Poster: Superstar/Mulligan battle Jones/Igor in Pilot Mountain (1977)

By Brack Beasley
Mid-Atlantic Gateway Contributor

The spot shows in Jim Crockett Promotions offered some of the more intriguing match-ups that one may not see at a big Coliseum event. An example is this poster that promotes a card held at the East Surry High School gym in Pilot Mountain, NC on December 3rd, 1977. 

The main event was a tag team match pitting The Masked Superstar and Blackjack Mulligan against Paul Jones and The Mighty Igor. No doubt, it must have been quite an exciting bout for the fans in Pilot Mountain this Saturday night. 

Following three preliminary matches, the semi had fan-favorite Dino Bravo taking the challenge of The Missouri Mauler.

With a vertical layout, the poster has all black print over a striking tricolor background and images of Superstar, Jones, and Igor.

***

Mid-Atlantic Gateway Notes:
Like Brack, we loved the spot-show main events that would often combine two singles feuds into a grudge tag team match. In this case, Paul Jones was battling the Superstar in a white hot feud (you may remember the famous haircut?) and Blackjack Mulligan and the Superstar both had issues with the Mighty Igor. Plus Blackjack had a long running feud with Jones that went back to late 1975 over the U.S. Heavyweight title. Good stuff in Pilot Mountain, NC, just down the road apiece from my hometown of Mount Airy (aka, Mayberry.) - D. Bourne

NO. 45 IN THE BEASLEY POSTER SERIES

Poster: Flair-Jones, Rashke-Weaver Battle in Farmville

By Jody Shifflett
Mid-Atlantic Gateway Contributor

Ric Flair takes over Farmville, VA, in 1978. This is another of my favorites. It boasts great colors and what I really like is that it says "Nature Boy". I have never seen another that has Nature Boy printed on it.

Flair and Paul Jones had many great battles and I’m sure this was another. Undercard featured a great rivalry between the Baron Von Raschke and Johnny Weaver, and with Weaver you were always going to be entertained with his wrestling style. 

There was a newcomer on this card named Jan Nelson. Other great stars including Jerry "Crusher" Blackwell, Don Kernodle. Plus, the classic 8:15 Bell Time!

NO. 11 IN THE SHIFFLETT POSTER SERIES

Blooper! Steamboat Wrestles Steamboat! (1980)

 

Hampton, VA  April 20, 1980

Holy cow! Not sure if this counts as a blooper or if this is the result of a late-night desk editor's acid trip.

Check out these results in the Newport News Daily Press from an April 1980 card at the Hampton Coliseum.

We always knew Paul Jones was really the devil; the Daily Press just confirmed it for us. Plus, he lost a "fench" match - - whatever the heck that is.

And it is no mean feat to wrestle yourself - - and get disqualified against yourself - - as was apparently accomplished by Ricky Steamboat.

Ray Stevens was actually Steamboat's scheduled opponent that night in Hampton. Perhaps he no-showed and Steamboat put himself in a choke hold and failed to break by the count of five.

And having nothing to do with these bloopers, but could there have possibly been a slower moving tag team in 1980 than Ox Baker and Brute Bernard? I actually kind of dig that combination. Slow, yes, but don't let them catch you!

Thanks to Mark Eastridge for the clipping and Mike Cline for the line about Steamboat. You can view more classic newspaper bloopers by clicking here.

Originally published February 2017 on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway.

Harley Race vs. Paul Jones: Reflections on the Norfolk Scope

by David Chappell
Mid-Atlantic Gateway

The Scope arena in Norfolk, Virginia got its distinctive moniker shortened from the word “kaleidoscope,” because the builders saw so many varied usages for the edifice that was constructed from 1968 to its opening in 1971. And to be sure, I have seen quite a number of different events at the Scope over the years. But none held a candle to the Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling events that graced its presence.

Attending a recent WWE Monday Night RAW show at the fabled Norfolk Scope, as usual, brought back to me floods of memories of Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling. Getting a souvenir cup at that RAW show that commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Scope, replete with 70’s looking photos on it, just intensified those fond recollections.

Thursday night events at the Norfolk Scope housed a multitude of noteworthy battles in the grand history of Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling. When I am at current shows at the now 51-year-old Scope, I often find myself looking up at the rafters and the uniquely designed roof of that historic arena, and then with a rich imagination try to beam two Mid-Atlantic legends down to the Scope’s squared circle for them to repeat their magic of yesteryear one more time.

During the most recent RAW show I attended in Norfolk, I had a flashback to a Norfolk Scope card on November 2, 1978, featuring an NWA World Title bout between Champion Harley Race and top challenger Paul Jones. 

Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling announcer Rich Landrum did a special interview with Race that aired on WAVY TV Channel 10 in Norfolk to promote the bout. Landrum led off, “Norfolk Scope Coliseum, a World’s Heavyweight Championship match with the challenger Paul Jones [going] up against this man, the World’s Heavyweight Champion Harley Race.”

Race began, “Let me say this Jones, you’ve done a lot of campaigning; you must have done it quite well to come up with a Title shot at the Scope. Well let me tell you something Jones, when you come for this [belt], you come for all the marbles, you come for everything in wrestling.”

Harley continued, “You got [Ric] Flair out here bragging and going on about what he owns and controls, but this is the honcho in wrestling. And you are coming for the absolute honcho in wrestling, Harley Race. I am the cock of the walk; I am the man of the hour. I’m the man that’s got a quarter of a million-dollar bounty on him. You come for me Jones, and you come to take one awful beating and a beating is exactly what I’m going to give you son.”

The World Title match between Race and Jones was a classic one hour draw in one of Paul’s last splendid babyface efforts before he would turn into a “bad guy” in about a month when he attacked Ricky Steamboat as part of a two-ring battle royal in Charlotte, North Carolina. 

The bout at the Scope on November 2, 1978, saw Paul Jones at the zenith of his prowess as a “battle to the end babyface,” much like he was two years earlier in his classic program with the ruthless Blackjack Mulligan. The Scope saw many of those titanic struggles as well. In fact, it saw titanic struggles every Thursday night during the Mid-Atlantic years. 

The Scope. What a building. When I peer into that kaleidoscope, to this day, no matter what event I may go there to see, I still see Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling memories burning brighter than ever.

Dream Team: Flair and Steamboat Go For the Gold

July 21, 1979,Charlotte Coliseum

Charlotte, North Carolina

Mid-Atlantic Wrestling's dream team of Ric Flair and Ricky Steamboat battled reigning NWA world tag team champs Paul Jones and Baron Von Raschke in a Lumberjack match at the Coliseum in Charlotte, NC.

Flair had just tuned "good guy" for the first time ever a few months earlier and was mounting a full court press to defeat Paul Jones (his current arch enemy) and the Baron for the world tag team belts. He enlisted the aid of both Ricky Steamboat and Blackjack Mulligan in that quest.

An interesting tag team combination was featured in the semi-main. The legendary "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers took one half of the Minnesota Wrecking Crew Gene Anderson as his partner to battle the team of Jim Brunzell and Rufus R. "Freight Train" Jones. Rogers would become the manager of both Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka and John Studd, and following an injury to his ear in late 1979, sold the contracts of his charges to Gene Anderson who became the manager of Snuka and several others to form "Anderson's Army."

 

Originally published July 2015 on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway.

Poster: Flair and Valentine Battle the Andersons in Greensboro

by Brack Beasley
Mid-Atlantic Gateway Contributor

This poster promotes another fantastic night of professional wrestling at the historic Greensboro Coliseum on Sunday, October 30th, 1977 with a loaded card top to bottom. 

 
The main event was a "Hair vs. Belts" match as Ric Flair and Greg Valentine put up their long blond manes against Gene and Ole Anderson's NWA World Tag Team belts. Fortunately for Flair and Valentine they left Greensboro with both the belts and their hair to begin their second and last reign as world tag champs. They would hold onto the belts until being stripped by Jim Crockett Jr. and the NWA in April of 1978. 

In the semi, Paul Jones was seeking revenge against the Masked Superstar  who had knocked him silly and cut his hair only three weeks earlier in Greensboro. On this night Jones would leave the ring victorious via disqualification. 

To the fans' delight, the popular duo of Mr. Wrestling Tim Woods and Ricky Steamboat topped Blackjack Mulligan and Baron Von Raschke in the upper mid card tag match, while three more exciting matches got the crowd warmed up. 

Six great wrestler images on the sides, the familiar "Wrestling" splash in the upper left corner, and black and red print over a two tone yellow and pink background make for a very eye- catching poster. I seem to recall Flair putting his hair on the line in several important matches throughout his career and I can assume it's safe to say he never lost one, at least not in that era.

NO 42 IN THE BEASLEY POSTER SERIES

Avenger vs. Super Destroyer: Mid-Atlantic's Most Obscure Championship (Part 3)

by David Chappell
Mid-Atlantic Gateway

Catch Up on PART 1 and PART 2 

PART THREE:
THE AVENGER VS. THE SUPER DESTROYER

It would be a battle of the masked men as the Super Destroyer and the Avenger battled for the Mid-Atlantic Television Arm-Wrestling Championship as the President of Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling, Jim Crockett, Jr., announced to the fans “This is for the Championship.”

In this championship encounter, the glove of the Super Destroyer would not be an issue as the Avenger forcefully announced, “Leave the glove on!”

Crockett exclaimed twice in the early seconds of the match, “The Avenger has the advantage,” as the Super D’s arm was being pushed downward to the delight of the WRAL studio audience who were screaming their approval. The Destroyer made a brief comeback, only to have the Avenger again gain the upper hand. Crockett noted, [the Destroyer’s] arm is about halfway down…[the Avenger]became within a few inches of being the winner!”

The contest then leveled out a bit as Crockett noted, “It’s all even now…straight up.” The Super Destroyer then claimed the edge, but almost immediate Mr. Crockett said, “It’s straight up now; no one has the advantage.”

Then came a back and forth flurry of action that would soon produce our winner. Jim Crockett commented, “The Avenger now has the advantage; has his arm halfway down. But wait, the Destroyer is coming back…the Destroyer has a slight advantage. And now the Destroyer has his arm halfway down!”

The tide would now turn once again, but for the last time. As the crowd in the studio audience roared, Mr. Crockett exclaimed, “The Avenger now has a slight advantage…now [the Destroyer’s] arm is about halfway down! THE AVENGER HAS WON!!”

Announcer Bob Caudle then reclaimed the mic saying, “There [is the Avenger] being given the trophy by referee Sonny Fargo!” Color commentator Big Bill Ward added, “Listen to that crowd Bob, they are tickled to death! The Wrestling Arm-Wrestling Champ—The Avenger!” Caudle confirmed, “He defeated the Super Destroyer!”

The Destroyer was beaten, but not unbowed. The next match on the studio card was Wahoo McDaniel versus the Super D’s new associate, Brute Bernard. After Wahoo got the Brute in the abdominal stretch hold, the Super Destroyer jumped into the fray causing the Brute to lose via disqualification. Wahoo then proceeded to clean house, dispatching the Destroyer back to the dressing room ending his forgettable evening!

CONTINUED IN PART 4!

The Most Obscure Championship (Part Two)

by David Chappell
Mid-Atlantic Gateway

Mid-Atlantic Wrestling's Most Obscure Championship
Catch up on Part One

PART TWO

THE SUPER DESTROYER
(Don Jardine)

Paul Jones versus the Super Destroyer would have been a Main Event wrestling match in any Jim Crockett Promotions venue, much less on television, but their meeting in the semifinal of the Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling Arm-Wrestling Championship was a truly unique spectacle.

Announcers Bob Caudle and Big Bill Ward had earlier in the show signaled their belief that Jones was the favorite in their eyes to emerge as the Champion. However, Paul himself cast some doubt on that prediction just before the match saying that his shoulder was definitely ailing him, so on balance this encounter with the Super D. rated as a toss-up before the two adversaries hooked up.

Of concern to Paul Jones’ fans was Paul’s demeanor as he approached the Destroyer yelling to the masked man, “Take you glove off!!” The Super Destroyer laughed off Jones’ demand, seemingly getting inside Paul’s head. The Destroyer’s glove had become a concern for his opponents, as it was the hand that the masked man used to apply his deadly claw hold. The Super D.’s grip was so tight, almost like a suction cup, that many speculated that his glove must have played a role in him having such a vice-like grip.

When Jones and the Destroyer finally locked up, Jim Crockett, Jr. exclaimed, “The match has begun!” Crockett quickly told the viewing audience that the Super Destroyer had the early advantage. Crockett then reported, “Paul Jones’ shoulder is giving way slightly!” Then after just a few more seconds Crockett concluded, “The Destroyer has the advantage…the Super Destroyer is the winner!”

Thus, the favorite to win the Championship had been eliminated in about 30 seconds as Jones’ injured shoulder was clearly more of a hinderance to him than anyone thought heading into the semifinal bout.

Crockett then announced, “The Destroyer will now meet the Avenger.” An exuberant Ivan Koloff had reentered the ring to congratulate the Destroyer, prompting Mr. Crockett to admonish Sonny Fargo yet again, “Get Mr. Koloff out of the ring!” As before, Ivan reluctantly exited the squared circle.

Mr. Crockett then reiterated, “The winner of this match will be the Mid-Atlantic Television Arm-Wrestling Champion! The Super Destroyer will meet the Avenger!”

Continued in Part 3!

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

Action Figure Friday: Paul Jones

 
"Number One" Paul Jones, the Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Champion, stands in front of the Mid-Atlantic set and watches action in the ring. The image calls back to 1982 during which Jones had his long running feud with Jack Brisco over the Mid-Atlantic title. 

Action Figure Friday returns!

The figure is custom-made and a gift from Matty Montcalm at @Wrestlingwclass who surprised me with it when were both at the Tragos-Thesz Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame induction weekend in Waterloo, Iowa in July. Thanks so much, Matty!

The photo was staged by the Mid-Atlantic Gateway using a custom designed backdrop of the famous studio set used by JCP from 1977-1983. The custom backdrop was a gift from Mike Simmerman, who provided lots of great images for our old Action Figures Friday series.

Check out our entire series of action figure photos from Mike Simmerman, Matty Montcalm, Scottie Richardson, Jeff Jewett, and others. Plus some of our own!

July 4th Flashback: Andre and the Andersons Headline Richmond (1975)

A GIANT 4th of July Card in Richmond

The Andersons Battle Wahoo McDaniel and Paul Jones in Richmond

by David Chappell

Mid-Atlantic Gateway

Like most cities, Richmond, Virginia back in 1975 had its share of spectacular fireworks displays to commemorate the Independence Day holiday. But none of those displays held a candle to the “fireworks” that were unleashed on fans inside the Richmond Coliseum, watching a super spectacular card of Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling on the evening of July 4, 1975!

To those that have followed the Mid-Atlantic Gateway, you may recall that this card ranked #21 on my listing of Richmond’s greatest Mid-Atlantic cards. The most intriguing match to me going in was a rare Richmond appearance of Andre the Giant, going against the seemingly indestructible Super Destroyer, who was saying at the time that he had held onto his mask for thirteen years. But the match that really stole the show was a NWA World Tag Team Title bout between champions Gene and Ole Anderson against Paul Jones and Wahoo McDaniel.

About three weeks prior to this Richmond show, the Anderson Brothers had regained the World Tag Team Title belts on television in the dramatic “Supreme Sacrifice” match, where Ole ran Wahoo’s head into Gene’s head, knocking Gene out in the process. This return bout in Richmond had the big match feel of a title change, and the apparent sellout crown at the Coliseum was at a fever pitch anticipating a win for the challengers. But…it wasn’t meant to be on this night. An even bout turned the challengers way towards the end, but it was too little too late. The Andersons stalled out the final minutes, and escaped with a 60 minute draw. This match set up four return bouts between these four during the summer and fall of 1975, with the challengers coming tantalizingly close to winning back the belts.

In the semi-final, many in attendance thought Andre the Giant would finally be the man to unmask the Super Destroyer. After all, if a GIANT couldn’t do the deed nobody else had in 13 years, who possibly could? Andre physically manhandled the masked man to a degree that nobody could believe, but that didn’t stop the Destroyer’s active mind from escaping one precarious predicament after another. A disqualification win for Andre got the Giant’s hand raised and validated a dominating performance, but at the same time frustrated many fans who were expecting a hood to come off. However, the Super Destroyer haters were about to get the last laugh. As fate would have it, the masked man would wrestle only one more time in Richmond and within a month or so was out of the area under a cloud, never to return, with his unmasked face plastered all over the Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling television shows.

The supporting card, honestly, was not as strong as many Richmond saw, but it did have its moments. The “best of the rest” was a unique pairing of the Mid-Atlantic TV Champion Ric Flair and the underrated Doug Gilbert, against the “good guy” duo of big Swede Hanson and Sonny King. Flair was rising fast at this juncture, so I expected the “bad guys” would take this one. The big Swede was dropping down the cards, and Sonny King was being de-emphasized and would be leaving the area in about two weeks as time would tell. However, Flair and Gilbert couldn’t control their anger issues, giving Hanson and King a disqualification victory to the delight of the Richmond fans.

The other tag team match of the night saw Bob Bruggers and Sandy Scott dispatch the team of Charlie Fulton and the Blue Scorpion. The Bruggers/Scott combination was a smooth one, and they ran circles around their confounded opponents this night. Unfortunately for his many fans, Sandy Scott wrestled very little after this Richmond match, though he did continue to stay active with the promotion, primarily behind the scenes. And after a promising start as a main event performer a year and a half before, Bruggers continued to drop down the cards until the airplane crash in Wilmington, North Carolina in early October of 1975 brought his wrestling career to an end.

Three single matches rounded out this holiday spectacular, and the curtain raiser was by far the best of the bunch! The good guys notched a couple of wins as Greg Peterson outlasted Larry Sharpe, and the highly popular Klondike Bill took the measure of Joe Soto. But the first bout of the night stood out, and was really outstanding. 1974 NWA rookie of the year Steve Keirn and veteran Art Nelson wrestled to a 20 minute draw, which was a battle of contrasting styles and youth versus experience. Nelson, the aging veteran, was still in exceptional condition, but had trouble dealing the speed of Keirn. Conversely, the strength of Nelson gave the youngster Keirn fits. Each man had their chances at victory, but ultimately had to settle for a draw. As clearly Keirn was going up the “Mid-Atlantic ladder” as Nelson was going down that same ladder, it was befitting that they would meet in the middle of that proverbial ladder in this early July 1975 confrontation. But to show how this trend continued over the next few months for both, by October of 1975 Keirn was in a main event program with Tiger Conway, while Nelson was set to depart the Mid-Atlantic area, and would never return.

Originally published July 4, 2015, and republished in July of 2018, and 2021
on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway

Mid-Atlantic Wrestling's Most Obscure Championship (1974)

by David Chappell
Mid-Atlantic Gateway

PART ONE

Fans in most Jim Crockett Promotions television markets that tuned into the Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling show that aired on December 7, 1974 were treated to a most improbable milestone. The most obscure championship in the history of Mid-Atlantic Wrestling was about to be decided right before their eyes!

Announcers Bob Caudle and Big Bill Ward could hardly contain their excitement about the upcoming championship event, as they hardly paid any attention at all to the ongoing bout between Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Champion Johnny Valentine and Klondike Bill. Ward exuded, “We will have a Champion crowned on this program,” to which Caudle replied, “I’m really interested in this arm-wrestling!” Then the predictions began as Ward queried Caudle, ‘Who’s it gonna be, what’s your guess? I’m saying Paul Jones!’ Caudle concurred with that prediction, replying, ‘I’m going to have to go along with that.’ Ward responded, ‘He’s about the best I’ve seen yet!’

To add to the importance of this new championship, none other than the President of Jim Crockett Promotions, Mr. Jim Crockett, Jr., came out to the ring to set the stage for this TV event. Crockett began, “This is the Finals of the Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling Arm-Wrestling Championship. There are three Finalists—Paul Jones, the Avenger and the Super Destroyer.”

While looking directly at Ivan Koloff and Wahoo McDaniel who were standing menacingly in the ring, Crockett sternly announced, “There will be NO seconds in the ring during the Finals.” Mr. Crockett then turned and faced referee Sony Fargo and firmly stated, “Referee, please ask Mr. Koloff and Mr. McDaniel to leave the ring. There will be NO seconds.”

Referee Fargo relayed Mr. Crockett’s message, but neither the “Russian Bear” nor the “Indian Chief” seemed very receptive. At that time, Koloff and Jones were locked in a struggle over the Mid-Atlantic Television Title, while Wahoo was friends with both Paul and the Avenger, and the Chief had absolutely no love for the Super Destroyer. Koloff, on the other hand, was great friends with the masked Super D.

Jim Crockett then explained the championship format to the fans in attendance at the WRAL TV studio and to the many thousands upon thousands watching at home. “By draw, Paul Jones will meet the Super Destroyer first,” Crockett announced. Immediately, Jones interrupted saying, “Let me tell you something—my shoulder is killing me but I know one thing, this is the Finals tonight. And if I don’t arm wrestle tonight I’ll never get another chance! So, I don’t know how strong [the Super Destroyer] is, but we’ll find out in a few minutes.”

A clearly agitated Jim Crockett, Jr. then tersely told Koloff and McDaniel to leave the ring again, and then said to the pacing masked Avenger, “Mr. Avenger, will you just please wait and you will take on the winner.”

Referee Sonny Fargo, sensing Mr. Crockett’s frustration that none of the wrestlers had exited the ring, told everybody except Jones and the Super Destroyer, “I hate to ask you all to leave, but I have to or you’re gonna forfeit the match. I hate to do it.”

Wahoo was incensed and shouted back at Fargo, “Where’d you get all that authority?!?” Sonny then turned towards Jim Crockett, and Mr. Crockett retorted, “Koloff and McDaniel, out of the ring! You cannot be in the ring.”

When the boss spoke, everybody listened and finally left the ring except the combatants Paul Jones and the Super Destroyer, along with referee Fargo. Jones and the Super Destroyer approached the arm-wrestling table and the noise from the studio audience built up to a deafening crescendo. Paul seemed particularly annoyed as he approached the Super Destroyer who appeared to be smiling through his mask…

Continued in Part 2!

Poster: Super Destroyer and Paul Jones Battle in Lynchburg (1975)

by Jody Shifflett
Mid-Atlantic Gateway Contributor

This poster is from July 25, 1975 and took place at the Lynchburg Armory, a venue that saw a lot of great Mid-Atlantic wrestling action. Just look at the rundown on this poster, from the Super Destroyer to Paul Jones to Ric Flair to Swede Hanson. Also featured are Kevin Sullivan and Bob Bruggers. This is when men were men.

This event took place roughly two months before the October plane crash, of which Ric Flair and Bob Bruggers were a part. I was only three years old at the time of this event but how great it would be to travel back in time and see these guys perform when wrestling truly was wrestling.

Features great light pink to blue coloring, and as always the historic 8:15 start time!

NO. 3 IN THE SHIFFLETT POSTER SERIES

Showdown at the Township: Valentine and Flair vs. Wahoo and Jones

The marquee at the Columbia Township Auditorium, January 24, 1978

NWA World Tag Team Champions
Ric Flair and Greg Valentine

A NWA World Tag Team Title match headlined a four-match card at the historic Township.

 

'Gregg' Valentine?
I guess someone at the newspaper said, 

"Why not? Let's throw another "G" on his name!

Originally published June of 2016 on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway.

Marquee photo from Japanese magazine sent to us by Greg Price. Newspaper clipping from the collection of Mark Eastridge.

Poster: Andre the Giant part of Explosive Six Man Tag in Hampton, VA

by Jody Shifflett
Mid-Atlantic Gateway Contributor

This poster is from 1976 and originated from the Hampton Coliseum and happened just two nights after the Thanksgiving spectaculars at the Greensboro Coliseum and the nearby Norfolk Scope.

 

What an epic card this was, headlined by none other than Andre The Giant, Paul Jones and Rufus R. Jones taking on and defeating the dream team of Ric Flair, Greg Valentine and Blackjack Mulligan! 

The poster features great sunrise colors and took place at the legendary Hampton Coliseum which is often referred to by concert-goers as the 'Mothership' because of its unique design.

The Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, VA

Hampton was truly a hotbed for Mid-Atlantic Wrestling as this was where Flair defeated Wahoo the year before in 1975 for his first Mid Atlantic Championship.

NO. 2 IN THE SHIFFLETT POSTER SERIES

Poster: Masked Superstar and Paul Jones Headline Winston-Salem in 1978

by Brack Beasley
Mid-Atlantic Gateway Contributor

This poster takes us back to the Twin City of Winston-Salem, NC and promotes a card held on Thursday, February 23rd, 1978 at the old Memorial Coliseum.

The red hot feud between Paul Jones and The Masked Superstar had carried over from 1977 into the new year and in the night's main event they would attempt to settle things in a cage match.

The semi of this double main event was a match-up of two former US champs, Ric Flair and Bobo Brazil, while the mid card featured tag team action with the masked duo of Mr. X 1 and Mr. X 2 versus Roberto Soto and Richard Blood (the future Tito Santana). The undercard participants included Mr. Sato, the Russian Stomper, Tony Rousso, Charlie Fulton, Jim Garvin, and Joe Furr.

Other than the main event names and date in high impact red, the horizontal poster has black print over a pink background and the familiar "Wrestling" splash in the upper left corner. It's topped off with great images down both sides of Jones, Superstar, Brazil, Flair, Soto, and Blood.

NO. 32 IN THE BEASLEY POSTER SERIES

Poster: Six Man Main Event at University Hall

by Jody Shifflett
Mid-Atlantic Gateway Contributor

This is one of my favorite posters from my collection. This was from November 3, 1978, a great 6-man card featuring six of the greatest wrestlers to grace the sport of professional wrestling: Greg Valentine, John Studd and Ric Flair vs. Ricky Steamboat, Jimmy Snuka, and Paul Jones.

It happened at University Hall in Charlottesville, VA, which was not a regular stop like Richmond or Roanoke but with more frequent stops than just a spot show. University Hall was built during the same era as the Hampton Coliseum and Norfolk Scope and it had a very unique roof that resembled a clam-shell and was definitely a landmark in Charlottesville until it was torn down in 2019.  

This poster has terrific rainbow coloring and was one of many great cards to take place in this historic building.

* * * * * *

Mid-Atlantic Gateway Notes
by David Chappell

This was Jimmy Snuka's first main event match in Jim Crockett Promotions. He and Paul Orndorf, who wrestled Gene Anderson on the semi-main, would team up soon and eventually win the NWA World Tag Team Championships!

NO. 1 IN THE SHIFFLETT POSTER SERIES

Magazine Memories: Paul Jones vs. Terry Funk

by Dick Bourne
Mid-Atlantic Gateway

This was always one of my favorite photos in the old Weston magazines, it ran in many issues over the years in stories or mentions about Paul Jones and/or Terry Funk.

What I like is the way Funk is selling. It was a familiar look for him when selling during the 70s and early 80s.

Jones is working over Funk's leg, perhaps setting him up for his trademark Indian deathlock. Funk has his arms wrapped around his head - - his right over his eyes, his left over his ear. I used to joke this was the "see no evil" method of selling. If I can't see you and and I can't hear you, then you can't hurt me.

One of the best matches on tape to see Funk sell in this way is the famous Toronto match in 1977 where he loses the NWA title to Harley Race.

It's a small thing, really, but it always stood out to me, and it did in this great photo as well.

Originally published May 2018 on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway. Republished 5/30/2020, 4/14/2022.

Poster: The Anderson Brothers Defend Their Titles in South Boston

by Brack Beasley
Mid-Atlantic Gateway

When the town of South Boston, VA comes up I automatically think of the great NASCAR short track located there, South Boston Speedway. In years past I spent many Saturday nights at that track and the locals really loved their racing. Evidently, they loved their professional wrestling too as Jim Crockett Promotions came to town on occasion.

This poster promotes a spot show held at the Halifax High School football field on Tuesday, August 17th, 1976. The NWA World Tag Team titles were up for grabs with champions Ole and Gene Anderson defending against the formidable duo of Dino Bravo and Paul Jones. 

The semi had Virginia native Tony Atlas versus The Great Malenko, while the undercard had Klondike Bill versus Doug Somers, Dr. Fugiani versus Jack Evans, and a midget match with Little Tokyo versus Cowboy Lang.

With a vertical layout the poster has all black print over a super bright blue background and images of the Andersons, Jones, Bravo, and Klondike. This event was sponsored by the Bethel Ruritan Club and fans could get advance tickets at Allen's Drugs. 

NO. 31 IN THE BEASLEY SERIES

Arn Anderson Makes His WTBS Debut (1981-1982)

by Dick Bourne
Mid-Atlantic Gateway

Time to take a look back at Georgia wrestling in 1982 and a match between a Mid-Atlantic superstar and a young kid who would one day become a superstar himself.

It was the first Georgia wrestling show of 1982, and current Mid-Atlantic star Paul Jones was making the second of two guest shots on "Georgia Championship Wrestling" for booker Ole Anderson, who was booking both the Georgia and Mid-Atlantic territories at that time.

What is more notable from a historical perspective about Jones's appearance, however, was his opponent on this show. His name was Jim Vertaroso and host Gordon Solie billed him as a power-lifting champion out of Rome, GA. What you will see is a big guy who is pretty green in the ring, but shows great promise. The longer you watch though, you will notice that the young man in the ring with Paul Jones is the future Arn Anderson. (Arn's appearance is at 12:54 in this video.)

We believe this was the week after Arn's television debut and may have been his first singles match. (Edit: Arn mentions on the debut episode of his podcast "ARN" that his recollection was his first appearance on Georgia TV was in a tag team match with partner Zeke Rivers against Bob and Brad Armstrong which aired 12/26/81.)

Virtaroso (and we're assuming that's how he would spell it) would later wrestle under his real name Marty Lunde in Southeastern, Mid-South, and Georgia, before Ole Anderson gave him the name Arn Anderson when he came back to work for him in Georgia in 1983.

Arn's look here in early 1982 is quite different as he is much heavier and with that big '70s looking mustache. In fact, he looks a lot like his son brock now who is learning the ropes in AEW. Who knew watching this show just after the New Year's celebrations were over that they were seeing a future superstar and Hall of Famer in action against "No. 1" Paul Jones.

The match with Paul Jones vs. Jim Virtaroso (Arn Anderson) is at 12:54 in this video.

The show features co-host Roddy Piper with Gordon Solie, and also includes The Masked Superstar and the Super Destroyer, Dick Slater, Stan Hansen, Dory Funk, Jr. and Terry Funk, Tommy Rich, Buzz Sawyer, Mike Jackson, and many others.

Plus, fellow belt-enthusiasts will enjoy the presentation of new National tag team title belts to reigning champions Bob and Brad Armstrong at the opening of the show. 

Edited from a post originally published October of 2016 on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway
Thanks to Kyle Rosser for additional information.