Tag Archive: Ed Whalen

  1. BWF Interview: Bruce Hart & Doc Knight of Stampede Wrestling

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    Original Stampede Wrestling logo
    Recently, the legendary Bruce Hart and the CEO/VP of Stampede Wrestling, Doc Knight, took time out of their busy schedule to speak with ThinkSoJoE and G of BoredWrestlingFan about the relaunch of the Original Stampede Wrestling.  In the one hour interview, Bruce and Doc talk about the various promotions going around trying to use the Stampede name.  Bruce tells us about working behind the scenes at the original Stampede, the innovations pioneered by the organization that were “borrowed” by others, how the lack of “grass roots” territories is effecting the wrestling business, the overabundance of gimmick matches, wrestlers who can’t work as Champions, how completely scripted matches effect the audience, and the lengths wrestlers would go through back in the day to maintain the mystique of professional wrestling as opposed to the near complete lack of mystique being maintained in public by today’s wrestlers.  G asks about the late, great Ed Whalen, the original voice of Stampede Wrestling.  Bruce and Doc talk about wanting the new Stampede to be a viable alternative to the WWE.  Bruce discusses mistakes that are being made by promoters today, which leads to a mini-shoot on Brutus Beefcake.  The duo talk about the desire to make sure their talent is properly trained, wanting to grow a new generation of talent, instead of “one dimensional stiffs,” having a reason or purpose for everything done in the ring, and the need for things to be done safely.  Bruce ponders the absurdity of weapons randomly lying around under the ring.  All this, and much more! Click below for the full interview.

    BWF Interview: Bruce Hart & Doc Knight (MP3, 1:00:34)

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    For more information on Original Stampede Wrestling, please visit OriginalStampedeWrestling.com

  2. Patman Picks Stampede Classics. Stu Hart 80th B-day party. Scott Hall VS Owen Hart.

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    What is going on Wrestling fans? This time around Im going with a match that is both unique and special in the history of pro wrestling for 2 reasons.  For starters its a WWF title match taking place in Calgary, but its in an official Stampede Wrestling ring featuring one of Stampedes most popular wrestlers of all time. Thats pretty unique. Also, its the celebration of Stu Harts 80 Birthday, and as a consequence, wrestlers from around the world came to the event to both preform and also wish the legend a Happy 80th. This time around we will be enjoying Razor( Scott Hall) VS Owen Hart, for the intercontinental WWF championship. And this joint Stampede/WWF match is called of course by the legendary Ed Whalen, the voice of Stampede Wrestling for many decades. Worth noting at the beginning of the video Owen has a quick segment talking about his father, which is a very nice touch. Owen was playing the role of a heel at the time in the WWF. However, when in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, its pretty hard to have the crowd hate any former Stampede Wrestler as Vince McMahon would soon learn and capatialze on in the future with his Hart Foundation story-line. Also worth noting while watching the video is the top ring rope coming off and being quickly turned into a weapon. You will then notice a quick exit from the ring to draw the attention away from the rope being put back on. Finally worth noting is the “run in” by one of my least favorite wrestlers of all time. Here is a hint as to who he is ” I made a porn Movie with a Man/Woman and lived to tell about it”.  Also, if  these videos are getting your old school classic wrestling interests up, feel free to download our Stampede podcast .G and myself discuss all things Stampede wrestling including our run ins with the likes of Davey Boy Smith, Bad News Brown, Chris Benoit and Bret Hart when we were just kids!    http://wonderpodonline.com/?p=2533     See you all next time !

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  3. PatMan Picks Stampede Wrestling Classics. The Bushwhackers VS Bret & Keith Hart.

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    Welcome yet again to another trip down Stampede Wrestlings historic and classic past. As Ed Whalen would perfectly put it, last week I had a “Malfunction at the junction”, but I am back this week for a ” Ring-A-Ding-Dong-Dandy!”. This time around lets have a look at tag team wrestling in the form of two very good teams. First up is “The Kiwis”, a tag team who became very famous later in the WWF under a new name “The Bushwhackers”. The Kiwis opponents on this particular night were two brothers who belong to one of the most famous families in the sports history, the Harts. This time around a young Bret teams up with his big brother Keith. Perhaps it was because he was older, or because he wanted to help his famous father run the family wrestling business, or maybe Vince just didn’t see the same potential in him, Keith Hart would not become a famous WWF champion as his little brothers Owen and Bret both did. That said, however, he was still a major force to be reckoned within the Stampede promotion and in my opinion could have made it just as big as his little brothers became worldwide. Although the Kiwis would become international wrestling stars in the future it was in Stampede that they really started to shine as a tag team. The extra time training in the famous dungeon along with the experience on the road across Canada gave the Kiwis their first ever tag team titles, right here in the Stampede promotion. Worth noting in this match, in classic Stampede Wrestling style, the referee turns a blind eye to most of the Kiwis heel tactics while preventing the hometown boys from making clean tags. Man, did those Stampede Wrestling Refs ever drive the fans crazy back in those days! Enjoy the tag team action and I will return again with more Stampede Wrestling classics next time!

     

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  4. Patman Picks Stampede Wrestling Classics. Dr. D David Shultz vs Nick Bockwinkle

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    Welcome again to another fun trip back in pro wrestling history. Today we will visit a match involving one of Stampedes biggest stars at this point time, Dr. D David Shultz. Although a star in places like AWA, WWF, Japan and Stampede Wrestling , Dr. D is probably most famous for his big mouth both inside and outside the wrestling ring. It was his “open had slap” assault on a network reporter who mentioned that “Wrestling was fake” that is what most people remember Dr. D for. Ironically, it was that very event that put a halt on his career in the big wrestling organizations as his actions were rumored to result in a costly law suit that followed. Dr. D’s opponent in this classic match is the AWA World champion Nick Bockwinkle who, like other AWA world champions, would venture to the Calgary promotion several times per year to take on who ever was at the top of the card at the time. I am not sure where this match took place as it is not in the usual Stampede pavilion venue that the majority of Stampede Wrestling events were televised , but appears to be a smaller venue. Stampedes territory stretched across western Canada and even into north western US, so it could have been anywhere really. The crowd was pretty hot for the match and that’s all that matters for the Wrestlers putting on a show and Ed Whalen was there for the TV taping. Worth noting this time around is the fans chanting Nick “Bullwinkle”. Enjoy the match and decide for your self if it was a 2.5 count or a 3 count at the end !  And if you like videogame podcasts, feel free to check out wonderpod episode 79 on i Tunes and also at our website www.wonderpodonline.com where you will find all sorts of fun stuff! See you next time !

     

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  5. Patman Picks Stampede Wrestling Classics. Young Bret Hart vs AWA World Champ Nick Bockwinkle.

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    One of the great things about Stampede Wrestling was its inter promotional matches. Many classic encounters took place in Calgary between the Stampede roster and champions from other wrestling territories such as the AWA, NWA, Japan and even other Canadian organizations. Here is a classic encounter out of Stampede Wrestlings rich past thats bound to interest wrestling historians. A young Bret Hart challenges the 4 year world title reign of the legendary AWA heavyweight champion, Nick Bockwinkle. Bret was legitimately injured at this time and, of course, in the early “learning phase” of his career. However that did not stop Bret , the future “best there ever will be” and Nick,who was at the time “the best there was” from putting on a good wrestling match for all the fans. Worth noting is the mention of Davey Boy Smith winning the Stampede light heavyweight title, earlier in that same night.  Worth also noting are the post match interviews by Ed Whalen with Nick Bockwinkle and  “Dr. D” Shultz ,who of course, competed in Stampede for several years. Dr. D also competed in the AWA, NWA, WWF and is most famous for his assault on a reporter who told him wrestling was fake! Enjoy the classic match, check out www.wonderpodonline.com for more PatMan picks and videogame podcasts, and I will see you all back here for another  “ring-a-ding-dong-dandy”, next week!

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  6. Two Man Reviews: Stampede Wrestling

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    Our Celebration of Professional Wrestling continues!Logo

    Earlier this year over at Wonderpod-Online, Bruce McGee and PatMan created a new theme of podcast for our site. PatMan and I decided to continue the series with a conversation reminiscing about our experience growing up in Calgary, the “Hart”land of the Stampede Wrestling promotion. What a perfect way for two old smarks to contribute to the ongoing festivities and celebration of professional wrestling going on at Wonderpod-Online and the Bored Wrestling Fan?
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  7. A Celebration of Professional Wrestling Begins This Saturday!

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    Ladies and gentlemen, children of all ages… it’s time for a Celebration of Professional Wrestling. That’s right folks! The showcase of the immortals, WRESTLEMANIA, is just over a week away! In a conjoint assembly of marks, smarks, and fans alike, Bored Wrestling Fan and Wonderpod-Online staff have united to create a week long tribute to the art and performance that is professional wrestling. And while much of the content will be WWE related, this is not limited to the one promotion. It’s an acknowledgement to all federations and organizations, big or small.
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