The Von Erich Curse
The Von Erich Curse. Another documentary on the family who caught the World Class territory on fire for a few, all too brief years, in the early to mid 80's.
This documentary was far to short to cover the entire story of the family or the promotion. But it was well made and included perspective from Bill Apter. Apter had a front row seat to this era and the family as the lead photographer for Pro Wrestling Illustrated at a time when the magazines were the only source of national information for us fans who didn't live in all the different territories that produced wrestling.
The first well made documentary on the family I saw was "Heroes of World Class". My friend and ring announcer Steve Shettler introduced me to it soon after it came out.
I was around 33 when i first saw this documentary and it was riveting. Probably the biggest take away for me though was seeing all the great footage with a fresh eye and different perspective.
As a wrestler and as a guy who was losing the invincibility of youth it was obvious that those Von Erich boys.....were some tough sons a bitches. Man that style of wrestling was brutal. Physical. Painful to watch. And knowing that ring in the Sportatorium was a rock hard ring with little give made me cringe.
These guys were easy to believe in. The camera didn't lie. They were beating the hell out of each other.
Bits and pieces started to make sense. Kevin stepping away from the ring and slowing down partly due to numerous concussions suffered in the ring.
The boys raised by a man who made tough old school wrestlers like Dusty Rhodes and Skandar Akbar marvell at his prescense and authority. This tough man Fritz Von Erich, from a tough generation, in a tough business, was raising these boys to be like pieces of steel. Great athletes. Men.
Again the take away for me on this video is The ring is hard as a rock. notice when Kevin misses his splash off the top rope as well as when he takes his body slam how the ring has no give. Add to this Kevin spent most of his career wrestling Barefoot.
This style and that ring with the pride all those guys had adds up to a lot of pain and injuries. A promotion that can only be led by young guys. athletes. Guys who didnt cry about stiff punches.
My Titan Sports 8x10 I got from my local paper when I was writing a story my senior year on wrestling.
When jerry jarrett took over the promotion and Kerry finished his fued with Jerry lawler he had one last good run in the wwe. He got a great push as its been rumored Kerry was one of the few to ever be considered for the hulk hogan spot when Vince mcmahon began his national expansion. Vince was a fan of kerry, he was after all the prototype of any main event wrestling star.
I can even remember reading a WWE magazine soon after the famous David Von ERICH MEMORIAL card. IT featurED a story on the SHOW and the family. A rarity in those days for the WWE to aknowledge another promotion.
But Dallas would remain a dead territory after the glory days of world Class. I recall Skandar talking to some visitors at our wrestling school. He said vince thought getting Kerry would turn his fortunes around in the dfw market.
It didnt. even a card with Fritz in the corner of Kerry didnt draw that well. Ak said if Fritz had not been there they WOULDN'T have done the BUSINESS they did.
It wasnt until another Texan with roots from the Sportatorium caught on fire that the Dallas / fort Worth market was selling out Reunion Arena again.
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