Detroit Big Time Wrestling

When I grew up in Detroit every Saturday pro wrestling was on television. Very hyped, and the wrestlers were very colorful.

Guys like Bobo Brazil, Haystacks Calhoun, Dick the Bruiser, Killer Kowalski, Leaping Larry Chene, The Sheik. And, of course, the announcer, former wrestler, the very proper gentlemanly Lord Athol Layton.

Memory highlight ... When a competing wrestler boasted about his strong gut muscle — Pepper Gomez claimed to have a cast-iron stomach — Dick the Bruiser posed a challenge. He had the fellow lie down at a corner of the ring. Dick then climbed up onto the top rope and jumped down. 

The camera went to black, then came on again ... to show Dick's knee pulling away from Pepper's groin. Ouch!

Lord Layton went full apoplectic, decrying it the most unsportsmanly thing he had ever seen. Some theater though.

Once, by happenstance, I met Leaping Larry Shane. We were at the beach and there he was, with his two children. My friend was his nephew. Larry was built like a tank. It stuck with me how he handled his kids. Rough, brusk; but not abusive. Must've grown up to be tough kids.