WRESTLING'S HISTORY THROUGH MY EYES
Part Six - The Real Deals Of Wrestling
by Damian Gray (trakxx2k3@vicgrimes.zzn.com)
Years and years ago, every single wrestler who ever laced up a pair of boots actually knew how to wrestle. Trained in the amateur or college styles or even getting trained in the military, these wrestlers brought a whole wealth of experience into the early breeds
of wrestling federations. Somewhere along the way, these type of wrestlers were starting to get few and far between.

Since the 1950s tons of champions got to their position on brawling and showmanship, and an inexhaustable supply of dirty tricks. Through every evolution in this sport/art form there will always be a place in the game for a mat technician, whether it's Verne Gagne in
the '60s, Bob Backlund in the '70s, Tom Billington in the 80s' Bret Hart in the '90s or Brock Lesnar and Kurt Angle today.

According to legend, John Pesek won the World Championship in the 1920s, because everyone was so scared of him in the ring, he was stripped of his title because of failure to defend it. Pesek was a technical master, who made his debut in 1914 and staged a comeback 40 years later. In 1954, at the age of 60, he wrestled 7 times and won 6.

Though he may best be remembered for losing to Frank Gotch in 6.4 seconds, Stanislaus Zbyszko is worthy of more of a colourful legacy. A 2-time World Champion, Zbyszko was one of the most respected mat competitors in the early form of the professional game.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the undisputed King of American Wrestling was Tom Jenkins. A powerful wrestler who could also mix it up scientifically, Jenkins would claim victories over Farmer Burns and Frank Gotch.

What more can be expected of the career of the legendary Bret "Hitman" Hart? The "Excellence of " wrestled for the WW(F)E from 1984 to November 1997 when he was the victim of the infamous double cross.

A collegiate and Olympic wrestler, Verne Gagne made his wrestling debut during the golden age of television wrestling. He held the American Wrestling Association -his very own company- World Championship belt a record 9 times.

Before joing WW(F)E, Kurt Angle won an Olympic gold medal for the U.S. as a freestyle wrestler in the 1996 olympics. In the 4 years since he made his televised debut, Angle has become a man who is on the verge of becoming a member of an elite group of wrestlers who have captured the grand slam of WW(F)E titles. The only other members of this group are Shawn Michaels and Triple H.
Kurt Angle in his amateur days.