ohtani's jacket

Cheri Bibi & Eric Husberg vs. James Brown & Jean Corne (aired 6/19/66) Cheri Bibi & Eric Husberg vs. Giacomo Guglielmetti & Philippe Crapez (aired 3/6/66) Cheri Bibi & Eric Husberg vs. Remy Bayle & Marcel Montreal (aired 4/25/65) The first two matches dashed any hope I had for the Cheri Bibi and Husberg tag team. The first match featured lightweight comedy and the second match was a listless brawl that wouldn't end. But the third match was everything I thought the Bibi/Husberg team would be. Husberg did the lion's share of the wrestling, and later on the bumping, stooging and selling, and when Bib tagged in he was fun, charismatic and interesting. There was night and day between the matches. I don't think you can truly appreciate it unless you watch them in the order that I did. If you watch them in chronological order, you'll probably end up disappointed. I watched them in random order picking the Corne match first. I'm just glad I found a match where the combination worked. I was ready to slag them off after the first two matches, but as a Husberg fan, I'm really glad I stuck it out and watched the third bout.

Jose Arroyo vs. Pierre Bernaert (aired 2/11/58) This was fine. I would have liked to have seen the whole thing to compare Bernaert's performance with Husberg but there was enough here to suggest that they were at a similar sort of level. Arroyo's selling bugs me. He's one of the worst selling babyfaces we've seen so far. I like his flurries on offence, but he can't sell the transition from selling to offence. Jo Labat vs. Ami Sola (aired 2/11/58) This was a nice technical match. I wasn't paying attention to the commentary but apparently the commentator called them stylists and referred to this as a gentleman's contest. I wouldn't really call them stylists in the sense that later workers were, but they were certainly focused on their craft. Sola is forging a reputation for being a man for all seasons when it comes to these television matches. This wasn't as exciting as the last bout we saw him in, but he's been one of the more flexible talents to date. Jacky Corn vs. Inca Peruano (aired 2/21/58) This was everything you'd expect Jacky Corn vs. Inca Peruano to be. I was happy that they delivered on their billing. When only got the last two falls but it's highly entertaining. Peruano was never a "catcheur" in the sense that he worked the French style, but he adapted remarkably well to the Parisian scene. When we start thinking of the outsiders who adapted the best to catch, I think he'll do well. He ends up globetrotting, and we lose him so to speak, so soak this up while you can. Fortunately, he's not the only South American to leave his mark on French wrestling, but he's the guy who did it while catch was still in its prime. As for Corn, this was a nice return to form after that surprise beating at the hands of Robert Blasco. I only discovered this recently, but the French wrestler who fought Billy Howes on the undercard of the famous McManus vs. Pallo match, is actually Jacky Corn. I need to revisit that match soon.

What did Meltzer say specifically?

Yuki Ishikawa.

Let's be realistic about it. Even if promoters knew, the idea that you ran with a bad crowd when you were a kid, may have raped a girl, but were only convicted of having sex with a girl who was "younger than you thought", those things were not enough to blacklist a wrestler in the territories era. They would kill a guy in this day and age, but not back then. There's a lot we don't know about the case, but I imagine that Walker served some type of probation period and it wouldn't surprise me if the people who broke him in thought that wrestling put him back on the straight and narrow.

I don't think it's a surprise that these charges happened given the fear of juvenile delinquency in the 1950s. As far as I can make out, 17 juveniles were charged with the rape of two girls on July 9th, 1953, and three of them were also charged with a second rape on July 5th. Walker was indicted for the rape of one of the girls on July 9th. The focus of much of the newspaper coverage is on the boys who were charged on two counts. Those youths pleaded not guilty. Walker entered a plea, but I can't make out what it was without paying. The three other boys ended up pleading guilty to reduced charges. I'm assuming Walker either pleaded guilty to reduced charges or was cleared of rape but convicted of sex with a minor.

Has there ever been any proper research done on the case? The Honolulu Advertiser says he was indicted on rape charges in February 1954. His disposition was apparently in July 1955 where he was convicted of having sex with a minor. There is no record of the disposition in the Advertiser. Walker's first recorded match is in Honolulu in May 1956 and his first stint in a territory was in Toronto in 1958. The Advertiser says he was connected to a hoodlum gang, some of whom were connected to another beach rape. Two of them also had burglary charges.

Oh boy.

Rene Lasartesse vs. Dave Taylor (Piratenkampf, Hamburg 1987) This wasn't the best Piratenkampf match and it wasn't the worst. You could probably make an argument for Taylor being better at Piratenkampf matches than regular matches, which is peculiar. You'd think it would be the opposite. This had more heat mongering than violence, but it was perfectly ok.

Gaby Lailee vs. Acensy De Oro (aired 3/8/87) Flesh Gordon vs. Eliot Frederico (aired 3/8/87) A pair of nothing matches to end our 80s catch adventure. That's it, unless we've overlooked something. I'm not sure how much is missing. The broadcasts changed format so many times that I suspect catch may have been on and off the air. Here is my final ranking of the matches (not including the ones that were already on YouTube): 1. Jacky Richard & Guy Renault vs. Jean Corne & Rene Cabellec (aired 10/12/81) 2. Walter Bordes & Flesh Gordon vs. The Golden Falcons (aired 8/13/83) 3. Jacky Richard & Albert Sanniez vs. Jean Corne & Rene Cabellec (aired 9/8/80) 4. Le Petit Prince & Claude Rocca vs. Bob Remy & Anton Tejero (aired 8/18/80) 5. Jacky Richard & Albert Sanniez vs. Jean Corne & Kader Hassouni (aired 9/3/83)

Walter Bordes, Flesh Gordon & Angelito vs. Le Marquis Richard Fumolo de la Rossignolette, Jessy Texas & Eliott Le Rocky (aired 8/11/85) Time for some Catch A Six action. Jessy Texas is dressed like a cowboy and rides a horse to the ring. And for some reason, Frederico is doing a boxer gimmick. This should have been exciting but structurally it was a mess. I'm not sure why it was so hard for European guys to lay out a tag match. Oftentimes, the action can be good but the timing of the falls is baffling. Gordon and Angelito did some flashy moves, and Frederico held up his side of things, but the match lacked rhythm and excitement. Afterward, there is a documentary about the French jazz pianist, Michel Petrucciani, who suffered from brittle bone disease. Walter Bordes & Flesh Gordon vs. Les Maniaks (aired 8/18/85) This was supposedly taped on 3/2/85. I'm not sure if it aired earlier than this. The footage is so erratic at this point that anything is possible. Bordes and Gordon were a good team. The Maniaks were a pair of Psicosis wannabes, but Bordes and Gordon were better than most at working drama into their matches. Mambo Le Primitif vs. Flesh Gordon (aired 9/1/85) Finally, the match the world has been waiting for -- Mambo the Primitif vs. Flesh Gordon! In a strap match! Here we go! The past few years of catch all boil down to this. This also looked like it was from an earlier show. I have no idea what is going on at this point. This was worked like a handler trying to tame a wild beast. I was disappointed when the beast's big transition was a nutshot. Gordon ends up taking a whipping, and when it's finally too much, he starts choking Mambo with the strap. The refs don't like that and call the whole thing off. There's nothing quite as unfulfilling as a stip match without a payoff.

All right, let's try to get through this so I can go back to watching 50s catch: Flesh Gordon & Kader Hassouni vs. Le Marquis Richard Fumolo de la Rossignolette & Black Shadow (aired 7/14/85) The Marquis has changed his name from Eduardo to Richard and shaved his beard. He looks like a totally different person. In fact, I'm not convinced it's the same worker. This guy looks like Jacky Richard. The gimmick still sucks and his wrestling is awful, so that hasn't changed. This has some decent stuff at the beginning between Gordon and Shadow before breaking down into the usual bore. The ring apron says Gilbert Leclerc in big letters. Is he the man responsible for this shit show? Georges Cohen & Kader Hassouni vs. Anton Terejo & Pierre Lagache (aired 7/21/85) Terejo is fat and out of shape here, but it's Terejo so I'm always gonna love it. Mercifully short. Le Primitif vs. Jessy Texas (aired 7/21/85) Mambo's posse are back! Albeit with a slightly different look. Poor old Jessy Texas tried to put up a fight here but ended up a bloody mess. Flesh Gordon & Angelito vs. Kato Bruce Lee & Frederico (aired 7/28/85) Hmm, this is the ending of Le Primitif vs. The Golden Falcons, followed by the tail end of a Herbie Hancock concert where he's treated like a rock star, and then the news. No sign of the tag match. Mambo does a huge plancha off the top turnbuckle. Who was that mystery primate? Was he South American? Did he spent time in Mexico? Please tell me he fought a mask match. Georges Cohen & Gass Doukhan vs. Black Shadow & Kato Bruce Lee (aired 8/10/85) For some reason, Kato Bruce Lee is doing a Leatherman gimmick. What is with catch and the Leatherman gimmick? So many guys do it. Thank god for Georges Cohen and Gass Doukhan for bringing some old-school class to 1985 catch. I really like Black Shadow as well. That dude deserved to run with a better crew. This was a good match. The structure of the falls was whack, but it was easily the best match since '83.

I was just having fun. Better to vote Virus than pretend you know dick about Blue Demon.

Get with the times. It's obscure hidden gem Motta dos Santos.

I had the opposite experience as I was able to sit through the entire match without pausing. Watch a few hours of 80s catch beforehand and every match will seem like a Michelangelo.

Motta dos Santos & Pierre Payen vs. Francis Louis & Jean Claude Bordeaux (aired 6/19/71) This was a fine match in keeping with other matches I've seen from the 70s. According to the commentator, Pierre Payen was an injury sub for Antonio Pereria. Payten does his best to establish himself as a Daniel Noced type early on, but Motta dos Santos is the best wrestler on show. And while I'd rather see dos Santos wrestle Le Petit Prince, Michel Saulnier or Albert Sanniez, we should appreciate another glimpse at this fine talent.

Eric Husberg vs. Jose Arroyo (aired 12/27/57) I've liked the Husberg I've seen so far, but that's been against guys his own size. I'm pretty sure these guys were in different weight classes. Catchweight bouts were always some of the more intriguing WoS bouts because they created match ups you wouldn't ordinarily see. I haven't seen a ton of Husberg, but I was interested in how he would fare against a bigger guy. Personally, i thought he was brilliant. I loved the way he went at Arroyo's eyes and face, and later on the choke. I also loved the way he worked the match on three fronts. There was his shtick with the crowd, his shtick with the ref, and his shtick with Arroyo. Husberg was fantastic. I adored the way he puffed out his chest every time Arroyo grew fidgety. But I have to make special mention of the crowd. The spectators were great. They ate up every inside move like it was a Jim Breaks bout. If I had one complaint about the bout it would have been that Arroyo held back too much. He could have beaten the piss out of Husberg if he'd wanted to. But that's exactly what he wound up doing, and Husberg sold it like a champ. It was actually pretty nuanced selling. Instead of simply being knocked out by Arroyo's forearm blows, Husberg sold a strike to his non-dominant arm that made it impossible for him to clutch Arroyo's head and deliver a forearm smash. Husberg went down clutching his shoulder and Arroyo was able to pick him off. That was the best finish I've seen in catch since Humez sent Debusne to the canvas. Watching this, I had renewed hope that Husberg might bring something worthwhile to his Cheri Bibi tags.

Linda Blair & Magnifico (?) vs. Nicky McDonald & Brigitte Borne (aired 8/25/84) This was okay. At least they treated women's wrestling seriously. I'm pretty sure that Linda Blair is the British wrestler, Lena Blair. I couldn't make out her partner's name, but it sounded like they were calling her "Magnifico." Borne was a French wrestler who was prominent in the 70s along with a number of other women. Actually, it looks like we have one of her 70s matches against Lola Garcia. Kader Hassouni & John Debruyne vs. Les Piranhas (aired 5/11/85) This was all right. They worked it as a straight match, which was better than the alternative. Debruyne had a New Wave haircut. The match could have been a bit tighter, but it was a crowd pleaser. Le Primitif vs. The Golden Falcons (aired 7/7/85) This was like 50 minutes of the news and 10 minutes of the match. I guess it is officially Mambo the Primitif. He didn't have his crew with him, which was disappointing. No crown, either. I was kind of amused by how much advertising there was on the ring apron. Would I really want one of these 1985 galas in my town? The tape cut off before the finish, so I guess we'll never know who won.

Franz van Buyten vs. Rene Lasartesse (Hamburg 9/17/87) This wasn't a chain match, but it was worked like one. This is the Lasartesse that I fell in love with several years ago. The kind of wrestler who will relentlessly work on a guy. And since van Buyten was a fabulous seller, these guys were a perfect fit. I've never really thought of Lasartesse as big bumper or a great seller. He's usually the one in control and he spends the majority of a bout standing. I swear he spends more time standing and walking around the ring than any wrestler I've seen. Early on in his career it was because of his height advantage, and I suppose his aristocratic heel gimmick. Here, I guess it had something to do with his rickety old bones. But this match reminded me that he liked to do the "don't touch my ears" shtick. This was a fine match held together by Lasartesse's charisma and van Buyten's selling. The finish was a cop out, but I was kind of expecting that to happen. Franz van Buyten vs. Rene Lasartesse (Hamburg 9/27/87) This is listed as a "Entscheidungskampf", which as best I can tell is some kind of decision match. I'm not sure if this is the "final" of the tournament or not. These tournaments are confusing. According to the information I have, the tournament ran from 9/15-10/22, so if this is the deciding match then the date must be wrong. I'm not even sure if the tournament lasted the entire month or if it was just part of a "season." Perhaps they ran shows after it was over. What I do know is that Lasartesse dominated this tournament in the 70s before van Buyten emerged as his rival in 1981. They shared the spoils that year and ignited a rivalry that spanned a decade. So when you think of Lasartesse vs. van Buyten, don't forget that the city of Hamburg was where it was staged. This was an excellent match. I'm not sure what the stakes were, but the match felt important. Lasartesse even wrestled a bit, leaving nothing to chance. Once again, it was the chemistry that carried this match. Van Buyten has had better matches than this, but this was by far his greatest rivalry.

Al Hayes vs. Jean Casi (aired 12/7/57) Jean Casi was an Italian boxer who fought professionally for a couple of years in the mid-40s. He wasn't anywhere near as successful as Laurent Dauthuille or Charlie Humez. but people say he was a good boxer. His other claim to faith is that according to Roger Delaporte, Casi and Delaporte fought the first televised wrestling bout (live from Vincennes in 1953.) I'm not as high on Hayes as others, but I liked that he used some of the British mat technique here. It's become apparent over the past few months that the French style, the Spanish style, and the British style were all different from one another. I wouldn't say one was better than the other. They each had their good points. But it's clear that the French didn't do mat wrestling the same as the British did. The British liked to dress and undress holds. There was a lot of twisting and turning. You think of the classic imagine of them working a top wristlock or a similar hold. Some people had the impression that Casi couldn't keep up here. Maybe that's because he wasn't a great worker, but I think it had a lot to do with the fact that he couldn't work the British style. Imagine how hard it would be to keep up with a guy like Hayes if he was working circles around you. Personally. I thought Casi was quite dogged. I liked the way he stuck with Hayes despite Hayes toying with him. It was almost a boxing ethos. I liked the finish too with Hayes downing him. King Kong Taverne vs. Ray Hunter (aired 12/12/57) This was nothing special. I like the fact that everyone in '57 gets a match, and everyone gets a chance to wrestle no matter how good they are, but these guys weren't very interesting workers. Taverne, in particular, has no identity. I thought he would be the Mal Kirk of 50s catch, but Mal Kirk knew exactly who he was as a worker. Taverne calls himself "King Kong," but doesn't wrestle like it. He wrestles like a pussy cat. I'm not sure where he was from. I've read that he was a German wrestler, but I can't find anything to back that up. What I do know is that he should have been playing a heel because he wasn't going anywhere with this passive stuff. The rap on Hunter has always been that he was average, and watching the tape I've got to admit he's not that flash. Al Hayes vs. Julio Gasparrini (aired 12/12/57) Gasparrini sure was earnest. He fact he bordered on comical at times. Most people will enjoy this just because it's a chance to see a young Alfred Hayes. Again, I was happy with the balance between the judo gimmick and the British style. What I'd really like to see is Hayes on ITV. He appeared only a few times before becoming a star for Paul Lincoln. Once against Billy Joyce and another match against Dazzler Joe Cornelius. Those matches would make great comparison pieces to these French matches. He appeared quite a few times after the merger, but by then he was a star and may have worked differently from this period. Anyway, I'm waffling. I think the Casi match is better, but enjoy Lord Alfred in his prime.

Someone should write a book about Korakuen Hall. I only went there for the first time last year, but that's a real venue.

Do people really think the Tokyo Dome is such a big deal? I guess I am more used to Tokyo Dome City but there is nothing sacred about it to me.

It could be Tete de Fer or Le Masque de fer. EDIT: It's Tete de Fer, which translates to Iron Head. Interesting that the date we have is the same as the poster. I think some of these catch matches were broadcast live. EDIT II: I checked and Arroyo vs. Husberg was the last match on the show. The crowd file out at the end.

Marquis Edouard Fumolo De La Rossignolette vs. Gerald Malpard (aired 8/1/84) The Marquis is a bore. I suppose if I watched enough of him, I'd accept him. He's the Tally Ho Kaye of 80s catch, but Tally Ho Kaye had better offence. Angelito & Flesh Gordon vs. Black Shadow & Eliot Frederico (aired 8/1/84) These guys could all go. Hell, they were practically the workrate cru of 1984 catch. But I couldn't get into this. Le Primitif vs. Flesh Gordon & Angelito (aired 8/22/84) Mongo is billed as Mambo here. Is it Mongo or Mambo? Why is he wearing a crown? I hope he stole it off another wrestler. The dancing is starting to get a bit suggestive. One of Mongo's boys does a back bend at the start. Some crazy voodoo shit or sumthin. The match itself is shit. I was begging for it to end. The cameraman missed the crazy bump Angelito took at the end, which was about the only highlight of the match. The post match was epic, though. Mongo had his crown on and was waving a bone at the crowd. There's a dwarf in his posse now! The first thing I thought of was the Geto Boys. Damn it feels good to be Mongo.