December 1982: While shopping at Books n Things, a popular area newsstand, at the Valley Mall in Hagerstown, I remember almost peeing myself in excitement that pro wrestling was coming to Hagerstown, with what I thought was a huge card at North Hagerstown High School...the first time the sport of kings hit my area since I became a fan just a little less than 3 years earlier.
The show poster, which I still have to this day, featured 3 big bouts: Jules Strongbow, the junior member of The Strongbow Brothers tag team, at the time reigning WWF Tag Team Champions, would face the capable Bob Bradley; Jules' brother, the legendary Chief Jay Strongbow, would be face the nefarious Mr. Saito of Japan; and in the Main Event, Superstar Billy Graham would take on "Polish Power" Ivan Putski.
My Mom, my Aunt, my brother Shawn & I went to the matches that night, and the scene somewhat startled me. Mind you, this wasn't my first live event- a family friend took my brother & I to the Capital Centre in Landover during the summer of 1981, a huge sellout card of which I also have vivid recollections. But this seemed different- I guess it didn't seem poosible that so many people from our local area were wrestling fans ( in elementary school, I talked wrestling with about 3 other kids, so thats were I gathered my frame of reference)
In addition to the aforementioned bouts, I believe there were at least 2 others, but only one that I recollect: Puerto Rico's Pedro Torres, of whom I had never seen nor heard, facing none other than Jeff Craney of New York, with whom I was quite familiar.
Jeff Craney didn't exactly exhude "pro wrestler"- he was kind of short & non descript, with a very frizzy perm & big cheesy moustache- he kind of looked like a cross between Weird Al Yankovic & The Pringles Guy. He also wore a two strap black singlet, which also didn't help enhance his appearance. Craney was a somewhat hapless preliminary wrestler, which is the nicest way possible for me to say he never won, or for that matter, ever even looked competitive. I recall a particular match where Craney wrestled Greg Valentine on tv, and his punches didnt appear to even faze Valentine, who quickly and brutally punished him for a quick 2 minute victory.
These types of beatings were commonplace for Craney- I had taken to actually feeling sorry for him every time he popped up on tv, which means I felt bad for him every saturday morning & afternoon for about a year. Week in, week out, Craney got beaten- badly, brutally, & usually quickly, by pretty much every "bad guy" star that came thru the Northeast from 1981-1983.
This bout started simply enough- the traditional collar & elbow locked up, a few clean breaks on the ropes, a fireamans carry or two, perhaps an armdrag or so....just seemed like another contest between "up and comers"- testing each other out to feel their way to an advantage point- "catch as catch wrestling", it was often called. Then, at about the 5 minute mark,Craney refused to break clean on the ropes & nailed Torres with a hard knee to the stomach....the crowd so its disapproval instantly.
On this night, my opinion of Jeff Craney changed- thru some sort of baptism by fire or other otherworldly event, the usually mundane & pathetic Jeff Craney became the biggest heel in the history of pro wrestling in Hagerstown, as, thru a combination of vicious tactics & screaming at the vocal hub city crowd, Craney became the evenings biggest star. He seemed to be enjoying this surprising turn of events, & with every dirty move he did, he shouted out his dominance of Torres, looking perhaps for approval, while those in attendence scolded him for his callousness towards his prone opponent.
I recollect Craney throwing Torres thru the ropes after a brief flurry of hope for the young Spanish star, then, against the referees instructions, followed him to the floor and gave him a bonecrushing bodyslam heard throughout the Hub gym. I was shocked at what I now felt: I thought Jeff Craney was the worlds biggest asshole! How did I ever pity this guy?? Too bad Valentine didn't break his leg with the figure four leglock, I was probably thinking.
Yet, in a moment that seemed to define that "good always beats evil", Torres nailed a small package on the gloating, over confident New Yorker to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat...as the Hagerstown crowd roared its approval. Craney did not leave with out protest, which fell on deaf ears to the referee, & didn't further endear him to the small town corwod of 1500 or so rabid wrestling fans.
I never felt bad for Jeff Craney ever again, and I did witness him get beat quite a few times after that cold winter night in Western Maryland....and as an aside, I met Pedro Torres during intermission, and he signed my program...the first wrestler autograph I ever got; and I never saw him again, on tv or otherwise.....
Any of you have a similiar story ? Chime in....love to hear about it
So until next time....
SSS
I rooted for Jeff Craney that night!
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