Thesz In Arizona

The legendary Lou Thesz might not be associated with Arizona in the eyes of most fans, but for several years, he lived in Tucson. He also invested in a furniture store when there and a son from one of his marriages became a gourmet chef in Phoenix.

Thesz had numerous Arizona matches in the 1950s and early 1960s, including one match where he made short work of Dr. Jerry Graham within a minute. Rumor has it the two got into a locker room argument and Graham decided, in his normally drunken state, he would take Thesz to task. That did not work so well.

Thesz made varied appearances at the old Phoenix Madison Square garden on 7th & Van Buren, where his name assured a packed house.

One of Lou's final Arizona hurrahs came in the early 1970s for Rod Fenton. At the Travel Lodge Theater, now Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix, he faced and beat Jerry Kozak in a scientific encounter.

Thesz eventually moved to Virginia and was living there when he passed away. he wa sin his 80s at the time and still in relatively good shape. His cremated ashes were carried to Missouri and scattered in a couple different locations, including the location of the old Kiel arena and along a river bank.

Expanding The Book

 Dale Pierce has announced the expansion of his present The History Of Arizona Wrestling In Results book to be ready in late summer, with several 2016 updates, death notices and older results. look for the expanded edition to be available online, plus at certain arenas and at CAC next year.

Pierce suspended all bookwork, lectures and books signings in October when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, but having beaten the illness, is now back in action.

Obsessed With Wrestling Podcast Link

http://www.obsessedwithwrestling.com/

Thunderbolt Patterson

Claude "Thunderbolt" Patterson was pushed in the deep south, in Ohio and in Texas, but only made brief appearances in Arizona when Roy Shire made  failed attempt to runt here under the banner of Big Bear productions in the 1960s.

Two decades later, Patterson would again make the news, when in retirement and citing racial discrimination, would expose the wrestling world a fake in newspapers and on television. This was way before "breaking kayfabe" was the norm and his actions earned him the anger of many former friends in the game.

Patterson sometimes wrestled as heel, but was usually seen as a black figurehead and hero to the African American fans in particular, with a colorful, even flamboyant ring style.

How valid his charges of discrimination were have been verified by some and disputed by others.

On television, the late Tony Altimore decried Patterson's actions. "I was the first to shake your hand when you walked into the dressing room," he snarled t his former friend, when a panel of wrestlers admitting to the fakery faced off with those who denied it.

In any case, he was a flashy wrestler in his day, though eh had only a few Arizona matches in 1966.

 

Butcher Brower

Butcher Brower was a blond wrestler with a yellowish beard and mustache, as well as close cropped hair. He emerged in Texas in 1971, often teaming with The Beast from out of Canada. He and the masked wrestler, the Spartan, had  couple televised brawls.

Butcher Brower became recognized in New Mexico and Arizona due to the televised tapes from Amarillo being shown in these areas as well, but his appearances there were limited.

As a wrestler, Brower's stay in the west might best be termed as "enhancement talent" if w were to sue modern words. In his era, he would have been known as a carpenter" who lost creatively, but specialized in building his opponents up. He did receive a win now and again to keep interest in him going, but never received a big push with the Texas/New Mexico/Arizona circuit.

The Time Traveler Returns

Having beaten prostate cancer, The Time Traveler has announced a return to managing wrestling in June.

"Now, I have to worry about follow up treatments to be sure this does not return, but this is a formality. I have beaten this."

AWF Webpage

http://prowrestling.wikia.com/wiki/Arizona_Wrestling_Federation