STW - The Territories [Show Notes] (Patreon)

Today we’re going to be discussing various bookers in various territories…The Greatest Bookers of the Past!

We’ll start around the map of the United States Bruce…

Don Owen - based out of Oregon!

Bruce - Don was a promoter for over 60 years - one of the longest runs in wrestling wasn’t it?

Pacific Northwest Wrestling was one of the leaders of the National Wrestling Alliance weren’t they?

Don’s reputation is more about him being one of the better payoff promoters isn’t that correct?

The biggest accomplishment for Don was the fact that he ran TV - originally called Portland Wrestling before being called Big Time Wrestling - is that it ran from 1952 to 1991…

Here’s a list of some of the stars under Don:

Stan Stasiak, Dizzy Hogan - the future Brutus Beefcake, Curt Hennig, Mad Dog Vachon, Nick Bockwinkel, Gorgeous George before he was Gorgeous George - but Roddy Piper & Buddy Rose are the ones that stands out really the most to you right?

He really was a monopoly out there in Oregon though right?

Next to discuss is Roy Shire in Big Time Wrestling based out of San Francisco. The San Francisco terrority is quite legendary is it not Bruce?

Shire was actually a wrestler who blew his knee out and became a promoter. The Cow Palace was his home wasn’t it?

Shire had two bookers with him - Johnny Doyle & Red Bastien and built the promotion around the principles of action, high spots, and realistic matches isn’t that right?

The company’s biggest star - Ray Stevens and of course Pat Patterson - but the promotion’s flagship event was battle royals was it not?

When Shire’s run ended and the company came to an end and lost to Verne Gagne - he ended up giving an interview breaking kayfabe isn’t that right?

Stu Hart in Stampede Wrestling is next. The legit shooter that turned wrestling into a family owned business with Stampede and the Dungeon…but he was more important as being a trainer than booker is that right?

When you look at what Stampede accomplished - developing so many wrestlers not just for North America but also for Japan as well - but his talent as a promoter can’t be understated either can it?

I mean as a promoter he still worked lions & bears Bruce…

He would later on in life turn the book over to Bruce & Keith - but they weren’t the bookers Stu was right?

Dory Funk in Armarillo for Western States Sports had so many wrestlers come out from West Texas. What can you tell us about Armarillo and Dory’s booking?

Was his control at the top of the NWA so important for Dory and his family?

Funk only fully owned Western States for 6 years before he passed away and left it to his sons - Dory Jr & Terry. Promoting really wasn’t their thing as they sold it just a few years later - but what were they like as promoters do you know?

We can’t talk about Texas and promoting without discussing Fritz Von Erich…but without Sam Muchnick - would Fritz had even been a promoter?

He brought World Class Championship Wrestling to a level unlike many others during that time - but the man underneath a lot of it was Ken Mantell right?

After Ken Mantell there was Gary Hart who booked the Freebirds - Von Erichs story. What do you think made that program so successful?

Joe Blanchard is another promoter in Texas - but Joe & Fritz both got started in Stampede Wrestling - how about that Bruce?

Blanchard had San Antonio starting in 1978 and the biggest moment in 1982 came when they got clearance on the USA Network. Now the story is that Tully Blanchard & Bob Sweetan had a match so bloody that the USA network turned to the WWF - is that how you heard it?

We can’t discuss this without discussing Paul Boesch in Houston. What were some of his strengths in your mind Bruce?

What set Paul apart from other bookers - in your mind?

Verne Gagne in Minneapolis is one of those bookers who very much had a formula did he not?

Do you think Verne gets a bad rap for his time in Minneapolis for what happened with Hulk Hogan?

I mean you don’t have the boom of the 80s without Verne - either from training Ric Flair to prepping Hulk Hogan for New York am I right?

Was he too old school?

Speaking of old school - Sam Muchnick in St. Louis began in 1945  and without him the National Wrestling Alliance isn’t formed is it?

Now there were 2 NWAs - the National Wrestling Association and the Alliance - one was the athletic commissions but the one Muchnick formed was about the promoters was it not?

Buddy Rogers was first elevated in St. Louis and would also feature such stars as Lou Thesz, but Wrestling at the Chase was the premier TV wrestling show for a long time was it not?

Do we have modern wrestling without Mushnick?

Muchnick would sell eventually to Bob Geigel, Pat O’Connor & Harley Race - but it was never the same right?

What was the Sheik like as a booker in Detroit? Was he as crazy as his ring work was?

Without the Sheik - Detroit doesn’t get to a certain level does it?

He would also book in Toronto isn’t that right?

The Tunney family would run Toronto - from Frank to eventually Ed & Jack - but we all know Jack Tunney as eventual figurehead in the WWF. But Frank was super successful was he not?

Georgia had ran though so many bookers - with Ole Anderson & George Scott being two of the more famous, but Ole and Scott were completely different were they not?

Scott would eventually become of the bookers of the WWF - really at the height of the Rock n Wrestling time. Eventually he just got burned out and had to move on right?

Ole though - was a whole different beast was he not?

Do you think Ole had anyone who ever spoke nicely of him?

Eddie Graham has always been described as a booker who would provide a smorgasbord of things. Is that how you would characterize him?

Dusty learned from Eddie…but did he take the best of Eddie from him?

Dusty as a booker - did he just run out of ideas?

Ric Flair has said to me - Dusty is one of the best ever. Would you say that?

Kevin Sullivan learned from Eddie as well didn’t he?

Jerry Jarrett, Bill Dundee, Memphis - what can you tell us about that?

What were the pluses or minuses in Memphis in your mind?

Is Bill Watts the best booker in your opinion?

He was really the one who made TV what it ended up being the push into a modern era did he not?

Does his WCW run ruin what he did in Mid South do you think?

Who’s your favorite booker ever?

What is something that all bookers need to have?