THE WAWLI PAPERS

CANOE: SLAM PRO-WRESTLING

THE LOUNGE

RETURN TO THE GATEWAY LOBBY

THE WAWLI PAPERS
(Wrestling As We Liked It)
Issue Number 777, August 18, 2000
Edited & Published by J Michael Kenyon
Oldfallguy@aol.com

THE TREND TOWARD WRESTLING NOSTALGIA

Slowly, but surely, it appears as though the ranks of those with a view toward professional wrestling's past, rather than the present of "sports entertainment," are coming forth to be counted. Among them, a couple of bright, enterprising fellows named Dick Bourne and Dave Chappell, who have opened a "gateway" to one of the last, great "wrestling as we liked it"
promotions, Mid-Atlantic Wrestling. It may be found on your cyberspace dials at http://www.midatlanticwrestling.net/lobby.htm and includes a host of wonderful features, including the data which follows. Keep up the good work, guys. It is much appreciated by those of us who are "old enough to know better."

(Content from the Mid-Atlantic Gateway followed the above introduction)

Visit the "Wrestling As We Liked It" page at http://www.twc-online.com/wawli/

Subscribe to the WAWLI Papers: oldfallguys-subscribe@egroups.com© 2000 WAWLI

Excerpt from George Scott: Making Mid-Atlantic Sizzle

© Greg Oliver,  Canoe SLAM! Pro Wrestling

Pretty soon, George Scott had gained the confidence of the Crocketts. It was a changing of the guard there, as the senior Crockett was turning things over to his sons Jim Crockett Jr. and David Crockett.

Scott had a radical idea for the promotion, Les Thatcher told Dick Bourne in an interview with Mid-Atlantic Wrestling Gateway. "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'!"

Scott's big plan was to bring Johnny Valentine in to the territory and base the promotion around him. Charlotte had traditionally been a tag-team territory, and the idea was to change the focus. Wahoo McDaniel and The Super Destroyer (Don Jardine) were the two other initial singles stars....

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Read the entire article on SLAM! Pro Wrestling
Read the Les Thatcher Interview on George Scott on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway

From PWTorch.com

THE LOUNGE
by Mike Sempervive, Lounge Antagonist
May 18, 2003, 11:57 am

- Before I start up, I'd like for all of you (when you're done with my drivel, of course) to check out midatlanticwrestling.net created by Dick Bourne and David Chappell. I know I've hyped them before, and I probably sound like an incredibly cheap whore now, but, if you grew up in the area that was promoted by Jim Crockett Jr., or are just a fan of classic kayfabe, this is truly a gift from God for you. The site concentrates on the years between 1974 (when the territory "officially" became Mid-Atlantic) and 1986 (when one-half of the US tag champions, Ronnie Garvin, relinquished the Mid-Atlantic belt on World Championship Wrestling effectively killing the name for good), but also includes some of the earlier "Eastern States/Atlantic Coast" and post-merger NWA, as well.

Because of the amount footage that Bourne, Chappell, and their helpers possess from Crockett's old stomping grounds at WRAL studios, they've been able to, among other things, begin building a quarter-by-quarter historical almanac of every event that took place during the region's history (including full rosters and title changes). The almanac is still a work in progress, and has a ways to go before it's complete, but the amount of work that the crew has put in to get it to the point that it is now is staggering.

During the countless hours of scouring audio and video tapes, newspaper clippings, office papers, and the memories of fans, the site has been able to uncover many facts that have never been known before, or have long been forgotten. Including it's most recent: the discovery and details behind Ric Flair's first singles championship, the Mid-Atlantic TV title. They didn't just get this information from word of mouth either, it was directly from the day planner of JCP head booker George Scott, a planner that also had the listings of every match that took place in the area during 1975.

In addition to the almanac, the site houses classic JCP television themes, photographs, newspaper advertisements, newspaper clippings of results, posters of upcoming shows, covers of the classic Mid-Atlantic wrestling magazine, biographies, interviews, commentaries and much, much more. Some of the most interesting reading comes from the site's creators and contributors (including our own Bruce Mitchell) about what it was like growing up and going to shows during the high times of the territory.

Add into all of this that the site auctions classic memorabilia on E-Bay with all of the proceeds going to the upkeep of the site, and an on-line store which features the types of classy looking merchandise that WWE couldn't even dream of. (The Champions of Mid-Atlantic limited edition plaque, the bear wearing the shirt that says "I Broke Wahoo's Leg," and the old Mid-Atlantic logo shirts are my favorites.) And you have a site that's a fantasy for a wrestling junkie.

Okay. I'm done gushing about midatlanticwrestling.net...

Original Complete Article found here.