CONVERSATIONS  WITH  LES  THATCHER

George Scott Gets the Book

The man with the book during  the boom period of the mid-to-late 1970s was George Scott. Les reflects on the moment he first learned George was getting the book, and Scott's unique approach to the job that would change the territory forever.


Les Thatcher: That was a great period of time (the mid-seventies) in the Carolinas, because they were so deep in talent.

Dick Bourne: I guess George Scott was booking then, right?

LT: Right.

DB: Do you remember what year or about what time he took over the book?

LT: Oh gosh, (pauses) I can remember hearing it was going to happen from John Ringly, I think . . . I’m almost sure that I heard that first from John in the parking lot at Channel 3 in Charlotte where we used to do TV. I don’t remember the year.

DB: It would have had to been in ’73 or ’74 . . .

LT: Well, he’s the one that brought Valentine in, so whenever that was . . .

DB: That was in 1974 . . . early ’74.

LT: When was the plane wreck?

DB: October of 1975

LT: Okay. That’s right. What I do remember is George Scott mentioning to the Crocketts that he was going to kill the territory in essence to rebuild it, which was a bold statement to make back then, or to make anyway when your looking for a job, "I’m going to kill your business so I can build it back again"! But the point was, I guess he realized he wanted to bring Valentine in, and you know, Charlotte being a tag-team territory, I remember when Valentine first came in, and you talk about somebody that took their time, I mean, he didn’t get warmed up until 15 minutes in. To him, a short match was 25 minutes. I can remember the fans in that area not being accustomed to his slow methodical style, and when he first came in (to the Mid-Atlantic area), people just getting up and walking out on his matches . . .

DB: Is that right??

LT: . . .and of course a year later he was selling out the same building. And they wouldn’t move!

DB: John Hitchcock and Bruce Mitchell did a story on many of Valentine’s matches in Greensboro that we have on the site from that time period. It’s great stuff.

LT: Oh, yes. God, that was a tremendous time. Business was good, the talent was good, the whole atmosphere was positive.

DB: That was the period of time that got me hooked on wrestling.

LT: Well, of course. It did a lot of people, I think.

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Thanks to Greg Oliver for quoting our interview with Les Thatcher and linking to the Mid-Atlantic Gateway in a recent article on George Scott that appeared on his excellent site Slam! Pro Wrestling.

George Scott: Making Mid-Atlantic Sizzle