Jim Cornette on How Fritz Von Erich Became A Good Guy & Promoter

From Episode 133 of Jim Cornette's Drive Thru
Artwork by Travis Heckel!
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[@michaelstagar4254]

Jim cornette is the best damn pro wrestling historian ever. The man could make a grocery list riveting.

[@maturanita]

Michael Stagar Corny and Bill Apter are the most knowledgeable wrestling experts, bar to none

[@j.styles8977]

It’s gonna suck when he passes since he has no kids. I wonder whos gonna keep his stuff.

[@boygreen2002]

@@maturanita yo even corny said meltzer knows the most he doesn't agree with his views on the sport but he knows a fuck ton about it

[@michelledavidson8190]

I find listening to these podcasts interesting. Especially as I'm new to wrestling. I love it.

[@MrBlazemaster525]

@@boygreen2002 Corny's forgotten 100x more than Meltzer'll ever know

[@shannyk6747]

that looks like Al Bundy in the artwork.. 😂

[@jeremyswanson236]

Gary Hart said in his book that all he had to do was say on air that Fritz wasn't really German and was really from Texas, and instantly people were cheering him, and he was over a baby face instantly.

[@Dave-rf1zj]

I remember that from Gary Hart's book as well. Hart said Fritz was upset initially, but it got Von Erich over huge as a babyface. Plus Gary Hart was managing The Spoiler at the time, and they were two of the biggest heels in pro wrestling. The Spoiler & Gary Hart were great together, so their feud with the battle of "The Claw vs Gary Hart's Claw" was money. I mean hell....Fritz Von Erich vs The Spoiler w/Gary Hart! Just screams sell out.

[@danielmoore2320]

Yeah I think that's how it really happened

[@GraemeCree]

How come Fritz being a phony German was okay, but Fritz bringing in a phony cousin Lance wasn't?

[@SteveSport_]

Fritz should have trusted and respected Gary more than he did. Gary was a blessing to him, his sons, the wrestling talent Fritz had, Fritz’s company and to all of us fans!!!!!

[@BennyBrilleman]

​@@GraemeCreeBecause the fans were a bunch of retards. The majority of them knew rasslin's a work....My only problem with Lance is he was a horrible performer.

[@chuckgan]

The match with Kiniski was at Turnpike Stadium, later called Arlington Stadium, future home of the Texas Rangers.

[@thebeardedartist5653]

Brian and Jim are so great together, love listing to them talk about the old days. Just watched iron claw. I really enjoyed it

[@jonalbertson10270]

WCCW on ESPN was the shinizzle back in the day...

[@stealthbomber2126]

I do not know what in the hell shinizzle is but WCCW on espn was awesome.

[@SyndicateSuperman]

That was GWF by that time, no?

[@CplEthane]

I'd like to hear Jim talk more about the Amarillo territory. It's due to Jim here that I found that Terry Funk had his first match in the crappy little New Mexico town I grew up in. I had not idea about this growing up in the early 80s because when the Amarillo territory vaporised, it was like wrestling never happened in that region. Isolated is the kindest thing you can say about that place. Also lol The Boys Ranch. My parents used to threaten to send us there if we didn't behave.

[@CBear47]

What crappy town, exactly? I live in ABQ...

[@dphill96]

Same, I would love to hear more history about it.

[@jameshannon7162]

Beautiful connection's.

[@voisindo]

@@dphill96 Corny and Terry Funk did a Back to the Territories on the Amarillo territory.

[@dphill96]

@@voisindo really, thank you for letting me know.

[@Carelock]

That 1972 Texas Stadium card sounded like it was amazing! What a lineup!

[@jerrymcreynolds-ih2tw]

Fritz vs stu in their prime would be a dream match

[@etherdetroit1977]

I'll never forget seeing Kevin Von Erich wrestle for the 1st time. He was amazing. Before the bootleg VHS video I saw of him I had to read about the Von Erichs in the wrestling magazines in the mid 1980's.

[@stealthbomber2126]

I saw Kevin on Georgia Championship Wrestling in 1980 and his partner was Michael Hayes against Terry Gordy and Jimmy Snuka. Gordy was an awesome big man as a teenager.

[@mikeborsum8881]

Michigan? Yep, im up near the Tri-Cities. Back in the cable days we didnt get any channel that carried WCCW. We got the Superstation, so we could get Georgia / NWA-WCW / Crockett, WWE and Big Time Wrestling from Detroit on WKBD50 (I think), I didnt see Kerry until he debuted in WWF.

[@stevecrawford3009]

Gary Hart wrote in his book that we was involved in turning Fritz into a babyface. Another German heel was brought into the territory and Hart said that Fritz wasn't a real German and may have even revealed that Fritz played football at SMU (I know longer have the Hart book, but someone who does can provide more details).

[@andrecoleman9200]

He not only revealed he was not a real German, he revealed his real name

[@stevecrawford3009]

@@andrecoleman9200, Thanks! I thought so, but not having the book to reference, I didn't want to state that as a fact. Appreciate the additional clarification.

[@AViewFromTheMiddle]

That's pretty much it. As I recall he said, "He's not even German! His named is Jack Adkisson, he went to SMU, and his daddy was a thief!" Of course, college football was still king at the time, so throwing out SMU was a good idea.

[@collintaylor5702]

@@AViewFromTheMiddle football will always be king in Texas tho

[@stealthbomber2126]

@@AViewFromTheMiddle Hart's comment about Fritz's dad was genius. He was police chief of Jewett, Texas.

[@josephmoore1168]

According to Dusty Rhodes on the WWE Legends of Wrestling broadcasts said that one of the big shows which he was on earlier in his career, the Kiniski/Von Erich match was at Arlington Stadium. I believe that was where the Texas Rangers played.

[@kevinmoore2929]

Arlington Stadium didn't exist in the 60s. It was Turnpike Stadium. When the match took place, it was home to the Double A Texas Spurs and later the DFW Cats.

[@masterj4777]

Von Erichs greatest dynasty in wrestling period! Love hearing Jim talk about pro wrestling history 👍👍

[@texasrebel726]

Match on 8-3-1968 at the Turnpike Stadium in Arlington Texas, Home of the Dallas-Fort Worth Spurs a minor league baseball team at the time. Gene Kiniski NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion defending against Fritz Von Erich in a Texas Death Match with special referee Joe Blanchard. Gene Kiniski won the match, but 2 angles came out of it, Joe Blanchard turning heel and causing Fritz to lose the match created a feud between the two that went on for months, and Dusty Rhodes kicking Fritz as he rolled out the ring created a Grudge match.

[@dphill96]

Another great history lesson, I sent an email regarding this and the supernatural Undertaker stuff, hope they read it on the next DriveThru.

[@tobiasfarragut292]

This needs to be on VICE..right after DSOTR

[@sirluke7]

I loved this episode. One of my favorites in two years of listening. Would love to hear more about the Amarillo territory. Have enjoyed stories about Herb Gerwig in that area.

[@edwinaramirez6063]

Fritz Von Erich was World Heavyweight Champion in 1963, before he came back to Texas. He was the AWA, and Omaha World Champion. He lost the belts to Verne Gagne.

[@KnightBoat]

The Turnpike Stadium that Corny is referring to was the original name for Arlington Stadium where the Texas Rangers used to play. But at that time, it was a minor league field that seated 10,000.

[@kevinmoore2929]

It wouldn't be unheard of to run a show at a minor league baseball field back then. Lawler ran shows at Chicks Stadium in Memphis on occasion. I believe back in the early 90s someone was had monthly shows in Tidewater's Triple A stadium.

[@ryankirk7642]

@@kevinmoore2929 oh yeah Lawler ran shows at AutoZone Park back when I was a kid growing up in the early 2000s when him and Corey Macklin brought back Memphis Wrestling after the USWA closure. I specifically remember an event where Lawler was working a match as a heel (I think,maybe he was the babyface.)But one of the minor leaguers of the Memphis Redbirds crossbody'd him or someone else for a double down spot for both Lawler and the guy he was working in a match.

[@prentisspowell8148]

I remember when Fritz was made head of the NWA and made the announcement on LeRoy McGuirk's Championship Wrestling announcing himself as Jack Atkinsson, aka Fritz Von Erich, with no German accent.....probably after he turned babyface, but when Waldo was still his "brother"...

[@jaysantos536]

First matches I can remember were Fritz against Johnny Valentine. I loved Valentine BECAUSE he was the heel. His son Greg was always gravy training his last name unlike the Von Erich boys with the excepton of Mike and Chris.

[@deniseboldea1624]

El Santo didn't really need to do much wrestling once he became a movie star in Mexico as Sampson (The man in the Silver Mask)!😁

[@Mr.Majestic77]

What if Fritz Von Erich & Bill Watts merged both WCCW & the UWF into one promotion? We would have had The Von Erichs, "Dr. Death" Steve Williams, Chris Adams, Terry Taylor, Brad Armstrong, Gino Hernandez, Jeff Gaylord, The Missing Link, The Fabulous Freebirds and "Hot Stuff" Eddie Gilbert just to name a few under one promotion.

[@troyturner173]

For practical purposes, they were merged for bigger shows in 84/85 (Superdome, Texas Stadium, bigger towns on both routes) But, WCCW left the NWA in January 86-essentially because JCP didn't trust Fritz, and then Ken Mantell left Fritz for Watts-severing the relationship for good

[@danielmoore2320]

Along with Bruiser Brody

[@chrischar1969]

Would never work

[@danielmoore2320]

@@troyturner173 agree with you to a certain extent but UWF never had the kinds of crowds or the following that World-Class had the biggest thing was junkyard dog vs. Michael Hayes and that attendance was shattered when they brought Kerry Von Erich for one show

[@frankiebethune1327]

it’s funny actually living in amarillo and hearing jim talk about it, id love to hear more on its wrestling history. And man my parents threatened to send me to boys ranch too that’s so funny😂

[@suprcrzy]

Great stuff, Corny and Brian! 👍

[@jaysantos536]

6:42 - Cornette dude has an AWESOME memory. He could pull "Turnpike Stadium" (Dalls/Ft Worth Spurs Baseball park) for the Von Erich match in 67? WOW, I'll bet I am about the only other person that (a) Watched wrestling on Channel 11 in Fort Worth as a 12 yr old then and (b) Remember watching baseball games at Turnpike Stadium and (c) Watched Cornette on Georgia Championship Wrestling early 80s from Daytona and (d) Came across his youtube channel in 2018 and have watched it since!

[@s_clark]

I'll take that bet. :)

[@jaysantos536]

@@s_clark Ok wkere did you go to school in D/FW in early 70s and where did you live (street) in Daytona and waht the locals hangout bar in early 80s was and name a couple baseball players that were on the team late 60s.

[@jaysantos536]

@@s_clark ?????????

[@s_clark]

@@jaysantos536 Lived in Garland, went to the Sportatorium many times (Channel 11 had 1.5 hours of the Ft. Worth show on Saturday nights at 10:00. They were either at the Cowtown Palace or Will Rogers Coliseum. Dan Coates and Bill were 2 of the announcers the many years I watched. Channel 8 (ABC) had the an hour of the Dallas show on Saturday mornings), Turnpike Stadium (once)/Arlington Stadium many times. Met Mickey Mantle (my baseball hero in the 60's) at an Old Timer's game there in 1974. Fergie and Jeff Burroughs at the same game. You got me on Daytona, but would Atlanta substitute for Daytona? Besides, it played on WTBS too. I could Google the Spurs players if you insist because I don't remember. I do remember lots about the Rangers once they moved and still watch them today from Phoenix. Most fun Manager? Billy Martin. Most fun Owner? Eddie Chiles. First time at Sportatorium, I can't remember any of the matches and only one wrestler: Sky High McKenzie. Fritz wasn't a fixture in DFW yet. When I moved to Austin in 1975, we got Channel 11 on cable TV there. Then, 11 became the SuperOnes (Super11) trying the Superstation route like WTBS/Atlanta and WGN/Chicago. Didn't work for them.

[@CatsClaw44]

It's crazy to think that the Amarillo situation affected the business all the way to ECW.

[@truthtyperii7727]

Who’s here after Iron Claw?

[@johnnyawesome4167]

I believe that fritz was told he made more money without the world title than if he held it

[@tomwalker389]

They recreated the classic Kerry and Michael Hayes milk and Jack Daniels photo! LOL

[@mdhotstuff]

i never saw his bad guy persona but I do remember Waldo Von Erich in WWWF

[@dabunnyman9133]

Here's a REALLY off the wall "what if" scenario. What if Fritz had not changed from a heel. Imagine the Von Erich's carrying on Fritz's post WWII persona. Sure they would've been turned eventually, but before then they'd be the ultimate heel tag team.

[@SonnyBubba]

Heels don’t work as on-camera promoters, with the exception of Mr. McMahon.

[@vict4451]

My grandma's least favorite wrestler. The "evil German" or as she put it "That fuckin kraut" My dad on the other hand was a huge fan.

[@brendanehrhart7184]

Random trivia, Fuji won the WWWF Tag Team titles with Tanaka something like 3 days after that show in Texas.

[@stevewarren4813]

I've always wondered if any of the "ethnic heels," ever encountered fans that tried to talk to them in their "native language?" I assume wrestlers like Fritz and Baron Von Raschke probably couldn't speak more than a few words of German, for example.

[@mikeborsum8881]

Raschke was crazy and probably answered them in perfect German, although he didnt know a word. Possibly demon possessed.

[@frankbonini7085]

I Believe that the Baron is of German Descent, & Grew Up with German-Speaking Grandparents &/or Uncles and Aunts ... So, He Could Possibly Speak & Understand Some to a Lot of German

[@davey3884]

Hayes has jack daniels in the pic, not southern comfort...

[@telephotousa]

Glad you cleared that up because it's so important to the story.... geesh

[@spectrumlocalb191]

Cornette wrong again.

[@mbrannon]

See this is the type of Cornette podcast I love. This is his calling. I wish he would spend less time screaming that the new kids in AEW are killing the business and instead focus on the vast knowledge and history he has in that mind of his. It feels like it's out of balance towards the other stuff. I get that he has to do his negative reviews of AEW for the views some times but this is so much more interesting and doesn't require the angry old man gimmick at all. It's just dropping the best kind of knowledge for 20 minutes.

[@mcwhorter141mcwhorter8]

I was asking myself this question a few days ago !

[@stephenrogers4537]

His wrestling style was BIG in Texas, TEXAS STYLE WRESTLING, NO BS,!🤔💪😡

[@Carelock]

Funk -n- Fuji could have been the GOATS together!!!

[@85futureshock]

I died at the Sprite Zero in the thumbnail.

[@msm1876]

85futureshock I wonder how many viewing this get what it’s a parody of!

[@dang2592]

Nectar of the gods

[@patrickgalvin4343]

LOL hes got the sprite zero

[@suicidality2744]

There was no kayfabe explanation. There didn't need to be. Everyone knew who Fritz Von Erich was. He went back to Dallas and worked a babyface style match. The announcers put him over on television as a babyface. He then cut a babyface promo. That was it. That was all you needed. The Kiniski Match might have been in the Cotton Bowl.

[@MrGrxxx123]

I remember when Brody turned baby face in Dallas

[@Mr.Cynical92]

11:50 starts a great but quick Terry Funk impression.

[@prentisspowell8148]

Also, I am pretty sure Fritz was a babyface by 1974.....saw him on TV in Dallas as a babyface....

[@kevencostlow7830]

That's correct

[@stephenrogers4537]

The Funks were involved with STRONG STYLE, training All Japan wrestlers in Texas?🤔

[@huflungdung8252]

they trained Jumbo Tsuruta and Tenryu amongst others.

[@maturanita]

Stephen Rogers they helped David temper his skills as well

[@willnchicago696]

Stephen Rogers Strong style is New Japan... All Japans style is called royal road Watch an old Fla match from the 60’s or early 70’s. Lots of mat wrestling, switches, reversals Not many high spots.

[@t.o.mcconnell4001]

"Spoke" normally, Jimmy.

[@luckycyan7695]

anyone else watch the ads in full? i like to think it helps in some way

[@Burger-urger]

I pay 12 bucks a month for ad free

[@madamefeast4824]

No

[@trd858]

i know this might not be a big deal to anyone, but i kinda would like to know what new mexico town that dory sr program says, since my family has lived in clovis, new mexico since it was known as riley switch and my grandfather used to go to the matches here in clovis when the amarillo territory would run shows here in the old days.

[@minechaftgamer288]

He doesn't know the answer but is still good for a 20 minute reply :)

[@TheDemonCaine]

Lol.

[@tbone6704]

I get that Jim has encyclopedic knowledge of all of wrestling(except he has sometimers), but how does Brian always know the stuff Jim is trying to remember? Notes? Research? or does he just really like wrestling, also?

[@Dogeathotdog1]

Brian is very well versed in wrestling history I'm so glad the original co host quit because Brian is a perfect fit between his deep knowledge of wrestling and his sense of humor.

[@miningbagsofgoldprospectin289]

He just googles stuff for Jim.

[@chrisbolton6598]

MiningBagsOfGoldProspecting O'Reedy nah Brain used to go to the SMW fan fests back in the 90s. Also he was a well known tape trader in those days. And he hung around with the ECW guys back in the 90s. He knows his stuff.

[@mbrannon]

He has extensive knowledge himself but he is also at a computer googling as the conversation moves certain directions to fill in gaps.

[@miningbagsofgoldprospectin289]

@@mbrannon Thank you! I'm not saying he isn't smart, but he is googling stuff.

[@spectrumlocalb191]

BRIAN IS THE BRAIN TRUST HERE NOT CORNETTE.

[@cfx5000]

Damn Corney knows his wrestling history.

[@dolam]

A little known fact is that Fritz dabbled with becoming a Jehovah’s Witness. He never did because he was painfully shy and did not want to knock on strangers doors 😢

[@psychocowboysfan6474]

DFW Turnpike Stadium

[@manuhakala]

0:13 Over there

[@83reggieT]

He was a German sympathizer not an actual nazi after awhile hence the no German accent. Kinda like Krusher Krushev aka Barry Darsow in Jim Crockett before he was Smash.

[@ernestaguirre4300]

Just like the Mulkey Bros. and Mike Payette, Apache Gringo would lose every single match (by design I'm sure) The always shrewd Jack London worked his streak of futility into an angle that ended with Apache Gringo outlasting some babyface for what may have been his only televised triumph ever.

[@billhedstrom16]

This might be off topic, but someone should ask Jim want he thinks about the triple threat main event from wrestlemania 20 for the world title. What a fucking match! He has the network and I'm a caveman who doesn't use email and such. Just putting it out there. My favorite manias are 6 years apart for some reason. 8, 14, 20!

[@whidoineedthis]

Friar Tuck

[@cra0422]

I think they had Fritz's character essentially become a born-again Christian; an easy way for a heel to turn babyface especially back then

[@kennyhackett1461]

Good promoter, horrible father.

[@natmason5528]

Richard (Dick The Bruiser) Aflis was another wrestler who went from hated heel to fan favorite. In the 50s Bruiser caused riots. By the 60s he was a fan favorite who called the kids his "Bruiser Buddies".

[@MAGIKMARTIAN9526]

WHO WAS THE MASKED SPOILER? THAT DUDE WAS BAD HE WAS FAST AGILE FOR HIS SIZE SMOOTH ON HIS MOVES I THINK THE BEST MASK WRESTLER EVER TALENT-WISE NOT COUNTING LUCHA LIBRE BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW THE WRESTLERS THERE

[@halwarner3326]

Not much of a father.

[@1burnman]

Fritz was a good promoter you know all he did was promote his sons they were good though

[@arthurchapa8455]

Richard ka

[@gjfwang]

He switched his ww2 german flag for a Confederate flag.

[@alexanderanderson6605]

The Mayor of Nottingham? Because we don't have sheriff's over here.

[@chrischar9428]

What the f***

[@nobelj3137]

well whoever met jim was not the sheriff of nottenham as the law system in the uk does not have this rank or position of office , so jim met a jobber who sold him a tall tale and he bought it

[@lankey6969]

You god damn lummox.

[@bubbiesdad]

The UK does indeed have the position.

[@Ashannon888]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheriff_of_Nottingham_(position)#21st_Century Yeah so you obviously don't have a clue what you're talking about. Are you proud of yourself for trying to sound smart? Well you failed big time.

[@chrischar9428]

What a f****** dumbass