Episode 44: Turn, Turn, Turn 

In Episode 44 of Greg Klein's Old School Rasslin Talk, Greg:

Looks at the Mid South Wrestling Association's TV for April 1983. 

Wonders how MSWA got away with the Duggan hates Akbar angle and then guesses why the lapse in logic did not matter to Duggan's babyface turn. 

Says goodbye to Matt Borne and Tiger Conway Jr. 

Talks about how and why Mr. Wrestling II is getting a lot of the babyface shine that spring. 

Flags an interesting quote from Cowboy Bill Watts that speak volumes about today's political climate. 

Tries to figure out one of the worse finishes in TV wrestling history and comes up with nothing.

Wonders if the wrong wrestler won the North American title match at the Superdome on April 16, 1983, and considers how good Mr. Olympia's supervillain backstory is. 

Special first time guest Lily the cat chimes in, too. 

Greg Klein's Old School Rasslin Talk is sponsored by Greg and his written work. His newest release is out now, "Sunset Painting & The Sun, Two Plays by Greg Klein" on Amazon. 

Episode 43: The 1950s Texas Wrestling War

In Episode 43 of Greg Klein's Old School Rasslin Talk, Greg:

Pays his respects to Ole Anderson, wrestling's favorite grumpy Uncle. 

Goes deep into the 1950s Texas Wrestling War, with more than 25 newspaper articles gathered from newspapers.com.

Explores what Jim and Brian got right and what they got wrong from their Guess the Program segments on Cornette's show. 

Points out the first attempt by Dallas to gain booking control from Houston and how it led to the second attempt and the Texas war.  

Goes through the clips about the May 1, 1953 fire at the Sportatorium and runs down the suspects who had the motive to burn the building down. 

Looks at the other fronts in the war, including in Corpus Christi, San Antonio, El Paso and Fort Worth. 

Looks at the aftermath of the war in 1954 and 1955 and traces that to 1967 when Dallas finally gets the booking office away from Houston.
 
Pays tribute to Morris Sigel, Ed McLemore and Doc Sarpolis, who often don't get credit for building Houston, Dallas and Amarillo into big wrestling towns. 

Greg Klein's Old School Rasslin Talk is sponsored by Greg and his written work. His newest release is out now, "Sunset Painting & The Sun, Two Plays by Greg Klein" on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Sunset-Painting-Sun-Plays-Klein/dp/1737863510/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Sunset+Painting+and+the+Sun+two+plays+by+Greg+Klein&qid=1706748251&sr=8-1

You can also buy "The King of New Oreans: How the Junkyard Dog Became Pro Wrestling's First Black Superstar" and "The Paper Tigers: The Untold True Story About How Five Guys From the Streets of Philadelphia Became Professional Baseball Players for One Day" on Amazon. 

Episode 42: To Every Season ...

In Episode 42 of Greg Klein's Old School Rasslin Talk, Greg:

Looks at Mid South Wrestling Association TV for March 1983. 

Talks about the long-term episodic booking going on with a six-month Mr. Wrestling II vs Mr. Olympia build-up and the recent tease of Hacksaw Duggan turning face. 

Laments the missed moves and short MSWA run of Tiger Conway Jr. 

Follows Ted DiBiase's March schedule to figure out what he gets an "unpaid vacation" in the middle or the Rat Pack's run. 

Bids farewell to Tony Atlas in MSWA. 

Revisits the Houston Wrestling Gold Cup with new information about the final day of the three-day celebration. 

Greg Klein's Old School Rasslin Talk is sponsored by Greg and his written work. His newest release is out now, "Sunset Painting & The Sun, Two Plays by Greg Klein" on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Sunset-Painting-Sun-Plays-Klein/dp/1737863510/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Sunset+Painting+and+the+Sun+two+plays+by+Greg+Klein&qid=1706748251&sr=8-1

You can also buy "The King of New Oreans: How the Junkyard Dog Became Pro Wrestling's First Black Superstar" and "The Paper Tigers: The Untold True Story About How Five Guys From the Streets of Philadelphia Became Professional Baseball Players for One Day" on Amazon. 

Episode 41: The Super Bowl of Wrestling

In Episode 41 of Greg Klein's Old School Rasslin Talk, Greg:

Looks at the Super Bowl of Wrestling, or as many Super Bowl of Wrestling cards as he could find.

The journey apparently begins in 1972 in Cleveland, with a show deemed a dud.

However, over the next decade promoters ran Super Bowl of Wrestling shows in cities large (Chicago, Nashville, Memphis, Irving, Texas, Miami) and smaller (Paduca and Bowling Green, Kentucky, El Paso and Abilene, Texas, Knoxville, Waterloo, Iowa).

Verne Gange jumps into the Super Bowl fray in a big way, making it into a film idea and a five-year chase of the AWA title.
 
Pulls two Texas programs out of the 1976 file to look at hype for the June 5, 1976, Super Bowl of Wrestling at Texas Stadium, featuring Terry Funk defending the NWA title against Firtz Von Erich. 

Greg Klein's Old School Rasslin Talk is sponsored by Greg and his written work. His newest release is out now, "Sunset Painting & The Sun, Two Plays by Greg Klein" on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Sunset-Painting-Sun-Plays-Klein/dp/1737863510/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Sunset+Painting+and+the+Sun+two+plays+by+Greg+Klein&qid=1706748251&sr=8-1

You can also buy "The King of New Oreans: How the Junkyard Dog Became Pro Wrestling's First Black Superstar" and "The Paper Tigers: The Untold True Story About How Five Guys From the Streets of Philadelphia Became Professional Baseball Players for One Day" on Amazon. 

Episode 40: A Giant Slam

In Episode 40 of Greg Klein's Old School Rasslin Talk, Greg:

Goes back to Mid South in 1983, this time Feburary, for one of the final visits to MSWA from Andre the Giant. 

Wonders again about 1983 MSWA booking and the limited wrestling schedule for Ernie Ladd that year. 

Looks at three great tag team matches/angles, as the tag team champs, Ted DiBiase and Matt Borne, take on Mr. Wrestling II & the Junkyard Dog and Tony Atlas & Andre and then JYD & II again. 

Celebrates peak Kamala in MSWA. 

Enjoys the foreshadowing of the springtime Jim Duggan turn.  

Takes a look into the 1983 schedule of Andre the Giant. 

Greg Klein's Old School Rasslin Talk is sponsored by Greg and his work. You can buy "The King of New Oreans: How the Junkyard Dog Became Pro Wrestling's First Black Superstar" and "The Paper Tigers: The Untold True Story About How Five Guys From the Streets of Philadelphia Became Professional Baseball Players for One Day" on Amazon. 

Episode 39: Christmas Gifts

In Episode 39 of Greg Klein's Old School Rasslin Talk, Greg:

Gives Gene Petit aka Tom Steele his Reunion Arena Star Wars due. 

Researches the Parade of Champions show and traces it back to Buffalo in 1939. 

Looks at the various, sometimes changing, figures for the Buffalo super shows found in a bunch of clips from the Buffalo Evening News. 

Pulls out a Christmas edition out of his Houston Wrestling program collection, from Dec. 22, 1972, with a triple main event, a special give-away drawing and a big show to start the new year!

Reflects on the end of 2023 and the ups and downs of life, wishes you a happy holiday season and looks forward to great 2024, on the podcast and off. 

Greg Klein's Old School Rasslin Talk is sponsored by Greg and his work. You can buy "The King of New Oreans: How the Junkyard Dog Became Pro Wrestling's First Black Superstar" and "The Paper Tigers: The Untold True Story About How Five Guys From the Streets of Philadelphia Became Professional Baseball Players for One Day" on Amazon. 

Episode 38: Did You See What Boesch Saw?

In Episode 38 of Greg Klein's Old School Rasslin Talk, Greg:

Moves into 1983 with his viewing of his beloved Mid South Wrestling Association.

Explores the odd conversation of Paul Boesch and Boyd Pierce as they discuss Mr. Wrestling II beating Tully Blanchard down to a bloody mess. 

Talks about how Bill Watts is continuing to position the Southwest stars as lesser than the MSWA talent and how this is a crucial time in the brewing war between San Antonio and Houston. 

Says goodbye to Gino Hernandez in MSWA (until 1985).

Wonders who is booking MSWA in 1983 and why there is short crew at the beginning of the year. 

Cringes at Mike Sharp's MSWA farewell. But don't worry, we will see it again.  

Greg Klein's Old School Rasslin Talk is sponsored by Greg and his work. You can buy "The King of New Oreans: How the Junkyard Dog Became Pro Wrestling's First Black Superstar" and "The Paper Tigers: The Untold True Story About How Five Guys From the Streets of Philadelphia Became Professional Baseball Players for One Day" on Amazon. 

Episode 37: The Summer of '69, Part Two

In Episode 37 of Greg Klein's Old School Rasslin Talk, Greg:

Looks at a Houston Wrestling program from Sept. 19, 1969. 

Revisits the Wrestling Observer HOF Class of 2023 and outlines a strategy going forward to work for Morris Sigel and Sylvester Ritter to make the HOF.

Follows up on the Tracy Smothers-Adrian Street alleged incident mentioned in Tracy's book, "If You Don't Buy This Book Everybody Dies." 

Talks about the Houston program's two weeks of main events: 9-19-69 with Dory Funk Jr. defending the NWA title vs Johnny Valentine, and the 9-26-69 advertised main of Valentine vs Wahoo McDaniel in a revenge match where the third fall, if needed, is a strap match. 

Tells an R-rated Ernie Ladd story in the last five minutes of the show. You've been warned.  

Greg Klein's Old School Rasslin Talk is sponsored by Greg and his work. You can buy "The King of New Oreans: How the Junkyard Dog Became Pro Wrestling's First Black Superstar" and "The Paper Tigers: The Untold True Story About How Five Guys From the Streets of Philadelphia Became Professional Baseball Players for One Day" on Amazon. 

Episode 36: Snowflakes & Superheroes

In Episode 36 of Greg Klein's Old School Rasslin Talk, Greg:

Looks at a Houston Wrestling program from Oct. 24, 1975. 

Talks about  the upcoming Halloween 1975 show the program advertises. 

Predicts the Wrestling Observer HOF Class of 2023. 

Looks at how WON HOF ballots track differently than MLB HOF ballots.

Explains why he is now confidant Sylvester Ritter will get into the WON HOF and why how and why the Morris Sigel for HOF work will continue.   

Tears into Dave Meltzer for being unable to take criticism and Shane Helms for being a duchy snowflake bro. 

Tells the story about the day he met Nick Offerman because Nick approached him in a men's room. 

Greg Klein's Old School Rasslin Talk is sponsored by Greg and his work. You can buy "The King of New Oreans: How the Junkyard Dog Became Pro Wrestling's First Black Superstar" and "The Paper Tigers: The Untold True Story About How Five Guys From the Streets of Philadelphia Became Professional Baseball Players for One Day" on Amazon. 

Episode 35: Boyd's No Snitch

In Episode 34 of Greg Klein's Old School Rasslin Talk, Greg:

Looks at December 1982 in the Mid South Wrestling Association, including three tapings in one and a year in review. 

Talks about Boyd Pierce's refusal to testify in the case of DiBiase vs. Lee. 

Picks a MSWA wrestler and match of the year. 

Looks at Mr. Olympia's first MSWA run and his 90 days away. 

Laments how little we got to see of the Legion of Masked Superfriends. 

Comments on a Houston Wrestling match where Mil Mascaras does a "yes yob."

Greg Klein's Old School Rasslin Talk is sponsored by Greg and his work. You can buy "The King of New Oreans: How the Junkyard Dog Became Pro Wrestling's First Black Superstar" and "The Paper Tigers: The Untold True Story About How Five Guys From the Streets of Philadelphia Became Professional Baseball Players for One Day" on Amazon.