Count Bartelli was someone I could listen to for hours,the Count wasa FAN if the game he lived it and loved it ,IV stood at the back of many a hall watching bouts with Geoff he admire guide and advise if required by any new to the ranks worker.Some discussion of late has been how the comandment Thou shall protect the game was interpreted by individual wrestlers,Geoff's view was respect the fans they're you're paymasters.Now this love of the game was a two edged sword I think Geoff went on too long for his health,but the lure of the lights and roar of a crowd was a powerful addiction.I personally always felt sad when I saw someone go on too long and this was the case with Geoff his playing to the gallery before landing the chop was devalued as he got older because the lightning speed of announcement of move and delivery were lengthened making the whole thing look wrong,timing is all in Pro wrestling like comedy but old comedians don't lose it workers do and it becomes pantomime like parody.I would have never questioned Geoff why he carried on because I knew,but wished he retired whilst still top dog.He suffered the indignity of being told to lose to lesser men sometimes by straight falls Ibwitnessed several instances where I felt embarrassed where he virtually pleased for different outcome but always respected the profession.There was no edge to Geoff hence the title of the post,but there was always total commitment if a real nice guy,he endured seeing changes that he vehemently felt detrimental but just got on with it,how I wished I'd asked more questions.
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Hard not to love Ct Bartelli for his sheer enthusiasm and generosity.
Hard also to fathom why, as a millionaire, he would have wanted that punishng full book of bouts all around the country through the seventies and into his own seventies nearly.; he had travelled far less when younger. The lure of the limelight as Bkendo describes must have been irresistible. I mean, to travel to the south coast to lose to a lesser wrestler ...
It's a great shame that there was no opening as manager for the sixties greats. They missed a trick. They could have got involved in all sorts of ways. But the most they could hope for was to be an MC like Charlie Fisher and Martin Conroy.