Lewiston Armory
Lewiston, Maine
January 6, 1970
Three days after the showdown in Hubbard, the WWF travels all the way to Lewiston, Maine for a five match card. The champ Bruno Sammartino is NOT appearing and neither is Tony Marino. Who's here? We got Killer Kowalski, Gene Dubois, Pete Sanchez and more! Sounds meh but let's see.
Match 1
Pete Sanchez vs Eric The Red
Its the dastardly Eric The Red and he takes on latin sensation Pete Sanchez in the first bout. This one went the 20 minute distance.
Time of match: 20:00
Winner: No one (Draw)
Match 2
Willie Farkas vs Karl Kovacs
Who the hell are these two? Willie Farkas is actually The Wolfman before he became The Wolfman. Farkas moved from Hungary to Ontario before being trained in Calgary. Kovacs was actually Stanley Kowalski, one half of Murder Incorporated in the AWA. Since the internet and cable TV didn't exist in 1970, he took the name "Krippler" Karl Kovacs in New York and nobody knew it was Kowalski. Kovacs got the duke here.
Time of match: 8:10
Winner: Kovacs by pinfall
Match 3
Waldo Von Erich and "Russian Bear" Ivan Koloff vs Gorilla Monsoon and Gene Dubois in a 2 out of 3 falls match
Now these four we know. Koloff was born Oreal Perras in Montreal before being raised on a dairy farm in Ontario. He made his debut as the evil Irishman Red McNulty in 1965 and also as Jim Parris but hit his stride in 1967 when he became the Soviet Union supporting Ukranian Ivan Koloff. Bret Hart once wrote in his book he met Ivan many years later and said "Hey you're Jim Parris" and Ivan had to tell him to keep it down so no one heard him. Ivan came to New York in 1969 managed by Captain Lou Albano and instantly became a top contender to Bruno Sammartino. Waldo was born Walter Sieber in Toronto and actually went to the same gym as Geeto Mongol, Mikel Scicluna and Dave McKigney as a teenager. When he started wrestling in 1950 for Stampede, he became Waldo Von Sieber an Evil german nazi. When he met Fritz Von Erich in the late 50's, who himself had renamed himself from Jack Adkisson, Waldo changed his name to Waldo Von Erich and formed a team with Fritz who terrorized the territories. He was 36 years old by this time and could still draw heat even though Fritz went on to fame in his native Texas. Von Erich pinned Dubois to win the first fall and both teams were disqualified in the second fall to give the victory to Koloff & Von Erich.
Winners: Koloff and Von Erich
Match 4
Professor Toru Tanaka vs Mario Milano
Who's Milano? Born Mario Bulfone, he immigrated as a youth from Italy to Venezuela and started wrestling at 18 as Black Diablo. Then he started working under his real name until he came to Tennessee in 1962, being renamed Mario Milano. He did have success in Memphis, becoming tag team champs with "Fabulous" Jackie Fargo. He made a better name for himself in Australia but came to New York in 1970. Apparently Milano won when Tanaka tripped and fell out of the ring, getting counted out.
Winner: Milano by count-out
Match 5
Killer Kowalski vs Victor Rivera
One half of the tag champs takes on the devious Killer Kowalski in the final match. Both of them fought to a mayhem filled double count-out. Interesting way to end a show but that's the way it goes sometimes.
Winner: No one (draw)
Kind of a nothing show with no Bruno and only half of the tag team champions. Still, they were establishing Mario Milano, Victor Rivera and Gorilla Monsoon as babyfaces and mission accomplished. Bruno would be facing Kovacs, Waldo or one of the other evil heels coming up in Madison Square Garden soon. The next show would be tomorrow night in Salisbury, Maryland at the Civic Center. I'll see you there.
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