WCCW and Von Erich curse or just a sad chapter in Wrestling?

[scotta75]

A couple of days ago I pop in my DVD Working Class Heroes the story of the Von Erich which brought back a lot of good memories as well as some horrible memories as well for me as a young wrestling fans.

The Von Erich's had it all their own wrestling promotion which they along with many other awesome wrestling talent built up, and soon left the NWA and stood out on it's own. Then without warning it started to crumble as the hand of the Grim Reaper started to slowly creep into this promotion first claiming the life of the biggest Von Erich star David Von Erich who was in line to be the next NWA World Champion. However WCCW seem to survive this untimely death and continue to push on however death would come knocking again this time taking form in a suicide death of Mike Von Erich,who was dealing with toxic shock syndrome that had mess up his mind and his wrestling career  but still WCCW push on and continue to make strides until late 80's. As WCCW seem to keeping going and not phase by the deaths of the Von Erich boys another Von Erich brother was set to make his wrestling debut, and his name was Chris and unlike his brother who were huge and very well built Chris was short but he had some muscle; however, due to having breathing problems Chris growth was short due to his breathing treatments. However, like his brother Chris enter the ring and in his first match broke his arm on miss drop kick thus ending his career when he found out that is body could not handle the pounding of wrestling. Sadly Chris like his brother Mike took his life as well thus dealing another blow to Von Erich history.  Then the most famous of all the Von Erich brother Kerry Von Erich who had a stint in the WWE as the Texas Tornado who was the wrestler who put an end to Mr Prefect's undefeated run IC champion, was facing some serious prison time due to some drug charges took his life thus ending Von Erich run as the first family of pro wrestling.

I know there might be some of you wrestling fans who are too young to remember WCCW and Von Erich but for it's time WCCW was one the hottest promotion you could have watch back in the 80's. They had a talent roster that not even the WWF at the time could keep up and during their time in the NWA both Ric Flair and Harley Race hated coming their because they knew they would lose their title to anyone in the WCCW.

  However, as I watch this DVD I could not help but shed a few tears at some of the wrestler who I grew up watching who wrestle in this promotion only later to die from a drug abuse or suicide. It was shame because when the Von Erich died so did WCCW, but WCCW was not only about the Von Erich a lot of awesome talent came through that promotion. Talent like JYD, Rick Rude, King Kong Bundy, The Midnight Express, Jake Roberts, Andre The Giant, Gino Hernadez, Chris Adams, Ice Man King Person, Jerry Lawler, Jeff Jarrett, The One Man Gang, The Great Kabuki, Kamala, The FreeBirds, "Gorgeous" Jimmy Garvin  and the list goes on.

As I finish the DVD I wonder to myself is this just a case of bad timing or was this promotion curse because a lot of the wrestlers I mention are dead and gone. One can not help to wonder if the Von Erich would have all stayed alive would WCCW still be going or would it have fallen apart like WCW? Although WCCW is gone there is still one Von Erich alive and that is Kevin who is now retired from wrestling and works as a real estate agent, Kevin in the DVD was quoted as saying "Once I was brother to five, and I am brother to no one."

Taking away all the sadness that WCCW had and you found a promotion that set some awesome trends, WCCW broke the model when it came to wrestling talent. WCCW could be compare the WWE of today with it's use of young good talent and ideals they also change the way wrestling was filmed about in the 80's.

I would suggest for all you young wrestling fans who want to see history of wrestling and I am not talking about WWE version of wrestling history, go out find this DVD and buy it or rent it because it will change whatever view you have on wrestling.

[Hammy]

I haven't seen the one you have seen, but I have seen the WWE DVD and its a very good piece, obviously I wasn't a fan back then so I can't judge, but most reviews from those in the know say it is fairly unbiased, and out of all the great documentaries I have seen them do its one of the best, very tragic and moving.  Also showed me what a great talent "Gentleman" Chris Adams was, I had only known him as a WCW Jobber.

[James Lofton]

You really romanticize the World Class era of the sport but there's nothing wrong with that. 80s was the greatest era and it'll never be topped. People grew up loving certain territories.


World Class was only one the map for a few years. Like AWA, they really benefited from being broadcast on ESPN in the early days of that network. Most of the federation's existence could only be read about in magazines. When ESPN dropped them both, it was the first nail in the coffin. Neither federation was willing to take a gamble and expand. AWA obsessed with an aging Bockwinkel, then its talent gets poached, forcing a Larry Zybsko title reign(when I changed the channel forever). Contrary to what you state, World Class revolved around the Von Erichs and they would never change course, causing all that talent you list to leave almost immediately. Sure, the Von Erich brothers could sell out that Sportatorium, but they had to move on from that small venue if they wanted to compete with the big boys.

The death of Gino Hernandez was a sign of things to come. He was a rising star and it deserved so much more coverage than it got. It was pushed under the rug, and less than 10 years later World Class doesn't exist and all the Von Erichs but Kevin are dead.

[scotta75]

I haven't seen the one you have seen, but I have seen the WWE DVD and its a very good piece, obviously I wasn't a fan back then so I can't judge, but most reviews from those in the know say it is fairly unbiased, and out of all the great documentaries I have seen them do its one of the best, very tragic and moving.  Also showed me what a great talent "Gentleman" Chris Adams was, I had only known him as a WCW Jobber.

Yeah it was a shame that such an awesome wrestler like Gentleman Chris Adams was reduce to a jobber role in WCW, however, that was case with some of superstars that come out the territories and found out that they did not what it took to make it in the WWE or WCW. To be honest with you I thought Chris Adams could have made it but he did not make it like he did in the WCCW.

[scotta75]

You really romanticize the World Class era of the sport but there's nothing wrong with that. 80s was the greatest era and it'll never be topped. People grew up loving certain territories.


World Class was only one the map for a few years. Like AWA, they really benefited from being broadcast on ESPN in the early days of that network. Most of the federation's existence could only be read about in magazines. When ESPN dropped them both, it was the first nail in the coffin. Neither federation was willing to take a gamble and expand. AWA obsessed with an aging Bockwinkel, then its talent gets poached, forcing a Larry Zybsko title reign(when I changed the channel forever). Contrary to what you state, World Class revolved around the Von Erichs and they would never change course, causing all that talent you list to leave almost immediately. Sure, the Von Erich brothers could sell out that Sportatorium, but they had to move on from that small venue if they wanted to compete with the big boys.

The death of Gino Hernandez was a sign of things to come. He was a rising star and it deserved so much more coverage than it got. It was pushed under the rug, and less than 10 years later World Class doesn't exist and all the Von Erichs but Kevin are dead.

You know what James my friend you are right I grew up loving World Class Championship Wrestling, hell I grew up loving wrestling in the 80's! Hand down you could not find the best era of wrestling than the 80's, which give us some of the best wrestling ever!

  Back to WCCW I once to watch it all the time on ESPN, and enjoy watching the Von Erich and to me I thought they were the best thing to happen to wrestling. The only thing I would have to disagree with you about Gino Hernandez death being the sign to come, I happen to believe that David Von Erich's death was the sign of things to come to WCCW.

[D]

I never got to see WCCW in the 80's,AWA or WWE unless it was rented PPV's..

I grew up with good ole NWA *still the best* and Continental Wrestling

Back in the 80's living in our small town Scottie, we didn't know what cable was in our house! LOL! we got 12 channels and that was it. luckily we got TBS and the local affiliates carried Continental.

Watched the DVD and its definitely a curse in my opinion. Has to be a gene problem that causes people to be more susceptible to suicide. what was it? 3 in one family? Crazy

[James Lofton]

The only thing I would have to disagree with you about Gino Hernandez death being the sign to come, I happen to believe that David Von Erich's death was the sign of things to come to WCCW.

If we're talking strictly Von Erich, yeah David's death was a sign of what was to come. If we're talking World Class in general, Gino's death was huge. Gino and Chris Adams the biggest nemesis the Von Erich's ever had(some would argue the Freebirds were), but Gino had tons of potential and would have certainly been a star. Once Gino was gone, World Class never fully recovered. World Class could not hire major talent which is why it got stale very quick and even the magazines stopped covering them as the years went by.

I have always thought that Fritz should have gave Bundy a blank check after Wrestlemania 2 to come to World Class in late 86/early 87.  Make his kids take less money in the short term and bet the entire farm on Bundy. They could have sold Bundy in that territory as invincible at the time, have him injure Mike or Kevin(maybe both), win the title, and have Kerry seek revenge and then have the feud end with Kerry winning the belt. Federation would have got major attention during such a feud.

Funny thing is he started his career in World Class but his potential was wasted. Mcmahon knew what to do with him though.

Has to be a gene problem that causes people to be more susceptible to suicide. what was it? 3 in one family? Crazy

Four actually....

David
Mike
Chris
Kerry

[Hammy]

Has to be a gene problem that causes people to be more susceptible to suicide. what was it? 3 in one family? Crazy

Four actually....

David
Mike
Chris
Kerry

I think he meant 3 were suicide, David's was never confirmed as one.

[D]

Yeah, wasn't sure about David.

[scotta75]

No David death was from his intestine busting opening inside of him and he simply drown in his own blood from the inside.

Mike died from overdose of pills

Chris died from a gunshot to the head

Kerry died from a gunshot to the chest.

You know what James after sitting here and thinking about it I am going to say you are right David's death could have been a sign of things to come for the Von Erich, mean damn Fritz drove those boys to be the best day in and day out and it only got worst when David died because David was the best of the Erich Boys.

  Gino's death was a sign on things to come for WCCW because Gino was like the Spanish version of Ric Flair for WCCW, and after watching that WCCW DVD I have AGAIN there is no doubt he would have carried WCCW for a long time had he not died. Gino and Chris Adams were the best heel tag team in WCCW and they were made perfectly to be a pain in the ass to Erich Von.

Speaking of mistakes WCCW/Fritz Von Erich made during it's run, I think they should have push Iceman King Person more  because for his time he was awesome and plus I think it would have give the Von Erich some rest being the top talent in the WCCW. I would have to have seen more talent other than the Von Erich push because too me if Fritz would have focus on other talent instead of making sure his boys where the center of attention each and every show, maybe just maybe WCCW would had not folded.

However say what you want to say about WCCW but for a brief time WCCW was a head of it's time and it left a huge mark on the world of Pro Wrestling!

[James Lofton]

A huge nail in the territory's coffin was how they were never really able to expand from their base at the Sportatorium. Not knocking the venue as it was historic and should have been turned into a museum instead of being torn down, but there was too much competition then(WWF, NWA, AWA, smaller affiliated territories,etc.) and expansion was huge during that 80s boom. Crockett was buying up every little territory and swallowing it whole and WWF was untouchable. World Class just couldn't get past being "small potatoes" and it destroyed them. In the late 80's, AWA was reduced to bussing in senior citizens from retirement communities to fill a few rows at their events, and during that same time frame people stopped going to that Sportatorium.

In hindsight, Gagne and Von Erich should have considered merging in 87 when both were really struggling but still had a small chance. It would have created one big federation in midwest territory spanning Texas to Minnesota and this might have caused some smaller promotions to join. They would not have overtook WWF or NWA but could have maintained that third position and might have done something with it. Had this happened, could have entered a bidding war for UWF with Crockett which would caused a huge influx of talent in 87.

Downside to that scenario though.....they would have did exactly what Crockett did which was bankrupt himself trying to compete with WWF. I never understood the desire to overtake Mcmahon when you have a solid company with a massive fan base already. NWA was a success in the midwest, east coast, and south. Rest of the country watched on tv. I understand wanting to expand but not at the cost of losing your already established audience. Starrcade 87 a huge blunder. Not just because of Mcmahon making cable companies choose which almost destroyed Crockett overnight, but by moving the event to Chicago which pissed everyone else off. NWA never had the same "feel" to it after that fiasco.

World Class(and AWA) were losing their audiences in droves and definitely needed to be more proactive to the unfolding events.