Tales From The Territories - Big-Time Wrestling NWA San Francisco - Full Episode 29/30

[@OriginalWrestlingDocumentaries]

Help support the channel and throw a few nickels in the tip jar!! bit.ly/2WVF8RB

[@Mazz3D]

I did, sent 5 your way, just a suggestion, not sure how viable it would be for you but I'd definitely join a KZbin membership for this. you do great work please keep doing it. I love these, l learn so much every episode.

[@OriginalWrestlingDocumentaries]

@@Mazz3D Thank-you very much!

[@USSLKA-116]

Growing in the S.F. Bay Area (Vallejo) in the 60's and 70's, Ray Stevens/Pat Patterson/Pepper Gomez/Kenji Shibuya/Bearcat Wright were household names back in the day. The Cow Palace was sold out almost every time I went there in Daly City. Allan Bolte was always the ring announcer at the Cow Palace. Sad day when Hank Renner in 1981 announced the closure of BTW. Great memories from the best territory in pro wrestling.

[@flstffatboy3910]

Absolutely the best territory ever

[@jamescaldwell4063]

"here, here" The best territory ever. I'll never forget the Valiant Brother in there prime 77/78 making a short but memorable run. Even our enhancement talent was great Pepper Martin, and Jerry Monty to name a few.

[@catyear75]

I’m amazed at the phenomenal research you put into each and every one of your documentaries! It really shows ! They’re excellent! Thank you !

[@OriginalWrestlingDocumentaries]

Thanks for watching! Appreciate the support.

[@USSLKA-116]

Agreed. Outstanding work!

[@CloudTasteNetwork]

Right. So much info. I love it. An you named city's I've lived in like Vallejo and Santa Rosa an my family is from SF. They used to go to the shows.

[@pedrofernandez506]

I did the last interview with Walt Harris I think he was 94 and lucid. Circa 1994, i was an MC at an awards ceremony in Burlingame, CA and I got to introduce Renner.

[@fblassie]

Excellent work! Loved going to the Cow Palace to watch Roy Shires promotion. I'll never forget attending the Texas Death Match between Ray Stevens and Pat Patterson. Pat was still a heel and couldn't answer the bell for the 7th fall. It was so much fun to attend. Indescribable. Old school territorial wrestling at its best.

[@OriginalWrestlingDocumentaries]

Thank-you

[@thepleiadianlightgridproje4337]

Portland was way better

[@tiptopmagoo6810]

This is awesome. I grew up playing on Roy Shire’s Toe Hold Ranch in the mid 90’s to the early 2000’s quite a bit while my dad and Roy’s son would work on cars together. I always loved when he would show us his dads old wrestling ring and old pics when we’d hang out. Definitely something I’ll never forget

[@flstffatboy3910]

That’s a badass story bro

[@CoreyT127]

Nice

[@robertobravo5732]

My dad used to always talk about big time wrestling. Side note, I first seen WCW in the Bay Area. At the Kaiser center in Oakland

[@justafanofnerdculture7602]

I remember that the AWA would also have shows at the Kaiser Convention Center.

[@corychampagnecrush8742]

I live in san Francisco, I loved watching this

[@USSLKA-116]

I was at the Cow Palace for the Race-Steven's NWA championship match in 1980. That match was stiff from what I remember.

[@reyybarra390]

Really great. Well done. The original announcer was Walt Harris. The guy shown in the video who took over for Harris is Hank Renner!!😀

[@coachrobinson9958]

The Cow Palace, baby! 😉

[@bcphil510]

Fantastic video. Thank you for this. I live near Oakland and have always loved learning about the history of this territory.

[@OriginalWrestlingDocumentaries]

Thank-you !!

[@markabboud8564]

Roy Shire was the best booker and finish man. Eddie Graham, Jerry Jarrett, and Dusty Rhodes all learned from him and used his ideas. The first Battle Royal iirc was by Shire in the Cow Palace. Patterson took the idea to Vince, and the Royal Rumble was born. Born and Bred in Oakland. Bay Area.....4 Life

[@swfcocs1]

Meltzer would love this doc lol, I think this was the promotion that got him hooked on wrestling

[@sterlingwillis3452]

Beautiful just BLOODY MARVELOUS. This was EDUCATIONAL

[@OriginalWrestlingDocumentaries]

Thanks I appreciate the support!

[@southwestclown1314]

Agreed!

[@LarryKelly]

I remember watching the Shire Brothers in the late 50’s in Elkhart Indiana.

[@Large23collectibles]

I'm from the Bay Area. Seen many shows in the Cow Palace.

[@OriginalWrestlingDocumentaries]

Cool hope u enjoyed this

[@jamescaldwell4063]

Wow Great Video, One of the mainstays of the sixties in S.F. was the great Kinji Shibuya who, only 15 years after world war two , wanted Pepper Gomez to work is his lice fields and insisted the Tokyo Giants were better then the San Francisco Giants. When the announcer Walt Harris/Hand Renner would show him on video that he cheated Kenji would Simply respond " You see optical arusion". The man could draw major heat.

[@AccountantProOT]

Great documentary! What surprises me is, as a former indy wrestler, originally from the SF/Bay Area, many of the organjzation logos were once held by APW CA, formerly owned by Roland Alexander, under the Pacific Coast Sports banner. I remember back in 2001 when we held the King of The Indies show in Vallejo CA, they honored the legends at the time, and we had Red Bastein, Ray Stevens, Pepper Gomez, Nick Bockwinkle, The Destroyer and one or two I can't remember now, in attendance. Dave Meltzer was also there as well. But the main thing that KOI2001 had going for them, was their main event for the KOI title, which was LowKi vs none other than American Dragon Bryan Danielson, which most of you guys know him as Daniel Bryan. I was there to witness such an event. To this day, 20 years later, its the greatest match I have ever seen, and I've seen ALOT of wrestling in my lifetime. This was the only match that actual tears came out of my eyes, for how awesome it was.

[@OriginalWrestlingDocumentaries]

Thanks , appreciate the support!

[@WeizHerGigBuddy]

I was at the first night of KOI. Got to shake hands with Nick Bockwinkel and Pepper Gomez. Was bummed that Bobby Heenan had to cancel, but Dragon and Spankey killed it in their first round match

[@USSLKA-116]

Ricky, I may have been there also at the 2001 show in Vallejo. Was the show at the Vallejo fairgrounds off of I-80?

[@SonnyBubba]

Rowdy Roddy Piper was a great heel. Telling the Mexican fans he was going to play their anthem only to break into La Cucaracha?!? Brilliant. No wonder he started a riot.

[@thahman187]

Great Documentary. Unfortunate they didn't preserve the matches on tape.

[@USSLKA-116]

Howard, there are a few 1970's BTW shows around on You Tube. But none from the 1960's.

[@quincyblaqueazzcrockett6898]

Thank u for another history lesson, keep em comin bra.

[@OriginalWrestlingDocumentaries]

Thank-you!

[@bajaborracho9139]

Late 60s and early 70s was a great time for wrestling in the bay area. Rocky Johnson, pat Patterson, ray stevens, pepper gomez, the great mephisto, Kenji Shibuya, mr. Saito, moondog mayne, and peter maiva. Cow palace would be packed to the rafters. Hank Renner on the mike. Good times!

[@flstffatboy3910]

You have a great memory

[@johnm5033]

I also remember Pedro Morales, Superstar Billy Graham, King Curtis, Lars Anderson, Pepper Martin, and the Great Mephisto.

[@jamescaldwell4063]

Yes Sir, and a young Dick Slater to Boot.

[@paultakeotravels6325]

I heard Roy Shire tried to bring wrestling to Hawaii in the mid-70's. At the time Ed Francis was promoting matches but he lost the wrestling's main venue, Civic Auditorium when it was torn down. The only venue was the Blaisdell Arena where Francis was putting on big shows once a month. The City & County of Honolulu told Ed Francis he did not have a monopoly in the area and that anyone could promote as long as they could pay. This was around 1974-75. I guess Shire found it too expensive to promote here and pulled out. Attendance was dwindling and Francis decided to sell the promotion before the decade ended.

[@OriginalWrestlingDocumentaries]

There was a few promoters who tried to invade Hawaii over the years, but travelling expenses killed the profit margin, as well as Lia Maivia trying to rule the area with an iron fist.

[@Jim-Tuner]

The AWA (Verne Gagne) ran cards in Hawaii from 1971-1974.

[@dannycosta5540]

Bay area wrassling history thank you for the great video. That line up towards the end sound awesome.

[@OriginalWrestlingDocumentaries]

Thanks for watching!

[@dannycosta5540]

You're welcome

[@ThatDonChannel]

Just about the only thing missing is Sousa's "Semper Fidelis" - the theme for the 1970s version of Big Time Wrestling

[@FrogmanUnderwood]

wrestlers shooting each other into the ropes as the music played…was on early Saturday morning. Huge bowl of cereal and watched with my father every weekend.

[@crimestick6648]

I love your videos, man. I appreciate the love you show for the industry through the time you spend researching these documentaries, Thank you!

[@OriginalWrestlingDocumentaries]

I appreciate that! Thanks for the support.

[@JoshuaTraffanstedt]

Man, being a wrestler in the 70s and 80s must've been one of the best gigs ever.

[@Mspiege23]

The announcer identified as Walt Harris in the video is actually Hank Renner.

[@ThatDonChannel]

Most people might know Walt Harris as the play-by-play TV announcer for the Bay Bombers roller derby team (he also made the occasional appearance as host of KTVU's version of "Dialing for Dollars")

[@OriginalWrestlingDocumentaries]

My mistake you're right!

[@vjthedj6317]

If I remember correctly, Walt Harris was the announcer for Big Time Wrestling for a few years, then Hank Renner replaced him.

[@kenanderson7877]

I grew up on this Wrestling with announcer Hank Reiner

[@USSLKA-116]

Me too. But the first announcer was Walt Harris who also did S.F. Roller Derby announcing.

[@paullindstrom7635]

All the wrestlers mentioned as appearing after Schire lost tv are guys who went to several areas when they were in trouble. Like The Guererros.

[@1kylecurry]

The memories!...I was born in San Francisco (Haight/Ashbury), "The City". Really missed those events @ The Cow Palace in the late 70s & early 80's that my folks would take me too.! Thank you for the look back!

[@Hoonozit]

Thanks for another great video.

[@OriginalWrestlingDocumentaries]

Thank-you!

[@ryfreedman]

Even though I hadn’t heard of the promotion, I really enjoyed learning about it. I enjoy how you tell stories & introduce us to the past.

[@OriginalWrestlingDocumentaries]

Thanks, appreciate the support!

[@gemini-mg6sc]

They used to do shows at the Selland Arena in Fresno, California.

[@plaidmoon5642]

Great video. It's great to hear some Bay Area wrestling history. I grew up in Oakland watching Big Time Wrestling every Friday Night. I still remember the winners getting the star from Miss Wrestling. I had an autograph from Pepper Gomez that I got when I was 7 up until about 10 years ago when it got accidentally thrown out. I never could get my dad to take me to the Cow Palace for one of the shows, but my friend next door got to go a few times a year. We figured out wrestling wasn't real when he was at the Cow Palace and overheard The Spoiler from Parts Unknown telling another wrestler to see him afterward and he'd give him his phone number. In our 8 year old minds, if The Spoiler was really from Parts Unknown, then he couldn't have a phone number. Therefore it was all fake and made up. We still loved it though. One of my childhood neighbors was supposedly a wrestler from the late 1940s or 1950s though other than being 6 foot 4, he wasn't very physically imposing. Very nice man and about the only one of our neighbors that didn't mind us going into his yard to chase after our balls. He gave us some old baseball equipment once. His late name was Mallinen or something like that and I heard he was a jobber so he probably wasn't well known. I never asked him about wrestling, but I wish I had. I occasionally think about researching him, but I'm not even sure where to start. I don't even know what name he wrestled under.

[@markwrenn5965]

Oh shit, you're back! I'll have to check out the one from last week too 🙌

[@4EyedAnimation]

Verne tried and failed to expand the AWA nationwide, but Vince gets the blame

[@garywright7826]

The only BTW i knew of was based in the midwest (Detroit -Windsor,Ontario Canada) Grew up watching that.

[@timfrederick9305]

Jimmy Golden,Angelo Poffo,and Ron Starr were stars in the southeast part of the country,never knew that they wrestled in the San Francisco area,that’s interesting and informative

[@trapperdan]

I Never knew the Buddy Rose story (and a lot of other things here)...good job!

[@OriginalWrestlingDocumentaries]

Thanks!

[@ge-21express34]

I remember the territorial transition that occurred shortly before Shire's closing his promotion, and before the AWA moved in. It seemed to start with the San Jose civic becoming a part of Gene Lebell's promotion. Then after the closure, at least one Bay Area show (that may have been cancelled) from a promotion run on a local UHF channel, that I think was, or a part of the Central States promotion. Wrestlers included George Wells, The Assassin, The Turk, and Eddie Gilbert's debut ( or one of his debuts).

[@gladememmott3001]

That was awesome 👌 great job!!!

[@OriginalWrestlingDocumentaries]

Thank-you!

[@gladememmott3001]

@@OriginalWrestlingDocumentaries I will totally recommend you and I'll be watching more of these no doubt!!!!

[@deenur_3205]

This is the show I grew up watching on channel 40 out of Sacramento!

[@CloudTasteNetwork]

So much info. I love the channel my guy. Dedicated fan right here. An this video was dope cause you named my hometown at the moment Santa Rosa. An Ive lived in Vallejo an my family is from the city SF. They used to go to these shows.

[@OriginalWrestlingDocumentaries]

Thanks, I appreciate that!

[@devious187]

Did anyone else trip out when he mentioned anti-mask meetings back in 1918? So we've gone nowhere in 104 years lol Great video... Wrestling has such a crazy history 👍

[@flstffatboy3910]

What a great documentary You made 👍💪 thank you 🙏

[@OriginalWrestlingDocumentaries]

Thank-you

[@codymetcalf8172]

Awesome documentary!

[@OriginalWrestlingDocumentaries]

Thank-you!

[@johnnygavin3654]

Love these! Thanks for posting.

[@SuperNitroZ64]

I'd love to see a modernized version of Big Time Wrestling (San Francisco) someday.

[@DesCobra]

A company going by the same name has been running shows for the longest time in the bay area.

[@SuperNitroZ64]

@@DesCobra hmm?

[@Wrestling_drunk]

@@DesCobra that’s where Bayley got started, they ran shows every couple months at the Newark Pavillion. Kirk White was the promoter, he just died a couple months ago. Not sure what’s gonna happen with the promotion.

[@DesCobra]

@@Wrestling_drunk i have been to a few of them at the Pavilion.

[@Wrestling_drunk]

@@DesCobra I went to a handful of shows around 20 years ago and a couple here and there since then. Always fun shows.

[@TheEWFX29]

Great job as always. Good to see your back on a semi regular basis now. Thanks for the vids.

[@elc1960]

Yes, the Mike Sharpe mentioned here was indeed the father of former WWF wrestler Iron Mike Sharpe.

[@williamrivera1126]

Please try to do WWC 🙏🏼🇵🇷

[@OriginalWrestlingDocumentaries]

Soon!

[@williamrivera1126]

@@OriginalWrestlingDocumentaries OMG 😱 I Can’t Wait For It !!!

[@mickeynugent5675]

No mention of Soulman Rocky Johnson

[@elc1960]

The Ricky Romero mentioned here was the father of the Youngblood brothers, Jay, Mark and Chris. Jay Youngblood was especially popular in the Carolinas, where he teamed with Ricky Steamboat.

[@GodlessScummer]

Love these videos. Could you please do one of these on Joint Promotions and World of Sport in the UK.

[@jerransperarman9411]

good video

[@OriginalWrestlingDocumentaries]

Thanks!

[@swfcocs1]

Hey it's the good video guy lol, I gotta ask why you've been commenting on wrestling vids for ever and always write exactly the same comment, what a gimmick lol

[@johnnysmokes9145]

Those were the good old days watching the hot rod as a teenager bring back them days

[@mrmacguff1n]

Do you have a key to Cornettes hidden library of Old Wrasslin Lore?

[@OriginalWrestlingDocumentaries]

Mabey lol

[@ninettaflores7515]

I watched this and used to go to see the wrestlers sign pictures at Daly City Chevrolet . We saw Ray Stevens We went to the Cow Palace and saw Pepper Gomez, Ricky Starr, Nick Bocwinkle and Wilbur Snyder and many more . We thought it was real My dad hated it but he was a good father and took us anyway. So I have seen many come and sadly many go especially during the last 15 years Im

[@DannyBedo]

Big Time Wrestling still exists… Kirk White owns it and I directed the TV show like 6 years ago 😂😫 Today’s fans will know Bayley as the biggest success story of the wrestling school.

[@lb2.0.45]

Hmmm so in many ways Buddy Rose was kinda the first wrestler to cut a shoot promo during that era of wrestling. Also as a side request I would love to see you cover the JWA promotion at some point.

[@point-blank931]

I wonder why Pat Patterson was so popular in San Francisco?? Lol

[@jasonkessler6841]

6:08, is that Wally Karbo at the end on the left?

[@motomarkfrazier114]

Anti Mask meetings in 1918 wow that is trip

[@gemini-mg6sc]

The Spanish Flu occurred around that time.

[@stevetheteacher1]

I noticed this presenter really likes hockey. Every intro names the latest Stanley Cup champs.

[@nicktaylor2657]

Seem fitting that Pat Patterson would be the top star in San Francisco 😉

[@gemini-mg6sc]

😂😂🤣

[@David-yw2lv]

Surely that hockey team wasn't in Port Arthur,TX?Up until the late '60's a Port Arthuran from Texas would not have not known what ice hockey was.

[@barryfields2964]

When I was about 6-7 years old I started watching wrestling. And the first time I saw someone get up in the corner and punch someone 10 times in a row and the person didn’t have a mark on them, not a bloody nose, or busted lib, nothing that’s when I knew wrestling was fake. That was 45 years ago, and I still watch it, even though its shit now I still love it.

[@machomansings-official3466]

ALLWAYS A GREAT VIDEO.OHHHHYEAHHHH SINGGGGITTTT!!!!!!

[@OriginalWrestlingDocumentaries]

Thank- yoooooooooou !!!!

[@machomansings-official3466]

@@OriginalWrestlingDocumentaries welcome welcome welcome.Love the channel.i freak out freak out when a new video drops.keep it up cream of the crop,OHHHHEAHHH SINNNNGGG ITTTTT!!! " o

[@patario]

"Pleas fell on spotless floors" lol 👏

[@scottsmartky]

Never realized that Bob Roop was a no-good, rat bastard. That's 2 consecutive feds you've covered where he's basically tried to destroy them/take them over. Were there any more? He didn't dare try that in Florida because Eddie would kick his behind.

[@trapperdan]

The Roop feud with Steve Keirn in Florida about Keirn's dad being a POW in 2 wars was legendary and bloody

[@jamescaldwell4063]

No dispute that he was unsavory, but his SF feud with Kevin Sullivan was a classic.

[@cavemangrind]

After Bob Roop had his falling out with the NWA he wasn't welcome back to the Florida territory until after Eddie Graham died (When Roop became Maya Singh). Roop worked for Eddie for years and they were on good terms but Eddie was a loyal NWA guy so it killed Roops chances of returning to Florida. The difference between Eddie Graham and the promoters that Bob Roop betrayed is that Eddie was an honorable man. Like pretty much everyone that ever worked in the Florida territory Roop looked up to Eddie Graham.

[@traystaten8614]

Do wwc and Carlos Colon

[@daveyboy_]

Alotta nobody's mixed in with a lot of somebodies. I gotta say though, 1st time i ever saw Mr. Fuji as a wrestler

[@thekornreeper]

Nice 👍🏼

[@donaldwycoff4154]

For "Big Time Wrestling" fans: does anyone remember the manager called "The Kaiser"? Definitely from the 70's. I can't find a single reference about him.

[@elc1960]

The masked Texas Red was in reality longtime San Francisco mainstay Red Bastien.

[@madbrowniac7871]

The SECOND guy to be Texas Red was Mark "The Undertaker" Callaway when he was identified thusly for a World Class Undercard appearance against Bruiser Brody!🤔🎤🐴🤼‍♂️B.W.

[@elc1960]

@@madbrowniac7871 Yes he was. Red Bastien was only Texas Red for a period in the '70s, and only in 'Frisco.

[@madbrowniac7871]

And back in 1967 when NWA Florida and NWA San Francisco traded great Pro Wrestling Talent between the Booking offices of Eddie Graham and Roy Shire there was a very intense feud between Johnny Valentine and Red Bastien. Each man had The Sleeperhold as his "secret weapon" finisher.🤔🎤🤼‍♂️B.W.

[@madbrowniac7871]

Near the absolute end of his career Red Bastien appeared on UWF Undercards as well.🤔🎤🤼‍♂️B.W.

[@point-blank931]

I wonder why Pat Patterson was so popular in San Fran?? Lmao

[@voodoo49]

A lot of people will have no idea what you meant by that comment.. lol

[@jamescaldwell4063]

Ray and Pat was one heck of a tag team.

[@chrishowell6549]

Thank you book on tape.

[@pedrofernandez506]

That’s not Walt Harris, that was Hank Renner who took over for Walt.

[@The_Tangler]

I used to see Walt Harris everywhere on KTVU. He also did the announcing for Roller Derby, the SF Bay Bombers, and also was an anchor for the news.

[@ge-21express34]

There was one picture shown on this video of Walt interviewing Kinji Shibuya. Just to find a photo from the National All-star Wrestling era is difficult, let alone film footage.

[@USSLKA-116]

@@ge-21express34 If you go to the KTVU (Channel 2) history link you will see more Roy Shires NWA 60's pictures there.

[@mringram]

Nice

[@OriginalWrestlingDocumentaries]

Thanks!

[@WrestlingCounts]

If it’s possible, you should re-dub Red’s name. It’s pronounced Bass-Teen, not Bastion. He was a well known wrestler all over the country.

[@ThatDonChannel]

Also, "Texas Red" was Bastien under the mask

[@OriginalWrestlingDocumentaries]

Lots of this stuff happened before I was even born, I do my best to try and get the pronunciation of everything correct but unfortunately sometimes I just pronounce things how they are spelled. I'm sure I'm not the first one to mispronounce his name, and it's just not viable for me to re-edit the whole thing just to pronounce his name differently. I only make a few hundred bucks a month off this channel and spend up to 60-70hrs just on a video like this. So no disrespect to you or Red Bass-Teen, but i just don't have the time to correct things I slightly mispronounce. All the best!

[@Wrestling_drunk]

@@OriginalWrestlingDocumentaries easy mistake to make. I head of him probably 25 years ago and didn’t know how it was pronounced until a few years ago when someone who used to go to the Cow Palace shows mentioned seeing him.

[@fattaft23]

I assume the $500 fine for verbally abusing the ref was all a work to maintain kayfabe.

[@SterlingWillis-q3y]

HELL YEAH BAY BAY

[@syahminorizan8064]

Damn, in 1918, there were anti mask meetings? They were really aware of the pandemic many years back.

[@LeeePowers]

12:08 Geary St?

[@Daniel-hn7nd]

The Buddy Rose story sounds strange because the championship belts in wrestling are props and if Shire didn't book Buddy Rose why would he insist on wrestling and make a scene like you said he did. It doesn't make sense. Weird story!

[@timfrederick9305]

Wrestling is weird

[@David-yw2lv]

Good for KTVU for what they.Snuff dipping is disgusting.

[@jjwaters]

Red Bass-STEEN...not bash-chun

[@iamright.youarewrong.6820]

Boring...lol

[@Wrestling_drunk]

Just found this channel while searching for Roy Shire, I’m reading Rock Rims’ book about him right now. I love this video. I’ve always been fascinated by this territory because I grew up in the Bay Area and people older than me always talk about going to the Cow Palace and Oakland shows, I’m a little too young to have gotten to see any of it. The amount of detail you put into it is incredible and as much as I’ve read about the territory I still learned a lot from it. I also love the old pics of Oakland and San Francisco that you used, it’s crazy how different those skylines are. Keep up the good work and I’m gonna make sure to mention you on an episode of Drunk Wrestling History.

[@qaz-fi1id]

Who the phuc asked you

[@Wrestling_drunk]

@@qaz-fi1id What?