him about the broken fingers he got and look at them scars he got there…he wouldn’t win any beauty contests in Atlantic City either, I can tell you that!” Valentine edged closer to Wahoo smirking, “Well, you got some more comin’!” The Chief then pressed his nose to Valentine’s snarling, “I can hardly wait!”

As Menacker bid the fans goodbye and the segment went to commercial, I couldn’t help but wonder if the verbal sparring between the Champ and the Chief would lead to immediate blows during the break, or rather if they would save the physicality for inside the squared circle in the New Year of 1975. For two all-time greats that weren’t necessarily blessed with the gift of gab, this entertaining verbal exchange put a nice bow on the year of 1974. And you just knew that each would follow up these heated words with scorching action against the other in 1975!

 Originally posted on June 21, 2017 on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway.

Johnny Valentine's Two Thousand Silver Dollars! (Best of 1974)

How Johnny Valentine's 1000 Silver Dollars Doubled (Part One)

by David Chappell
Mid-Atlantic Gateway

PART ONE

Early in the Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling tenure of Johnny Valentine, the “Champ” truly came up with a gimmick match that would entertain fans around the territory for years. Valentine had a stranglehold on the Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship belt during the year of 1974, but Johnny felt he needed more competition to keep him sharp beyond merely defending the Mid-Atlantic Title. This led to the birth of Johnny Valentine’s 1000 silver dollar challenge!

Around the middle of the year in 1974, Valentine began bringing a fish bowl full of silver dollars to ringside…1000 silver dollars to be exact. Johnny promised that he would give up the silver dollars to any wrestler that could pin him or make him submit in 10 minutes. These challenges occurred almost exclusively on Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling television, but as the months went on some of these challenges made it into the area’s arenas.

During the early months of these 1000 silver dollar challenges, Valentine defended his money against a host of challengers at least a couple of times a month. While Johnny said he would take on all comers, he generally defended the $1000 only against lower and mid card wrestlers, mainly on the “good guy” side of the area’s talent ledger. Interestingly, Valentine had very few easy matches defending his money, even against a slew of lesser opponents. Johnny often had to “pull rabbits out of his hat” to prevail close to the 10 minute time limit mark, and even had a few surprising draws sprinkled in.

Listen to Joe Murnick's ring introduction to Johnny Valentine vs. Bob Bruggers
for the 1000 Silver Dollars!

Despite all the close calls, Valentine continued his 1000 silver dollar challenge unbeaten streak against challenger Bob Bruggers on the Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling TV show that aired in many area markets on Saturday July 20, 1974. Immediately after the bout, Johnny was confronted by none other than “Mr. Number One” Paul Jones! Paul challenged Johnny, and “Mr. #1” said that Valentine was afraid to put his 1000 silver dollars on the line against him. Valentine scoffed at the notion of such a match, telling Paul, “Get in line boy! You’re not good enough to wrestle me!” Johnny went on to say that Paul Jones was at the bottom of the ladder, didn’t belong in the same ring with him and should be carrying his bags!

Valentine brushing off Jones’ challenge just made Paul more angry and determined. And Paul had a plan to move himself up to the top of Valentine’s list. Jones said to Johnny, “I’ll give you some incentive boy!” Jones told Valentine and the viewing audience that he would match Valentine’s 1000 silver dollars, and bring the money next week, making it a total of 2000 silver dollars. Paul then said to Johnny, “And I can beat you in 10 minutes, and I know I can! And if I can’t beat you in 10 minutes you can have the 2000 dollars! You just be here; I’ll be here! And I bet you move me right to the top of the list next week!” Johnny, who was on his way out of the ring, immediately turned around when he heard Paul say he would bring money to the ring next week!  Valentine said, “Wait a minute; wait a minute.” Jones responded, “DON’T YOU WAIT A MINUTE ME!!”

No. 1 Paul Jones battles Johnny "The Champ" Valentine

Valentine then shouted at Jones that he still thought that Paul didn’t belong in the same ring with him, but that he saw money now. The “Champ” again queried Jones if he was serious about bringing 1000 silver dollars of his own money to the ring next week. Valentine said, “You’re telling me that if you can’t beat me in 10 minutes your thousand dollars is MINE??” Jones said, “Yeah, that’s EXACTLY right! I knew I’d get you in the ring one way or the other!” Paul went on to say, “I’ll be here next week early with my 1000 silver dollars! I’ll put ‘em in there myself, and match your thousand silver dollars. And I can beat you in 10 minutes…I know I can!!”

After an instant of digesting what Jones had said, a big smile came over Valentine’s face and he exclaimed, “I ACCEPT!”

After Paul left the ring, Valentine continued to roam around the ring with a maniacal smile across his face, shouting at Jones to bring his money next week and yelling at ring announcer Joe Murnick, “I want SILVER DOLLARS…SILVER DOLLARS!!!” The “Champ” clearly had a quite odd fixation on silver coins, rather than paper money!

Listen to the final minute of the Bruggers match called by Bob Caudle and Johnny Weaver and then all of the the classic verbal confrontation between Paul Jones and Johnny "The Champ" Valentine!



To Be Continued..... The challenge has been accepted!

Paul Jones battles Johnny Valentine with 2000 Silver Dollars on the Line 
in PART TWO!

 Originally published October 30, 2015 on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway.

Best of: How Johnny Valentine's 1000 Silver Dollars Doubled

 
 
by David Chappell
Mid-Atlantic Gateway

How Johnny Valentine's 1000 Silver Dollars Doubled
PART ONE

Early in the Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling tenure of Johnny Valentine, the “Champ” truly came up with a gimmick match that would entertain fans around the territory for years. Valentine had a stranglehold on the Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship belt during the year of 1974, but Johnny felt he needed more competition to keep him sharp beyond merely defending the Mid-Atlantic Title. This led to the birth of Johnny Valentine’s 1000 silver dollar challenge!

Around the middle of the year in 1974, Valentine began bringing a fish bowl full of silver dollars to ringside…1000 silver dollars to be exact. Johnny promised that he would give up the silver dollars to any wrestler that could pin him or make him submit in 10 minutes. These challenges occurred almost exclusively on Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling television, but as the months went on some of these challenges made it into the area’s arenas.

During the early months of these 1000 silver dollar challenges, Valentine defended his money against a host of challengers at least a couple of times a month. While Johnny said he would take on all comers, he generally defended the $1000 only against lower and mid card wrestlers, mainly on the “good guy” side of the area’s talent ledger. Interestingly, Valentine had very few easy matches defending his money, even against a slew of lesser opponents. Johnny often had to “pull rabbits out of his hat” to prevail close to the 10 minute time limit mark, and even had a few surprising draws sprinkled in.

Listen to Joe Murnick's ring introduction to Johnny Valentine vs. Bob Bruggers
for the 1000 Silver Dollars!

Despite all the close calls, Valentine continued his 1000 silver dollar challenge unbeaten streak against challenger Bob Bruggers on the Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling TV show that aired in many area markets on Saturday July 20, 1974. Immediately after the bout, Johnny was confronted by none other than “Mr. Number One” Paul Jones! Paul challenged Johnny, and “Mr. #1” said that Valentine was afraid to put his 1000 silver dollars on the line against him. Valentine scoffed at the notion of such a match, telling Paul, “Get in line boy! You’re not good enough to wrestle me!” Johnny went on to say that Paul Jones was at the bottom of the ladder, didn’t belong in the same ring with him and should be carrying his bags!

Valentine brushing off Jones’ challenge just made Paul more angry and determined. And Paul had a plan to move himself up to the top of Valentine’s list. Jones said to Johnny, “I’ll give you some incentive boy!” Jones told Valentine and the viewing audience that he would match Valentine’s 1000 silver dollars, and bring the money next week, making it a total of 2000 silver dollars. Paul then said to Johnny, “And I can beat you in 10 minutes, and I know I can! And if I can’t beat you in 10 minutes you can have the 2000 dollars! You just be here; I’ll be here! And I bet you move me right to the top of the list next week!” Johnny, who was on his way out of the ring, immediately turned around when he heard Paul say he would bring money to the ring next week!  Valentine said, “Wait a minute; wait a minute.” Jones responded, “DON’T YOU WAIT A MINUTE ME!!”

No. 1 Paul Jones battles Johnny "The Champ" Valentine

Valentine then shouted at Jones that he still thought that Paul didn’t belong in the same ring with him, but that he saw money now. The “Champ” again queried Jones if he was serious about bringing 1000 silver dollars of his own money to the ring next week. Valentine said, “You’re telling me that if you can’t beat me in 10 minutes your thousand dollars is MINE??” Jones said, “Yeah, that’s EXACTLY right! I knew I’d get you in the ring one way or the other!” Paul went on to say, “I’ll be here next week early with my 1000 silver dollars! I’ll put ‘em in there myself, and match your thousand silver dollars. And I can beat you in 10 minutes…I know I can!!”

After an instant of digesting what Jones had said, a big smile came over Valentine’s face and he exclaimed, “I ACCEPT!”

After Paul left the ring, Valentine continued to roam around the ring with a maniacal smile across his face, shouting at Jones to bring his money next week and yelling at ring announcer Joe Murnick, “I want SILVER DOLLARS…SILVER DOLLARS!!!” The “Champ” clearly had a quite odd fixation on silver coins, rather than paper money!

Listen to the final minute of the Bruggers match called by Bob Caudle and Johnny Weaver and then all of the the classic verbal confrontation between Paul Jones and Johnny "The Champ" Valentine!


The challenge has been accepted! Paul Jones battles Johnny Valentine with 2000 Silver Dollars on the Line in PART TWO!

Originally published on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway October 30, 2015 

Classic Poster Friday: Harley Race Brings the U.S. Title to the Mid-Atlantic Area

Poster from the collection of Brack Beasley

JOHNNY VALENTINE DEFEATS HARLEY RACE TO WIN THE U.S. TITLE

by Dick Bourne
Mid-Atlantic Gateway

The title of this series is called "Classic Poster Friday", and this particular poster lives up to that name better than most. It is one of the most historic nights in Greensboro and Mid-Atlantic Wrestling history. Fitting that the poster has a different look to it as well.

Brack Beasley selected this poster from his vast collection as one of his favorites, not only because the historical nature of the card, but also stylistically, it stands out almost as an anomaly. The poster background is white and uses all red and blue inks. There is no black ink at all, and as a result the poster has a much different look to it than other from that era.  We guess that the red, white, and blue color scheme had something to do with the card being on the big Independence Day weekend.

Historically, the card is important because it was the night the United States heavyweight championship was introduced to the area. it became the top singles title for the company, and the U.S. title in WWE today traces its lineage directly back to the Crockett U.S. title.

To introduce the championship, booker George Scott created the story that former NWA World Champion Harley Race was the reigning U.S. champion, having defeated Johnny Weaver for it in a tournament in Florida. All of that was fictitious, of course, and was part of the story to build up interest in Race and the U.S. championship.

Race was a great choice to be the inaugural champion and to bring the belt into the area. He was a former NWA World champion, holding that prestigious title for a few months in the spring and early summer of 1973. He had defeated Dory Funk, Jr. for the honors and that victory that ended Funk’s 4-year run as champion had given Race a measure of national notoriety.  He had a reputation in the national wrestling magazines, which were an important part of the wrestling business at that time, and had been pushed by the NWA promoters to the wrestling press as a perennial top candidate for the NWA championship. Race gave the U.S. title tremendous credibility even before it had ever been defended.

In late May, announcers started including Harley Race as United States champion in their weekly rundown of the area champions on the TV shows. Soon after, they started talking about Race coming to the area to defend the title, and showed tapes of Race in matches from Florida.

Finally, the date was then set for Race’s title defense on July 3 at the Greensboro Coliseum, home to most of the major cards in the area. Mid-Atlantic champion Johnny Valentine was selected as the number one contender based on the fact that at the time of the first announcement he held the area’s top singles championship, the Mid-Atlantic heavyweight title.

Four days before Valentine was to meet Race in Greensboro, he lost the Mid-Atlantic title to arch-rival Wahoo McDaniel in Asheville, NC, on June 29 at the Asheville Civic Center. On the following week’s TV, taped 7/2 before the U.S. title match the following night in Greensboro, Wahoo celebrated his win over Valentine for the Mid-Atlantic title. But Valentine told fans he wouldn’t be down for long. And one night later he would be proven correct as he prepared to walk the aisle in Greensboro to meet Harley Race.

Johnny Valentine’s epic win over Harley Race for the United States championship was by all accounts a classic. Jim Crockett, Jr. gave the event first class treatment, with more TV coverage than was usual for a typical big show there. While most big title changes were recorded on 16mm film with no commentary, this match was video-taped and David Crockett and Sandy Scott were on hand to do live commentary for the match, which would be shown on Mid-Atlantic TV several weeks later.

The match had an interesting feel to it. Valentine was and had been the top heel in the territory since entering in October of 1973. He was the most despised, reviled, and hated man in the area. However, the fans had gained a measure of respect for him over time as he had proven to be one of the toughest wrestlers ever seen there. On this one evening, the fans put aside feelings of antipathy and got behind him as he represented their territory in the match with U.S. champion Harley Race. The general feeling at the time, I’m told, was that Valentine may have been a dirty old bastard, but he was our dirty old bastard. And during the long 51-minute battle fans slowly turned in support of Valentine. When he scored the pin on Race, the capacity crowd in the Coliseum exploded with cheers, and offered an extended standing ovation.  One of their own had just brought the United States championship into their home area.

The office made sure that warm feeling held by the fans for their new champion was short lived. Fellow “bad-guys” Mr. Fuji and Frank Monte were sent to ringside to congratulate Valentine and escort him from the ring back to the locker room. Fans were still happy Valentine had won, but there was no misunderstanding as to whose camp he was still in.

I've always hated that the Race/Valentine title match wasn't billed as the main event on this poster. In the newspaper ads, it did get top billing, but for some reason, it was listed second on the poster. The Andersons were NWA World Tag Team champs and defending against Andre the Giant and Paul Jones, but the match selling the show was Valentine challenging for the U.S. title.

Elsewhere in the territory on that same night, JCP held a big card in Norfolk, VA. Headiling that card was Wahoo McDaniel vs. Ric Flair, plus Sonny King vs. The Super Destroyer (Don Jardine), Swede Hanson, Bob Bruggers, Doug Gilbert, the Blue Scorpion and others. 

Worth noting also for historical purposes that Valentine was almost exactly 3 months away from his career ending plane crash in Wilmington, NC.

The entire story of the build to this U.S. title match, the tale of the Florida tournament and Johnny Weaver, and photos of Valentine leaving the ring that night ion Greensboro are part of the book "Jim Crockett Promotions' United States Championship", which chronicles the entire history, both fact and myth, of the U.S. title.

Classic Poster Friday: Valentine and Hawk challenge Jones and Bruggers

Winston-Salem, NC    June 13, 1974

by Dick Bourne
Mid-Atlantic Gateway

What a classic poster featured here, a show in Winston-Salem, NC, from June 13, 1974. It features the rare pairing of Johnny Valentine and Rip Hawk together as tag team partners in a Mid-Atlantic Tag Team title challenge against reigning champions "No. 1" Paul Jones and Bob Bruggers.

Championship Context:
Reigning tag champs Paul Jones and Bob Bruggers had defeated Gene and Ole Anderson for the titles two months earlier in Fayetteville, NC. and were defending the titles here against the reigning Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight champion Johnny Valentine and his partner Rip Hawk.

Hawk had taken several different partners over the preceding months in an attempt to take the titles from Jones and Bruggers, including Ivan Koloff, Chuck O'Connor (later Big John Studd), and Gene Lewis. But it was a rare opportunity to see Johnny Valentine and Rip Hawk team up together.

Not long after this show in Winston-Salem, Hawk would take a very young up-and-coming star named Ric Flair as his regular partner, and less than three weeks after this Winston-Salem show defeated Jones and Bruggers for the titles on a big Independence Day card in Charlotte.

The poster before digital restoration
by Uptown Color

Newspaper Results
Winston-Salem NC 6/13/74

• Jones/Bruggers defeated Valentine/Hawk by DQ
• Scott/Conway defeated Ota/Hiyashi
• Ivan Koloff pinned Danny Miller
• Scott Casey drew Mike Paidousis
• Amazing Zuma defeated Frank Morrell
• Les Thatcher defeated Pedro Godoy by DQ

Poster Restoration

Having this crisp image of this poster is a small miracle in and of itself. The original poster we had collected was terribly marked up by the original owner (seen above) with the winners circled and various notes written on the poster. We found a print shop in Richmond that agreed to take on the challenge of cleaning it up for us and results were incredible! We can't say enough good things about the professionalism and craftsmanship of our friends at Uptown Color! 

Poster from the collection of Brack Beasley, originally the Mid-Atlantic Gateway

Restoration project coordinator: David Chappell

Digital Restoration service provided by Uptown Color, Richmond VA

How Johnny Valentine's 1000 Silver Dollars Doubled!

by David Chappell
Mid-Atlantic Gateway

 
Originally published October 30, 2015

PART ONE

Early in the Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling tenure of Johnny Valentine, the “Champ” truly came up with a gimmick match that would entertain fans around the territory for years. Valentine had a stranglehold on the Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship belt during the year of 1974, but Johnny felt he needed more competition to keep him sharp beyond merely defending the Mid-Atlantic Title. This led to the birth of Johnny Valentine’s 1000 silver dollar challenge!

Around the middle of the year in 1974, Valentine began bringing a fish bowl full of silver dollars to ringside…1000 silver dollars to be exact. Johnny promised that he would give up the silver dollars to any wrestler that could pin him or make him submit in 10 minutes. These challenges occurred almost exclusively on Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling television, but as the months went on some of these challenges made it into the area’s arenas.

During the early months of these 1000 silver dollar challenges, Valentine defended his money against a host of challengers at least a couple of times a month. While Johnny said he would take on all comers, he generally defended the $1000 only against lower and mid card wrestlers, mainly on the “good guy” side of the area’s talent ledger. Interestingly, Valentine had very few easy matches defending his money, even against a slew of lesser opponents. Johnny often had to “pull rabbits out of his hat” to prevail close to the 10 minute time limit mark, and even had a few surprising draws sprinkled in.

Listen to Joe Murnick's ring introduction to Johnny Valentine vs. Bob Bruggers
for the 1000 Silver Dollars!

Despite all the close calls, Valentine continued his 1000 silver dollar challenge unbeaten streak against challenger Bob Bruggers on the Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling TV show that aired in many area markets on Saturday July 20, 1974. Immediately after the bout, Johnny was confronted by none other than “Mr. Number One” Paul Jones! Paul challenged Johnny, and “Mr. #1” said that Valentine was afraid to put his 1000 silver dollars on the line against him. Valentine scoffed at the notion of such a match, telling Paul, “Get in line boy! You’re not good enough to wrestle me!” Johnny went on to say that Paul Jones was at the bottom of the ladder, didn’t belong in the same ring with him and should be carrying his bags!

Valentine brushing off Jones’ challenge just made Paul more angry and determined. And Paul had a plan to move himself up to the top of Valentine’s list. Jones said to Johnny, “I’ll give you some incentive boy!” Jones told Valentine and the viewing audience that he would match Valentine’s 1000 silver dollars, and bring the money next week, making it a total of 2000 silver dollars. Paul then said to Johnny, “And I can beat you in 10 minutes, and I know I can! And if I can’t beat you in 10 minutes you can have the 2000 dollars! You just be here; I’ll be here! And I bet you move me right to the top of the list next week!” Johnny, who was on his way out of the ring, immediately turned around when he heard Paul say he would bring money to the ring next week!  Valentine said, “Wait a minute; wait a minute.” Jones responded, “DON’T YOU WAIT A MINUTE ME!!”

No. 1 Paul Jones battles Johnny "The Champ" Valentine

Valentine then shouted at Jones that he still thought that Paul didn’t belong in the same ring with him, but that he saw money now. The “Champ” again queried Jones if he was serious about bringing 1000 silver dollars of his own money to the ring next week. Valentine said, “You’re telling me that if you can’t beat me in 10 minutes your thousand dollars is MINE??” Jones said, “Yeah, that’s EXACTLY right! I knew I’d get you in the ring one way or the other!” Paul went on to say, “I’ll be here next week early with my 1000 silver dollars! I’ll put ‘em in there myself, and match your thousand silver dollars. And I can beat you in 10 minutes…I know I can!!”

After an instant of digesting what Jones had said, a big smile came over Valentine’s face and he exclaimed, “I ACCEPT!”

After Paul left the ring, Valentine continued to roam around the ring with a maniacal smile across his face, shouting at Jones to bring his money next week and yelling at ring announcer Joe Murnick, “I want SILVER DOLLARS…SILVER DOLLARS!!!” The “Champ” clearly had a quite odd fixation on silver coins, rather than paper money!

Listen to the final minute of the Bruggers match called by Bob Caudle and Johnny Weaver and then all of the the classic verbal confrontation between Paul Jones and Johnny "The Champ" Valentine!



To Be Continued..... The challenge has been accepted!

Paul Jones battles Johnny Valentine with 2000 Silver Dollars on the Line 
in PART TWO!