Head over Heels: Remembering Wrestling at the Chase

Рет қаралды 90,889

2 жыл бұрын

Head over Heels: Remembering Wrestling at the Chase tells the story of one of St. Louis’ most popular and longest-running local programs, KPLR-TV's Wrestling at the Chase. For many St. Louisans, the Saturday night live broadcasts and Sunday morning repeats became must-see TV. It also helped make St. Louis one of the premiere cities for this unique brand of over-the-top entertainment. Relive the antics of Lou Thesz, Cowboy Bob Orton, Ted DiBiase, Dick the Bruiser, King Kong Brody, and others.

Пікірлер: 81

@BananaKing274 Жыл бұрын

Thank you to everyone involved in the creation of such a wonderful chronicle of history.

@Ironbull65 Жыл бұрын

great childhood memory, me and my dad watched every saturday night on tv

@libra42ful Жыл бұрын

The perfect male-bonding experience...watchin pro wrestling, and just being guys...when you could just be a guy with your Dad, and not His son, ya know?...probably one of the first times you cussed in front of Him, and He probably laughed at your expression of realizing you just did, and getting the feeling "Dad doesn't care, as long as it's just us"...Pro wrestling in this era, up to the late 70s I'd say, was many a Fathers and Sons male-bonding time...Great memories of watching with my Dad when I was a kid, and just being men, watchin, and talking about the wrestling matches, the wrestlers themselves, the holds, just everything it entailed...

@MrJudo2go Жыл бұрын

OMG, what a wonderful piece of history. So many different personalities and so many decades of fans. So many of both are gone now to a new generation of this business. But I wish we had video of all of those black and white matches that took place. And WOW, all those great cards at the Kiel Auditorium. I watched as a very young boy till I went to Vietnam and until I moved from East St. Louis to Arizona in 1975. If more people knew that this existed, the likes would go HIGH👍👍👍

@Brando-Lee3725 Жыл бұрын

Hail Muchnick !!! What a great human and all around truly respected man in the history of Pro Wrestling ! He will always remain a top promoter and a magnificent presence in wrestling and how its supposed to be done . God bless him !

@kkwok9 Жыл бұрын

This was nice. I love old school rasslin. Thank you for this memory. The WWE bites.

@jimbennett3788 Жыл бұрын

Great memories of the times during the late 50s - mid 60s when I thoroughly enjoyed watching the matches with my grandfather.

@jemmamcvea8697 Жыл бұрын

As an English wrestling fan I think this a really amazing documentry. I would have gone to heaven sharing those moments with that amazing St Louis crowd. Thankyou

@SchoonsComics 2 ай бұрын

I love this special! More wrestling please.

@lisam724 2 жыл бұрын

great story brings back the memories of long ago the people the times it was the best thanks for this its appreciated

@curtisep5885 Жыл бұрын

Glad I found this! Thanks for sharing.

@1carlportl Жыл бұрын

Thank you so much / they only let you like it once

@thack57 Жыл бұрын

I was never lucky enough to see W.A.T.C. living in the East but I loved this, loved the fan interviews, and as a long time Wrestling fan I loved Sam Mushnick. Thanks gang.

@randycraig Жыл бұрын

Very similar to what I used to watch in Chicago: taped in a studio matches of AWA stars from Minneapolis and taped shows of the WWA from Indianapolis. it was the best.

@libra42ful Жыл бұрын

I remember my Dad watching the same program you're talking about, or very similar one, Grew up in a beach community on the Indiana Shores of Lake Michigan, watched the Chicago stations ( was this on channel 9 WGN?...I KNOW we only had like 6 or 7 channels at the most 😄

@billyalonzo406 2 жыл бұрын

My wife Grand mother would go crazy over this stuff

@skelfmusicofficial9409 Жыл бұрын

I'm always on the lookout for historical wrestling documentaries and this was really fantastic, thanks for uploading.

@rigidivy Жыл бұрын

The Olympic Auditorium in LA just released a DVD regarding their storied history as well!

@joshuawaltz9484 Жыл бұрын

This was fantastic. Makes me proud to be a Missourian. Loved NWA, Sam Mushnick, Jody Hamilton and Gust Karas and Bob Giegle.

@chrischar9428 Жыл бұрын

From Missouri but can't spell MUCHNICK

@jessfrankel5212 Жыл бұрын

A superb documentary. Thank you!

@bryanpeloquin3890 Жыл бұрын

Very, very good video. Thanks!😎😉

@rickfeld7995 Жыл бұрын

Great stuff. I grew up in N.Y..C., watching Bruno from Abruzzi, Italy. The playback play was, I. Think, Ray Morgan. He sat at a little table with a hole in it so he could throw away his coffee. Inthose days it was WWWF. Greatmemories. Thanks for posting.

@rigidivy Жыл бұрын

An outstanding documentary!

@buddmannable Жыл бұрын

Larry is a Class Act.

@elc1960 Жыл бұрын

Sam's nephew Irvin Muchnick wrote the book Wrestling Babylon, detailing some of the most notorious and controversial people and incidents in wrestling over the latter half of the 20th century, including the Von Erichs and WCCW, and Jimmy Snuka's involvement in the death of Nancy Argentino.

@Paul-qo1hb 10 ай бұрын

Grew up with NWA wrestling here in Albuquerque at the Civic Auditorium. Going to the luchas was a family event on Sunday nights. Seen Jack Bricoe defend the NWA world title twice. Seen Andre the Giant. Seen both Dory and Terry Funk, Dick Murdoc, Rick Romero, Cyclone Negro, King Curtis and Hank James to name a few.

@Handsome_Gary_Kamensack Жыл бұрын

A great history lesson from the golden age

@Brando-Lee3725 Жыл бұрын

That was awesome ! Thank you !

@whydat684 Жыл бұрын

Great post...Thanks

@patrickkelley6212 3 ай бұрын

One of the greatest videos I've ever seen on KZfaq! Thank you so much for making this outstanding video and hope more videos will be made like this one!😀

@jdouglas1327 Жыл бұрын

Wish we could have the early matches from the 50's put on KZfaq.

@mringram Жыл бұрын

Great documentary

@WallyTony Жыл бұрын

Great doc.

@michaelsmyth3935 Жыл бұрын

Funny, the NWA has revived Wrestling at the Chase. Great presentation, had no idea how deep that history went.

@peterbailey6930 Жыл бұрын

Holy cow this was incredible.

@hattorihanzo2275 Жыл бұрын

This needs to become a trend at the local PBS stations. So many great territories that need to be documented.

@grawakendream8980 Жыл бұрын

sad that this is all part of history, that it couldn't continue on to this day. i don't think it could come back or ever be duplicated, all the circumstances that led in to it. what a run!

@dwaynewalker986 Жыл бұрын

O.K. , I'll tell you. You said St.Louisans watched, you're wrong. Saturday night 150 miles from St. Louis we could turn the outside antenna toward St. Louis and pick up a very fuzzy KPLR Channel 11 and watch Wrestling at the Chase. If an airplane crossed the signal, the signal would fade out and then fade back in. Me, my two brothers, and my father lined up four across watching Larry Matysyk and Wrestling at the Chase.

@elc1960 Жыл бұрын

They speak of taping three shows of Wrestling at the Chase at one session, but actually most TV wrestling shows were handled in the same manner. That's how WWWF/WWF did it, and Jim Crockett's NWA/WCW, World Class, AWA, pretty much all of them. So it wasn't exactly their innovation, but basically SOP in the wrestling biz. Cost-effectiveness, you know; simply cheaper that way.

@Rjensen2 Жыл бұрын

No, they didn't. Most of the ones you mentioned did not do it at that time.

@rigidivy Жыл бұрын

@@Rjensen2 Yes, they revolutionized a LOT regarding Professional Wrestling in Saint Louis!

@JasonSum1979 Жыл бұрын

this is simply fantastic who ever cut this together (Is a true Professional) Vice tv could learn a thing a two about how to cut together the perfect biography! Great upload some of my earliest tv memories were watching Wrestling at the Chase with my big Sister and Brother 👍👍👍❤❤❤👍👍

@jamesmcmillan2409 Жыл бұрын

Jerry Bullion, one of the fans interviewed is Al Bundy! 😂😂😂

@crushthecrusher7134 Жыл бұрын

I love wrestling

@donovandelaney3171 2 ай бұрын

There could be lost tapes of Wrestling at the Chase out there somewhere hidden in someone's attic or hidden in a closet.

@acespace7255 4 ай бұрын

20:53 What a snapshot!! Hugh Downs Barbara Walters and Joe!! I swear I feel like I gotta hurry or I'm gonna miss the school bus!! You kids laugh, but the time will come when you look at a picture and, for a moment, you are 10 yrs old again.

@donovandelaney3171 2 ай бұрын

Where's my time machine? Time to go Sliding. Sliders.

@tonymickens8803 Жыл бұрын

I Remember after the 67 Riot here in Detroit the Shiek and Bobo had a match at Cobo Hall, The Shiek was Supposed to Win as Usual But Eddie Lost to Bobo and Bobo became Champ, Everyone, Black, White, Latino Had Bobo On their Sholders Marching Around the Ring, I NEVER Ever Heard a Louder POP, The Shiek Did a GREAT Thing for Race relations in Detroit that night.

@bindraindia Жыл бұрын

u really old😀

@rigidivy Жыл бұрын

@@bindraindia Its called historical wisdom young buck. Freddie Blassie also laid his neck on the line (literally) to advance people of color as well.

@jamiemark 4 ай бұрын

I thought that this was a great documentary but found one thing puzzling. Despite showing multiple clips of him during the documentary, Butch Reed's name wasn't mentioned once. Especially seeing as his clip was a lead in to naming African American wrestlers who worked in St. Louis. Three people were named, but not Butch the guy in the clip. Strange omission, IMO.

@mellitrom629 9 ай бұрын

i guess this documentary was waiting to be made until there could be a happier ending. pbs makes the best st louis content.

@mrjack4808 Жыл бұрын

Larry Matysik the host of the show said on every broadcast due to space limitations no fans under 16 years old were allowed in to the TV taping at the KPLR studio

@DirtyDadDingus Жыл бұрын

Found Bat Boy

@johnsawh8459 4 ай бұрын

Nice

@rpkelly3825 Жыл бұрын

I was 10 years old when I saw my first match.... and I just couldn't understand how a 300 pound man could jump off the top rope onto someone's head with their knee, and not split it open like a melon, or even give the guy a bruise. My buddies used to laugh at me can say "I" was the craze one.

@thecatwrangler9448 Жыл бұрын

It’s funny how even today Sam is one of the most influential and beloved promoters of professional wrestling, meanwhile his nephew Irv Muchnick has been one of its most outspoken critics to the point only the most insane follow his beliefs about wrestling.

@user-vv6sj9xu1m 7 ай бұрын

back in the alot but not all were part shoot and part work through. but still pre determined unless a wrestler decided to break off and does things their way. it did happen more than some want to believe.

@1Whipperin Жыл бұрын

This is the only real sport St. Louis ever had. The only thing fake was the people that didn't watch it. I was glad to see "Red" on this show.

@randy9573 Жыл бұрын

Love the wrestling all my life. Great documentary. PS. HULK HOGAN IS A GOOF

@DeadKoby Жыл бұрын

Westling @ The Chase still happens once a year. The NWA's current ownership brought it back in 2021.

@marioboyd4259 Жыл бұрын

Everyone imitated,( WWF, AWA, World Class) but NO WRESTLING show was better! SATURDAY NIGHTS WAS THE 3 STOOGES & WRESTLING AT THE CHASE*✌🏿❤️‍🩹

@michaelsmyth3935 Жыл бұрын

Road Rash, a personal acquaintance, member of Pure Pro Wrestling, The Nomads, and Tag Team Belt Holder, has required a bit of the old surgery over the years. Fake my Aunt Fanny.

@dr.options 2 жыл бұрын

Classic professional fans should all watch this.

@FrostyBalls01 Жыл бұрын

^ Wrestling

@libra42ful Жыл бұрын

Classic wrestling fans should/would WANT to watch this...

@amoruzz Жыл бұрын

👍

@benwebber248 4 ай бұрын

Bruiser Brody

@carstentilsgren2079 Жыл бұрын

Lars Sullivan nr 1 in wrestling!

@garypmarquis Жыл бұрын

AGAIN, another "Dead Sea Scroll" to be viewed by those of us who love the sport. Great job.

@richardcoreno Жыл бұрын

The NWA actually picked up the pieces from the 1936 MSG Screwjob, the Wrestling Trust and the federal court case that exposed the business.

@rigidivy Жыл бұрын

Tell 'em all about it! They need the history lesson...

@DungTran-li2wn Жыл бұрын

According to Ric Flair, the stiffest ring in America.

@WABWSM 8 ай бұрын

Much of the tone of irreverence and snide "above it" type rhetoric of the concept of wrestling was unwarranted and unnecessary. PBS is supposed to be for education and awareness, so why not try to promote awareness of the concept and how revolutionary it was at the time? How it provided a haven for people unable to function in society? How no other medium of human performance requires such a blend of timing and psychology to blur the lines of sport and spectacle?