SPORTS
STORM CENTER: Missing an old friend
Earlier this week after having a medical test done in Wichita Falls, I decided to visit the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame.
PWHF president and curator Johnny Mantell has done a spectacular job putting together the museum, which is located on 8th Street next to the coffee house in downtown.
There was one part of the museum that really stood out for me.
In the entry way, there’s an old wrestling card from the world-famous Dallas Sportatorium.
Accompanying this story is an old advertisement for the Sportatorium, which was located on Industrial Boulevard in Dallas.
The barn-like structure became a mecca for entertainment, and not just for professional wrestling.
Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley were two musicians who performed at the Sportatorium for Ed McLemore – a longtime promoter from Dallas.
Back in its heyday, there were professional wrestling cards every Tuesday.
That’s right. It wasn’t like World Wrestling Entertainment just coming through town once in a while like they did Friday at Taylor County Expo Center in Abilene.
Every Tuesday, top stars wrestled at the Sportatorium, and all the big names wanted to grapple there. Pro wrestling TV tapings were norm here.
The list of wrestlers reads like a who’s who, and many of them are enshrined in the PWHF.
Lou Thesz, Fritz Von Erich (real last name Adkisson, as many Montague County residents know), Dory Funk, Jr. and Gene Kiniski are just some of the standouts who laced up boots inside the Sportatorium.
Through McLemore’s efforts, Dallas earned the reputation as the “Professional Wrestling Capitol of Texas.”
The low cost of entertainment was another draw. Ringside seats, even in the late 1960s, were just $3. Box seats went for $2.50, and general admission was $1.50.
The capacity for the Sportatorium also helped, with only about 4,500 seats, both music and wrestling shows proved to be a hot ticket. Read more from this column in the Aug. 27 Bowie News.
Editor’s Note: The Storm Center column is the expressed written views of sports editor Eric Viccaro and not The Bowie News.
Ed McLemore’s Sportatorium was the site for many top professional wrestling matches and country music concerts in Dallas back in the 1940s through 1980s. Today, the Sportatorium is no more, a vacant lot off Interstate-35 East on Riverfront Boulevard. (Submitted photo)
Nocona got its new press box into place this week at Jack Crane Stadium. The old press box, which was in place for more than 60 years, was taken out in early June and moved to Indian Valley Raceway. The new press box was by the Southern Bleacher Company out of Graham. Athletic Director Black Crutsinger said they looked at a lot of press boxes and decided they liked the one at Lindsay High School and went with that model. Sean Hutson operated the crane from the Hurd Crane Service that put the press box up for Nocona.
Sunset native Cason Richey (right) and his team roping partner Beldon Cox from Weatherford repeated as the International Finals Youth Rodeo champions last weekend at Shawnee, OK. Richey and Cox won the previous year and were able to complete the repeat by catching three steers in a combined time of 16.6 seconds. Richey is expected to compete attend Texas Tech University this fall and compete on the rodeo team.
The Chisholm Trail Youth Rodeo had its awards ceremony this week, giving out plaques and buckles to the top competitors throughout the summer season.
There were four age categories with five events to compete in for the young athletes.
Along with the best results in each event, at the end the overall best cowboy and cowgirl in each age division was awarded as well.
The lead line division, in which an adult helps the young competitors, saw Rylee Stewart win the first in poles, barrel racing and mystery event on her way to win top cowgirl.
Hattie Snow got the fastest time in the flags event and Lany Shupak got the fastest goat time. Riggin Bishop got named the top cowboy in the division.
In the eight-and-under division, Whitley Goins won the top cowgirl and Trell Carpenter won top cowboy. Goins got the fastest times in barrel racing, flags and mystery event. Carpenter got the fastest time in poles and goats.
In the 9-12 age division, Sage Keck won the top cowgirl while Chisum Carpenter won the top cowboy. Keck got the fastest times in four of the five divisions. Only Layna Taylor getting the fastest goat time prevented her from winning in a clean sweep.
In the 13-18 age division, Tess Egenbacher won the top overall cowgirl award.
Kiley McCracken won both the barrel racing and flags event. Emma Strahan won the poles and mystery event. Hadlee Bryan won the goats event.
There was no top overall cowboy in the age division.
To see the times for the winners of each event in all four age categories along with pictures of all of the top cowboys and cowgirls, pick up a copy of the weekend edition of the Bowie News.
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