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| Question: What is the biggest fish you ever caught? Sandy in Naselle, Washington |
| "Well...let's see now, Sandy Nanney from Nasalle,
Washington: I'd say the biggest salmon was when I went fishing with former Klamath Falls
high school legendary football coach Lee Schroder and his wife, Kalao. Took me fishing off
the coast at Reedsport, Oregon, and I caught a 36-plus-pound king and Lee told me it was a
"dock walker"...so when we got into the moorege, I walked it up and down the
dock to show it off. That was my biggest, but the biggest chinook I have seen caught on
light tackle was by YOU, Mrs. Nanney. The day your husband Ron took us all fishing and we
were out there for about seven minutes and you hooked into a 31.5 lb. chinook and it drug
all three of us around in that aluminum 15-foot boat of Ron's for about 20 minutes until
you landed that hog. Wow! What a fisherwoman. Then you hooked into a bunch of others and
Ron and myself wanted to take you home and leave you, but we didn't. It was a great day
and great company and I thank you seven million times for the fun we shared that day. God's peace Dutch." |
| Question: Did you ever work with Mark Lewin? He and King Curtis always toured here together as faces, but I've heard some bad reports about Lewin's attitude away from the ring. Greg in Brisbane, Australia |
| "Hi Greg from Austrailia...Gd day. Yes, I worked with Mark
Lewin. King Curtis was my tag partner in Hawaii for over a year. Curtis was a real prince
of a guy, hard to find any like him in the business today except for Jimmy Snuka. Great
worker and spectacular mic man. Very funny man, too. Lewin, on the other hand, was a
different story...and you are correct about what you have heard about him. Very few people
in the business I was negative about, but he was one of them. Shot himself in the foot
with too many guys throughout his career. Enough said. I don't hold a grudge against him,
grudges are for extremely narrow-minded, very ignorant people. I answered your question as
honestly as I could without injuring anyone. I hope he has done well and I wish him well
if he is still with us. I haven't heard. God's peace, Dutch." |
| Question: Do you recall any matches where a wrestler refused to work with you or another wrestler? Any altercations where real tempers flared in the ring (or locker room) and a real fight broke out? Gregg in Salem, Oregon |
| "Hello Gregg from Salem. Although I'm very reluctant to
talk about your question, there have been moments when a wrestler has refused to work with
another wrestler. There was no prepared "script" plan as there is today in the
show business they call professional wrestling. During my time we didn't have any
scripts. Yes, there were altercations...but I always refused to be part of any. Those kind
of situations never solved anything between anyone and they were childish and purely
stupid as far as I was concerned. Altercations only gender strife and make enemies out of
people who could otherwise be friends...if they only used their heads. Thanks again, Dutch." |
| Question: I've noticed that quite a few wrestling rings look like they are at different ends of the construction spectrum. Some look quite heavy duty while others look pretty rickety. Where were some of the best wrestling rings located - do you have any stories about wrestling rings that you could share? Gary in Nanaimo, British Columbia |
| "Hello, Gary from Nananimo, Canada. Rings...well let's
see...the San Francisco ring was a bump artist's ring. It was like a spring board and if
they threw you out of the ring there it was twice as high as a regular four-foot-high ring
and the fans were only three feet from it on the floor. So, if you didn't know what you
were doing, you were wide open for a lawsuit for landing on one of them - even
accidentally. The other rings throughout the land were mainly steel rings until the mid
1960s and then they started switching to aluminum light weight. But there was one ring I
will never forget as long as I live. It was Sandor Kovac's ring in the PNE Gardens in
Vancouver B.C. That thing was so hard that it felt like there was solid concrete under it.
The dern thing would come UP to met you when you took a bump (it seemed). You took a body
slam or a back drop on that thing and the wax would shoot out your ears...nes-pa'. No
wonder all the guys that worked up there were so tough. Thanks, Dutch." |
| Question: Was just curious about which celebrities you got to meet? (They don't have to be fellow wrestlers.) Skip in Tacoma, Washington |
| "Hi Skip from Tacoma, Wa. Let's see, I knew the Mills
Brothers fairly well. Spent some time in Canada with them in several clubs they were
working. Flew a couple of times with Ringo Starr, he was a pompous jerk. My son Mark and I
met Rory Calhoun in a shopping center in Hawaii and Rory was a real wrestling fan. He said
hello to Mark,who was four at the time, and Mark kicked him in the shins. Met Don Ho and
Cooie Lee, who wrote all of Ho's songs for him. Hugh MaCelhenny of the San Francisco
49ers. I'll really have to tax my old brain on this one, maybe I'll come up with some
more. Oh yes...there was Jane Mansfield, but that's another story. Be patient with this
old man, there are quite a few others I just can't seem to recall. Thanks, Dutch." |
| Question: Hi Dutch! Thanks for many great memories of your matches at the Victoria Memorial Arena. Whenever you were on the card, there was always that added excitement in the air. As soon as we purchased our tickets and walked in the building you could tell there was a feeling in the audience that they were in for some extraordinary action that night. I recall you were involved in coal miner's matches with Seigfried Steinke and Randy "Sky Hi" Morse. Can you share your recollections as to how these guys were as workers? Gary in Nanaimo, British Columbia |
| "Hello Gary from Nanaimo, Canada. Yes, the old hockey
arena at Nanaimo brings back many good memories from the good-old years. Steinke was one
heck of a hand, not too many folks realized that in the business. He should have been a
main eventer anywhere he went. Promoters (most of them) didn't know how to use the big guy
to his best potential. Too bad he didn't stay in the Oregon-Washington territory longer; I
could have made a huge star out of him...but Owens didn't like him and he was the senior
partner. So what were we to do? Randy Morris was a comer back then, but for some reason
after he left here he just sort of disappeared. He was green as a rope, but I remember he
could have been a contender. Maybe someone out there knows where he is today. Thanks! God's peace, Dutch." |
| Question: I have two questions: Is the legendary Shag Thomas still with us? Also, is the old Portland Wrestling TV sponsor, Tom Peterson, still around? Your site is like you: awesome! Bob in Wisconsin |
| "Hey Bob from Wisconsin. I'm sorry to tell you but Shag
Thomas, bless him, passed on many years ago and is waiting the glorious return of our Lord
and Savior, Jesus Christ. He died of heart failure just weeks after we went fishing for
the last time, off of my of boat house on Vancouver Lake here in SW Washington. Tom
Peterson is still around and doing the same old stale commercials. Thank you for the nice comments about the site, Dutch." |
| Question: What NWA title holders did you face in your career and how did they differ in styles? Ken in Tacoma, Washington |
| "Hello Ken from Tacoma. Boy...are you trying to stretch my
old brain! Let's see: Buddy Rogers, Lou Thesz about 20 times not counting the tag matches,
Big Bill Miller, Killer Kowalski, Verne Gagne, Dick the Bruiser, Harley Race, Dr. X, Jack
Brisco, Dory Funk Sr., Dory Funk Jr., Terry Funk, Gene Kiniski about 30 times or so (lost
count), I think Fritz Von Erich (I wrestled him all over Texas). There are many more and
my memory is being taxed. Someone name some others and I will tell you if I worked with
them for the belt and where. Thanks Ken, Dutch." |
| Question: Dear Dutch, I love the site. Thanks for giving us Portland Wrestling fans something to visit. I was wondering what is the deal with wrestling in Portland? Why can't the WWE come here? Are the Kafory's still doing Portland wrestling? Is there any hope for regular shows? Randy in Roseburg, Oregon |
| "Hi Randy. Thank you for the nice note. WWE can't come in
here because of "drug testing" of the wrestlers. You'd better hope the people
you mentioned start promoting or that will be the end of regular shows. In the PNW and
some of the other promotions that are around, they are really killing the business because
they all try to imitate WWE and you can never duplicate the original. All someone will do
is make a horrible stab at it. That is what is killing the PNW wrestling Rather than start
something new and refreshing, it seems all they can do is try too look like the big guys.
You can't make a purse out of a sow's ear. But what does an old man like me know? It will
take a special brain to get it going again and I'm too disgusted with what I'm seeing them
do to try again. God's peace, Dutch. " |
| Question: Are you familiar with any guys who worked out in the maritimes (Nova Scotia) Canada? Do you know names like Leo Burke and the beast? Terry in U.S.A. |
| "Hello Terry. Yes, I remember the names Leo Burke and
"The Beast," although I never got to work with either of them. If memory serves
me well (and these days who knows) I slightly remember meeting Leo Burke in Tulsa,
Oklahoma, years ago. But I could be mistaken. Thanks for the note, Dutch." |
| Question: What are your thoughts or memories about working with Al Madril? I enjoyed his more high-flying style as a younger wrestler more than his comic heel style in later years, but usually found him to be entertaining. Brian in Eugene, Oregon |
| "Hi Brian, Al Madril came along just before I retired so I
really can't say too much about him...good, bad, or indifferent. I really didn't get to
know him that well. Sorry, wish I could be of more help. During my era, there wasn't any
comedy; we wouldn't stand for it. But times have changed. What can you do? Thanks, Dutch." |
| Question: Were you ever approached to come to Australia in the 1960s or 1970s? A lot of the guys that you mention on your site came here, such as the Von Steigers, Ripper Collins, Bull Ramos & Don Leo Jonathan. Greg in Brisbane, Australia |
| "Well now...goodday Greg and good on ya. Yes, I was
approached to go to Australia in the 1960s. Jim Barnett wanted me to come down there in
the worst way, but at the time it didn't fit into my plans. I was saving all I had to buy
into the old Portland-Seattle territory. The closest I got to Australia was Hawaii. I
really appreciate you letter and yes, the Australian territory -when Jim had it- was one
great place to work. I'm only sorry now I didn't go. God's peace, Dutch." |
| Question: I remember Bill Walton making a reference to being a wrestling fan and working out at the same gym as Jesse "The Body" Ventura when they were both Portland residents. Were there any other Trail Blazers that you knew of who were fans of Portland Wrestling back in the day? Rich in Troutdale, Oregon |
| "Hello Rich from Troutdale. Yes, Bill Walton was a great
wrestling fan during the 1970s, as well as one of my friends by the name of Rickie Lee. He
and Kermit Washington were on the list of speakers on my drug and alcohol preventative
medicine program I had called "North West Outreach". We placed the program in
hundreds of school throughout the nation. Perhaps some of the folks remember us coming
around to their schools during the 1980s with it. There were other Blazers who were great
fans also but their names elude me at present. Thanks Rich, Dutch." |
| Question: Of all the wrestlers you've worked with in the Pacific Northwest, which one comes to mind when talking about wasted potential? I know you're a class act who would never slander anyone so if you choose not to take my question I fully understand. Rich in Troutdale, Oregon |
| "Hello Rich from Troutdale. Lets see...wasted potential? I
take it you mean guys who had a big name somewhere else and couldn't make it here in the
Northwest, or someone who came in and wasn't used the way they should have been. I know a
couple that came in that Don and Elton hated and I really saw some real box office in
them. One was the little original fire throwing Sheik and I can't even remember his name
now and their are a few others. Thanks, Dutch." |
| Question: Whatever became of Ron Starr? Also, do you remember the town of Buckley? Ken in Spokane, Washington |
| "Hello Ken from Spokane. Thanks for the nice comments
about the web site; Tom Voigt will be pleased, he's our web master. Yes, I remember
Buckley, Wash. I defended my championship belt there on one occasion and ran several shows
there down through the years. Ron Starr? Yes, I remember Ron. Pretty fair hand for a guy his size. We did some business with he and Adrian Adonis while they were here. Have no idea what happened to Starr. Thanks, Dutch." |
| Question: Hi Dutch, how did the wrestlers hit each other with a folding chair to make it look so good? I heard a term that you hit the person "flat". Greg in Portland, Oregon |
| "Hey Greg from Portland. During my day you just picked up
the chair, folded or otherwise, and hit your opponent with it. That's as simple as it
gets. We never worried about if it were flat like they do today in the sham they call
professional wrestling. They even have mats on the floor so you won't hurt "ur widdel
pinkies" when they toss each others out of the ring. The ring is like a trampoline,
the harder a guy hits it the higher he bounces. Oh well, I guess I'm just toooooo old
school. Hope this answers the question to your satisfaction. God's peace, Dutch." |
| Question: Did you ever work the Toronto circuit for Tunney? Also, how was it to work for Tomko in the dying days of the Vancouver territory? Harry B in Victoria, British Columbia |
| "Hi Harry from Victoria, B.C. No, I never worked for
Tunney in Toronto or Stu Hart in Calgary. However, I worked in Montreal and other places
up there. Let's see now...how do I put it: How was it to work for Al Tomko as he slowly killed one of the best territories on the planet? I didn't want to go up there when he bought Gene, Sandor and Don out, but Don begged me to help him with the book. So for about five months we slowly got the territory going again. We finally got the houses up and a couple of sellouts at the garden and I'll be dipped if he didn't book himself with the champion up there and put himself over and take the belt. I wasn't there that week: no wonder he didn't want me up there on that Monday night card; he put the strap on his own waste. Don asked me to go back up there several weeks later, and I told him to forget about it. Incidentally, did you ever see Tomko work? 'Nuff said. Working for Tomko, how do I put this...was like kissing your favorite donkey. Yuk. He was a nice guy, don't get me wrong , but my granddaughter could out work him. Some of his ideas sounded like a Jerry Springer program. Thanks, Dutch." |
| Question: I am wondering if you have any pictures of you and Hard Boiled Haggerty together? As I have mentioned to you in previous posts, you and H. B. were an awesome tag team. George Schire in Minnesota |
| "Hello George, no, I don't have a single photo of HB
Haggerty and myself together. Sorry. If any of you fans do have photos of some of my
former tag-team partners, or just photos of your truly working in different parts of the
country, I would love to hear from you. And the site could surely use them! Thank you,
please let us hear from you. Thanks George from Minnesota, send me some walleye fillets." |
| Question: Dutch, I just found this site a couple of days ago and wanted to thank you and Tom Voigt for putting it up. My family has been watching Portland Wrestling since around 1970 when we moved up from Calif. Is there any way that Mr. Voigt might be able to do a "who's who" of the Portland guys and what they might be doing these days? Dann in Olympia, Washington |
| "Hello Dann from Olympia. Nice letter, and Tom and myself
thank you for the kudos. Tom may already be working on the idea you have suggested and
it's a good one -about finding out what the guys from the 1960s and 70s are doing today-
and how many of them are still with us. As for the guys of the 1980s and 90s (and now
2000s), we will just adjure to someone else to do that monumental task. Our main goal is to keep the 1960s and 1970s alive in the hearts of the fans throughout our beloved country. I think I can speak for our vaunted web master Tom Voigt when I say he has enough to do just to keep up this wonderful site in the fashion he has for the past year and a half. You will notice it is very moral and truthful, and no bad mouthing or innuendos are allowed. There are already too many folks that thrive on that sort of thing out there...but we will not be party. Satan's agents and imps can go elsewhere to sell their wares, not here. Again thanks for your nice letter, God's peace, Dutch." |
| Question: I grew up in Eugene, OR in the 1960s and 1970s and followed the Owens family promotions all over the Pacific Northwest. I have kept up on Russ and Bill Francis over the years, but am curious if you know the whereabouts of "Gentleman" Ed? Moose Cameron in Parts Unknown |
| "Hello Moose from Eugene, OR. No, I haven't any idea where
old Ed Francis is. He was a good friend of mine and we made a lot of money together in
Hawaii during the 1960s and early 1970s. He was one of the better promoters in the
business. I know he always had Hawaii "hot" and paid the wrestlers top dollar.
Made quite a few stars during his tenure in promoting. Maybe some of the other fans on the
site know where Big Ed is. I hope someone will tell us, they usually keep track of people
for us. Watch the site, someone is bound to find his whereabouts. Thanks for the inquiry, Regards, Dutch." |
| Question: Hello Dutch, this is the first time at your Web site and it gave me a memories of lots of wrestlers. I'd like to say thank for the greatest wrestling of all time. Do you still live out near Battleground Lake? George Lock in Warrenton, Oregon |
| "Hi George from Warrenton, OR. Yes, I still live up in the
Cascade foothills north of Battle Ground, WA. Thank you for the nice note, and I am glad
you're still a fan. Dutch" |
| Question: Hi Dutch, I really enjoy your site. I grew up watching All-Star Wrestling during the seventies when wrestling had real characters, not the "soap opera" McMahon stuff they have now. There was a wrestler on the Portland scene called the Sheik who used to "throw fire". Was it real fire, and how did he do this? Randy in Port Moody, British Columbia |
| "Hello Randy from Port Moody, B.C. Great letter and a good
question. Yes, we did have a guy here in the 1970s called the Sheik, (not to be confused
with the "Iron Sheik, he was here also). This little guy could light up the entire
arena. I think he used flash paper, but how he ignited it is beyond me. After you're in
the ring for 10 or 15 minutes you really sweat and how you would set something on fire is
a question for the guy himself. But he never missed! Yes, it was real and I used to get a
singed beard when he did it. Even burnt some of the hair off my chest. I used to kid him
about it, and I invented him and he became a great drawing card here in Washington. Don
Owen hated him and wouldn't use him in Oregon, but we made some real money with him while
he was here. He was a former referee and only about 5'7" tall and weighed only about
195 lbs. But he had that Sheik gimmick down pat. Everyone just came out to see what
magical feat he would perform just coming into the ring. He would appear out of nowhere,
if you remember. Ah, those were the days. God's peace, Dutch." |
| Question: Hi Dutch, love the site. Unfortunately I am too young to have attended any Portland Wrestling shows, but I have been a huge wrestling fan for years and love the good old days. I was curious if you guys ever ran shows in the Aberdeen-Grays Harbor area? Tom Kincaid in Aberdeen, Washington |
| "Hi Tom from Aberdeen, thanks for the very nice note. Yes,
we had many shows in Aberdeen and Grays Harbor. I'm sure if you look over the site you
will find some stories that some of us had to tell about those two towns and others. Sure
glad you young folk remember us with such fond memories. Without us and others before us,
there wouldn't be any WWE and the like Too bad this younger generation of "pros"
turned the business into "show business". And the language they use today shows
you the thoughts of their minds, for "out of the mind speaks the abundance of the
heart". Regards, Dutch." |
| Question: Hi Dutch, one of my biggest dreams is to be a female wrestler, and I was wondering: how do I start? Bambi in Lyle, Washington |
| "Hello Bambi from Lyle, WA. How's the fishing up there?
And when are you going to take me to get some walleye and largemouth bass? So you're
dreaming of being a lady wrestler. My best advice is for you to contact Sandy Barr in
Portland. He has a Web site linked to this one, so e-mail him and ask if he is still
running his school. He probably is, and maybe he could get you started. When you get in
touch with him tell him I sent you. I hope you will accomplish your dream, and I hope it's
really what you want. Me, on the other hand, if I were to have a chance to relive my
youth, I wouldn't even pick up a ping pong racket as far as competitive sports go and/or
pro wrestling. I would be a pastor or a computer techie and have a sound body and heart.
But what do I know? Only have 19 compression fractures in my joints, too many concussions
to count, broken hands, knees, ankles, scars from head to toe and lost track of all the
stitches it has taken to sew this carcass up. But then again, what do I know? Thanks for
the letter. Regards, Dutch." |
| Question: Being a wrestler and matchmaker here in the Northwest, what do you feel were some of the top feuds in the territory during your tenure? Ken in Tacoma, Washington |
| "Hello Ken from Tacoma, WA. Great question! I would answer
this question, but I would have to include myself and several partners and it would sound
like I was putting myself forward and others aside. I know how earthly minds think and how
pride and selfishness abounds in the hearts of most people on this planet today. So my
young friend, rather that answer your question about some of the great feuds and make it
sound as though I were building myself up and others down, me thinks I'll let the fans
answer your rather unique question. If the fans include my name in the great feuds of the
1960 and 1970s, so be it. There were too many that I was involved in for me to remember.
The fans have better memories that do I. So then, if you will excuse this humble
instrument of the Lord, I'll let the fans tell you about the great feuds. I will, however,
state that the number one feud that I had was the four-year go-around with Bull Ramos that
garnered national and international attention. Bull was one of the greats of that era. I
had too many partners and too many championships to be a judge of what was great and what
wasn't. Thanks Ken, God's peace, Dutch." |
| Question: A long time fan. My grandpa and dad would attend the shows at the Portland Armory. Do you have a favorite match from the armory days? What year did Portland Wrestling move to the Portland Sports Arena? Jerry in Oregon City, Oregon |
| "Hi Jerry from Oregon City. I remember working with Pepper
Martin back in the middle 1960s; one heck of a hand, great babyface at that time and he
made Owens a lot of money during his tenure. I think they moved into the Sports Arena
along about 1969-70. We came down out of Canada to work some of the big shows in Portland
at that time. Boy, that seems like another lifetime, but thank you for remembering Jerry. Regards, Dutch." |
| Question: One of my all-time favorites was Lonnie Mayne. What was he like out of the ring, and how far do you think he would have gone if he hadn't died? Jeff in Lynnwood, Washington |
| "Hi Jeff, Lonnie Mayne was one of the better workers to
ever come out of the Northwest. He was my partner for a couple of years after I turned
face. We made an awful lot of money working against one another before he left for Hawaii.
When he came back from the Pacific, he sort of lost his heat here and was never the same
in this area after that. He went to San Francisco and L.A. and did really well against the
Medics (and others), but after that the booze and other things caught up with him. Who
knows, maybe he would still be in the business if he hadn't been killed in that car
accident. Who is to say how far he would have gone, only The "Ya" of Israel
(God) has that answer! Thanks for the inquiry...my bet would be he would be on top
anywhere he went, he was that good. God's peace, Dutch." |
| Question: Man was I excited to find your website! More years ago than either of us want to think about, my brother, cousins, and me used watch all the greats on Portland Wrestling every Saturday night. As soon as the show was over we would run in the bedroom, jerk all the mattresses off the beds, and throw them on the floor for a little pro wrestling action of our own. I was ALWAYS Tough Tony Borne. There is a wrestling promotion called the WPW; World Professional Wrestling, that some of the older vets and a number of newcomers are working for that is trying to "take-back" professional wrestling. They have been doing shows in the states and in Europe and Asia. Their stated mission is to stay away from the sleaze, and produce genuine professional wrestling shows. Greg Valentine is working for them, and I think I read that Jimmy Snuka is with them as well as Jake Roberts. They also have their own school, so they have a nice mix of familiar faces and new talent. Do you know anything about them? Bob in St Helens, Oregon |
| "Hello Bob in St. Helens, put the mattresses back on the
bed; those good old days are gone forever...and that's tooooo bad. I know Billy White Wolf
is promoting the old fashioned way and is having success. No immoral nonsense: your kids
can enjoy his promotion. Maybe he'll swing up this way one day and I'll get to see him
again, too. Haven't heard from Snuka in quite a while, but then again he never did write or call anyone for that matter. I wish Snuka and his son much success in their promotion down in Las Vegas, maybe someone on here has his phone # or the name of his promotion. Nice to hear from you Bob, Dutch." |
| Question: Question for Dutch: Wow, what a site! I actually got tears in my eyes listening to Lonnie Mayne. Been on this site for hours and can't get enough. Now here are my questions. I couldn't find any pictures of Tough Tony on the site. Do you have any? His son Matt showed real promise as a wrestler at one time. Bob in Oregon |
| "Hello Bob in Oregon, don't know where Matt is. Tony has a
real estate business in Gladstone, last I heard. Thanks for the note Bob, Dutch." |
| Question: I know Lord Jonathon Boyd was one of the Kangaroos, but for the life of me I can't remember who his partner was! Tim in Longview, Washington |
| "Hi Tim, Lord Jonathan Boyd's partner was Lord Nelson
Charles. He is retired for some time now and is a sheriff in Florida. I talked with him
last year. Said he's doing well and wished me well. Thanks, Dutch." |
| Question: Is there a reason why you didn't decide to work in the WWWF or the Mid-Atlantic area? You would have been "The Man" anywhere you went. A Bruno Sammartino-Dutch Savage feud would have been awesome. Rich in Troutdale, Oregon |
| "Hi Rich from Troutdale, thanks for the nice note. I
didn't work for McMahon (Vince Sr.) in NYC because I didn't like the way he did business.
That's my own opinion. I didn't work for Jim Crockett in N.C. because I couldn't stand Jim
Barnett at that time...for obvious reasons. Bruno was my tag partner in Japan on one tour
and wanted me to come to Pittsburgh for him after we finished the tour, but I got a better
offer elsewhere. Other than those two territories I think I hit just about everyone that
was operating in the nation at that time. God's peace, Dutch." |
| Question: Can I ask you a personal question? Is it wrong to pray for yourself, for strength and guidance from God after you have prayed for others, whether it be friends, family or your enemies? Is there any particular prayer that you turn to in times of trouble? Mark in Fort St John, British Columbia |
| "Hello Mark from St. Johns, B.C....boy it's been a long
time since I heard St. Johns mentioned; seems like another lifetime. Let me ask you a
question my young friend: have you ever read the life of King David, and the Psalms? This
should answer your questions perfectly. You don't need me to answer your questions, the
Scriptures have answers for any and all of your questions. After all, didn't God Himself
say " what more can I say unto you than I have already said ". The answers to
life are in the written Word. Problem is that not too many people want to live by the
words of life and they sometimes don't like the answers that God gives them in His Holy
Word. You pray for yourself and others in the name of Jesus Christ - nothing wavering -
and it shall be given unto you except you pray a miss. If you use canned prayers how can
the Holy Spirit mix His words with yours as the angels carry them to God's throne through
Jesus? I never turn to a particular prayer. God doesn't want canned prayers but messages
from your heart. Who has your heart? God's peace, Dutch. " |
| Question: I remember when Jesse Ventura arrived on the Pacific Northwest Wrestling scene early in his career in 1975 and Bull Ramos took him under his wing. Bull Ramos wouldn't let him say anything during their television interviews. What was Jesse Ventura like behind the scenes and in the lockeroom? Did he talk about politics? Did you or anyone else have an idea he might run for office someday? Kevin in Eugene, Oregon |
| "Hello Kevin from Eugene, to make a long story short it
was my idea to team up Ventura with Ramos simply because he was as green as a new catgut
rope. He really didn't know what - or when - to say the right thing in order to start
folks listening on the mic. I let him do some talking on the Seattle portion of the TV
show and little by little we let him talk on the Portland show. And that is how he learned
to give great interviews and how to have great timing in the ring. He learned right here
in the Northwest, which he hardly ever mentions at all. His first and second go round in
the towns were with me to get him over. A real nice young man, quiet in the dressing room,
never talked about politics back then because it was the furthest thing from his mind at
that time. I think he got the idea in New York about running for Mayor in Minnesota. No,
we had no idea at that time that Jesse would run for anything. I hope he runs for
president one day, as he is a real person and not a politician and they can't stand him
for that. He's honest and is a people cantidate, not a money man or liar. I wish him and
you well. Thanks, Dutch" |
| Question: First let me thank you for providing many of my great childhood memories. As a child my dad used to always cheer Luke Brown as the referee whenever he was announced and Luke always gave him a smile when he did. He still talks about that to this day. One of my favorite heels was "Dr. D" David Schultz. Also Precious Paul Ellering was in the NW briefly and was as muscle-bound as anyone I've ever seen in the NW. Any thoughts on either ? Also, do you remember an Everett show in the late 1970s where Ed Wiskoski supposedly pulled a gun in the dressing room area on someone? Scott in Marysville, Washington |
| "Hi Scott form Marysville, hope you are enjoying the summer. Thanks for the nice remarks about Luke, he's resting now awaiting the return of our Lord and Master, Jesus the Christ. Glad your dad enjoyed the matches. I remember Dave Schultz, boy was he a piece of work. Ellering, I don't remember him. Tell your friend he has been telling that lie about Wiskoski so long , he's beginning to believe it himself! Wiskoski never carried a gun let alone pulled it on someone. When you are 6'5" and 270 lbs, you don't need a gun. Besides, who'd be fool enough to mess with Col.. DeBeers???" |
| Question: What were your impressions of the original "Rock", Rocky Johnson? Skip in Tacoma, Washington |
| "Hello Skip in Tacoma! First of all he is a real
gentleman, secondly a good friend. We attended church together while he was here in
Portland just before he went back east. Fantastic worker, ring general, strong as an ox,
and never pushed his weight around with anyone. However, should you push the button of
"no return" you had better find somewhere to hide for a couple of weeks, or
better yet move on, if you valued your head and body...if you catch my drift. Rock is the
father of some real special children and he will always be a beautiful individual in my
heart. Does this answer your Q? God's peace, Dutch." |
| Question: What a treat to find your Web site and to find you are doing well. Thought your fans would find this interesting: Do you remember being in a battle royal here in Winnipeg at the old Auditorium from the All Star Wrestling days in the mid to late 1960s? First you were knocked out of the ring illegally and one of the old lady fans was hitting you with her purse. You clapped your hands in front of her face repeatedly, causing her to back up and fall into the lap of the poor guy sitting beside her. Hilarious. Again you were knocked illegally, but this time, ended up a few rows back in the aisle. A fellow wheeled you a round and slammed you with a fist in the face. You just stood there and shook it off. You wound up and punched the guy in the jaw, and knocked him three rows back. They took him away unconscious. The bizarre thing was, at the bus stop on the way home this fellow asked if we saw his buddy get hammered by Savage.This fellow had been a boxing champion in the navy! Fond memories of yourself, Hennig, Race, Haystack, Gilbert, Jonathon (who I remember getting a dart in the back when he was leaving the ring.) Bob in Winnipeg, Canada |
| "Hello Bob from Winnipeg, yes, now that you have jogged my
memory, I do remember that incident...but it seems like a 100 years ago. I do remember the
old lady but I don't remember cold cocking that poor fan. Funny what the fans remember and
what we forget. I do remember how Winnipeg was the hotbed of pro wrestling in Canada
during the early and late 1960s. Plus the fact that it is so cold there in the winter time
the Eskimos move to the Artic for a warmer climate. Don Leo is still with us and he lives
in Langley, B.C. He's one of my all time friends, great man and even a greater human
being. I see you remember the dart incident. Do you also remember the biggest riot in
Manitoba's history for an indoor event when Hardboiled Haggerty and I (plus Don Leo and
his partner) got started during our match and it took two hours to settle it down by the
Mounties. Chairs were ripped up out of the floor and thrown down from the balconies, we
were under the ring and Leo was busting folks up that came close. But that's another
story. Thanks for the kind note, have a good year!" |
| Question: Dutch, what's the story behind your infamous knee pad? Jeff in Lynnwood, Washington |
| "Hi Jeff from Lynnwood, Wa. You're right, I did wear a
knee pad, and one night Elton Owen said to try something new. He told me to pull up my
knee pad and knee the guy and finish him off that way. I did, and we almost had a riot in
Eugene. I had trouble getting back to the dressing room that evening. From that point
forward I used the knee pad and I'll never tell if it was loaded or not...so there! When
they turned me face, I wore two knee pads but never used them. Wonder why you were the
only one to notice? Thanks Jeff. God's peace, Dutch." |
| Question: The subject of Portland Wrestling came up in the office the other day, and since you were always my favorite I thought I'd search the Web for you...and here you are! Great Site! OK: who was "The Claw" and did you ever get his mask off? Steve in Portland, Oregon |
| "Hi Steve from Portland, thanks you for the nice note
about the site but the webmaster, Tom Voigt, deserves all the credit. The Claw was one of the better hands in the business (his name is Tom Andrews) and is alive and well today...I hope. He was also one-half of the great Medics tag team of the late 1960s and early 1970s. They were really the hot team when they were in San Francisco. Tom is an ace of a guy, I don't know where he is today but I sure would like to hear from him. The Claw was never unmasked in Portland that I can remember. Again, thanks for being a fan all these years. Dutch." |
| Question: If you were to rank the best wrestlers from the Pacific Northwest during your era on a one-through-ten scale, how would it go? Your web site is fantastic. I'll be back again and again. Rich in Troutdale, Oregon |
| "Boy oh boy, Rich from Troutdale, Or., that's a tough one.
I only go on the men who were real box-office material, not the ones who jumped in on
someone else's coat tails - and there were alot of those guys, believe me. Now this is
only my era, so I don't want to hurt the feelings of anyone who THINKS they were part of
my era. At the risk of offending anyone here are my picks, and I'm sure everyone has their favorites also, but since you asked for my opinion of the 1960s and 1970s, here we go. (Now remember, I worked in the British Columbia territory for five years, and also San Francisco, and these are the guys I made lots of money with. #1...Apache Bull Ramos #2...Lonnie Mayne #3...Jimmy Snuka #4...Gene Kiniski #5...Don Leo Jonathan #6...Stan Stasiak #7...Bulldog Bob Brown #8...Roddy Piper #9...Playboy Buddy Rose #10...Rip "The Crippler" Oliver You may disagree with this list, but if you were to take any one of these guys and work a program with them, you would fill any arena you went to. They are only listed as to the years they came into this area. Great workers everyone of them, and placing them, one to ten, doesn't do any of them justice. They were all phenomenal in their own right. Everyone of these men should be in the Hall of Fame. Hope this answers your inquiry. God's peace, Dutch." |
| Question: Hi Dutch! I love this Web site! I visit everyday. Do you know if there are some archives or vaults that KPTV-12 may have hidden away tapes of the "Good 'Ol Days"? The reason I ask is there is a group of gentlemen working on a "Wrestling Network" for cable TV and it would be great to see Portland Wrestling on there. Marv in Redmond, Oregon |
| "Hi Mark from Redmond, OR. I haven't the slightest idea
who has some 2" tapes of the "good old days". Don Owen never kept any of
them. I had some but lent them out and have never seen them again, doggone it.
Incidentally, if that "group of gentleman" who are working on a cable network
would like to use me as the west coast promoter out here, please have them give me a call.
(My numbers are on the site under our real estate information.) Glad you like the site, I
wouldn't mind getting Northwest wrestling going again...but it would take capital and the
right people to work with. I wouldn't have any trouble finding them, and it would be fun
again to see the arenas full of loyal fans. God's peace, Dutch." |
| Question: I hear that you are a born-again Christian, praise the Lord. Any church in particular you attend? Ray LaCombe in Alberta, Canada |
| "Hello Ray from Alberta. Praise God, you bet I am, and by
His grace I can hope to, one day, stop sinning and work out my own salvation with fear and
trembling. Have my own TV show down here in Portland Oregon and SW Washington Cable Access
TV. Show is called "Dutch's Corner" and it airs five times a week. By His grace
I teach Scripture - King James Version only - and God has blessed it as we are enjoying
quite a lot of viewers. Praise His holy name, God's peace, Dutch." |
| Question: I remember watching Portland wrestling with my grandfather and father starting in the mid 1960s. The big matches would be at the Coliseum. Did Haystacks Calhoun ever wrestle in Portland? If I remember right there used to be matches where one wrestler would take on a tag team by himself. Cliff Douglas in Juneau, Alaska |
| "Hey up thar in Juneau, Alaska. Hi Cliff! Yes, Haystacks
did wrestle here in Portland, Oregon, and in all my towns in Washington. He was also in
British Columbia. Don Jardine and I defended our Canadian Tag Titles against he and Rene
Goulet back in the late 1960s in the Seattle Coliseum. Broke the attendance record for the
Coliseum for an indoor event at that time. Curtis Iauikea and myself also worked with him
in Honolulu, Hawaii, in the early 1970s. His partner for that show was Pat Patterson. There were several matches in which Haystacks took on two men at a time, your correct in that memory. Andre used to do it also on many occasions. Hope everything is smooth and happy up there, God's peace, Dutch." |
| Question: Over the many years of watching Portland Wrestling, and reading/listening to interviews you've done, I seem to recall you saying one time that a lady wrestling fan had actually shot you in the backside at a match! Is this true? Can you elaborate? Joel in Canby, Oregon |
| "Hi Joel from Canby, Or. Well, Joel, that statement was
not true about being shot in the backside...but I have been punched, hit, stabbed and
numerous other things during my career. I think that statement was made by me during my
adventurous years before I came into the faith and I apologize for such a lie. It was for
publicity. I could have been shot "at" though as one time when a loud bang went
off in the old Little Rock Arena in Arkansas, and Danny Hodge and I both dove out and
under the ring in one match that I vaguely remember. Maybe they were shooting at Danny,
but it was probably a firecracker. Thanks for the inquiry, Dutch. " |
| Question: Have been sitting here online for the last 3 hours reliving old memories of which you are a huge part. Questions: How much do you think you could fetch for the old coal-miner's glove on Ebay? Do you still keep in touch with Jimmy Snuka, or any of the old gang? My biggest thrill was when my nephew and I happened to meet you and Snuka in a Pringle's electronics store in Everett, Wash. in 1976 or so, and my nephew Scott (then age 8, now 34) is still confused to this very day after spotting you and Bull Ramos eating dinner together an hour or so after beating each other half to death with steel chairs during the match. Anyway, I want you to know you are not forgotten. Thanks for the memories, Dutch. Dave in Marysville, Washington |
| "Hello Dave from Marysville, WA. Nice letter and thank
you. Very glad to have you aboard. About the coal-miner's glove, I lent that to my former
partner, Don Owen, for a show in Portland after I had retired and it was never returned to
me. One of the other wrestlers must have it today, I don't know who, but I really would
love to have it returned for my grandchildren (and soon to be great-grandchild) to see.
But sometimes people just don't seem to have that kind of goodness in their hearts. I haven't heard from Snuka in a cats age, however I understand he is promoting with his son down in the Las Vegas area. Whether that's true or not, I don't know. Just hearsay. At the risk of offending your nephew, Bull Ramos and I eating in a restaurant together is pure fiction. I never ate out with Bull, or for that matter any of the wrestlers...with the exception whoever was my partner at the time. Certainly not any of the "heels"! I would not call him a liar but will simply state a fact. I'm certainly glad you've not forgotten about me, but your nephew will probably never speak to me again for having busted his memory bubble! Some people have favorite stories they tell and after a while they begin to believe them... God's peace, Dutch." |
| Question: One night in the little town of Sedro-Woolley, Washington, back in 1976, a little kid in a wheelchair rode up to you and said hi. You were not wrestling that night but you were coaching the stars from the floor. The kid in the wheelchair was afraid you might be too busy to say anything. You not only said hi but you sat down and spoke to that kid. You made him feel pretty special that night. That kid was me. Thanks Dutch. Bryan in Springfield, Oregon |
| "Well now, a voice from the past. Hello Bryan from
Sedro-Woolley. How's the bravest young man I know these days? Very good to hear from you
after all these years. Makes an old man's heart sing with joy. Never, never in my life
have I turned away from any kid that was as polite as you were that evening. You were a
neat kid. Hope you've grown into a fine young man, which I have no doubt you have. On your
way to the top, Bryan, don't ever forget the folks who were with you through your hard
times. The Lord will bless your life if you do, and I know you have. You are made of
special "stuff". Again thank you very much for getting in touch, because it's
folks such as you that made it all worthwhile. Bless your heart. You friend in Christ Jesus, Dutch." |
| Question: Any chance of getting an update on your meeting with Rip Oliver, even though the pictures aren't available yet? James Herald in Portland, Oregon |
| "Hi James from Portland. I have contacted Ripper's family
about 6 different times now and I still have received nothing from them. Ripper is OK, he
has had some very heavy heart troubles, but through it all he has maintained a very happy
attitude. Still in very good condition physically, except for his heart. Will try again to
have them do something for the site. That will teach me to open my big mouth before I have
the stuff in my hot little hands. Sorry about this. I want to see him on the site as much
as the fans do. Have a good month, Dutch." |
| Question: I always enjoyed those guys who made occasional stops in the Northwest, but one of my favorites was Tex McKenzie. I was sorry to hear that he passed away not too long ago. Do you have any memories about working with Tex? Brian in Eugene, Oregon |
| "Hi Brian from Eugene. As far as Tex McKenzie is
concerned, it seemed like we were always passing one another during our careers, he was
leaving and I was coming in or visa versa, and we never did get to work together. I had
heard that he was one heck of a hand, and that most all the boys revered him, rest him. Thanks for the note Brian, sorry I couldn't be more informative. God's peace, Dutch." |
| Question: Did you wrestle out of Spokane at all? My dad use to take me to the matches at the Armery here in Walla Walla when I was a kid and I still enjoy the stories. Kathy Hassler in Walla Walla, Washington |
| "Hello Kathy from Spokane. Yes, we did wrestle in Spokane
during the early and late 1960s. However in the 1970s they raised the rent in the hockey
arena, so it was no longer feasible monetarily to run shows there. Also, we lost the
dentist that was sponsoring the show that was produced in Vancouver, B.C...so no more
Spokane. It was a good drawing town too at the time. Politics made it too much trouble to
continue doing shows there. That's another story I will not go into. Those folks who made
it so hard are probably gone by now. Thanks for the inquiry, Kathy. God's peace, Dutch." |
| Question: If you could have one last match, who would it be with...and why? Jeff in Lynnwood, Washington |
| "Hi Jeff from Lynnwood. Hands down, the big "Apache
Warrior" Mr. Bull Ramos. We just fit hand in glove. I knew his every move before he
made it and he mine. Knew how to work a crowd and if you made him and his stuff look good
you could cause a riot every night if you wished. Many the time I had to slow him down
because I knew the crowd was ready to explode and pandemonium would ensue. One of the
greatest heels in the country, bar none. Remember all the record-breaking crowds
everywhere we went? Enough said. God's peace, Dutch." |
| Question: Good to hear you are in good health but do wish you would put out a book. I did want to know what northwest cities you liked traveling to when you were with the promotion. Skip in Tacoma, Washington |
| "Hi Skip, thanks for the note. No, I'm not interested in a
book. Besides, who would read it? (And publishers think only about money, not
information.) Thanks anyway for the thought. As far as my travels around the Northwest, I
liked all the cities except Pendleton. The drive was boring and the folks just seemed cold
over there, but the rest of the Northwest (including B.C., Idaho and Montana) were just
great. Regards, Dutch." |
| Question: When you wrestled in Vancouver B.C. my wife and I used to go to the Gardens every monday night, and we always had a front row seat. Did you at one time have real heat with "Bulldog" Bob Brown? I remember one night when you were outside the ring you nailed him with a 5 gallon metal pail that contained some of the ring bolts. Boy did he bleed after that and we didn't see him blade himself. Peter in British Columbia |
| "Hello Peter from B.C. Canada. Yes, I did have some heat
with Bulldog at one time and probably for good reasons, which is water under the bridge,
and I never hold grudges these days. Gene Kiniski told me to make it look real good so I
potatoed Brown with the bucket and it cut the nonsense out of him. Good publicity, the
Vancouver sports writers even picked up on that one. Did you know that Brown and I still
hold the attendance record in Vancouver. It happened at the Coliseum the week we worked
the split and he became a heel and I the baby. Quite a crowd. I'm amazed that you people
remember that night. Oh well, I'm still here. Have a good summer. God's peace, Dutch." |
| Question: Dutch, how tall are you and in your opinion was Andre the Giant even close to 7'4"? Greg McCray in Virginia |
| "Hey Greg in Virginia, I am 6'4' and am shrinking in my
older years. My back is giving out and so are my hips and knees. Now, I wonder why??? I worked with Andre on several occasions and I swear he was taller than they billed him, and a lot heavier. During the matches he "grew on you", and unless you have worked with him you won't understand what I'm talking about. In any event, he was billed at 7'4". He gave me a back drop in the Cow Palace in Frisco one night during a 20-man battle royal, and I believe I had ice cycles on me when I came down. Ha! God's peace, Dutch." |
| Question: When you wrestled in Hawaii did you guys have a televised show? And if so do you know if someone has copies of the shows? (A guy who ran a fan club for Johnny Barrend kept me in touch with the great matches on the Islands.) Also, did you wrestle Billy White Wolf and what kind of worker was he ? Bob in Crown Point, Indiana |
| "Hello Bob in Indiana. Yes, we had a weekly televised show
from the Civic Center in downtown Honolulu, then later did a studio show at the television
station there. I forget which one it was. I know of nobody who has any copies of the old
two-inch tape shows. As far as Bily White Wolf goes, I really enjoyed working with that man. He was sooooo easy and a lot of fun, too. Did you know he was one of the all-time greats from Oklahoma State University? Anytime he wanted to he could beat you black and blue if he chose...but I never saw Billy lose his temper with anyone. His Indian gimmick was one of the best in the business and he should be in the Hall of Fame: he was that good. One heck of a nice guy and a friend. He and I had a riot at the pit in Schofield Barracks in Honolulu one night, had to fight our way to the dressing room. Great baby face and I hope I get to see him again. God's Peace, Dutch." |
| Question: What did you think of Jim Hady and Johnny Barend when you wrestled in Hawaii? Big Dean in Hawaii |
| "Hello Dean in Hawaii. Jim Hady was a prince of a man ,
very easy to get along with and one of the best all-around baby faces this business has
ever seen; and that says a lot about the man. It was his idea to put the International
Belt on me the first time we worked together at the old Civic Center. He told Ed Francis
that I was money in the bank, and that we could make boo-coo money together; which we did,
praise the Lord. I miss his kindness and he was a great asset to the business during his
time with us. Isn't it too bad that the great ones die young. Did you know he was also a
fullback for the Detroit Lions? Johnny Barand I never got to know too well, he was a real loner, but what I did know of him was in the ring...one heck of a worker and had one of the better gimmicks Hawaii has ever seen. He drew tons of money for Francis. That's about it Dean. Mahalo, Dutch." |
| Question: With the current state of wrestling, do you think Portland will ever again be the hotbed of independent wrestling? I attend wrestling school, but sometimes feel like the proverbial "hamster in the wheel". Hopeful in Oregon |
| "Hello Hopeful from Oregon, glad you like the site. As for
your question about Portland ever being a hotbed for pro wrestling in the future, your
guess is as good as mine. A fellow by the name of Anderson, (I think, please don't quote
me on his name) ruined the business because of over regulation and unconstitutional
policies not too long ago and the business has been shot in the foot, so to say, because
of what was demanded of promoters, who are trying to make the sport go once again on a
territory basis. Now they have rigid drug-testing policies for wrestlers before they can
get a license, boxers too. What about the NBA, Pro Football, Hockey, Tennis and the
like...how come they don't have to get licenses? And if pro wrestling is considered a sham
or entertainment, why do they need licenses? Can you spell prejudice? I can't say if it
will ever come back to the glory days of the 1960s and 70s. Hope this helps!" |
| Question: You had a feud with a masked wrestler called Dr. X in 1977. I was wondering who Dr. X was (in this case). I'm thinking Ray Steele but I'm not positive. Mark in Lynnwood |
| "Hey Mark, glad to hear from you again, been too long. My
e-mail addy is dsavage@pru-nw.com. The masked wrestler: one Dr.X was none other than my
younger, 6'7", 300 lb., baby brother...the great "Luke Brown", who was also
one half of the team called the Kentuckians of the late 1950s and 60s era. When he first
came in, folks knew him from his past "baby face" exploits as a Kentuckian, so
we needed an extra "heel" so he volunteered to go under the hood, as Dr. X, and
the rest is history. My brother is asleep in his lot now awaiting the return of our Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ. He IS resting in peace bless his heart. God's peace, Mark. Dutch" |
| Question: Did you ever wrestle Frank Stojack, who later became sheriff of Pierce County,WA? He was a light heavyweight and I saw him fight Gorgeous George and Baron Kurt Von Popenheim. Roy Polley in Tacoma, Washington |
| "No, Roy Polley from Tacoma, I didn't even get a chance to
meet Stojack, let alone wrestle him. However I did honor him by keeping the original
Heavyweight Championship belt disc that was on the original Pacific NW Championship Belt
(the disc with Stojack's name on it and the date he won it). I had it put on the belt that
Ramos and I fought for so many times that was the same belt that one of the boys threw off
the Fremont bridge later in the late1970s or early 80s. You would think they would have
had enough respect to keep the disc, wouldn't you, before they threw it over. Stojack won
the belt in the late 1930s and early 40s, I think. Georgeous George was before my time, so
was Von Poppenheim. George was a pretty fair hand, so I've heard, as well as Von
Poppenheim. Both were light heavyweights. Today they would be considered small pro
wrestlers, but during their era, they were two of the very best. Thanks Roy, Dutch." |
| Question: I would like to know what it was like working with Ripper Collins. (I love your Web site and check it out every chance I get.) Bill Fugnitti in New Jersey |
| "Hello Bill from New Joisey! Ripper Collins was one of the
better heels in the business, a great talker and when he wanted to he could get a riot
going in any town he was in. Generous to a T, he was quite a gay fellow. Ripper was gay,
when it was not fashionable to be gay, and he didn't care who knew it. He was a man's man
and I just really liked old Ripper. What a character. I can remember having to fight our
way out of the ring to the dressing room in Hawaii when we were partners in that territory
during the middle 1960s. We were the orginal "rat pack" before the rest of the
nation picked up on it. There was King Curtis, Professor Fuji, Ripper, Johnny Barrend and
myself, what a bunch of nuts. Had a lot of fun, made a lot of memories, and enjoyed the
heck out of Ed Francis and his angles. I hope Ripper will be remembered, he contributed a
lot to a business that has forgotten about him. I haven't. Thanks for the letter, Dutch." |
| Question: How many times did you wrestle for the World Heavyweight Title and what was the closest you came to winning it? Also, I remember when you feuded with Baron Von Krupp about 1973 or 1974 when, on a Portland Wrestling telecast one Saturday night, you and Von Krupp took your fight out to the parking lot. Kevin in Eugene, Oregon |
| "Hello Kevin from Eugene. I really can't say how many
times I wrestled for the World Heavywieght Title. Let's see, there was Thesz, Funks (both
of them), Brisco, Race, Kiniski, Flair, Sammartino, Blassie,Valentine, can't remember them
all, but it was not just a few times. Seemed all the territories I worked I eventually
ended up working with the champion at one time or another. Yes, Von Krupp and I did end up outside in the parking lot in the rain and the mud and the slop. I ran him into a car and he ran me into a tree, both of us went into a huge mud hole and then back into the arena. I forget the rest of it. Craziness. Boy, I can't remember some of the over 10,000 matches I had, but maybe one of the other folks can, better than I. God's peace, Dutch." |
| Question: How is your health these days? What kind of toll have your days in the ring cost you? Brian in Eugene, Oregon |
| "Hello again, Brian from Eugene. Well this is a first,
anyone asking how I am these days. My health, praise God and His Holy Name, is better than
can be expected for a man of my years. Pretty good actually. I thank God that He convinced
me to stop abusing the body He has given me and that started back in 1978, when I first
accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior. Since that time my health has picked up and the pain
of all the years in the ring has taken its toll. All the concussions and all the breaks,
strains, compression fractures, sutures, operations and the like have gone by the way
side. I consider my self very fortunate to be standing erect. Working in the ring cost me
an untold amount of personal hardships, what with my former lifestyle. But that's history
now, 25 years ago. I am living every day for the Lord now and he is blessing. Check out
our cable access TV show on channel 11 on Portland and Vancouver access. You might be
surprised to find "Dutch's Corner" there. Have a good month, Dutch." |
| Question: Do you happen to know how old Frank Bonnema was when he pasted away? Also PLEASE HURRY with the RIP OLIVER Photos. He still has loyal fans who want to see him and miss him. He was a TRUE LEGEND in the great Northwest. We wish him well. Grace in Portland, Oregon |
| "Hello Grace from Portland. I think Frank was about 50
when he passed away. Very tragic; he was a very special friend. As far as the Ripper
collection of pictures goes, we can only put them on when we receive them from him...and
as yet no photos. Sorry for the delay but it is not on our end. Thanks, Dutch." |
| Question: I was just wondering how often the NWA champion would come into an area, i.e. Pacific Northwest? Also, I know what your opinion of Lou Thesz was, but how about some of the other champs like Jack Brisco, the Funks, Harley Race and Gene Kiniski? Mark in Fort St John, British Columbia |
| "Hi Mark. Well, you can wonder no more. The NWA champ
would come into the territories I worked and promoted in usually about twice a year,
sometimes three, depending who we had that was hot enough to face him. You can check out
my opinion about my friend Lou Thez on the site in a special tribute we did on him. Jack
Brisco was probably one of the easier champs I ever had to work with. Incidentally, I had
one of the very first matches with Jack back in Muskogie, Oklahoma in the 1960s. He had a
crew cut and was as green as a rope, but even then you could tell he was going to be one
great worker. Worked with Dory Jr and Terry both when they had the belt. Dory Jr was by
far the better worker of the two. Harley Race and I worked about a hundred times, and when
he was the champ we worked to a 90-minute draw in the Seattle Center Arena in front of one
of the bigger crowds they had during that era. As far as Gene Kiniski is concerned, I
could tell you more war stories about he and I that would fill a book. I credit Gene with
getting me in the best shape of my career. That big mountain of a perpetual moving machine
had me go with him almost every night for about a year in every town in B.C. and
Washington. The matches usually lasted anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour draw. Probably
one of the better conditioned champions we ever had. He'd work you until you dropped.
Great human being. Funny to the core...if he liked you. Excellent shooter, easy to get
along with and I am very proud to have called him my friend. He lives up in Blaine,
Washington now, and is enjoying his later years. One of the all-time great champions, and
I am a better man for knowing him. He gave so very many of us big breaks in the business
and never asked anything in return. Fine gentleman and the business has missed his
expertise. God's peace, Dutch." |
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