During
the mid-1970s, Jim Crockett Promotions hired a man named Don Jardine.
Some people may not recognize him by that name because he was better
known as the masked wrestler The Super Destroyer.
Upon
his arrival in the Mid-Atlantic area, Jardine had already had great
success in other areas as The Spoiler. Jardine brought something unique
to Crockett Promotions. A big man by the standards of that era...
(continued)
.
. . he could not only wrestle but he could move like a cat. Many times
in the matches, he would walk the top rope like a cat. He was also able
to work the crowd, draw heat and motivate fans to buy a ticket.
Some
of Jardine’s biggest feuds while in the Mid-Atlantic area were with
Wahoo McDaniel, Jerry Brisco, and Sonny King. He also teamed quite
frequently with men like Johnny Valentine, Ivan Koloff , Brute Bernard,
and others.
I
will never forget seeing the Super Destroyer Monday nights in
Greenville, SC, at the Memorial Auditorium and on Saturday nights in
Spartanburg, SC. Like many of the other heels that appeared in the
Spartanburg memorial Auditorium, Jardine would usually park on the
campus of Wofford College, which sits directly behind the Auditorium. As
he would make his way toward the Auditorium, he would walk right past a
dormitory where students would be standing at their windows, some
cheering and some booing and swearing at him. I remember seeing the
little kids, mostly little black children, standing on the bank that
looked down at the back side of the auditorium and I remember seeing one
of them one night getting up enough nerve to chunk a rock at the Super D
and Johnny Valentine, narrowly missing them. I will always remember
Super D turning around and looking up at the kids and all of them
scattering as quickly as possible, scared to death.
To
this day, I regret that Jardine left Crockett’s territory so suddenly
after having a disagreement with booker George Scott. It was, to me at
least, a sad day for Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling. Jardine never
returned to the Mid-Atlantic area, but will never be forgotten by many
of us who followed wrestling in the Carolinas during the 1970s. The
Super Destroyer was the consummate performer. People loved to hate him.
He could make any bout with any opponent interesting.
Don
Jardine is now retired from wrestling living in his native Canada. I am
so fortunate to chat with him from time to time on the computer. He is a
true gentleman and a great guy. I know from talking to him that he still
loves the wrestling business and misses it. He always responds to my
e-mail and in my opinion, he is one of the all time greats masked
wrestlers.