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[1973-06-30-WWWF-MSG, NY] Pedro Morales vs George Steele


js50000

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  • 4 months later...
  • paul sosnowski changed the title to [1973-06-30 WWWF New York] Pedro Morales vs George the Animal Steele
  • GSR changed the title to [1973-06-30-WWWF-MSG, NY] Pedro Morales vs George Steele
  • 5 years later...

WWWF Heavyweight Champion Pedro Morales vs George "The Animal" Steele - WWF MSG 6/30/73

The first ever MSG show televised show on HBO which represents some of the oldest WWF footage we have. This is my first time watching Pedro Morales as the Heavyweight Champion, the Champion when my father was watching WWWF. George Steele pretty much looks the same as he did in 1986. 

In a lot of ways this may be the Platonic Ideal of Pro Wrestling for many non-fans. A cowardly savage heel that incessantly cheats via a foreign object while a valiant babyface overcomes him with clenched fists and dogged determination. I think this is how most non-fans envision pro wrestling. I believe variety is the spice of life and wish a George The Animal Steele did exist today. Steele was far more cowardly than I expected. I thought he would be far more vicious and scary. He tucked tail and ran almost every time Pedro hauled off and hit him. It was a lot of powdering, stalling, stooging and acting afraid. Steele was not a bad bumper in this. He took the Slaughter bump early. Pedro really could whip the MSG crowd into a frenzy. Every punch sent them into a tizzy. Steele's only offense was via foreign object (similar to the one that The Sheik would use, a hard to describe white pen-like object) which he would jab into Pedro's throat or abdomen. Pedro would fire up and Steele would retreat. Rinse lather repeat. Steele started to drive Morales' head hard into the turnbuckle. Morales eventually hulked up and started driving Steele's head into the metal turnbuckle, busting him open. The punches were flying and the ref called it. Steele tried to attack Morales after the bell with the foreign object, but Morales beat him back with punches. 

The heat was unreal for this. MSG was red hot for Pedro. It is simple but effective stuff. Babyface with clenched fist and fire versus a cowardly heel that cheats nonstop. Nobody will call this the greatest match of all time, but it works and it is fun. Before this Morales was wrestling a motley crew at MSG...Moondog Mayne, King Curtis Iaukea, Classy Freddie Blassie (I wish that was on HBO) and Don Leo Jonathan. What we have from HBO for the rest of the year until the title switch is next month's Steel rematch, a 52 minute match with Stan Stasiak (that I will not be seeking out), and two matches with Larry Hennig (one for the title and one post-switch). ***

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