Harley Race and John Hitchcock

Why Harley Race Rules The World

Let me make one thing very clear, I hated the faces at this time.

Nothing has changed that much in my way of thinking.

The heels did all the work and got none of the glory. And one more observation: the faces would get pissed off at any disrespect from anyone cheering against them.

I really had a hate on for MagnumTA. That guy was the pretty boy face of all time and he hated me. I am not making that up, Maggie May never liked getting reminded that he sucked. Imagine that!

So here I am on the front row with a few enlightened friends and I made a sign for Magnum. This was a few years before the Front Row Section D days but I could never miss a chance to light up Magnum. So out comes Mister TA and I hold up my sign, FAGNUM PU. Not my best, but it did the trick.

Magnum gives me his classic look of death. It took very little to get this guy going. Anyway, out to the ring comes to everyone's surprise, Harley Race. Shit! Race was a legend; many time NWA champ and nobodies punching bag.

So I start going off on Magnum, getting in his head about the fact that Harley was going to kill him and show the world he was half the man that Race was. (This sounds pretty trite, but a man has to do what man has to do for entertainment).

Well, Race goes into the ring and ladies and gentlemen we got the real deal going down in Greensboro! And I ain't kidding. Race kicks the shit out of Magnum. Gave the guy nothing in the ring, no offense, just the ass kicking of my dreams.

Race saw the sign and heaved old Fagnum out to the floor right in front of me. Race gave him a stiff punch in the back and scooped him up and slammed him on the concrete.

I swear the guy bounced off the floor twice! Brutal! Then Race screams,"READ THAT SIGN BOY!" So I stood up and almost put the signright on top of Magnum.

Man, that did nothing for Magnums temper. So good old Tommy Young does the old classic count out DQ finish as we all chant,"HARLEY! HARLEY!"

As Race leaves the ring, I get in Magnum's shit, "HEY MAGNUM! ARE YOU GOING TO LET THAT OLD MAN KICK YOUR ASS? I THOUGHT GREENSBORO WAS YOUR TOWN AND RACE JUST STOMPED YOUR ASS! ARE YOU GOING TO LET HIM GET AWAY WITH THAT?"

Magnum took the bait. He grabbed the microphone and yelled, "HEY RACE! NOBODY DOES THAT TO ME IN MY TOWN! COME BACK TO THE RING!" I just about lost it. Harley turned around, walked back to the ring and looked at me, smirked and said, and I quote,"I ALREADY KICKED YOUR ASS ONCE BOY, I GUESS I HAVE TO DO IT AGAIN."

So we started cheering for Magnum's execution, "HARLEY! HARLEY!"

You know the spot where the heel attacks the face as he goes through the ropes? Magnum did that to Race. Race refused to sell and grabbed Magnum by his hair and heaved him over the top rope like a Frisbee. I mean HE WAS SPINNING side ways. Magnum busted his ass and, as he attempted to get up, Race chopped him in half with some brutal punches and slammed him again full force with no give.

And then he spit on him and walked away.

As Magnum staggered back to the back room I started to yell at him that this was his town and he should ask Race back. When Harley walked back to the backroom he yelled,"I JUST KICKED YOUR BOY'S ASS AND IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, DRAG YOUR ASS OUT TO THE RING AND I'LL KICK YOUR FAT ASS TOO!"

Eat shit Rhodes! My hero!

The next day I got a phone call from a friend that was working third shift at 7-Eleven. He asked if I went to rassling last night. Oh yeah! Of course, and Magnum got his head handed to him by Harley Race.

"Oh, did you make any signs?"

"Yeah, yeah."

"Well, Magnum came into my store last night and I asked him how the matches went. He kind of blew me off; he had a hot blond with him and was buying a sixpack. I mentioned that I had a friend that always goes to the matches and makes signs. Suddenly MAGNUM GOES NUTS! And says "YOU TELL THAT GOD DAMN SON OF A BITCH THAT I WILL GET HIS ASS!"Then he slammed his beer down on the floor and stormed out of the place with his chick whining, 'Magnum I want some beer.' "

So there you have it. I found out later that Dusty Rhodes brought in Race on short notice to job for Magnum so he would get a shot at the World Title. The only problem was Race was too proud to lie down for his pal. Believe it or not, Magnum told Harley Race that they should settle it in the ring!

The same thing happened in Charlotte with the Masked Superstar Bill Edie. The Super Star had just finished a long tour in Japan teaming with Dick Murdock and was brought in to job for Magnum. It took about two minutes for that ass whipping to finish. The Masked Superstar walked to the backroom and quit the promotion and headed to New York.

Trust me, Both Race and Edie would have no trouble with anyone from that time period, probably still could handle themselves to this day.

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