Monday, March 21, 2011

Detroit Interlude

Chris Colt was a mainstay in Arizona. More on that some other day. The focus of this article involves a match of  his that took place in Detroit rather than Phoenix or Tucson.

Though I grew up in Arizona, I was born in Ohio. Due to this, we would usually go back to Akron on a vacation every summer. I remember one year, how thrilled I was to see Colt on a television tape for The Sheik's promotion in Detroit. I was not thrilled for long. In this encounter he faced Whipper Watson Jr. It was not the match of the century.

The match was a non-match. That is the only way to describe it. For the duration of the time limit, Colt ducked in and out of the ring, beating the count and slipping back to the arena floor. Watson stomped his feet, did back flips and ordered the referee to do something, but Colt refused to offer any attack. Finally, the bell soudned and the contest ended in a draw without either wrestler doing so much as a lockup.

To say this ordeal was subnormal would be an understatement.

It took me over three decades to find out what was really going on and what booking genius came up with  this  fiasco. While speaking with Whipper Watson Jr on Face Book, I received a long sought after
explanation.

"I remember that match," Watson explained. "Colt was pissed off at The Sheik,  so he told me not to touch him."

Thus the two men went out here and did nothing.

I can well imagine what Sheik's reaction was during and after this match.

Or perhaps he calmed down and went with it? After all, the bout was shown on tv and not cut.

No comments:

Post a Comment