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 (REGIONAL SYNDICATION PACKAGES Jim Crockett's Worldwide Wrestling) by Billy Ingram with John Hitchcock and Steve Byrd |
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Pro-wrestling is more than just sport - wrestling historian John Hitchcock calls it
"blue collar ballet, a soap opera for guys". To set up a good match,
you have to weave a compelling story with characters people care about,
and no one did it better than Worldwide Wrestling (syndicated)
produced by Jim Crockett out of Charlotte,
North Carolina.
As I write this, "Nature Boy" Ric Flair is on top as
World Heavyweight Champion, just
as he was back in 1985. "Flair trained in the AWA in Minneapolis,
then came to Charlotte, North Carolina in 74." John Hitchcock tells us, "He survived a terrible
plane crash October 4, 1975, a crash that ended the career of wrestling legend Johnny Valentine.
Six months
later, Ric Flair came back with a vengeance, he was and
is considered to be the greatest wrestler of all time by many."
Along the way, Flair has made a few enemies and found himself
the victim of some intense feuds and outrageous ambushes over the years. Believe it or
not, he and
"The Four Horsemen" were responsible
for their share of dirty tricks against unsuspecting opponents, as well.
Ric Flair and "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes were
long-time rivals, but during one brutal, fenced-in match in 1985, the
Russian Nikita Koloff had the Nature Boy on the ropes and badly injured.
Mighty Dusty bravely entered the ring to stop the slaughter and quickly
vanquished the Russians, giving Ric Flair time to recuperate.
In a shocking display
of Bizarro-world 'gratitude', Flair's teamates "The Four Horsemen" (the Anderson brothers,
and Tully Blanchard)
rush the ring
For
the next few minutes, "The Four Horsemen"
did as much damage as they could to the nearly unconscious Rhodes.
Dusty's buddies looked on helplessly as
he was beaten mercilessly
by four opponents at once, in what must be one of the most craven
attacks in wrestling history. Dusty Rhodes was carried
out on a stretcher that night, the bones in his leg shattered. |
Pro-wrestling has been popular TV entertainment since the Forties, gaining mass popularity in the mid-Eighties, a popularity that has yet to fully peak. You need this:
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These incredible matches were broadcast in syndicated markets during the 1985 and 1986 seasons by Crockett Productions.
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Her name was Baby Doll - a statuesque, blond bombshell that could be found faithfully by Tully's side through many close matches. But one unscheduled sparring in 1985 left even tough-guy Tully Blanchard reeling. 
Tully was in the ring, finishing up a match (with Baby Doll on the side cheering) when he suddenly found himself facing one of Dusty's allies, fearsome Magnum T.A.. Magnum (who entered the ring disguised as a cop) had poor Baby Doll handcuffed to the ropes and struggling helplessly as he delivered his devastating move on Tully - the 'Belly-To-Belly'. Tully talked about that humiliating moment in this clip. Baby Doll dumped Tully after that match - shocking wrestling insiders when she ran straight into the arms of his rival, "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes.
 It's Ric Flair vs everybody - and Jim Cornette against the world!!!
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and blindside Dusty as Ric Flair padlocks
the entrance - then joins in the ruthless beating.
