Life Moments

You know I got a call a couple days ago from my dear friend Pork Chops Cash telling me about another from our fraternity had passed, Tom Shaft. Tom had been a pro boxer turned Pro Wrestler. Boy, let me tell you as a 20 yr. old young man sitting there listening to his stories of sparring with Muhammad Ali were just awesome!!

But this story is about life moments; those stories that Tom told me where just that, Life Moments. When Chops called with the news, he also told me about going to spend the 4^th of July holiday with a mutual friend, Noble Curtis and his family. They had one big family dinner during his stay and of course the stories from this Mississippi family about wrestling were about an evening maybe lost to some but on the front burner for others.

The story they asked Chops about was the one of Oki Shikina and Johnny Mantell one night in Greenwood, MS. You see George Culkin had bought a piece of property right on Hwy 49 and built a Sportatorium type building for filming TV. So that was the weekly building when he pulled away from Bill Watts and Mid-South and opened up a AWA company in Mississippi.

I had not been in MS on this trip very long. I went to live with Tom Jones where we worked out in the gym 6 days a week (Sundays off) and learn from booker Frankie Cain. This night in history would be my first lesson and education on building an angle. At the age of 20 you’re more piss and vinegar than knowledge and giving me to Oki was again a class with a great professional.

This night was going to start a fight that would take about 6 months to finish, that’s right I said 6 months! So the fight this night HAD to be good. My instructions were to shut up, listen and fight until Frankie and George sent help to pull us apart and then still stay after it until we got all the way back to the dressing room.

Well this match started in the ring, went to the floor, out the front door through the parking lot across Hwy 49 stopping traffic along the way, back across 49 through the parking lot back into the building and into the ring. The action never stopped and the fans followed this fight outside then back inside. And much like the Von Erichs and Freebirds fights of the 80s, this fight in 1978 was brutal. Frankie and Oki said we “must make them believe”. We must make them believe!! The blood flew, the back drops outside in the parking lot were high, running into the building everything was full speed. Sitting here today in 2013, 35 years later this life moment still sticks with me and fans that were there. So the fans did believe! The impression and education it left on me still sticks today. That’s why this fraternity is so special because we cared for each other and if you left the dressing room together you came back together. Nobody was left behind; we all wanted everyone on the card to make a living. After all, isn’t that the purpose? The promoter, the booker, the boys all wanted to make more next week than we did this week and we worked to make that happen! If you’re in this business and not in this situation, then I feel sorry for you because you’re not getting the best opportunity to learn and be involved in this business that has made it so much fun for me.

You might not believe you are making an impression on someone but you might just be making a lifelong impression, a memory or moment in time that will be remembered around their family table for a lifetime!

God Bless, CJM

From the Oki Shikina / Johnny Mantell angle for George & Gil Culkin

Talk about Ribs…

Let’s talk about Ribs… Not the kind we eat, although that kind rib has been used for this kind of Fun! Of course, I have pulled a rib on a few people and today’s story is one on Dr. Tom Pritchard; He’s definitely not a Dr. of Horticulture…

Now this little story takes place just outside of Los Angeles, the LA territory in 1980 where I was wrestling as The Hood. I had not yet moved to Texas so our home place was intact, the original Lusk Ranch. I lived in what is known today as Chino Hills on a 6 acre place that was very homie! I tried to invite the boys over as often as I could since I lived at home and most guys were living in apartments. My family always wanted to give the guys that were by themselves and away from family a good home cooked meal and fellowship.

In Los Angeles we worked 6 days a week every week and 7 days most weeks, so a day off was well deserved. This particular day off was a barbecue and Tom was excited about coming “out to the country”. The food was great, the fellowship even better. We both learned things about each other that I think even made our work in the ring better. But by the end of the day the weather turned to rain. Tom then informed me that his windshield wipers did not work. I offered for him to spend the night but I believe he had a pet to attend to back at his apartment. Now my house was about 45 min. to the Olympic (the Main bldg. we worked) and since we worked there Wed. and Fridays, most guys stayed within 15 to 30 minute from there. Tom said it would be about an hour to drive home and he could wait for a break in the rain.

I told him that there was an “old trick” that he could do so he could get home if he just had too. Well he jumped right on it! I told him that he if he took Lemons, cut them in half and rubbed them all over the glass of his car; the rain water would bead up and roll off so he could see to get home. He thought that sounded like a great idea. Even better that there was a store just about 2 miles from my house; he could fix the problem before he got on the highway to go home.

So we said our Goodbyes and Tom headed off. Well so did I, about a minute or 2 after him so I could watch him “lemonize” his car! You see I told him it would take at least 15-20 lemons to fix his car up just right for the ride home. When I parked across the street from the store, Tom was coming out with a big bag of Lemons. 1 by 1 Tom preceded to cut the Lemons in ½ and rub them on his car; the windshield, the back window, the passenger windows, the drivers windows and even the side mirrors. Now you know I am laughing my A$$ off watching all of this. He finishes up and puts the bag of lemons in his car and off he goes… I go back home thinking “Now that’s funny!!”

The next day we meet up in the dressing room, I ask him if he got home OK? He then told me that the lemon trick for rain didn’t work very good and he had to drive with his head out his driver’s window most of the time to see to get home. So I asked him if he got Florida lemons or California lemons? He said he didn’t know, just the kind from the store, he didn’t know there was a difference. I told him “O’ yeah there is. The air (smog) is different in each state, so when you’re in CA, you have to get CA lemons. They are the only ones that will work.” So I am sure that the next time he had this problem he asked for California lemons unless that situation didn’t happen again till he was in Florida and then I hope he bought Florida lemons!!

Sorry Tom, had to tell the tale!! God Bless.

~~CJM

Oil on the Wing?

Another story of the World Class days is a little trust, a little naive, and a little “get home early!” You see Lubbock, Texas was one of the Long trips for the Dallas territory. If you wanted to fly in those days, even with Southwest Airlines opening up, the last flight out of Lubbock back to Dallas was like 9:50 pm. With an 8 o’clock bell time, it was tough to make that flight. So let’s say if Gene Lewis (The Mongol) & I drove to Love Field together, flew to Lubbock; then we both had to be on that 9:50 pm plane back to Love Field. SO if I wrestled early on the card, but Devastation Inc. was Semi Main, then we had to spend the night. If we drove even from Bowie, it was a 4 ½ to 5 hour drive each way! So Jimmy Garvin, who had his pilot license, came up with the great idea we could all chip in and rent a plane. Pay for fuel, fly in, work and fly back all in the same day. Hey, that’s a Great Idea!??

Well let’s talk about the parameters of the flight. We had to fly out of Red Bird Airport in South Dallas, which was about a 90 minute drive for Gene and I. Ok, we can do that, even though that meant we still had 3 hours of driving by the time we get home. Then putting the group together that will commit to flying. Well Jimmy, Sunshine, The Birds (Terry, Michael & Buddy), Gene, Link, myself would pretty much fill the plane. A good group and you know a good time is going to be had by all! There was some thought about food and beverages for the trip, entertainment well let’s say with this group there was no need booking a that.

We all met, got on the plane and Jimmy handled the take-off from Red Bird without a hitch. The landing in Lubbock was great and we had a great time on the way there. Now the promoter, Nick Roberts (“Baby Doll’s” Nickla Roberts Dad), had to make a couple of trips to get all of us to the building, and not give it all away that we all came together. The matches took place and now it came time to beat everyone else home. We all got burgers, snacks & drinks for the trip home. And the mood is Joyful, as you know we all were 10 ft. tall and bullet proof. Nothing can go wrong! We were happy, eating, drinking, cracking jokes and a way we go…

The flight again was awesome. Up off the ground to cruising height, Jimmy is flying so smooth and we are all having a Great time! I mean what’s better Good Friends, Good Times, Good Food and Getting Home Early… Hallelujah! And then the Big Bird, Terry Gordy says (in only that slow Southern draw Terry used) “Hey Jimmy is there supposed to be oil like stuff out there on the wing?” What? Well I don’t need to tell you that put a little Debbie Downer throughout the cabin of the plane. We all got up and looked at the obvious oil on the wing! WOW

Well we all made it back to our homes safe and sound. Jimmy handled it like a Pro with all his class and professionalism. He comforted all of us, as best he could, in spite of all the mind altering thoughts aboard! You know I look back and think about all of the bad things that could have happened but the friendship that was on that plane didn’t allow us to think that way. We were all booked the next day and the next, so we had to be there. We landed back at Red Bird, a few of us kissed the ground, and we all hugged Jimmy and said “Let’s do that again! Minus the Oil!” And we did….

Enjoy!

CJM

www.johnnymantell.com

www.worldclasschampionshipwrestling.com