Paul just used this expression to explain Pte Sponge's fascination with live wrestling shows. This gets me to wondering just what were the elements of a wrestling presentation that made it a good night out.
I'll start with the obvious and then add a few personal ones and hope some other old-timers will have features to add.
A good balanced bill.
Good poster with wrestler and bout descriptions.
Well set out hall with fixed seats.
Soberly dinner-jacketed MC.
Serious looking timekeeper with bell.
Seconds with some kind of uniform.
Usherettes to take you to your seat (before you slipped forward to the more expensive rows on your own...)
An MC who talked it all up, as if it was the most important sport in the world. (So Charlie Fisher or Harry Roth; definitely not Bobby Palmer.)
St John's Ambulance in attendance.
Fault-free PA.
Some kind of charity angle to the raffle.
I took the above for granted when I attended. Then, on occasional visits to other venues I'd see the differences and appreciate that nothing happened by chance and all the details had been thought out.
These details all made you think this just had to be a legit sport. Surely they couldn't all be in on the hoax?
Just looking at Anglo's list. Imagine the cost of that lot.
I had the first 3 items and St John's members.
You don't need ( or didn't) the rest for a good evenings entertainment.
I don't recall raffles at Wrytons Southport shows, late 60s early 70s.
Mike's photo went through the wringer there. 6d for that in 1965 was dear.
The photos placed alongside tonight's bill, as if they were relevant. Really poor work by whoever was responsible.
I should just make the link that, as well as the raffle, arranged by outsiders, there was always a lucky prgramme prize, according to the number of the programme you held. This increased programme sales. I don't see programme numbers on those Wryton programmes? Or is that Number 11?
Those Wryton photo programmes were around long before 1972 Anglo, we can't blame this on Max Crabtree. Advert on the back and list of Wryton venues with a generic photo on the front. Here's one from 1965
Bobby Palmer came across as a complete non-fan. He used to have to pull up his programme to read the names of wrestlers even as famous as Syd Cooper. He described nothing, told us nothing extra about the wrestlers, and never ever got into a fracas (Charlie F used to take his jacket off as if he wanted to brawl, great stuff.)
Other than that, Bobby Palmer was great....
The usherettes at the White Rock Pavilion were uniformed. But far too hawkish and officious. Highlight of the evening was when they went home after the start of the second bout.
Yes, Hack, I have seen some of those atrocious textless programmes - and they were dear. The whole standard went downhill from about 1972, as in so many aspects. Those programmes with the mix of fonts did my head in. In the sixties they had the weight class, the rounds, and the wrestlers' home towns etc. This was all essential to make the charade look real. Once the trimmings looked dodgy, it just made the wrestling look dodgy, too.
A very comprehensive list from Anglo Italian makes it a challenge to add any more.
Possibly too comprehensive. Usherettes? Blimey what sort of fancy place did Anglo Italian hang out? I've never seen an usherette at a wrestling show.
A few additions -
A well-written programme that provided information (this is wrestling, hence the italics). Those Wryton programmes with without text, four photos, and adverts were the poorest. Some independent shows didn't have a programme and this was a loss.
Minimum (if any) substitutions. These were very rare on Joint Promotion bills but on some independent shows could be as much as half the programme. This didn't necessarily make for a poorer show, but could be disappointing if a wrestler you particularly wanted to watch didn't appear.
An authorative referee, soberly attired.
I only came across raffles on Bobby Barron shows. They added nothing to the legitimacy of wrestling.
I think that what I wanted was an air of authenticity and at the time most promotions seemed to provide it. Anglo's list ticks all the right boxes but why the down on Bobby Palmer? I seem to remember him as a believable MC.