Prowess
Kevin Von Erich vs Wild Bill Irwin, WCCW TV Taping, Dallas, Texas (WCCW)
That armbar up top lasts a tantalizingly long time. The closeups capture the ferocious intimacy and the painful cost of that closeness. I don't remember this match, and in September 1982 I should have seen it. I was in South Carolina at that time, teaching and working on my PhD. Were WCCW events broadcast in South Carolina back then? I would think if I had seen it, it would have stuck in my head forever. Back then I would not have liked the ending, but inexplicably I'm fine with it now. I do wish the camera hadn't so frequently switched to the faces in the crowd, edited out of this post. In my mind, this is a private grudge match between Von Erich and Irwin. Even the ref is superfluous, and I'm glad this ref had the good sense to avoid blocking the camera's view. Speaking of which, this is the best camerawork and editing I've seen of a match from this period, and there are precious few in our present time, even in the underground world, that catch the fury and close-packedness of an emotionally charged brawl like this one - one of several between Irwin and Von Erich, but this one is the gem of all gems.
I recall Irwin and WCCW matches being broadcast in Atlanta after I moved here in the late 80s.
ReplyDeleteThis looks intense and brutal … heading over to YouTube now.
Growing up as a teen, I had posters of Kevin Von Erich (and Michael and Kerry too) plastered all over my bedroom walls. Being a high school wrestler, my parents thought it was 'normal' since I was wrestling, but Kevin was the most sexually arousing wrestler of my teen years. Finally, I did get to see him in person on a wrestling card at the old "Sportatorium" in Dallas, Texas. I guess I was shocked to see how big he was in real life and how small the pro-wrestling ring actually was. Kevin used to billed at 225-230 lbs by the announcer, but he walked right in front of me and he was about the same height and weight as me - as I was around 185-190 lbs at the time. Still, he's always been the most impressive wrestler.
DeleteI saw and VHS'd this amazing match way back, converted into dvd and now on YT.
ReplyDeleteIncredible how Irwin, caught in a prolonged scissors by KVE, for a decent amount of time is gripping and handling the filthy barefeet of KVE. I am very low tech and not sure if these blog comment spaces allow entry of an official E-mail.
So my Email is coded here ...
vickerstristan ...and then add the ...at...and the ...G... and customary E address link.
I always loved the filthy black soiled bottoms of KVE's barefeet it added to the gritty atmosphere of the matches w a tough barefoot dude.