Now That's a Dropkick! Hawk vs. Lex Luger

 

This is another in a series of great images by our friend, the late photographer Robert Riddick, Jr. 

Road Warrior Hawk connects with a wicked flying dropkick on the "Total Package" Lex Luger, circa 1987-1988. Guessing Lex felt that one. 

Great memories!

Click here for more classic Robert Riddick images on the mid-Atlantic Gateway.

Super Power Summit

 

Another great photo by the late photographer Rob Riddick. The Super Powers (Nikita Koloff and Dusty Rhodes) with Paul Ellering and Steve "Dr. Death" Williams.  

For more on my friend Rob, whom I miss more with each passing year, please visit: http://midatlanticgateway.com/2015/06/robert-riddick.html

For all posts and photographs related to Rob on our website, visit this link.

Heaven Needed Six-Man Tag Champions

Jim Crockett, Jr. and Bill Watts at the Crockett Cup (1986)

by Dick Bourne
Mid-Atlantic Gateway

My friend Rob Riddick once told me that one of his favorite trips was to New Orleans in April of 1986 for the inaugural Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup tag team tournament. George Napolitano, through the assistance of Tony Schiavone in the Crockett office, made it possible for him to get credentials.

Ironically, it would be an event where he wasn't allowed to shoot many of the matches, since they limited the number of photographers that could shoot ringside, and those would be the guys like Napolitano, Bill Apter, and the photographers from Japan. But what made the trip so memorable for him was that he was able to get this shot.

Rob told me he was walking through one of the long hallways in the Super Dome before the evening session and noticed Jim Crockett and Bill Watts having a conversation in front of a set where they had the Crockett Cup trophy on display in front of a huge board with the tournament brackets. He worked up the nerve to interrupt them and asked them could he get a picture, sensing the rare opportunity to get them together in such a setting. Watts told him, "I don't have my jacket with me." Rob assured him that wasn't a problem in the slightest.

Without being asked, the two reached up and each held the trophy for the photograph which Rob told me was one of his all-time favorites given these two giants in wrestling together for that rather historic show.


THE CROCKETT CUP RETURNS
This April the National Wrestling Alliance, in conjunction with the Crockett Foundation and Ring of Honor Wrestling, will bring back the Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup Tag Team Tournament. The original event, promoted by Jim Crockett Promotions in the 1980s, only lasted three years, from 1986-1988. The company was sold to Ted Turner late in 1988.

When Jim Crockett, Jr. announced that the NWA had selected New Orleans to host the inaugural tournament in 1986, he told fans that it was his dream to host the tournament in the home city of Crockett Promotions, Charlotte, NC. Mr. Crockett never got to fulfill that dream, but the modern day NWA is about to come close for him.

The 2019 tournament will be held in Concord, NC, just outside Charlotte, at Cabarrus Arena. The venue has been host to several ROH events over the last few years. We'll be following news of the Crockett Cup closely and look forward to seeing that event return to the landscape of pro-wrestling.

Follow the NWA on Twitter at @NWA.

Best of the Gateway: James J. Dillon & The Limousine

by Dick Bourne

Mid-Atlantic Gateway

It's been a long time since I've written about my departed friend Rob Riddick here. I don't want him to be forgotten in the wrestling world. Rob was a wrestling photographer in the 1980s and many of his photographs were published in the magazines edited by George Napolitano.  

I have many photos Rob sent me in the years we knew each other. Some have been published here, many more I need to include.

The following is one of the first articles I wrote about Rob on the Gateway back in 2015. 

Honoring photographer and friend Robert Riddick, Jr.

One of Rob Riddick's favorite photographs that he shot was of James J. Dillon outside of his hotel in Baltimore the weekend of the second Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup tag team tournament. It was April of 1987, and J.J. was waiting for Ric Flair and the rest of the Four Horsemen to join him as they prepared to depart in their limousine.  Rob was shooting for George Napolitano and his series of pro-wrestling news stand magazines at this time.

Rob once told me the context of the photo, but I don't recall when during the weekend this was or where he said the Horsemen were headed. He told me he had taken this photo for himself. 

Twenty six years later, in the summer of 2013, my friend Conrad Thompson was looking for a unique photo he could have enlarged and signed by J.J. at a private gathering in Huntsville, AL. I suggested Rob's limousine photo and Conrad thought it was perfect. He had the photo of J.J. and the limousine blown up into a nice 16 x 20" foam-board poster. Since Rob allowed us to use his photograph, I asked J.J. to sign one for him, too, and explained to him that it was Rob who had taken the photo all those years ago and that it was one of his favorites.

J.J. took great care in signing the print to Rob. The inscription read:

"To Robert: 

Thanks for the great photo. 

J.J. Dillon

The Leader of the Four Horsemen forever!"

I was so excited to be able to get this for Rob.  J.J. was one of his favorite wrestlers and managers. The photo of J.J. and the limousine had been used on the cover of one of J.J.'s recent shoot-interview DVDs, which Rob was very proud of all these years later. I called him and told him I had it for him and that I would mail it to him, but needed to get the right packaging for it because it was on foam-board and could not be rolled up. He told me not to worry with it, as we were planning on trying to see each other soon, and I could give it to him then. I sent him a photo via e-mail of the signed print so he could see what J.J. had written. But even with that, I had every good intention to go ahead and mail it to him.

But it was not to be.

I believe it was Thomas Edison who once said something like "Good intentions, with poor execution, often lead to poor results.” Rob passed away a short time later, before our planned get-together. I had not yet mailed the signed photograph to him. I still feel bad about that to this day.

* * * * *

This article was originally published on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway June 26, 2015.

Road Warrior Face Off

Honoring photographer and friend Robert Riddick, Jr.

What a great photo by my friend Rob Riddick, a wrestling photographer back in the 1980s and early 1990s who passed away several years ago.
 

This is one of my favorites, the two members of the fabled "Legion of Doom" going face to face. Animal and Hawk befriended Rob in his early years taking photos at Jim Crockett Promotions events. They were introduced by veteran and legendary photographer George Napolitano.

Rob told me the Roadies were just clowning around in the back and Rob was lucky enough to get this shot. Another good one with the LOD here.

For more on Rob and some good memories (and great photos) from that time, click this link which will bring up all of our posts with his photos.

Hall of Fame

Crockett Cup Anniversary

April of 2016 is the 30th Anniversary of the first Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup tag team tournament, honoring the memory of one of the great wrestling promoters in the history of the business.

The first Crockett Cup tournament took place on April 19, 1986 at the Superdome in New Orleans, LA. The Road Warriors defeated Magnum T.A. and Ron Garvin in the finals.

In the photo above, Jim Crockett, Jr. and Bill Watts stand with the Crockett Cup trophy in front of the seedings board for the tournament.

Learn about the history of this special and rare photograph on this earlier post on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway:
Robert Riddick: Crockett and Watts at the Crockett Cup

Brothers in Paint

Road Warrior Hawk, Sting, manager Paul Ellering, and Road Warrior Animal

A classic Robert Riddick photograph from 1988, one my my very favorites that he took. Not sure exactly when or where this was taken but it appears that Ellering may be joining Sting and the LOD for an 8-man tag team match-up.

This is another in a series of favorite photographs taken by my good friend Rob who sadly passed away several years ago. I miss him so much. (Read more about Rob here, featuring a classic photo of the Legion of Doom with Dusty Rhodes.)


Here are a couple of other posts with Rob's great photography:

James J. Dillon and the Limousine
Jim Crockett and Bill Watts and the Crockett Cup

Rest in peace, big man.

James J. Dillon & The Limousine

Honoring photographer and friend Robert Riddick, Jr.

One of Rob Riddick's favorite photographs that he shot was of James J. Dillon outside of his hotel in Baltimore the weekend of the second Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup tag team tournament. It was April of 1987, and J.J. was waiting for Ric Flair and the rest of the Four Horsemen to join him as they prepared to depart in their limousine.  Rob was shooting for George Napolitano and his series of pro-wrestling news stand magazines at this time.

Rob once told me the context of the photo, but I don't recall when during the weekend this was or where he said the Horsemen were headed. He told me he had taken this photo for himself. 

Twenty six years later, in the summer of 2013, my friend Conrad Thompson was looking for a unique photo he could have enlarged and signed by J.J. at a private gathering in Huntsville, AL. I suggested Rob's limousine photo and Conrad thought it was perfect. He had the photo of J.J. and the limousine blown up into a nice 16 x 20" foam-board poster. Since Rob allowed us to use his photograph, I asked J.J. to sign one for him, too, and explained to him that it was Rob who had taken the photo all those years ago and that it was one of his favorites.

J.J. took great care in signing the print to Rob. The inscription read:

"To Robert: 

Thanks for the great photo. 

J.J. Dillon

The Leader of the Four Horsemen forever!"

I was so excited to be able to get this for Rob.  J.J. was one of his favorite wrestlers and managers. The photo of J.J. and the limousine had been used on the cover of one of J.J.'s recent shoot-interview DVDs, which Rob was very proud of all these years later. I called him and told him I had it for him and that I would mail it to him, but needed to get the right packaging for it because it was on foam-board and could not be rolled up. He told me not to worry with it, as we were planning on trying to see each other soon, and I could give it to him then. I sent him a photo via e-mail of the signed print so he could see what J.J. had written. But even with that, I had every good intention to go ahead and mail it to him.

I believe it was Thomas Edison who once said something like "Good intentions, with poor execution, often lead to poor results.” Rob passed away a short time later, before our planned get-together. I had not yet mailed the signed photograph to him. I still feel bad about that to this day.

As mentioned earlier, I am featuring some of photographer Rob Riddick's personal favorite pictures to honor his memory as part of an ongoing series here on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway.

- Dick Bourne

Crockett & Watts at the Crockett Cup

Honoring photographer & friend Robert Riddick, Jr.

Rob Riddick once told me that one of his favorite trips was to New Orleans in April of 1986 for the inaugural Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup tag team tournament. George Napolitano, through the assistance of Tony Schiavone in the Crockett office, made it possible for him to get credentials.

Ironically, it would be an event where he wasn't allowed to shoot many of the matches, since they limited the number of photographers that could shoot ringside, and those would be the guys like Napolitano, Bill Apter, and the photographers from Japan. But what made the trip so memorable for him was that he was able to get this shot.

Rob told me he was walking through one of the long hallways in the Super Dome before the evening session and noticed Jim Crockett and Bill Watts having a conversation in front of a set where they had the Crockett Cup trophy on display in front of a huge board with the tournament brackets. He worked up the nerve to interrupt them and ask them could he get a picture, sensing the brief opportunity to get them together in such a setting. Watts told him, "I don't have my jacket with me." Rob assured him that wasn't a problem in the slightest.

Without being asked, the two reached up and each held the trophy for the photograph which Rob told me was one of his all-time favorites given these two giants in wrestling together for that rather historic show.

As mentioned earlier, we are featuring some of Rob Riddick's favorite photographs to honor his memory as part of an ongoing series here on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway.

Robert Riddick

Back around 2009, I was blessed to make the acquaintance of a wonderful fellow named Rob Riddick. Our mutual friend George Pantas introduced us, and from the moment Rob and I began talking on the phone regularly, we became good friends. He once told me he was convinced we were "brothers from different mothers."

Robert Riddick, Jr.

Rob was a great guy who shared his laughter and good cheer with me over the relatively few years I knew him through our many hour-long telephone conversations, many of them while he was sitting high atop his crane at the Naval Submarine Base in St. Mary's, GA. We shared the same love of music, TV and movies, NFL football, food, but most of all of Mid-Atlantic Wrestling. We had the same childhood heroes - Blackjack Mulligan, Dick Murdoch, Rufus R. "Freight Train" Jones, Wahoo McDaniel, and the Anderson Brothers.

He was able to start taking photographs at the matches in Norfolk and Hampton when he was a teenager, and through good fortune and a little help from some friends, was able to begin taking photographs for the wrestling magazines, particularly for George Napolitano.

Rob shot Crockett cards professionally from around 1984 through 1990. He mostly shot in Norfolk and Greensboro, but also at some big shows outside his geographic area, for example the Great American Bash at Memorial Stadium in Charlotte, as well as the Crockett Cups in New Orleans and Baltimore. His photographs graced many of the pages and even a few of the covers of the Napolitano magazines.

Dusty Rhodes with Paul Ellering and the Road Warriors

Rob credited Napolitano and Tony Schiavone for helping him out and opening doors for him. Particularly Schiavone, who set him up nicely at the Greensboro shows and got him access.

Sadly, Rob Riddick passed away in December of 2013. He was 48 years old. He was way too young to leave us, and he and I had way too much wrestling left to talk about. I think about him often and miss him very much.

During my few brief years knowing Rob, he was kind enough to send me some of his photographs to post on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway. Many of those are on Rob's pages at the Mid-Atlantic Gateway Archives. But some have never been posted or seen, and I plan to begin posting a select number of those here for all of us to enjoy. In all cases, these will be pictures that Rob told me were some of his personal favorites. I post these to honor his memory. Look for them to begin soon.

When Rob died, a friend of his posted online that the world was a lot less funny place that day. I found that to be so true. Rob made me laugh every time I spoke with him, and that's one of the greatest gifts anyone can give. Thanks for that, Rob. Rest in peace, big man.

- Dick Bourne

Mid-Atlantic Gateway