A Sad Day for the Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship

by Dick Bourne
Mid-Atlantic Gateway

"We will let the fans know what the disposition of this title will be very soon."   - Jim Crockett, Jr., 12/27/86 

Those words still echo with me all these years later. I'm still waiting for someone to tell me what would become of my beloved Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight championship.

The sequence of images above from "World Championship Wrestling" on 12/27/86 show Ronnie Garvin handing over the Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight championship belt to Jim Crockett, Jr. in the studios of WTBS in Atlanta.

Garvin forfeited the title after he and Barry Windham had won the United States Tag Team championships. He is wearing the US Tag Team title belt. Jim Crockett told Ronnie he couldn't hold both titles, and he had to decide which one to forfeit.

"Well you know, it's a big disappointment to me ... it's a lot of work behind this belt and it represents the Mid-Atlantic area. And I don't mean no disrespect for it, because parting with this means a whole lot to me. But I don't want to disappoint my partner Barry Windham"   - Ronnie Garvin, 12/27/86

While Jim Crockett told Tony Schiavone that he would announce later what would be done with the title (we assumed a tournament), the belt and the championship were never seen or mentioned again.

It was a sad day for long time fans of Mid-Atlantic Wrestling who had witnessed such great wrestlers hold that title including Danny Miller, Ole Anderson, Jerry Brisco, Johnny Valentine, Wahoo McDaniel, Ric Flair, Paul Jones, Jack Brisco, Roddy Piper, Greg Valentine, Ricky Steamboat, Ray Stevens, and so many others. 

Earlier that same year, the name of the flagship syndicated program for Jim Crockett Promotions was changed from "Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling" to "NWA Pro Wrestling." With that name change and the disappearance of the championship, the great era known as "Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling" had quietly come to an end.

For more on the origin and history of the Mid-Atlantic championship, visit this page:

The Origin and Evolution of the Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship
http://www.midatlanticgateway.com/p/origins-of-mid-atlantic-title.html

Republished January 10, 2020 on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway.

Action Figures Friday: U.S. Champion Paul Jones

Mike Simmerman did an amazing job creating this action figure, given that there has never been an official Paul Jones figure. He based the figure off of a Bruno Sammartino figure. (Ironically, both men recently died on the same day.) But what makes the figure work (and fools the eye into seeing Paul Jones) is the custom ring jacket and U.S. title belt. Great work.

Paul first won the U.S title in 1975 on the big annual Thanksgiving night card held every year in Greensboro. He defeated Terry Funk for the honors. Jones lost the title to Blackjack Mulligan in March of 1976 and the two began a year long feud over the title. Jones would hold the U.S. title on three separate occasions.

Edit: We received word late this morning from Peggy Lathan that Paul's son Paul Jr. loved seeing the photo of the custom action figure of his dad. That's a pretty special thing. 

Race snares Flair in the Indian Deathlock at Toronto's "Night of Champions"

NWA Champion Harley Race applies the Indian Deathlock to Ric Flair in Toronto.

MAPLE LEAF WRESTLING NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS
Exhibition Stadium - - Toronto, Ontario - - July 10, 1983
Attendance 20,000 (Toronto attendance record at that time)

As you watch the summer of 1983 episodes of "Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling" on the WWE Network, it is easy to forget how hot this brand of wrestling was far north of the traditional Mid-Atlantic territory. Wrestling was on fire (as it often was) in Toronto, Ontario and the Tunney's working relationship with Jim Crockett Promotions led to a huge card at Toronto's Exhibition Stadium in July of 1983. Details of the card are below.

The photo above is interesting to me because it shows Harley Race applying the Indian Deathlock to Ric Flair. Race was currently in his seventh reign as NWA world champion, which was a record at that point in time. But when he began his second title reign six years earlier, he used this very same hold in this very same city to defeat Terry Funk.

As a young fan in the mid-1970s, the only wrestler I had ever seen use that hold was "Number One" Paul Jones. It was his signature finisher. Seeing Race win with it was surprising, but what would be even more surprising to me was that I don't think I ever saw him use it again! And then this photo shows up with Race using the same hold in the same city where Race beat Funk with it in 1977. To quote Yogi Berra, it was like a deja vu all over again.

Maybe it only works for him North of the border.

Race would lose the NWA title back to Ric Flair later that same year at Starrcade '83 in Greensboro, North Carolina. The exciting working relationship between Tunney and Crockett would end around the same time as well, as Jack Tunney made a deal with Vince McMahon Jr. to book only WWF talent into Toronto late that same year.


Results from the Toronto Night of Champions

• NWA World Championship: Harley Race defeated Ric Flair by DQ to retain title
• Canadian Championship: Angelo Mosca defeated One Man Gang
• U.S. Championship: Greg Valentine and Wahoo McDaniel double count-out
• TV Championship: Great Kabuki defeated Jimmy Valiant
• World Tag Championship: Steamboat/Youngblood defeated  Funk Jr./Jake Roberts
• Women's World Championship: Fabulous Moolah defeated Princess Victoria
• Johnny Weaver/Mike Rotundo defeated Alec Girard/Tim Gerrard
• Sgt. Jacques Goulet/Kelly Kiniski defeated Bob Marcus/Joe Marcus
• Nick DeCarlo/Billy Ryan defeated The Executioner/Mike Armstrong 

(Thanks to Andrew Calvert of the Maple Leaf Wrestling website.)

Remembering Paul Jones and His Picture Contest

by Andy McDaniel
Special to the Mid-Atlantic Gateway

The recent passing of Paul Jones was indeed sad news. But for long-time Mid-Atlantic wrestling fans, it was another part of our youth, now gone.

Over the years the names have added up, Wahoo McDaniel, Rufus R. Jones, Johnny Valentine, Tim Woods, Burrhead Jones, etc.…. and each one hurts, but there is something deeper when there is some type of personal connection.

Andy McDaniel and Paul Jones
Mid-Atlantic Wrestling Legends Fanfest (2016)

During my youth, of course, Paul was a staple part of Mid-Atlantic programs. I loved his time with Wahoo, his team with Steamboat, (which sadly ended when Ricky turned on Paul, at least according to Paul) but his time with Masked Superstar, the Baron, working with Sir Oliver Humperdink, Jimmy Valiant, all of these bring great memories as well. In fact, there are so many stories and memories it would be hard to write them all down.

One memory in particular brings me laughs and smiles and will always be special: The Picture contest. The recent addition of Mid-Atlantic programming to the WWE Network has been a treasure trove of wonderful memories and I was so excited to see this great memory be included in the episodes that was added. The interaction between Paul and Rufus R. Jones was classic pro wrestling. It was hilarious and drew you in all at the same time. Paul with his standard “let me tell you something” addresses the young lady who won the gigantic picture of Paul. As he dressed her down for attempting to touch him, things elevated and here comes Rufus. “Paul Jones, we don’t treat a lady like that where I come from” Rufus quickly stated. Paul, with a slap to the face, tells Rufus he can go back to where he came from and the fight ensued from that point ending with Rufus having his clothes torn and being beat up in the ring. I have watched this several times since it was placed on the network and every time brings a smile to my face.

These classic characters simply cannot be duplicated. The guys and gals of today are great at what they do, but for me, I will take the heroes from my past.

Ole Anderson and Paul Jones
Mid-Atlantic Wrestling Legends Fanfest (2016)

It was a couple of years ago, I was in Charlotte to see my friends from the Mid-Atlantic Gateway be inducted into the Hall of Heroes. It was a great time catching up with old friends like, Jimmy Valiant, George South and others, but while there I got a special treat. I was in one of the back rooms and I found myself sitting with Ole Anderson and Paul Jones. I had spent time with Ole before, but never had had that chance with Paul. Sitting and listening to these two tell stories was an old-time fans dream. It was something else indeed.

It would not be too long after this moment that Ole would be called away for photo obligations and I was left sitting with Paul. We talked about County Hall memories and it was like we knew each other forever. I enjoyed every minute of that time. I was terribly saddened to hear of his passing.

We had remained in contact since our time together in Charlotte. He had asked for a copy of my County Hall memories book and I was more than happy to send him one. We exchanged emails and such from time to time. I am thankful for the years of memories and grateful for the day I got to spend with Number 1 Paul Jones. He will be missed.

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Watch the episode of "Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling" Andy mentions in his post on the WWE Network. Free 30 day trial for new subscribers.
Mid-Atlantic Vault
Mid-Atlantic Wrestling 7/2/83 Episode

Support the old territory material on the WWE Network to let them know you want to see more. They currently have shows from the Mid-Atlantic, World Class, Mid-South, Smokey Mountain, AWA, and many others.

Hope For the Future

This young lady has her priorities in order when it comes to pro wrestling. Do you?

What are you waiting for? "Four Horsemen: A Timeline History" is waiting for you at the Gateway Bookstore or on Amazon.com.

Bob Caudle's New Full Time Job in 1978: Bumper Stickers!

by David Chappell
Mid-Atlantic Gateway

I remember how thrilled I was in early 1978 when it was announced on Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling television programming that the promotion was giving away Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling bumper stickers! It was something novel at the time, as Jim Crockett Promotions had never done a giveaway of any kind to the fans that I could remember.

The wrestlers were even assisting in getting the word out about the giveaway, as I recall Ric Flair once telling the fans how great the bumper stickers looked, and that he had put several on the wing of his new airplane!

On the March 8, 1978 taping of the Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling TV show during a tag team bout pitting Bobo Brazil and Johnny Weaver against Charlie Fulton and the Russian Stomper, the giveaway was teased by announcer Bob Caudle. Bob commented:

"By the way David, right here let's tell everyone to get their pencil and paper ready, and in a minute or so we'll be telling them how they can get a Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling bumper sticker!"

Color commentator David Crockett added, "That's right, so hurry up and get your pencil and paper."

True to their words, Bob and David revisited the bumper sticker giveaway in a couple of minutes time. And a couple of things would soon become crystal clear. One, that the Mid-Atlantic fans had great difficulty in grasping the concept of a self-addressed, stamped envelope, and two that the response to the giveaway was massive in the volume of bumper sticker mail that was flooding the WRAL TV5 studios mail room!

Caudle exclaimed as a graphic of an address hit the TV screen, "All right fans right there, send to me, Bob Caudle, WRAL TV, Post Office Box 12000, Raleigh North Carolina 27605. Send it to me...a self-addressed stamped envelope, inside your envelope, and I'll send you free of charge a Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling bumper sticker."

Bob then took pains to explain the process in detail, "Now don't forget, just send the letter to me...you gotta send a letter, a postcard will not do. And inside your envelope you gotta have a return self -addressed envelope with a stamp on it. So that all I gotta do is just drop that bumper sticker in it, put it in the mail and send it right back to you."

A cackling David Crockett then chimed in, "That sounds fair enough!"

There was a slight pause, and Caudle then chuckled, "David you talk like...when you say that's fair, you're sort of ribbing me a little bit because you've seen the MANY boxes of mail we've had coming in!" David answered excitedly, " Oh, have I!" Bob concurred, "And I tell you, it's a full time job just putting bumper stickers in there!"

I vividly recall how terrific I thought it was for the promotion to be giving away Mid-Atlantic bumper stickers. And I concede I was one of those fans that initially had trouble wrapping my head around the concept of a self-addressed, stamped envelope! But when I mastered that concept and finally received the bumper sticker in the mail, I still remember how excited I was to own a small but special piece of Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling.

And the fact that Bob Caudle, as part of his new full time job, had likely placed that bumper sticker in my envelope made it the most special of all.

Ric Flair and Greg Valentine Defend Their NWA World Tag Team Titles at the "Parade of Champions" in Texas

by Dick Bourne
Mid-Atlantic Gateway

Ric Flair and Greg Valentine head to Texas
with the NWA World Tag Team titles!

In December of 1977, NWA World Tag Team champions Ric Flair and Greg Valentine left their Mid-Atlantic home territory and headed to Corpus Christi, TX to defend their title belts.

Last November, I wrote a series on the Texas Connections with Jim Crockett Promotions, and PART TWO of that series focused on JCP's relationship in 1977 and 1978 with promoter Joe Blanchard in San Antonio. His fledgling "All Star Wrestling" promotion would later be known as "Southwest Championship Wrestling."

Recently, researcher Mark Eastridge came across newspaper material related to the big Corpus Christi "Parade of Champions" show on 12/15/77. It was on this show that several Mid-Atlantic stars made their way down to the Lone Star State to make this almost a combined Blanchard/Crockett show.

The headliner was one of the biggest wrestling stars to ever come out of the state of Texas, Wahoo McDaniel. The Midland, TX high school standout and Oklahoma University all-American and AFL/NFL football legend had been a ring warrior in both the Amarillo and Houston territories in the 1960s and early 1970s. He was making a big return to Texas on this night.

This "Parade of Champions" show had a strong Mid-Atlantic flavor to it:

• Wahoo McDaniel was one of the top full-time singles stars in Mid-Atlantic Wrestling, in the middle of the memorable feud with Greg valentine over the Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship that months earlier had cost Wahoo a broken leg.
• Blackjack Mulligan was another favorite son of Texas, and was in middle of a big headlining feud with Ricky Steamboat in the Mid-Atlantic area. In fact, only a couple of weeks after this "Parade of Champions" show in Corpus Christi, Mulligan regained the United States title from Steamboat in Greensboro, NC. 
• Ric Flair and Greg Valentine brought their NWA World Tag Team championships to Corpus Christi to face Tully Blanchard and Tiger Conway, both familiar mid-card faces in the Mid-Atlantic area. Blanchard would stay in the San Antonio territory and become a headliner for his father's promotion over the next few years. 

Results from the show:

• Wahoo McDaniel defeated Ox Baker in what was originally billed as an American Championship title match. However, three days before the big Parade of Champions show, Baker had lost his title to Fritz Von Erich in Fort Worth, Texas, on 12/12.
• Ric Flair and Greg Valentine defeated Tully Blanchard and Tiger Conway, Jr. in a 2-of-3 falls contest to retain their NWA World Tag Team championships.
• Alberto Madril defeated Blackjack Mulligan by DQ to retain his Texas Heavyweight championship.
• Killer Karl Krupp defeated Dennis Albert in the opener.

It's fun to go back and see the Crockett promotions stars making special appearances, and even title defenses, in another area. In this case, it was Crockett and booker George Scott lending a helping hand to promoter Joe Blanchard who was just getting his San Antonio office started. Corpus Christi was one of his towns.

Note: This post corrects an earlier error on the location of this card.

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Check out the earlier installments of the "Texas Connections" series published last fall on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway

PART ONE: Mid-Atlantic Wrestlers Hailing from the Great State of Texas
PART TWO: Crockett's Connections with Joe Blanchard's Southwest Wrestling
PART THREE: Crockett TV in Texas
PART FOUR: Terry Funk Takes the U.S. Title Back to Texas
PART FIVE: Sound Clips!
PART SIX: Bonus: Big Ratings in Austin, TX

Action Figures Friday: U.S. Champ Ricky Steamboat

This is Mike Simmerman's depiction of Ricky Steamboat as U.S. champion in 1984, wearing the 4th version of the U.S. title belt that was in service from 1983-1986. Early on, the plates were painted, but later all paint was removed and the belt was sometimes known as "the ten pounds of silver."

Steamboat defeated Dick Slater for the title in April of 1984 and lost the title to Wahoo McDaniel in June of 1984. It was Steamboat's third and final reign as U.S. champion.

Paul Jones and Peggy Lathan

Paul Jones and Peggy Lathan

There is a little known story about the two of them. Peggy once saved Paul's life. That story is true. Paul Jr. will confirm it. And "Number One" would never forgot it. Maybe she'll let us tell that story one day.

That was in the late 2000s. Back in 1976, she also helped save Ole Anderson's life when he was stabbed by a fan as he was leaving the ring in Greenville, SC. That makes two Mid-Atlantic legends who owed a debt of thanks to "Miss Mid-Atlantic Wrestling" Peggy Lathan.

She was Paul's good friend. We're proud to call her our friend, too. Thanks for all you do for the Gateway, Peggy Sue!

A Visit With "Number One" Paul Jones & George South (2003)

by Dick Bourne
Mid-Atlantic Gateway
Originally published May 2003

When George South was ten years old, his brother would drop him off right in front of the Charlotte Park Center every Monday night. He would wait in line, ticket in hand, ready to continue his forays into the exciting world of Mid-Atlantic Wrestling. Those Monday nights at that venerable old building that sat in the shadow of Charlotte Memorial Stadium would form the foundation of a lifetime of adventures in the world of professional wrestling.

George South (circa 1984)

Wrestling was what kept George South on the straight and narrow. Born in Boone, NC, his parents died in an automobile accident when George was six years old, and he would move to Charlotte, living at different times with his brothers and his grandmother. Largely unsupervised, every opportunity presented itself for George to find himself in a lot of trouble, but what kept him on course was his love of wrestling. If he got in trouble, he wouldn't be allowed to watch Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling that Saturday on TV on channel 3, and he wouldn't be allowed to go to the Park Center on Monday night. Worse yet, he wouldn't be able to follow the exploits of his childhood hero, "Number One" Paul Jones.

George South loved Paul Jones. He celebrated when Paul won the U.S. belt from Terry Funk; he missed three days of school when Paul lost the U.S. belt to Blackjack Mulligan. "What do you mean, why don't I have my homework?" George would ask his teacher. "Don't you know? Paul Jones lost the belt!" Anyone ought to understand how such a traumatic and disastrous event could disrupt one's life for days at a time. Or so George thought.

It was only a matter of time, though, before Paul Jones won that belt back. And all would be right with the world.

With Paul Jones in Charlotte in 2003

Now here we were 28 years later (in 2003), George South inviting David Chappell and me to Charlotte to meet and have dinner with "Number One" Paul Jones. Paul wears the scars of over 30 years in the ring. He moves pretty slowly, the pain of all those bumps showing in every step he takes. But he still has that twinkle in his eye when you get him to talk about drawing a sold out house in Greensboro to beat Terry Funk for the U.S. Championship. Or shocking a sold out Charlotte Coliseum by turning on Ricky Steamboat (which he insists was really Steamboat turning on him.) Or once working a 90-minute time-limit "broadway" with Wahoo McDaniel against the Anderson Brothers in Richmond. Get him talking about those glory days, and it seems as though "Number One" is ready to get in the ring again at that very moment.

Heck, George wants him to! It's George South's dream to have Paul put the Indian Death Lock on him in the center of the ring. It's not going to happen, but that doesn't stop George from talking about doing what in his mind would be the ultimate tribute doing the ultimate job.

After our dinner, we close out the evening by taking a "Mid-Atlantic" tour of Charlotte, with Paul taking us by the old Crockett offices on Carmel Road and Briarbend Drive, the old Charlotte Coliseum, and of course the old Charlotte Park Center, where 28 years ago George South bought his ticket and took his seat.

George South's van in front of the Charlotte Park Center in 2003

As we came to a slow stop, George has come full circle. As he did all those years ago, he waits in front of the Charlotte park center, but this time his childhood hero isn't getting in the ring, he is sitting beside him in his van parked right in front, right at the spot where he used to patiently wait, ticket in hand. Paul Jones is telling us about all of those Monday nights in that jam packed smoke-filled auditorium. These days it sits empty, bruised and battered. George South has tears in his eyes.

We sit quietly for a moment, and then pull away from the curb. Paul Jones smiles and starts in on one more story. 

(Originally published May 2003. This story is rededicated to the memory of Paul Jones who passed away in April 2018.)