Manhattan, Kansas

Over the years that I was in Kansas City watching over the guys I managed, I went to Manhattan, Kansas usually every other month. They ran cards there at the city auditorium, but I was not very well received by the crowds that came to watch professional wrestling on a monthly basis.

The trip to Manhattan was not very long, as it only took about three hours to make from my home near Kansas City. Interstate 70 headed westbound for hundreds of miles that looked at mostly wheat fields and sunflowers. Occasional towns would spring up but would only be a blink in my eye at 80 miles an hour.

The neighboring community to Manhattan was Junction City, which was on the outskirts of Ft. Riley, an Army base that trained people under the shield of the 24th Army and the Big Red 1. It also claimed the largest housing of Army criminals that had either been AWOL or committed some serious crimes and were awaiting discharge or transfer to Ft. Leavenworth.

Fortunately, I only had to travel thru the base one time as I -70 was being worked on, and they detoured us thru the Army complex. I tried stopping at the PX, and they refused to let Angus and myself into the building. What rude people!!!

Normally, the crowds at the city auditorium were close to sellouts, but this night I am going to relate to had turned folks away at the door after they had sold out the standing room only tickets. Dory Funk Jr., the NWA Heavyweight Champ, was on the card facing Black Angus. They had added more chairs into the seating around ringside, and they were within three feet of the ring.

I was not at all happy with the seating thing as I had to stand at ringside instead of being seated like I normally did. I told the local promoter that I needed more security in my corner because of the situation. He laughed in my face and told me that he didn't really want me at ringside because I was an interference to our opponents most of the time anyways. I just turned and returned to the dressing room very unhappy with his decision.

The evening started with Omar Atlas meeting Bobby Whitlock in a 20-minute time limit match. Both men had the ability to go one hour if need be but started the match out like it was going to be over with in two minutes. After they exhausted themselves with hold and counter hold, flying drop kicks, flying head scissors and near falls, they settled down to some mat wrestling and went the entire 20 minutes with neither man gaining a fall. The crowd loved it and gave them a standing ovation.

Juan Sebastian and Billy Howard were next to face off against Rufus R. Jones and Steve Bolus.. The pairing of Jones and Bolus were a first time thing, and they had a lot to prove to Heart of America that they could get the job done of beating a very successful team of Sebastian and Howard. Billy and Juan were in contention to meet the tag team champs, composed of Bob Geigel and Bobo Brazil, who had just won the belts a month previous in Kansas City.

Both teams were very cautious in starting the match. Juan started for their team and Steve for theirs. Many moments of frustration from holds broken by both men began to take its toll on the match. Billy finally tagged in and taught Steve Bolus a wrestling lesson that he learned from the likes of Verne Gagne and Crusher Lisowski. Rufus began to pace the outside of the ring on the canvas and finally was able to tag in and clean house like he normally did.

Tempers were flared up and fists were flying from all four men before referee Frankie Diamond finally threw the match out as a double disqualification after 40 minutes of wrestling had gone by. Both teams were not happy with his calling and started to take it out on him. He was quick to remind them that, as an official of the State of Kansas, he would be forced to levy a heavy fine on all if they did not return to the dressing rooms. They did, but not before Jones and Bolus decided to show their opponents why they were the toughest team in the Midwest and began throwing fists until Juan and Billy thought enough to save their backsides and return to their dressing rooms very dejected.

The semi-main event featured midgets. Lord Littlebrook faced Little Bobo Johnson. The match, which lasted over 20 minutes, had the crowd nearly in the ring a couple of times as the 4-foot World's NWA Midget Champion was ready to take on the audience, some nearly twice as big as him. I can tell you personally that Littlebrook was not an easy guy in the ring. He would take on a chainsaw and give it first bite. Littlebrook ended the match with a Giant Swing and body press and retained his belt and left the ring a very happy warrior.

I had readied myself for combat that night by talking to Angus in a way I had never done before. I put him thru an exercise routine that would have put an NFL fullback to shame. He was a pool of sweat when we heard the bell calling us to the ring. We were ready to beat Dory Funk Jr. once and for all.

To be continued ....

Percival A. Friend, Retired
The Epitome of Wrestling Managers