 JonBek2 |
February 22nd, 2014 00:48 GMT |
 
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Topics: 10
Replies: 422
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Post: #788327
PT: #1/12
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I first saw Championship Wrestling around late 1964-65 when it was still taped in OK City with Danny Williams the host and of course, Leroy McGuirk providing color commentary from time to time. At that time KTHV-TV 11 in Little Rock had Championship Wrestling on Saturday afternoons between a bunch of Country music shows. Apparently CBS did not have Saturday sports shows in the 60s or KTHV did not show them. Ch. 11, also replayed late on Tuesday nights a tape of that nights card from Robinson Auditorium in Little Rock. I only saw it a couple of times when I'd get to stay up late with my Dad.
I know in the weeks leading up to the first Superdome card, they made a point of Boyd Pierce pointing out that McGirk's Championship Wrestling was now on in 17 markets in 6 states. I liked Mid-South, but Championship Wrestling was my all-time favorite wrestling. I am wondering - I know this forum does not get much activity, so there may not be many answers, but what station(s) did you watch Championship Wrestling?
I saw it through the years on:
KTHV 11 - Little Rock, later on KARK TV 4 and it was still on 4 after the split when the name was changed to Tri-States.
KTBS-3 in Shreveport
KYTV-TV 3 in Springfield, MO
KHBS-TV 40 in Fort Smith, AR (not the call letters then)
KTVE-TV 10 in El Dorado, AR/Monroe, LA
and a few times visiting relatives in Tulsa.
Championship Wrestling was a great show. I tried watching after the split, but it just was not as good as what I would see on Mid-South later in the day.
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Topics: 65
Replies: 665
Member
Post: #788336
PT: #2/12
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First wrestling I can remember was Tri States or whatever it was called around 1975-77. Wrestlers like the Medics, Eric the Red, Jerry Oates and others. It was out of Little Rock, KARK, channel 4, sandwiched between cartoons and country music shows.
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| mark48 |
February 22nd, 2014 02:39 GMT |
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Topics: 4
Replies: 401
Member
Post: #788341
PT: #3/12
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WKY in Oklahoma City for me. I remember one night they showed a teaser of Danny Hodge giving Hiro Matsuda an airplane spin on the local news, as Danny had just regained the Junior Heavyweight strap from Hiro...
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| JonBek2 |
February 22nd, 2014 04:09 GMT |
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Topics: 10
Replies: 422
Member
Post: #788350
PT: #5/12
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Quoted from: mark48, February 22nd, 2014 02:39 GMTWKY in Oklahoma City for me. I remember one night they showed a teaser of Danny Hodge giving Hiro Matsuda an airplane spin on the local news, as Danny had just regained the Junior Heavyweight strap from Hiro...
After McGuirk moved the tapings to Shreveport, it was not unusual for wrestlers to sometimes show up on KTBS news. In the early 80s, they did a great feature one night on the sports with Killer Karl Kox. It was toward the end of his run and they talked about his career, his age, etc.
In the '60s, KTHV in Little Rock used to have the guys for that night's card on their noon newscast. Once during the Kentuckians-Assassins feud, KTHV had Jake 'Tiny' Smith and 'Big' Luke Brown on the show. As Bob Hicks was interviewing them, the Assassins suddenly appeared and a brawl ensued completely destroying the news set. Channel 11 had to use a folding table that evening for the newscast before repairs were made to the set.
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| glaz |
February 22nd, 2014 13:34 GMT |
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Topics: 72
Replies: 6249
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Post: #788386
PT: #6/12
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KARK. The first show I saw after moving to Arkansas in November 1977 featured Pat and Mike Kelly in a tag match. I remembered that because they were billed from Boston and that's my hometown. I think Mike George and Ray Candy might have been on that show too. It was very different from the WWWF style of wrestling I was used to, and I liked it immediately.
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Topics: 624
Replies: 163
Member
Post: #790419
PT: #7/12
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Jon Bek 2, What made Tri States Wrestling different after the 1979 split? Who stayed and were there any other promoters that Leroy was working with to make up for Bill Watts departure? Who was the top face that tried take his place and who were top heels in 1979? How was local attendence after 1979 split in in the Fall?
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| MainEventFan
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Topics: 66
Replies: 143
Member
Post: #834544
PT: #8/12
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Watched Tri-States on KNOE(channel 8) in Monroe and KALB(channel 5) in Alexandria. The earliest stars I remember were Danny Hodge, The Spoiler, Dr. X, Cyclone Negro and many more. Although the action in Mid South was great, I actually liked Tri-States better.
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Topics: 0
Replies: 13
Member
Post: #841779
PT: #9/12
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This message was edited by YaBoyRob on August 06th, 2015 08:50 GMT
This was the first wrestling show I watched if I recall correctly in New Orleans it came on Saturday at 4pm, right after Lawrence Welk, and right before Hee Haw. Think it was on WGNO 26, a UHF station.
Some of the first wrestlers I remember from the early 70's were Dr X, Mark Lewin, Skandor Akbar, Bill Watts, Erik the Red, Danny Hodge, and The Garvin's (Terry and Jim, who was a kid at the time I think)
One of the first angles I remember was Bill Watts getting put in a full nelson by Ken Patera, and blood gushing from his mouth, I think that's what happened at least. I remember all the blood from his mouth, that's for sure. Think I was in 2nd grade around that time so it must have been 1976 or so. Also remember Watts beating the NWA champ on TV, which was Terry Funk at around the same time.
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Topics: 66
Replies: 143
Member
Post: #842615
PT: #10/12
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I saw the Watts-Patera angle and to me it looked like Watts was bleeding from his nose as the pressure was applied! Craziest thing I remember from those days and I thought Watts was legitimately hurt.
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Topics: 1
Replies: 27
Member
Post: #869161
PT: #11/12
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I first saw Tri-State Championship Wrestling on WLBT-TV3 in Jackson. It would air at midnight late on Friday night (early Saturday morning).
A few weeks later, it moved to WJTV-TV12 at 3:00 p. m. on Saturday. Five or six years later, it moved to 2:00 and (I think later) to 1:00. Later, the station moved it to Saturday nights at 10:30. Channel 12 tended to air it at various, unpredictable times later, and it was very hard to always watch.
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Topics: 13
Replies: 115
Member
Post: #876801
PT: #12/12
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When the Culkins split with McGuirk-Watts in Sept. 77, the Tri-States show moved over to ABC affilifate WAPT Channel 16. The Culkins ran their ICW sthow on WJTV in the Saturday aftneroon slot.
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