Jump to content

Windy City Pro Wrestling: Difference between revisions

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
m janaury - january
Line 3: Line 3:
|image=
|image=
|acronym=WCPW
|acronym=WCPW
|established=Janaury 30, 1988
|established=January 30, 1988
|style=[[List of professional wrestling styles#American Wrestling|American Wrestling]]
|style=[[List of professional wrestling styles#American Wrestling|American Wrestling]]
|location=[[Chicago, Illinois]] (1988-current)<br>[[Hammond, Indiana]] (1996-current)
|location=[[Chicago, Illinois]] (1988-current)<br>[[Hammond, Indiana]] (1996-current)

Revision as of 11:41, 19 November 2007

Windy City Pro Wrestling
AcronymWCPW
FoundedJanuary 30, 1988
StyleAmerican Wrestling
HeadquartersChicago, Illinois (1988-current)
Hammond, Indiana (1996-current)
Founder(s)Sam DeCero
Owner(s)Sam DeCero (1988-current)
ParentWindy City Promotions, Inc.
SisterUrban American Professional Wrestling
FormerlyWindy City Wrestling
WebsiteWindyCityProWrestling.com

Windy City Pro Wrestling is an American regional professional wrestling promotion based in Chicago, Illinois. Established by retired wrestler Sam DeCero in 1988, the promotion was one of several major regional territories in the Midwest during the late 1980s along with Dick the Bruiser's World Wrestling Association and is one of the oldest independent organizations in operation.

History

After retiring from professional wrestling due to a back injury, Sam DeCero purchased a 95th street garage in Chicago's South Side and began training local wrestlers advertising as far as Hammond, Indiana. With Mike Gratchner, a former promoter and wrestling photographer, DeCero decided to establish his own promotion. Within a year, he had managed to secure investors including relatives, friends and co-workers and held the promotions first event at a South Side nightspot featuring Steve Regal against Paul Christy in the main event on January 30, 1988. The event, which was attended by 160 people, was successful and soon the promotion began holding events in similar venues offering to hold cards ranging from $3,500 to $9,500.

DeCero soon began running televised wrestling events with then 22-year old Paul Heyman [1] (who was also working for Southeastern promotions Southern Championship Wrestling and the Continental Wrestling Federation) [2] at DaVinci Manor and the International Amphitheater [3] which later aired on WMBD-TV. During the summer, the promotion saw serious losses due to poor attendance, including loosing $10,000 at a show in Rockford, Illinois and between $12,000-13,000 at the International Amphitheater. In September, despite drawing a large crowd at a card featuring Terry "Bam Bam" Gordy and Bam Bam Bigalow in the main event, the promotion still lost money. [4]

Eventually recovering after additional funding by his investors, within four years, the promotion operated two training facilities and had a weekly half hour television show airing on SportsChannel. They also participated in several fundraisers for charity organizations including Toys for Tots, Muscular Dystrophy, Maryville City for Youth and the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless. [5] [6]

During the late 1980s, the promotion featured many popular wrestlers of the era including Dick Murdoch, Shigeri Akabane, Dennis Condrey, [7] Steve Regal [8] and George Ringo, who acted as honorary commissioner. Prior to his death in Puerto Rico, Bruiser Brody had been scheduled to face Nord the Barbarian at the International Amphitheater in Chicago, Illinois on August 12, 1988. [9] Other mainstays included "Mean" Mike Anthony, [10] Trevor Blanchard, [11] Rockin' Randy [12], Tony Montana [13] and The Power Twins (Larry & David Sontag).

Although going into a slump during the early 1990s, its annual Battle of the Belts supercard was aired on SportsChannel on May 22, 1993 [14] and, two years later, presented Sailor Art Thomas a "Lifetime Service to Sport Award" on May 16, 1995. [15] The promotion also began holding events in smaller venues outside the Chicago-area such the Hammond Civic Center in Hammond, Indiana and Hempstead High School in Dubuque, Iowa in February 1996. [16] In September, the promotion became involved in a nine-month legal dispute with Ted Turner's World Championship Wrestling regarding trademark infringement over use of the WCW acronym. The matter was settled out of court and, in late 1997 the promotion was renamed Windy City Pro Wrestling. [17]

The promotion managed to survive during the decade and, due in part to its wrestling school and televised events in the Chicago-area, several light heavyweight wrestlers such as Ace Steel, [18] Sosay, [19] Kevin Quinn [20] and Christopher Daniels [21] emerged from the promotion during the late 1990s and early 2000s. During the last several years, independent wrestlers such as Colt Cabana, Abyss and Austin Aries among others have made appearances in the promotion as have WWF veterans King Kong Bundy, Greg "The Hammer" Valentine [22] and Jerry "The King" Lawler.

In August 1999, the promotion began broadcasting live events via the internet through the website LiveOnTheNet.com as part of its Sunday afternoon sports lineup featuring Mike Anthony, Sgt. Storm, The Outfit, Lips Manson and Greg "The Hammer" Valentine. [23]

The promotion remained popular with Chicago wrestling fans favoring its "old school" wrestling approach unlike "sports entertainment" based promotions such as the World Wrestling Federation [24] and began competing with rival promotions such as All American Wrestling, Independent Wrestling Association Midsouth and AWA Slam. [25] Working with its affiliate organization Urban American Professional Wrestling in Chicago's inner-city areas in recent years, [26] [27] its South Side wrestling school was featured on Insomniac with Dave Attell in 2002. [28]

In 2004, with over 1,000 in attendance at Morton College in Cicero for their supercard Battle of the Belts 16 grossing over $15,000, the following year Battle of the Belts 17 was held at the Hammond Civic Center on May 17, 2005; shortly before signing with World Wrestling Entertainment, Rob Van Dam had previously headlined a WCPW event at the building on May 26, 2001 attended by 2,000 fans. [29] [30]

Roster

see List of Windy City Pro Wrestling alumni

Championships

References

  1. ^ "Paul E. is managing to live Dangerously". Chicago Sun-Times. 08 Apr 1988
  2. ^ Loverro, Thom. The Rise & Fall of ECW: Extreme Championship Wrestling. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2006. (pg. 17-18) ISBN 1-4165-1058-3
  3. ^ "Live bouts return to Amphitheater". Chicago Sun-Times. 29 Apr 1988
  4. ^ "Still Learning The Ropes: Wrestling Promoter Pins Hope on School, Local TV pact". Crains Chicago Business. 11 Dec 1989
  5. ^ "Amphitheater bouts to aid homeless". Chicago Sun-Times. 17 May 1991
  6. ^ Benaka, Lee (2005-07-25). "The Lee Banaka Interviews: Sam DeCero". DeathValleyDriver.com. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |month= and |coauthors= (help)
  7. ^ "`Lover Boy' Condrey revs up for slugfest at Amphitheatre". Chicago Sun-Times. 12 Aug 1988
  8. ^ "Windy City champion Regal is ready to `electrify' Cicero". Chicago Sun-Times. 10 Feb 1989
  9. ^ Grahnke, Lon (1988). "Frank "King Kong" Brody dies, outlaw wrestler". The Unofficial Bruiser Brody Memorial Page. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  10. ^ Meltzer, Dave (2006-10-19). "Wrestling Observer Headlines, 10/19/06". Wrestling Observer. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |month= and |coauthors= (help)
  11. ^ Banaka, Lee (2005-07-25). "The Lee Benaka Interviews: Trevor Blanchard". DeathValleyDriver.com. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |month= and |coauthors= (help)
  12. ^ "Rockin' Randy: "From Ethiopia to Edgerton, I'll beat any wrestler out there!"". WrestleRevue.com. 2001. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  13. ^ Pearlman, Cindy (2004-11-21). "Former pro wrestler prefers Hollywood ring". Chicago Sun-Times. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |month= and |coauthors= (help)
  14. ^ "Raquel Copies Liz in Krantz's 'Torch' Affair". Chicago Sun-Times. 22 May 1993
  15. ^ "'The Sailor' To Be Honored". Wisconsin State Journal. 20 Apr 1995
  16. ^ "Razzle dazzle". Telegraph Herald. 25 Feb 1996
  17. ^ Fifer, Samuel. "Media/Intellectual Property Case Summeries" (.doc). Sfifer.com. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |month= and |coauthors= (help)
  18. ^ Young, Doc (2007-01-30). "Ace Steel & Kevin Kleinrock Interviews: Steel on Trump, Kleinrock/WSX". WrestleView.com. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |month= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  19. ^ "Sosay: Character Evolution". OfficialSosay.com. 2007. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  20. ^ "Interview with Kevin Quinn". PuroresuFan.com. 2004. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  21. ^ Milner, John M. (2005-09-05). "SLAM! Wrestling Bios: Christopher Daniels". SLAM! Sports. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |month= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  22. ^ Gallagher, Jon (2006-03-23). "Wrestling at the Knox County Fair". The Zephyr. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |month= and |coauthors= (help)
  23. ^ Windy City Pro Wrestling Events Hit The Web: LiveOnTheNet Provides Video Streaming of Today's Top Independent Wrestling". Business Wire. 17 Aug 1999
  24. ^ Keilman, John (2004-09-28). "Small local shows operate in the shadow of WWE but the low-rent version grips fans with a gritty, hold over style" (.doc). Chicago Tribune. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |month= and |coauthors= (help)
  25. ^ Seay, Jenny (2005-10-11). "Lords of the Ring: The fellowship of foes on the indy wrestling circuit". NewCityChicago.com. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |month= and |coauthors= (help)
  26. ^ Douglass, Ian C. (2005-05-25). "Urban league lets wrestlers live dream, increase income". Medill School of Journalism. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |month= and |coauthors= (help)
  27. ^ Lou, Melissa (2006-03-23). "So You Want To Be A Pro Wrestler?". Extra News. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |month= and |coauthors= (help)
  28. ^ "Dave Attell's 'Insomniac' won't keep anyone awake". Chicago Daily Herald. 05 Dec 2002
  29. ^ Williams, Scott (2001-06-01). "Wrestling: An interview with Rob Van Dam (Part Two)". Buzzle.com. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |month= and |coauthors= (help)
  30. ^ Douglass, Ian C. (2005-05-10). "Windy City Pro Wrestling books its biggest show". Medill School of Journalism. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |month= and |coauthors= (help)
  31. ^ a b c d e Royal Duncan & Gary Will (4th Edition 2000). Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Windy_City_Pro_Wrestling&oldid=172467986"