As a kid I was really into watching
professional wrestling, and as a kid, I thought it was real too. I bought into the whole act. Mom and Dad bought into the act too, literally, they bought me tickets to watch the local events. However, they spent probably the most on
wrestling merchandise. I had the
action figures,
soundtracks,
magazines, and we us to rent a butt load of wrestling videos on
Betamax tapes.
We (my brother, Timmy, me, and our friends) would watch pro-wrestling on t.v. and actually attend some wrestling events at
Rupp Arena.
WWF now known as WWE was very popular when I was a kid and is the largest wrestling promoter today.
Although we watched WWF, it was not the only pro-wrestling venue on the tube. We also had,
NWA,
AWA,
GLOW (girl on girl wrestling, I really liked GLOW.), and so many other great wrestling venues.
During one WWF event at Rupp Arena, that Mom and I attended together, would be an event to remember. Not only that, but what would follow would be an even more exciting adventure. That night in the 80's, I was at least ten years old; my mother was in her earlier career stage as a freelance photographer.
The venue had the WWF championship holder,
Hulk Hogan teaming up with
"Macho Man" Randy Savage along with his lovely manager and real life wife,
"Miss Elizabeth". Their opponents that evening was
André "the Giant and
"The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase along ring side with his body guard,"
Virgil".
Since I was unable to walk during this point in my life, a wheelchair was my only means for mobility and still is. Due to my wheelchair, I was required by state law to sit in the designated area for handicap sitting, basically a parking lane for my wheelchair. Unfortunately for me (not really) it's the nose bleed section. I was so high up in the arena, I had to use binoculars to see the event. Today they have big jumbo screens for the audience.
While I watched the event via binoculars, Mom would go down ring side armed with her camera snapping a few photos for me. As she was photographing, a press agent mistook her as another press agent, probably due to her professional camera. He asked Mom which press she was affiliated with, he, I believe worked for a local television network covering that nights big event.
Mom explained to him that she was only there snapping photos for me, her disabled son. I could see her pointing up at me through the binoculars. I never met this nice man nor did I ever know his name, but after he met my Mom, he gave her his backstage pass.
That night at Rupp Arena, I felt like Roald Dahl's character, Charlie Bucket in the children's book, "
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory." Because that night I had a golden ticket of my very own a backstage pass!!!!
Mother and I went up to security with the press pass and they escorted us backstage. As soon as we reached our destination, the biggest man I ever saw, literally, emerged,
André "the Giant with
Ted DiBiase and
Virgil.
They didn't take time that night to sign autographs but in all fairness, I once read that
André hated cameras and Mom's camera was huge. In the future we would use the backstage pass several more times and in that not so distant future, I did end up meeting
Ted DiBiase and
Virgil. However that's a different story for you to read.
Then another wrestler stepped out from the dressing room area. With his bald head completely covered in tattoos.I immediately recognized him as "
Bam Bam Biglow." He stopped and signed an autograph then posed for a picture with me. Bam Bam was truly awesome!
After Bam Bam left my luck kept improving. The positive mojo was flowing and I could feel it. I knew it was just my imagination, but I could have sworn, I heard the song,
Pomp and Circumstance starting up as the dressing room doors opened. That was always
"Macho Man" Randy Savage's entrance music as he walked out to the ring with
Miss Elizabeth.
However, this time there wasn't music, or a wrestling ring. However, there standing in front of me was
"Macho Man" Randy Savage and
Miss Elizabeth. It was such a thrill and like
Bam Bam Biglow, they stopped and signed autographs then Mom took our picture.
Miss Elizabeth seemed to such a quiet and shy person. She was strikingly beautiful and I would even say elegant in her coat. She appeared to be every bit a lady.
I always wanted to meet the Champ. I had his toys , posters, and magazines. I watched all his movies and title fights. Then as we were about to leave, walked out a 6 foot 7 inch, 302 lb of pure steroidal filled muscle; it was really him, it was the WWF World Heavyweight Champion,
Hulk Hogan!!!
He was huge, bigger than life and standing over me. With his real deep voice he talked to me, a little kid from Lexington, Kentucky, a true Hulkamaniac, talking to the Hulkster-WOW!!! Like the others, Hulk posed for a picture and signed an autograph.Then he left in his limousine.
With time a few of those wonderful wrestling stars would be no more. The ones that I met that night and saw up close,
Bam Bam Biglow,
Miss Elizabeth, and
André "the Giant ended up leading such tragic lives. They will always be missed but never forgotten, ecspecially by me.
The backstage pass aka "my golden ticket" eventually lost its magic to get me backstage. However, we did use it twice after that wonderful night but those are two different stories.
Just like the pass, for me, wrestling and Hulk Hogan had lost their appeal and magic. I hope there is a small kid out there that finds that magic and if you are that kid, have fun.
Bam Bam Biglow & I
Macho Man" Randy Savage,
Miss Elizabeth,& I. Also, above is a picture of
Hulk Hogan and I.
