Listen up!

Class is in session.

This week, we return to my bulging e-mail bag and share stories from students who have a cherished memory from attending a live wrestling event.

One note before we get started: I try to answer every e-mail. But sometimes I get behind. If I didn't answer yours, it's not because I don't care -- it's because there's too many and I can't keep up. To be honest, I'm a doddering old professorial fool with a mask on, wearing one of those tweed jackets with the fake elbow patches. It's a fairly pathetic sight, really. Have pity.

As for this column, it's going to be a long one. The letters were sent to me in the latter part of 2007 (deal with it). I promise to do another column just like this real soon to share other stories that have been sent to me in the past several weeks. Preamble over. Let's get to the stuff.

First up, a tale about George Steele, from James Q.

Professor:
Back in the day, a bunch of us would go to the Cap Center to watch the WWF card every time they came to town. It wasn't unusual for at least a dozen or more of us to get front row seats. Not ringside, but still within heckling distance. I specifically remember a match that included George "The Animal" Steele, one of my favorite characters. Even though we appreciated his gimmick, he was not safe from our harassment. At one point he came out of the ring a started our way. Now the guy who had the aisle seat was expected to do the most harassing, and as George made his way to intimidate the most vocal offender our whole row stood up to challenge him. I realize George was probably never really going to do anything, but it was a nice feeling to believe we had intimidated a WWF professional wrestler. -- James Q.

James, just don't feed the animals, OK? Up next, John W. jumps into the ring!

Professor:
I was a freshman in college in Philadelphia. I am originally from Massachusetts, so I was quite homesick and feeling depressed -- until I heard that WWE was coming to town. As the event drew closer, I learned there was a contest that night to dress as Paul Bearer -- Undertakers former manager. So I got the Halloween makeup to make your face more pale, and went for it.

Before I knew it, they decided to call us into the ring to be judged (there weren't many of us). I marked out, yelling, "I am getting in a ring!" So I climbed up the stairs and ducked in under the ring ropes with like 15 other people. My feet sank into the ring. It felt like a soft sponge on a trampoline. I didn't win the contest, but climbing in the ring is something I will never forget! -- John W.

That leads us to an unforgettable tale of a promise kept, from Scott F.

Professor:
I grew up in the days of Dick Murdoch, Cowboy Bill Watts and Danny Hodge. These guys all wrestled in the local market of Tulsa, Okla. At the time, Jack Briscoe was the NWA heavyweight champion. Getting to see Hodge up close was the thrill of a lifetime. We would go down by the concessions where the "good guys" came out and they would shake your hand and we would pat them on the back. One thing, though, is they wouldn't sign autographs there. They would only sign them at ringside and if you didn't have a ringside ticket, you couldn't go down there.

By now I had been to quite a few events, me and my friends were regulars but couldn't afford the ringside seats so we always sat in the nose bleed. This one particular night, the main event was a tag-team match pitting Danny and Watts against Dick Murdoch and Killer Karl Cox. As usual, we were down by the concessions to shake Danny and Bill's hands and I asked Danny Hodge for his autograph on my program. He said, "I promise I'll sign it when I get back." Well, Cox accidentally fractured Hodges' neck. They ended up carrying Danny out on a stretcher. He was really hurt! So, I didn’t get my autograph like he promised.

Years later, my girlfriend at the time -- who is now my wife -- was over at my apartment and I told her this story. She said, "My brother knows Danny Hodge. I bet I could get his autograph for you." A few weeks later, Danny was in Tulsa for a big wrestling tournament.After it was over, my girlfriend came over and handed me a package. I unwrapped it and it was a picture frame with Danny Hodges' picture in it and underneath he had signed it, "Scott, I'm sorry it took so long -- but a promise is a promise. Danny Hodge."

It took him almost 30 years, but he did indeed keep his promise! I have many sport figures autographs and memorabilia, but this is my most prized one of them all. -- Scott F.

Go Danny! Thanks Scott, great story. Here's another old school tale, featuring a huge star.

Professor:
When I was a youngster, I lived in Knoxville, Tenn., where my brothers and I grew up watching the old NWA wrestling show hosted by Les Thatcher. It was filmed weekly at WBIR Channel 10, and if you hurried, you could attend the taping and make it home in time to see yourself on TV that afternoon. Anyway, they sponsored events at the Chilhowee Park there in Knoxville and one event in particular stands out in my memory.

It was a lazy summer evening and all week the excitement had been growing stronger and stronger in my brothers and I knowing that we were going to attend a big event. A cousin of Ron and Robert Fuller (I think his name was Lee) had been mercilessly beaten earlier in the month by the legendary Ronnie Garvin. Garvin had given this man a broken arm and then challenged him to find anyone he wanted as a partner, and he would defeat both of them.

As the days passed by and right up to match time, we were constantly speculating as to whom the partner would be, running the gamut from one of the Fullers or perhaps Joe Le Duc or maybe even Bob Armstrong. But the entire park erupted when the "surprise" partner was introduced as none other than Andre the Giant.

Andre entered the ring and immediately picked the referee up by his armpits and sat him squarely on the top rope of the turnbuckle. He then advised him to stay on the top rope and not to move. At this point Andre began to destroy Garvin, leaving him in a defeated heap on the canvas.

Andre left the ring area and Garvin rose to his feet obviously upset about the decision and asking for a microphone. He complained to everyone about the officiating, the crowd and even called out his opponent (Lee?) to advise him that there was no way he should consider that a win when he never actually entered the ring. His opponent (Lee?), calmly picked up another microphone and advised Garvin, "you can say what you want Garvin, but I just beat you." Of course this sent Garvin into a frenzy. -- Roy R.

Stomp! Love it. OK, time for a toothless tale.

Professor:
Back in the late 80's when the NWA used to have Wrestling Cards at the Civic Center in Philadelphia, my younger brother and I and another buddy of mine used to always go. We would always have front row seats. The Andersons (Ole and Arn) were wrestling that night. I can't recall who they were wrestling. But my brother and I were harassing them all during the card.

At the time my brother had lost his two front teeth. So Arn Anderson turned around and looked directly at my brother and tapped his own two front teeth and said to my brother, "At least I got my own teeth." My brother was kinda embarrassed,but overjoyed that Arn teased him. I have a great picture of him looking directly at us and tapping his teeth. Priceless -- Kyle C.

Isn't it great when the wrestlers mix with the crowd? Or your Dad? Let's listen to Keith.

Professor:
Back when King Kong Bundy was still wrestling, I was in the first row and my Dad was standing next to me. Bundy walked by me and I slapped him pretty hard on the upper back. Bundy then turned and got right in my Dad's face. It was great! He called him "a little punk." The security guard got in my face and told me if touched a wrestler again, I'd be escorted from the arena. -- Keith T.

Keith, you little punk! Keep your hands off the fat guys!

Professor:
I had the privilege of being at ringside at the Seattle Arena when Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka made his debut. He was so young back then. We sat so close to the ring, the sweat drops would hit you. The best part was how they seemed to hate each other, but a few hours later they would all be in a local bar hoisting beers to each other. What a blast! -- Barbara B.

You know, they are human after all. And most of them are decent guys. Believe me. Among the best were Owen Hart and Eddie Guerrero. I hope you enjoy the next two stories about these late, great stars.

Professor:
My experience was with the late Owen Hart. I had gone to a live WWF show about a month or two before he passed. As we got out, I was parked outside of the garage to the building. I went to the opening and saw Vince and the "boys" driving out, and one of them was Owen. I started to antagonize him and yelling at him and he played the heel perfectly. He started swearing and yelling at me.

Eventually, we followed him to the airport and I finally told him I was busting on him since he was such a "bad guy." He signed my program and shook my hand. Then the Kansas City PPV happened, where Owen died in the ring. I felt really bad and cried. We lost one great wrestler and a real stand-up guy. -- Kenneth

Professor:
I think it was around 2003. I had third row tickets to a WWE house show at the UC Davis campus in Davis, Calif., outside of Sacramento. As usual I got there super early to try and catch some of my favorite wrestlers in hopes of obtaining a picture or autograph. When I got to the security barricade, one of the security guards came up to me and called out my name. I immediately recognized him as a friend from high school that I hadn’t seen since graduation.

He gave me and my friend a pass that was for local press so we could get in early. This wasn't an arena, just a basketball gymnasium. So we got in and sat up top of the pull out bleachers watching the guys set up the ring and saw some wrestlers. We saw Edge, Underaker, Angle, Shelton Benjamin (his arms are HUGE), Shannon Moore, John Cena and Eddie Guerrero.

He looked up at us and we yelled, "Cheat to Win, Eddie!" That got us a smile and a laugh. A while later we hear someone running up the steps of the bleachers and we look over and boom, it’s Eddie Guerrero! He came over and sat down talking wrestling with us for about 40 minutes before he had to go. It was great! We laughed and had a great time.

Needless to say, when Eddie passed it was tough on everyone, but I knew I had a great memory of him and felt blessed to have met him. He was a great person. When we told him about how we snuck in he laughed and said that we’re following in his lie, cheat and steal ways! It was the best thing to ever happen at a wrestling event for me, and other than my son being born -- the best moment in my life. -- Seth A.

That's saying a lot, Seth. Sounds like Eddie was just a great guy. Time to close up shop. We end it on a few light notes. A quickie about the Nature Boy, followed by a Godfather close encounter!

Professor:
I was living in Florida and came to Georgia for the annual Thanksgiving wrestling events they used to have. The main event was Ric Flair against Nikita Koloff. In the middle of the match Flair grabbed Nikita's tights near his crouch and accidentally pulled them to one side -- exposing his swimsuit area. They grow them small in Russia . -- Steve D.

Either that, or it was cold in the arena! Yikes! As usual, I saved the best for last.

Professor:
Back in my high school days, I was a gigantic fan of wrestling. I went to a few actual events at the nearest arena, and rented a couple pay-per-views. But after a few years, the fervor died down, and I simply lost interest.

Fast forward to 1997. I had moved to Seattle, and had a roomie who was a big fan. WCW was in its heyday, and I got sucked back in. We didn't like the WWF because we just liked the poltlines and characters at WCW better. While at work one day, my co-worker won a radio contest. Her prize? Two tickets to see the WWF at the Key Arena that night. She couldn't go, so she forked them over to me. My roomie and I went. I was pretty unfamiliar with the WWF characters, but we figured what the heck.

One of the performers that night was a guy named "The Godfather". His deal was he was a pimp, and he had "ho's." In fact, he had a "Ho Train" that followed him around. So in struts the Godfather with the Ho Train on his tail. We're about eight rows back from the ring, so I can see extremely well. One of the ho's is standing next to me. First of all, she's way taller than the others. But there's something else. Something … familiar. I stare and stare. Then it hits me. THAT'S ALICIA! It was a girl I knew from back home in California. I was floored, but I was still thinking it was just a look-alike. There's no way.

The instant I got home, I called my friends back home. "Hey Michael," I said, "Something weird just happened. I went to see the WWF tonight and..." Then Michael cuts me off, shouting, "DID YOU SEE ALICIA!?"

So it was true. I went to see some professional athletic entertainers, and I ended up seeing a friend in the Ho Train. I can't remember anything about the matches. All I can remember is Alicia. Makes me laugh to this day. -- Toben B.

Hoooooo! Well, that's it, kids. True tales from the arenas -- old school and new school.

Speaking of that, if you want to hear more wrestling stories right now download the Professor Wrestling podcast, "Old School, New School." This week, my co-hosts George Schire and Mike Lano chat about WWE in HD, talk about big surprises (such as John Cena winning the Royal Rumble) and tell us what's up with Randy Savage. It's Episode 64 -- and it's RIGHT HERE.

That's it.

Class is dismissed!