WWWF at Lewiston Armory (2/8/71)

 

Lewiston Armory

Lewiston, Maine

February 8, 1971

Anyone want to ask what Vince McMahon Sr was thinking? On the same day you're running a very important Madison Square Garden card, you decide to run a double shot up in Maine? Thankfully none of these guys had to drive all the way to NYC for that night's card but still, this is overkill. You could have had this the day before or the day after. Anyway what we do have here is a women's tag team match along with Chief Jay Strongbow battling it out with Bulldog Brower. Let's get on with this totally useless card.

Match 1

"Nobleman" Joe Turco vs Tomas Marin

These two had been curtain jerkers in other cards so its no surprise to see them doing it here up in Maine. Just like their other bouts, this went the 20 minute time limit.

Winner: No one (Draw)

Match 2

Miguel Feliciano vs The Black Demon

Demon had beaten Joe Turco two days earlier in Springfield while Miguel was coming off a loss to The Wolfman four days earlier in Philadelphia. Surprisingly the Demon won this match as well. Talk about a hot streak for Black Demon standards.

Winner: The Black Demon

Match 3

Chuck Richards vs Mike Conrad

The man known as Popeye takes on perennial punching bag Conrad in this one. Richards gets the duke 25 years before his grandson would win the WWF Tag Team Championship.

Winner: Richards

Match 4

Sharon Joy and Barbara Owens vs Donna Christianello and Toni Rose

Moolah girls in action. Sharon and Donna we already know but who are the other two? Toni Rose was trained by Moolah and grew up in Terra Haute, Indiana....the hometown of Larry Bird. Barbara started wrestling as a 16 year old in 1965 and was very active in the late 60's. Ironically this was her only appearance in the McMahon territory in 1971. Donna and Toni won the match.

Winners: Toni and Donna

Match 5

Bulldog Brower vs Chief Jay Strongbow

The main event of the show had more implications than meets the eye. If Koloff were to successfully retain the WWWF Heavyweight title that night, a victory over Brower would theoretically put Strongbow in line for a title shot at the Garden. Now if Morales were to lose, Bulldog could lobby for a US title match immediately. If Morales to win, Bulldog would put himself up there for a future match with Pedro at the Garden if he beat Strongbow. The fans went home happy as Brower got himself disqualified to give Strongbow the win.

Winner: Strongbow

Who knows why Vince decided to have this completely useless card the same day as his big Madison Square Garden show but money is money I guess. Then again, this was 1971, the Garden show wouldn't be on television so at least the fans got to see live wrestling. Even if the rest of the card was lackluster, if Koloff were to dispatch Morales then Chief Jay Strongbow would be waiting. It all comes down to what happens at Madison Square Garden. See you all for the big one.

WWWF at Springfield Auditorium (2/6/71)

Springfield Auditorium

Springfield, MA

February 6, 1971

Vince McMahon Sr had his guys working overtime as the night of the big Boston Garden card saw a double shot all the way out in Springfield. Pedro Morales, Ivan Koloff, Chief Jay Strongbow and The Mongols had to drive all the way from Boston to Springfield for this card. Its only a 5 match card but there's going to be some long matches. We got three preliminaries but then we have a 2 out of 3 falls women's tag match featuring the queen herself, Fabulous Moolah. Then the main event is a special six man tag team 3 out of 5 falls match as the WWWF International Tag Team Champions The Mongols team with the WWWF Heavyweight Champion "Russian Bear" Ivan Koloff to take on the WWWF United States Champion Pedro Morales, Chief Jay Strongbow and Gorilla Monsoon. We got two fake Mongolians, a fake Russian, a fake Native American, a fake Chinaman and a real Puerto Rican. Let's get to the card.

Match 1

Mike Conrad vs Pete Sanchez

We open the show with a battle of jobbers, although calling Sanchez a jobber in early 1971 might be harsh. It wasn't until later on syndicated television that Sanchez was featured primarily as enhancement talent. Conrad was the jobber here and he did the job to Sanchez for sure.

Winner: Pete Sanchez

Match 2

"Unpredictable" Johnny Rodz vs Lee Wong

6 years or so later, we'd know who'd win this match as Johnny Rodz became the gold standard for jobbers. Fortunately it was still 1971 so Rodz got the duke.

Winner: Johnny Rodz

Match 3

Tomas Marin vs Vincente Pometti

Another preliminary bout that really doesn't matter as neither of these guys were in a prominent position to challenge Ivan Koloff or Pedro Morales in a big time main event. Still, Pometti got the victory.

Winner: Vincente Pometti

Match 4

Sharon Joy and Tippy Wells vs Donna Christianello and Fabulous Moolah in a 2 out of 3 Falls match

Moolah's girls in action. Sharon and Moolah we already know but who are the other two?  Donna was another Moolah trained girl who was working as a waitress that just happened to wait a table for Waldo Von Erich. Waldo got her in touch with Moolah and her career was off and running. Tippy Wells was born Fran Gravette in Alberta, Canada and started training under Moolah in 1959. She took a break from the ring for years but returned in 1970. This was definitely a case of Moolah getting her booked. Moolah and Donna won this one.

Winners: Moolah and Christianello

Match 5

Chief Jay Strongbow, Gorilla Monsoon and WWWF United States Champion Pedro Morales vs The Mongols (Geeto and Beppo) and WWWF Heavyweight Champion Ivan Koloff in a 3 out of 5 Falls match

To put this match in perspective, imagine its Pedro vs Koloff on a Premium Live Event and the night before on Smackdown they face off in a six man tag featuring two tag teams feuding with each other. Very common now, big time news back in 1971. The heels took the lead when Beppo Mongol rolled up Strongbow and hooked the tights for the 1-2-3. The heels then took the second fall when The Mongols beat up Monsoon on the outside and he was counted out. The faces rallied as Monsoon got back in the ring and crushed Beppo Mongol with the big splash for the 1-2-3 to take the third fall. Pedro then dropped Geeto Mongol and pinned him for the 1-2-3 to tie up the match. Then a big schmozz outside the ring caused the ref to throw the match out. All that for a draw? Still, all 6 men were going to be busy in two nights at Madison Square Garden so this was definitely a sneak preview.

Winners: No one (Draw)

Just days before Madison Square Garden, Vince Sr booked a nearly useless double-shot but at least the final match must have been entertaining. Like I mentioned earlier, nowadays six man or normal tag matches featuring guys in feuds is common for go-home shows before PLE's. Pedro and Koloff have a date with destiny while the Mongols are in singles action in Madison Square Garden. However, there's one more piece of business before that show in MSG. For some reason Vince Sr thought it would be a good idea to have a double-shot on Monday. Half the crew would be in Lewiston, Maine while the main stars would be at Madison Square Garden. Why? Ask Vince. See you in Lewiston, guys.

WWWF at Punxsutawney High School (1/21/71)

Punxsutawney High School

Punxsutawney, PA

January 21, 1971

We're in the dawn of a new era in the WWWF as Ivan Koloff is the new WWWF Heavyweight Champion. 3 days after Koloff defeated Bruno Sammartino at Madison Square Garden, he would have his first title defense at the Punxsutawney High School in PA. His challenger? None other than....Tony Marino. Yes, the ex-Battman would get the first crack at the new champion. Other matches include Bruno himself taking on Jos LeDuc in a comeback match after losing to Koloff, Dominic DeNucci against Baron Mikel Scicluna and a novelty tag match between ladies and lady midget partners. Sounds like a party so let's get right to it.

Match 1

"Jumpin" Johnny DeFazio vs John L Sullivan

DeFazio's Junior Heavyweight title wasn't on the line as he battles Sullivan in the opening contest. As per norm, the bout ended in a 20 minute draw. Weren't fans sick of opening match draws by then?

Winner: No one (draw)

Match 2

Sharon Joy and Little Darling Dagmar vs WWWF Women's Champion Fabulous Moolah and Diamond Lil

Remember the women's midget match in Bangor where there were four prominent lady midgets? Well we saw Cuddles Anderson and Celine Fontaine then but now we have Little Darling Dagmar and Diamond Lil. Dagmar was basically a fun-sized Marylin Monroe who was the midget version of popular 50's women's wrestler Darling Dagmar. Midget women really haven't been an attraction since the 70's which is peculiar since men's midget wrestling continues today. Sharon Joy was another Moolah girl from the early 70's. Diamond Lil was born Katie Glass, moved in with Moolah when she was 17 and was her lifelong friend. She even lived with Mae Young when Mae came around creating the dynamic we knew in the late 90's. As for the main attraction, what can be said about Fabulous Moolah? Born Lillian Ellison in 1923, she unfortunately lost her mother to cancer when she was eight years old. She had to work on a cotton farm to make money to make up for the lost income but her father brought her to see women's champion Mildred Burke which inspired her to take up wrestling. Moolah then became one of the biggest draws in wrestling from the women's side starting in 1949. In 1956, she won a battle royal to become the Capitol Wrestling women's champion which later morphed into the World Wide Wrestling Federation where she's still the champ 15 years later. Not surprising but Moolah's team won.

Winners: Moolah and Lil

Match 3

Baron Mikel Scicluna vs Dominic DeNucci

With Ivan Koloff as champion now, DeNucci needs a big win to be a future contender against the Baron. Koloff himself told Baron to take care of Dominic so he never becomes a contender. Fortunately for Ivan, Scicluna got the duke.

Winner: Scicluna

Match 4

Jos LeDuc vs Bruno Sammartino

After dropping the WWWF title to Koloff just 3 days earlier, Bruno begins his comeback trail against the dangerous LeDuc. Koloff sent LeDuc to take out Bruno so Bruno doesn't get a rematch. Unfortunately for the heels, Bruno wins the match.

Winner: Bruno

Match 5

Tony Marino vs "Russian Bear" Ivan Koloff for the WWWF Heavyweight Champion

The new champ's first defense would be against the former Battman. It was a good move by Vince Sr to have Koloff go against a lower card babyface so when his next MSG opponent could be announced on Saturday, they didn't have to sacrifice anyone beforehand. Naturally Koloff got the win and kept the title.

Winner: Koloff (still WWWF Champion)

What a difference a week makes. When Bruno was champion all the talk was which heel would he be facing next after Ivan Koloff but the unthinkable happened, he lost. Now the question is who will be Koloff's first MSG defense going to be against? It sure as hell wouldn't be any of the heels since that was taboo back then and it wasn't going to be Tony Marino. Guess we'll have to just find out on Saturday. Still, it would have been nice to see the women's tag match just for the novelty of it. The next show would be the big Friday night show in North Attleboro, see you there.