National Wrestling Alliance: The Untold Story of the Monopoly That Strangled Pro Wrestling by Tim Hornbaker

Author:Tim Hornbaker [Hornbaker, Tim]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: History, cookie429, Kat, Extratorrents
ISBN: 9781550227413
Publisher: Ecw Press
Published: 2007-03-28T00:00:00+00:00

chapter thirteen

nwa world

heavyweight champions

(1948–1975)

Recognition by the members of the National Wrestling Alliance as world heavyweight champion was acknowledged as the pinnacle of professional wrestling for more than 40 years. While great credibility was brought to the awa and wwwf titles by champions Verne Gagne and Bruno Sammartino, respectively, the nwa world heavyweight title remained the most cherished crown in the industry.

Wrestling purists appreciated the fact that nwa champions proudly wore their laurels as they traversed numerous states, territories, and countries. The circuits of the awa and wwwf were distinctively localized, and even when the nwa began to downsize, their champion maintained a more challenging itinerary than any rival titleholder.

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nwa world heavy weight cha mpions

Lou Thesz weathered the excessive touring, one of the harshest aspects of professional wrestling, and made it look easy. Sam Muchnick was comfortable in booking Thesz for dates in such diverse locations as the Olympic Auditorium and the International Amphitheater, and then in towns like Sparta, Illinois, or Hannibal, Missouri. He was a rock-solid workhorse who would wrestle his heart out in a town with a population under 5,000, perhaps in front of a few hundred, exactly as he would before 10,000 at an arena in St. Louis.

The selection process for a heavyweight champion required a certain amount of foresight. nwa members scrutinized the candidates, examining each individual’s likely effect on their businesses and the wrestler’s ability to adapt to the daunting role. The nominee usually necessitated a clean-cut image and couldn’t rely on an overly elaborate gimmick. Wrestling was full of offbeat characters, but the champion’s eccentric behavior had to be minimal. Charisma was a plus, as was an ability to relate to audiences.

The ability to shoot, or wrestle a “real” competition to safeguard the championship, was a requirement. Thesz was a monster hooker with few rivals, and Pat O’Connor’s amateur credentials also measured up to the standards. Not only was Dick Hutton an ncaa champion and an ex-Olympian, he was a mammoth grappler who could demolish a foe if pushed the wrong way. Whipper Watson and Buddy Rogers were more performers than shooters, but tough enough to wiggle out of a sticky situation if caught in a double-cross. The need for legitimate skills diminished as years passed, and by the 1980s, it was almost a non-issue.

Stamina was essential. To cover the extensive circuit of nwa members, the touring champion had to be able to handle the most grueling schedule in pro wrestling. The constant traveling was physically and mentally taxing, and the athlete who held the position had to balance a whole range of responsibilities.

Sustaining a healthy lifestyle, conditioning, and training while touring various towns was exceptionally difficult.

The matches themselves were another series of challenges. The champion needed to be able to fluctuate between being the all-encompassing “good” guy and a heel, depending on the night’s specific opponent. He was responsible for boosting the esteem of the local headliner, and, rather than come off as an invincible super-hero, was to make his rival look as if he was capable of winning the prized championship.

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