I've written before that I wish I'd kept memorabilia from my time as a wrestling promoter so it was lovely to see a clipping from The Manchester Evening News advertising one of my shows at The Parr Hall, Warrington, adorning Eddie's article. Although it was my second promotion, it was in many ways my first. My first promotion in January 1976 was booked and organised by Abe Ginsberg and was my way of breaking into the game. The Warrington show in April was the first show where I booked the wrestlers myself and worked out the bouts with them. The show was almost as advertised. Although I had forgotten that I had booked Borgs versus Les Diables Rouges as being for the European tag team title (no belts on show of course), that bout did take place as did Bertie Topham/Mike Dallas. I've absolutely no idea who The Judo Master was but, in fact, Ian Wilson ended up not only tagging with Eddie Rose in the bonnets but also facing him in a singles bout. Rose's billed opponent, Beergut Brannigan, faced Harry Palin. Between rounds, as Harry refreshed himself with the usual water bottle, Brannigan's second had a bottle of Guinness waiting for him.
I was very green of course and when I was discussing the bout concerning Rose, Wilson and The Borgs, one of the Borgs asked me, "Do you want us to work a gee?" I looked blank and asked what they meant. Both Borgs were horrified and walked off, refusing to speak to me for the rest of the show, and, indeed, did not work together for me again.
It was some years later that Tony agreed to work for me once again after I'd got a few more years' promotorial experience under my belt and Ignatious had quit the business. The main selling point for The Borgs was that they were identical twins so when one twin went solo the selling point lost some of its impetus and Tony found he wasn't getting quite the same number of bookings so was prepared to return and work for a promoter who didn't even know what a gee was.
I've written before that I wish I'd kept memorabilia from my time as a wrestling promoter so it was lovely to see a clipping from The Manchester Evening News advertising one of my shows at The Parr Hall, Warrington, adorning Eddie's article. Although it was my second promotion, it was in many ways my first. My first promotion in January 1976 was booked and organised by Abe Ginsberg and was my way of breaking into the game. The Warrington show in April was the first show where I booked the wrestlers myself and worked out the bouts with them. The show was almost as advertised. Although I had forgotten that I had booked Borgs versus Les Diables Rouges as being for the European tag team title (no belts on show of course), that bout did take place as did Bertie Topham/Mike Dallas. I've absolutely no idea who The Judo Master was but, in fact, Ian Wilson ended up not only tagging with Eddie Rose in the bonnets but also facing him in a singles bout. Rose's billed opponent, Beergut Brannigan, faced Harry Palin. Between rounds, as Harry refreshed himself with the usual water bottle, Brannigan's second had a bottle of Guinness waiting for him.
I was very green of course and when I was discussing the bout concerning Rose, Wilson and The Borgs, one of the Borgs asked me, "Do you want us to work a gee?" I looked blank and asked what they meant. Both Borgs were horrified and walked off, refusing to speak to me for the rest of the show, and, indeed, did not work together for me again.
It was some years later that Tony agreed to work for me once again after I'd got a few more years' promotorial experience under my belt and Ignatious had quit the business. The main selling point for The Borgs was that they were identical twins so when one twin went solo the selling point lost some of its impetus and Tony found he wasn't getting quite the same number of bookings so was prepared to return and work for a promoter who didn't even know what a gee was.