Revisit: U.S. Wrestling Club - Ricky Steamboat

RINGSIDE NEWSLETTER VOL. 1 ISSUE 1
MAY- JUNE 1981

In 1981, Jim Crockett promotions developed a club for their fans and called it the "United States Wrestling Club." For a membership fee of $5.00 for one year, fans got the bi-monthly club newsletter "Ringside," a discounted subscription offer on "Mid-Atlantic Wrestling Magazine," discounts on tickets to local Mid-Atlantic Wrestling events, and discounts on concessions at those events. Despite being initially well received by fans, Jim Crockett Promotions folded the club after only one year.

The premier 4-page issue of the "Ringside" newsletter for the United States Wrestling Club arrived in the late spring of 1981. The first feature article was editor Steve Waid's interview with Ricky Steamboat about his interest in body-building. Steve photographed Ricky working out at the gym.

The issue also included "Club News" from Jim Crockett, Jr., an enrollment form, and letters to the editor.


Ricky Steamboat, Wrestler and Body Builder
by Steve Waid

One of the reasons professional wrestling superstar Ricky Steamboat has made it to the top of his sport is that he maintains a sleek, powerful physique.

Certainly Steamboat has one of the best-built bodies in wrestling, and the strength it generates has helped him win many matches he might otherwise have lost.

To become a professional wrestler takes hard work, but Steamboat had to work that much harder to perfect his body. Years of sweat and sacrifice are required to produce the kind of physique which ultimately helps make champions.

“I started body-building about seven years ago,” said Steamboat. “I do a lot of traveling in my job as a wrestler and I was fortunate enough to have a lot of friends who operate gyms in various cities. They let me slip in and have a few workouts.”

“But in my home, Charlotte, NC, I worked out regularly at a gym.”

Steamboat’s routine usually consists of steady workouts with weights and body-building machines six days a week. “I’m really involved in it when I’m getting ready for a body-building competition,” he added. “Right now, I’m competing in the regional level (Mid-Atlantic) and to prepare myself, I spend several hours each day working out.”

“But it’s a bit different in the off-season, when I have more time. I usually work out four days a week then.”

Body-building not only improves the look and tone of the physique, it also helps in the ring.

“Keeping your muscle tone and strength is like building a set of shock absorbers,” Steamboat said. “If your muscles are tight, you are less susceptible to injury. Getting slammed around in the ring and falling to the mat can seriously hurt you. But you will avoid most injuries if your muscles are tight.”

Steamboat added that ligaments and tendons are often twisted during a match, and injury can result if the wrestler’s muscle tone isn’t good.

“You have to remember that in my profession, a lot of the moves and holds applied goes against your joints,” Steamboat said. “You have to have the proper muscle tone to make sure you can absorb the pressure. I’m sure football players have to be the same way. They have developed the same basic reasoning.”

Steamboat’s workouts can be rigorous. Working with dumbbells, weights and Nautilus machines is a tedious process – and at times a painful one. When Steamboat undergoes several weightlifting repetitions, it’s not unusual to see him sweat, strain and groan.

He advises that no one who wants to become involved in body building undertake the exercise he does. It takes time to rise to his level of proficiency. And no one should attempt any sort of body building program without a doctor’s approval.

“To develop a good body takes a great deal of time,” Steamboat said. “You must first learn to be patient. Guys come up to me and ask if they lift weights for six months, will they look like me? There is no way.”

“I would recommend that a person start out very lightly. Don’t go and see how much you can lift right away – we calling that ‘maxing out’. Just lift what you can for 12 to 15 repetitions for six to eight weeks.”

“If you can increase your repetitions from 15 to 20, then add some more weight. Find your levels and work out at them. Then, maybe after six months, you can take a chance and see how much you can lift.”

Steamboat emphasized that the biggest thing for any body builder is to stay healthy.

“If you suffer an injury and can’t work out, you will quickly lose what you have gained,” he said. “Suppose you have added a half-inch to your arms. If you injure yourself, you’ll lose that in just two to three weeks, and it will have taken you six months to gain it.”

Diet plays an important role in body building and Steamboat pays careful attention to his. “When I am preparing for competition, I go on a low-fat, low-carbohydrate diet,” he said.

“This means I reduce the intake of carbohydrates and fats and take in more protein. I don’t eat bread, pasta or any sweets. I eat a lot of fish and chicken. Steak is a good provider of protein, but it also has fats.”

“You need the protein to repair and rebuild your muscles’ tissues, which you tear down during body building.”

When he is not preparing for competition, Steamboat relaxes his diet only a little. He eats fruits (which he also eats in his more strenuous program), steak, baked potato and sometimes, even dessert.

“Usually, I take one day in the week and just let go,” he said. “I eat pretty much what I want. It helps break up the monotony.”

    

Club News
by Jim Crockett, Jr.

Judging from the mail and phone calls received, the response to the United States Wrestling Club has been tremendous.

Hundreds of wrestling fans across the country have responded to our USWC membership drive and it looks like the club is going to be a big success.

To become a member of the USWC, Just send a $15 membership fee to the United States Wrestling Club, P. O. Box 3854, Charlotte, NC 28203. Don’t forget to include your name, address and zip code.

Being a member entitles you to discount tickets on a regular basis to wresting matches in your area. You will also receive the Club Newsletter, “Ringside” every two months. This will feature in-depth stories on your favorite wrestlers, along with photos, club news and other items of interest to wrestling fans.

You will also received a colorful membership card, which will entitle you to special 10 percent discounts on wrestling posters, t-shirts, wrestling jackets and other items.

And there’s a big bonus. As a member, you receive at a discount, Wrestling Magazine, a publication which highlights wrestling on the local and national level. It also features profiles and interviews with the wrestlers, as well as some first class photos of your favorites.

As a USWC member, you get Wrestling Magazine for just $10 for six issues, and it’s a regular $18 value.

Don’t wait – join the United States Wrestling Club today and get in on all the action.

(Note: This material is presented for historical purposes. Reprinted from 1981 newsletter. The club is no longer active. DO NOT send money to the P.O. Box above!)



UNITED STATES WRESTLING CLUB RINGSIDE NEWSLETTER
Editor: Sid Morris
Managing Editor: Sid Morris
Associate Editor: Anita Gersch
Art Director: Frank Nemis
Membership: Donna Taylor

Originally published on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway December 15, 2016

United States Wrestling Club: Jake "The Snake" Roberts

RINGSIDE NEWSLETTER VOL. 1 ISSUE 4
NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 1981

In 1981, Jim Crockett promotions developed a club for their fans and called it the "United States Wrestling Club." For a membership fee of $5.00 for one year, fans got the bi-monthly club newsletter "Ringside," a discounted subscription offer on "Mid-Atlantic Wrestling Magazine," discounts on tickets to local Mid-Atlantic Wrestling events, and discounts on concessions at those events. Despite being initially well received by fans, Jim Crockett Promotions folded the club after only one year.

The 4th issue of the "Ringside" newsletter for the United States Wrestling Club arrived in November 1981. The feature article was editor Steve Waid's interview with Jake "The Snake" Roberts about his interest in snakes, making furniture, and his tenure in the wrestling business at that point in time.



* * * * * * * * * * * * *

JAKE ROBERTS

If he’s wearing his cowboy hat, chances are the first thing you won’t notice about wrestling star Jake Roberts will be his tall, muscular body or seemingly stone-cut good looks.

Instead, his hat will capture all your attention. It’s a rather nondescript cowboy lid, except when you notice the hatband.

Now that’s a stunner.

It’s the skin of a rattlesnake, complete with head, open mouth and fangs – make that one fang. It’s a chilling sight and it gives the amiable Roberts something of a sinister air.

“I got that hat in Texas and the skin and head of the snake were given to me by a buddy who is a taxidermist,” said Roberts. “I guess it’s the kind of thing you don’t see every day. That other fang broke off just the other day.”

It seems only natural that Roberts would adorn his hat with the skin of a snake, because he has a fondness for the slithering creatures. He has two pet snakes – a huge boa constrictor and a python, both in the 7-foot range.

Don’t let his hatband or his unusual pets fool you, however. Roberts is no “snake in the grass.” He is, instead, a fine athlete who has only recently come into the Mid-Atlantic Wrestling area after successful stints in other parts of the country.

From the town of Sweetwater, Texas, near Dallas, Roberts was influenced by wrestling at a very early age. “My father was a professional wrestler called the ‘Kentuckian’,” he said, “and we shared more of a big brother/little brother relationship than anything else.”

“I would see the huge number of miles he’d pile up traveling and I’d see him get all busted up and I thought a wrestler was the last thing I ever wanted to be.”

As a youngster, Roberts drifted into basketball, baseball and football at Sweetwater High School, and in his own words, “I was the master of none.”

But that didn’t mean he lacked athletic prowess. He got a chance to prove that later in Baton Rouge, Louisiana where he had gone to visit his father.


       

“I was at a wrestling match with him and this guy didn’t show up for his particular match,” Roberts recalled. “Well, it was suggested that I fill in for him. My father was with me and I knew he’d be watching.”


“It was against a guy named Billy Ash. Time expired before he could pin me or I could manage to do anything with him, but I took the worst of it, let me tell you.”

“I went back to the dressing room and asked my Dad what he thought. He said it was the worst thing he had ever seen and that he was embarrassed. I considered that a challenge. I thought then I could be as good as he ever was. And so, here I am.”

That was “six long years ago” and Roberts is quickly becoming one of the more popular grapplers around. But he’s paid a price for it, much the same as his father did.

“I went to Florida to start my career, but had wrist surgery and was out for 18 months,” Roberts said. “Then I started back again in Florida, went to Tennessee, Kansas City and on to Canada, where I started out in Vancouver, British Columbia. Then I went to Calgary, also in Canada.”

“From there, I figured it was time to head back to Louisiana to show everyone what I had learned.”

Apparently, he had learned a great deal. He became the Louisiana State Champion.

But again, injuries plagued him. He separated his shoulder and then broke his arm twice, severely limiting his activities. Upon recovery, however, he had to do his father proud when he won the North American Championship in Shreveport, LA in January, 1980.

He remained in Louisiana until the middle of 1981, when he came to the Mid-Atlantic area to become involved in the competition that exists there.

“I had to keep right on going in the sport I’d chosen,” Roberts explained. “You have to go out and go places to make yourself better and better. And for me, it means a great deal of personal satisfaction, even though I’ve taken a lot of wear and tear on my body.”

“It proves that no matter what the odds are against you, you can achieve anything in this world if you work at it.”

 
To relax, Roberts makes furniture, in addition to tending his snakes. It seems the creativity of creating a fine chair or other household object is a welcome respite from the rigors of wrestling.

Outgoing and friendly, Jake Roberts has most of his career ahead of him. Even though he didn’t approve of wrestling after seeing his father’s involvement of several years, he’s met a challenge and become one of the best in his profession.

“I never thought I’d be in the position I am,” he said. “I have gained a lot of satisfaction from it.”


* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Special thanks to Peggy Lathan for transcribing the Jake Roberts article.

Click here for all posts on the United States Wrestling Club.

United States Wrestling Club: Paul Jones

RINGSIDE NEWSLETTER VOL. 1 ISSUE 2
JULY- AUGUST 1981

In 1981, Jim Crockett promotions developed a club for their fans and called it the "United States Wrestling Club." For a membership fee of $5.00 for one year, fans got the bi-monthly club newsletter "Ringside," a discounted subscription offer on "Mid-Atlantic Wrestling Magazine," discounts on tickets to local Mid-Atlantic Wrestling events, and discounts on concessions at those events. Despite being initially well received by fans, Jim Crockett Promotions folded the club after only one year.

The 3rd issue of the "Ringside" newsletter for the United States Wrestling Club arrived in early August of 1981. The feature article was editor Steve Waid's interview with Paul Jones about his interest in car restoration. Steve photographed Paul at his shop.

The issue also included "Fan Club News" and a wrestler word scramble.


Paul Jones - Car Restoration Buff
by Steve Waid

Ever since he was a youngster in Port Arthur, Texas, wrestler Paul Jones has had a deep affection for a 1955 model Ford Thunderbird.

“When I was a kid, I’d go down to the auto lot and just sit in one,” he recalled, “and I wouldn’t move until a salesman would chase me off. And you know how kids daydream. I read once where Elvis Presley had a Cadillac and he would tow a 1955 Thunderbird behind it. I thought then, I’d have one someday.”

Because he has made a successful career out of wrestling, in which he has held several championships, Jones now owns a 1955 Thunderbird. Because it is over 25 years old, it is an antique. But that’s now what makes this Thunderbird so appealing.

It was practically rebuilt from scratch and its restoration has been a long, costly process. And the man who restored the car with his own hands is Paul Jones himself.

Jones enjoys restoring old cars. In fact, he has made it a pastime, one he pursues vigorously when he’s not wrestling.

“When I grew up, I piddled around with old cars, but I sure didn’t have the money to undertake any restoration projects on my own. I’ve only been doing that for the last six years,” Jones said.

“But I read books about restoration and I talked to people who did it. I joined the Atlanta T-Bird Club and kept in touch with what was going on. But I also played a lot of golf in my free time and it never worked out that I had time to start restoring old cars. I’m neglecting my golf to do it right now.”

Jones finally purchased his beloved Thunderbird, one that was in pretty bad shape. He rolled up his sleeves and began working, “taking off one bolt at a time.” When the project was finished, Jones had a classic car, one he enjoys taking out for short rides whenever he has the time.

Because of his efforts, the Thunderbird is now worth from $15,000 to $18,000. “If you look in a newspaper and see a 1955 Thunderbird for sale at $10,000, that might sound cheap, but it’s going to be more costly for you later,” said Jones.

“The thing of it is, that car probably has a lot of the original parts and equipment missing and to replace them is going to cost you a lot of money. Before the car is completely restored, you probably will have invested $20,000 in it.”

Which says that restoring cars isn’t an inexpensive hobby. “You’d better be prepared to spend some money,” Jones explained.

“With inflation, the cost of parts has gone up a great deal,” he added. “And for classic cars, the cost is even higher. So you must be ready to spend the money if you want to restore the car properly.”

“It’s like opening a restaurant. Your initial investment is fine and it probably isn’t all that much. But you’ve got to have some money to fall back on in case you have problems. If you don’t, you are out of business. That’s the way it is with restoring cars.”

Jones is presently working on a 1963 Corvette, the model with the split rear window. It has great value.

“They only made this Corvette that one year,” he said, “because the bar in the split rear window blocked your view and it was something of a safety hazard. It’s value is more than the Thunderbird’s because of that and because the increase in replacement parts for it is so high.”

“This Corvette can be sold for $25,000. I’ll bet that makes a lot of those people who had one and sold it for $3,000 years ago wish they had it back.”

Jones, who said he has auto parts “scattered all through my basement,” has rules to follow before he begins any restoration.

“First,” he said, “I never begin work on one unless I’m able to spend at least five hours on it. It’s not worth getting so dirty and sweaty for just one hour’s worth of work.”

“Second, I concentrate only on one car. If you start two cars and attempt to work on them together, you’re not going to do a good job. You won’t be able to put all your efforts into one car and make it your best work.”

“Also, it’s going to get very expensive because you’ll spend money trying to buy two different sets of replacement parts.”

Because he was willing to spend the money and put in the required work, Paul Jones has his sparkling 1955 Thunderbird. And he’s realized a childhood dream.

Thanks to Peggy Lathan for her transcription of this article.

     

FAN CLUB NEWS

This column is just for you sincere wrestling fans! It will be loaded with valuable information that you will find nowhere else.

It will be a place for you to receive and give information in regards to your favorite wrestler. You will find here which wrestlers do or do not have fan clubs. Who to contact about joining a particular fan club – or if there is not one established, how you can start your own.

Here’s one you might be interested in:

Ric Flair Fan Club

c/o Donna Crawford

P. O. Box ---

Pleasant Valley, VA 

Dues: $5.00 per year

Send cash, check or money order and receive a letter signed by Ric, an 8 x 10 autographed color photo, and six wrestling bulletins a year.

Gateway Note: One day will do a feature just like this on those excellent issues of the Ric Flair Fan Club Newsletter. 

(Note: This material is presented for historical purposes. Reprinted from 1981 newsletter. The club is no longer active. DO NOT send money to the P.O. Box above!) 

WRESTLER WORD SEARCH

UNITED STATES WRESTLING CLUB RINGSIDE NEWSLETTER
Editor: Sid Morris
Managing Editor: Sid Morris
Associate Editor: Anita Gersch
Art Director: Frank Nemis
Membership: Donna Taylor


See also:  
Ringside Vol. 1 Issue 1 on Ricky Steamboat
Ringside Vol. 1 Issue 3 on Roddy Piper

U.S. Wrestling Club: Ricky Steamboat

by Dick Bourne
Mid-Atlantic Gateway

RINGSIDE NEWSLETTER VOL. 1 ISSUE 1
MAY- JUNE 1981

In 1981, Jim Crockett promotions developed a club for their fans and called it the "United States Wrestling Club." For a membership fee of $5.00 for one year, fans got the bi-monthly club newsletter "Ringside," a discounted subscription offer on "Mid-Atlantic Wrestling Magazine," discounts on tickets to local Mid-Atlantic Wrestling events, and discounts on concessions at those events. Despite being initially well received by fans, Jim Crockett Promotions folded the club after only one year.

The premier 4-page issue of the "Ringside" newsletter for the United States Wrestling Club arrived in the late spring of 1981. The first feature article was editor Steve Waid's interview with Ricky Steamboat about his interest in body-building. Steve photographed Ricky working out at the gym.

The issue also included "Club News" from Jim Crockett, Jr., an enrollment form, and letters to the editor.


Ricky Steamboat, Wrestler and Body Builder
by Steve Waid

One of the reasons professional wrestling superstar Ricky Steamboat has made it to the top of his sport is that he maintains a sleek, powerful physique.

Certainly Steamboat has one of the best-built bodies in wrestling, and the strength it generates has helped him win many matches he might otherwise have lost.

To become a professional wrestler takes hard work, but Steamboat had to work that much harder to perfect his body. Years of sweat and sacrifice are required to produce the kind of physique which ultimately helps make champions.

“I started body-building about seven years ago,” said Steamboat. “I do a lot of traveling in my job as a wrestler and I was fortunate enough to have a lot of friends who operate gyms in various cities. They let me slip in and have a few workouts.”

“But in my home, Charlotte, NC, I worked out regularly at a gym.”

Steamboat’s routine usually consists of steady workouts with weights and body-building machines six days a week. “I’m really involved in it when I’m getting ready for a body-building competition,” he added. “Right now, I’m competing in the regional level (Mid-Atlantic) and to prepare myself, I spend several hours each day working out.”

“But it’s a bit different in the off-season, when I have more time. I usually work out four days a week then.”

Body-building not only improves the look and tone of the physique, it also helps in the ring.

“Keeping your muscle tone and strength is like building a set of shock absorbers,” Steamboat said. “If your muscles are tight, you are less susceptible to injury. Getting slammed around in the ring and falling to the mat can seriously hurt you. But you will avoid most injuries if your muscles are tight.”

Steamboat added that ligaments and tendons are often twisted during a match, and injury can result if the wrestler’s muscle tone isn’t good.

“You have to remember that in my profession, a lot of the moves and holds applied goes against your joints,” Steamboat said. “You have to have the proper muscle tone to make sure you can absorb the pressure. I’m sure football players have to be the same way. They have developed the same basic reasoning.”

Steamboat’s workouts can be rigorous. Working with dumbbells, weights and Nautilus machines is a tedious process – and at times a painful one. When Steamboat undergoes several weightlifting repetitions, it’s not unusual to see him sweat, strain and groan.

He advises that no one who wants to become involved in body building undertake the exercise he does. It takes time to rise to his level of proficiency. And no one should attempt any sort of body building program without a doctor’s approval.

“To develop a good body takes a great deal of time,” Steamboat said. “You must first learn to be patient. Guys come up to me and ask if they lift weights for six months, will they look like me? There is no way.”

“I would recommend that a person start out very lightly. Don’t go and see how much you can lift right away – we calling that ‘maxing out’. Just lift what you can for 12 to 15 repetitions for six to eight weeks.”

“If you can increase your repetitions from 15 to 20, then add some more weight. Find your levels and work out at them. Then, maybe after six months, you can take a chance and see how much you can lift.”

Steamboat emphasized that the biggest thing for any body builder is to stay healthy.

“If you suffer an injury and can’t work out, you will quickly lose what you have gained,” he said. “Suppose you have added a half-inch to your arms. If you injure yourself, you’ll lose that in just two to three weeks, and it will have taken you six months to gain it.”

Diet plays an important role in body building and Steamboat pays careful attention to his. “When I am preparing for competition, I go on a low-fat, low-carbohydrate diet,” he said.

“This means I reduce the intake of carbohydrates and fats and take in more protein. I don’t eat bread, pasta or any sweets. I eat a lot of fish and chicken. Steak is a good provider of protein, but it also has fats.”

“You need the protein to repair and rebuild your muscles’ tissues, which you tear down during body building.”

When he is not preparing for competition, Steamboat relaxes his diet only a little. He eats fruits (which he also eats in his more strenuous program), steak, baked potato and sometimes, even dessert.

“Usually, I take one day in the week and just let go,” he said. “I eat pretty much what I want. It helps break up the monotony.”

    

Club News
by Jim Crockett, Jr.

Judging from the mail and phone calls received, the response to the United States Wrestling Club has been tremendous.

Hundreds of wrestling fans across the country have responded to our USWC membership drive and it looks like the club is going to be a big success.

To become a member of the USWC, Just send a $15 membership fee to the United States Wrestling Club, P. O. Box 3854, Charlotte, NC 28203. Don’t forget to include your name, address and zip code.

Being a member entitles you to discount tickets on a regular basis to wresting matches in your area. You will also receive the Club Newsletter, “Ringside” every two months. This will feature in-depth stories on your favorite wrestlers, along with photos, club news and other items of interest to wrestling fans.

You will also received a colorful membership card, which will entitle you to special 10 percent discounts on wrestling posters, t-shirts, wrestling jackets and other items.

And there’s a big bonus. As a member, you receive at a discount, Wrestling Magazine, a publication which highlights wrestling on the local and national level. It also features profiles and interviews with the wrestlers, as well as some first class photos of your favorites.

As a USWC member, you get Wrestling Magazine for just $10 for six issues, and it’s a regular $18 value.

Don’t wait – join the United States Wrestling Club today and get in on all the action.

(Note: This material is presented for historical purposes. Reprinted from 1981 newsletter. The club is no longer active. DO NOT send money to the P.O. Box above!)



UNITED STATES WRESTLING CLUB RINGSIDE NEWSLETTER
Editor: Sid Morris
Managing Editor: Sid Morris
Associate Editor: Anita Gersch
Art Director: Frank Nemis
Membership: Donna Taylor

See also: Ringside Vol. 1 Issue 3 on Roddy Piper

 

U.S. Wrestling Club: Roddy Piper

RINGSIDE NEWSLETTER VOL. 1 ISSUE 3
SEPTEMBER- OCTOBER 1981

In 1981, Jim Crockett promotions developed a club for their fans and called it the "United States Wrestling Club." For a membership fee of $5.00 for one year, fans got the bi-monthly club newsletter "Ringside," a discounted subscription offer on "Mid-Atlantic Wrestling Magazine," discounts on tickets to local Mid-Atlantic Wrestling events, and discounts on concessions at those events. Despite being initially well received by fans, Crockett Promotions folded the club after only one year.

The 3rd 4-page issue of the short-lived "Ringside" newsletter arrived in the fall of 1981. The feature article was editor Steve Waid's interview with Roddy Piper about Piper's diverse hobbies. Roddy enjoys dirt biking, quick-draw, and (of course) the bagpipes!

The issue also included Club News, and enrollment form, and letters to the editor (included following the article on Roddy) and a word-jumble puzzle.

Roddy Piper – All Around Competitor

by Steve Waid

When Roddy Piper isn’t sweating and straining as a professional wrestler in any one of thousands of rings throughout the country, chances are you will find him alone, deep in the woods, making music.

It isn’t ordinary music, by the way.  None of this “lilting flute” or “harmonious guitar” stuff. As befits his Scottish heritage, Piper plays the bagpipes – and suffice it to say, he is very, very good.

“I’ve been playing the pipes since I was six years old and living in Glasgow, Scotland,” said Piper. “Right now, I like to go into the woods and play them without being disturbed. That’s when they sound nicest.”

“But I’ve been involved in some serious bagpipe competition and I’ve played in championship pipe bands. I was a member of the World Champion pipe band which won a competition on Toronto, Canada. The band was in the ‘Pro Class’, which is the highest classification.”

It’s not unusual that Piper would take up the pipes, since he is Scottish, but it seems unlikely he would stick with them throughout his many travels.

“I am a professional gypsy, or so it seems,” Piper said with a laugh.   “It’s hard to remember all the places I’ve been.”

To start, there’s Glasgow, Piper’s home. He left there when he was six years old and moved to Melbourne, Australia.  When he was nine, his family made the move to Canada.

“And I’ve lived in every Canadian province but one, and that’s Alberta,” Piper pointed out. “But I never lost my interest in the pipes, even when I started wrestling.”

Piper began his pro wrestling career on the West Coast, where he got a chance to win the America’s Heavyweight Championship several years ago.  “I won, too,” he said.

Before that, Piper’s interest in wrestling was kindled by his father, who was an accomplished amateur in Scotland.

“Back in Scotland, we had the Highland Games, with such events as the hammer toss, the caber pole (that long, heavy wooden pole) toss and wrestling,” Piper said. “We kids would get out there and tussle and later we’d wrestle catch-as-catch-can.”

“My father was a burly man and he did a lot of wrestling. He was always involved in the local championships and he won a lot of them, but he didn’t wrestle much beyond home. He set me in the right direction as far as wrestling goes.”

Today, Piper rules as one of the top wrestlers around and has even earned the United State Heavyweight Championship title. True to his gypsy image, he still travels a great deal.

“But I’ve got another hobby I like when I’m not traveling,” he said.  “And that’s fast-draw. Not art, but gun-slinging, like in the movies.  I had an old wrestling partner out in L.A. who was very much into it and he got me interested.”

“He was so good, he could draw his gun and fire before someone else holding a gun on him could get the cocked hammer down. I’m not that fast, but I enjoy it.”

Piper explained he uses a light-weight, balanced Colt .45 when he does his gun-slinging.  “I keep my eyes open for some good models and I’ve got a few nice ones.”

Piper also enjoys dirt-biking, which he learned from a Hollywood stuntman who would do tricks on a motorcycle.  “It’s fun to get out there and run all over the place, taking lumps and bumps”, Piper said.

Piper’s got quite an interesting set of hobbies – bagpipes, fast-draw and dirt biking.  “Well, I never said I did ordinary things,” he explained.

“Still, it is so hard to find the time to do any of them. I travel so much that I’m seldom at home. There are times when I’d like nothing better than to be able to go into the woods and play my pipes, but it’s hard.”

“It seems like I’m always fighting in the rings. So when I get a chance to  enjoy one of my hobbies, I do it to the fullest.”