STW - Masked Men [Show Notes] (Patreon)

Bruce as we continue on our trip down memory lane - the last two weeks have been two episodes I really enjoyed in the Territories…but now we’re discussing a subject near and dear to your heart..MASKED WRESTLERS

The Masked Wrestler historically debuted back at the 1865 World’s Fair - and off it went. Masked wrestlers are historically more well known as a part of Lucha Libre as we’ll get to - but the mask element of the presentation - why do you think it has always connected with a professional wrestling audience?

El Hijo Del Santo said this once: “When I put on the mask, I'm transformed. The mask gives me strength. The mask gives me fame. The mask is magical. When I remove the mask, I'm a normal human who can walk right by you, and not even get a "hello". Usually with the mask on, everything is positive. Without the mask I'm a normal being who has his problems, who cries, who sometimes suffers. I could tell you that I really admire El Hijo del Santo. But do you know who I admire more ? The human being. Thanks to him, El Hijo del Santo has a life. And this human being sometimes sacrifices a lot to give this other identity life.”

This really puts the whole context into what the mask in Lucha Libre really means doesn’t it?

Who’s the first masked wrestler you remember seeing in your wrestling fan dom?

In Lucha Libre - the mask was first founded in EMLL from an American wrestler named Cyclone McKey working in Texas. So the common misconception that it’s based off of Aztec, Inca or Mayan tradition - it really started in the United States and made its way to Mexico Bruce! How about that?

It’s considered sacred and we all know how much controversy there was in WCW when Rey Mysterio lost his mask - do you think that ability to sacred ever really translated on a national scale for professional wrestling compared to the territories?

The Destroyer is one of the biggest stars to ever wear a mask - as he was the first man to wrestle in Japan with a mask on during the 1960s. What can you tell us about Dick Beyer and his impact not just on Japanese culture but in America as well…

Mr. Wrestling - Tim Woods - had a tremendous career based just around being called that. White mask, white singlet, and became a major superstar in all the major territories. What was different about Tim Woods being able to do so much with just a white mask & singlet?

Tim Woods was on that fateful plane crash with David Crockett, Ric Flair & Johnny Valentine. What can you tell our listeners about that crash and the fallout from it?

The growth of Mr. Wrestling led to other Mr. Wrestling’s including Johnny Walker as Mr. Wrestling II - who became an immediate top draw when Woods wouldn’t be able to work a terrority and had a lot to do with the issues down in Atlanta with Ray Gunkel’s window Ann Gunkel & Eddie Graham isn’t that right?

Mr. Wrestling II was also a big deal for President Jimmy Carter and his mother isn’t that right?

Len Denton, the Grappler was another that was brought up a lot on social media. What can you tell us about Len?

Masked Superstar is another one who was a tremendous wrestler - Bill Eadie - who would eventually become Demolition Ax. Why do you think the ability to wear a mask helped so many guys become top talents?

He would head to the WWF at the time and become Super Machine with Andre the Giant as Giant Machine & Blackjack Mulligan as Big Machine. What did you think of that gimmick in the WWF?

El Santo & Mil Mascaras achieved an almost iconic status in Mexico - probably the biggest stars in the history of Mexico along with Blue Demon. What was it about them that they were able to achieve the stardom and level they did?

What do you know of the story about Mil Mascaras and Madison Square Garden?

As we move closer into the 80s and in that time frame - Japan saw an explosion of masked wrestlers becoming more and more over with the influence of Japanese comic books and cartoons on TV. Tiger Mask, Black Tiger and Jushin Liger being the main ones in the 80s and 90s. It would introduce a whole new generation of fans in Japan wouldn’t it?

The Spoiler was a well known wrestler for almost 30 years under the gimmick - chat me up about Don Jardine!

Eventually a gimmick came along where a wrestler would get sent away - lose a loser leaves town match possibly - and come back as a masked wrestler.

There was Junkyard Dog as Stagger Lee, Dusty Rhodes as the Midnight Rider and in later years Hulk Hogan as Mr. America. Why was the gimmick effective in the beginning but it would eventually run its course quickly - was it hard to make it seem like it was believable?

Big Van Vader wore a giant head gimmick along with a mask - do you consider him a masked wrestler?

What did the gimmick add to his aura?

Brutus Beefcake attempted to wear a mask after his accident - once with fur on it - and with Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania 9. It didn’t help him did it?

The evolution of this as wrestling companies would try to engage kids with the likes of the Juicer in WCW based on Beetlejuice and Blue Blazer with Owen Hart…it just didn’t catch on in America - why do you think that was?

The explosion of Lucha into ECW and eventually WCW would lead to the likes of Rey Mysterio, Psicosis, Juventud Guerrera come to the forefront of American culture - but when you take a look at the mid 90s - the WWF had the likes of Aldo Montoya, Jim Neidhart as Who, even your brother Tom Prichard as Dr. X under hoods. Did the WWF just not believe in this?

In the late 90s the WWF would embrace it more - with a mask on Mankind and Kane - why do you think there was a shift in the thought process - or did it just fit the gimmicks better?

The Patriot - Del Wilkes - was a blip on the WWF’s radar in 97. Was there a market for him or do you think he would’ve been better off unmasked?

When you look back at the history of masked wrestlers and how many didn’t win big championships - if I told you Abyss & Blue Demon were the only two masked wrestlers to win the NWA title - you’d think I was crazy right?

There was a big issue for a long time with masked wrestlers. And It involved Mil Mascaras and The Spoiler. See in the 1970s masked wrestlers were banned at Madison Square Garden and considering it was the home of the WWWF - that was a big deal.

There was a law that in New York City - people were prevented from wearing masks in public - and it carried over to professional wrestlers as well. But when Mil Mascaras debuted on December 18th, 1972 in MSG - he was permitted to wear the mask under a special exemption - and he would take on Don Jardine who would wrestle without a mask while at MSG. Ironic there wasn’t it?

We got a lot of comments on social media about the Conquistadors - the original team and then when they were brought back in the late 90s during the Edge/Christian & Hardy Boyz feud - what can you tell us about the Conquistadors!

In the early 2000s - and how could we ever forget - the HURRICANE Shame Helms!

Did you ever watch the Black Scorpion gimmick in WCW? Or the Shockmaster? Neither of those helped masked wrestlers did it?

The bonanza that was Rey Mysterio and selling masks - he was a merchandise dream wasn’t he?

Do you think in this day and age - there’s an ability to have a mask vs. mask or mask vs. hair match mean something?