Carpenters
Why They Were Essential To Wrestling and Why They Are So Needed Today
#PWHS #Article #Carpenters #Jobbers #Enhancement
April 2, 1974 - Ithaca Journal
You hear it or read it constantly on professional wrestling message boards, groups and discussion forums. "That guy was just a jobber." The minute that I read a statement such as that, I know immediately that the author of the statement knows little-to-nothing about which he speaks. In other words-the person writing such a statement is an ignoramus. In modern parlance, "jobber" is another way to say "no talent loser". The only losers are the people who demonstrate their ignorance by saying such things.
Here are a few relevant facts. With a few exceptions, every single star in professional wrestling (pre-Sports Entertainment era) did jobs. They either did the job when starting their careers; finishing their careers; often both. Wrestlers who were employed to lose generally fell into two categories:
"Job Guys"-these were the out of shape folks that you saw get pummeled on a weekly basis. They offered little offense in matches and were used in squash matches-generally against monster heels. Many of the job guys worked regular, 40-hour jobs in civilian life and only worked weekends and television tapings for extra money or for a small taste of fame. WWWF punching bag Frankie Williams fits this category.
The other category was made up of "Carpenters". Much as the word implies, these wrestlers were craftsmen. Often they were highly skilled mat wrestlers, or highly skilled professional wrestlers who could work a match as well or better than the stars that they put over every night. If it were not for the carpenters in wrestling, the magnitude of the main event wrestlers would have been lessened severely. It is simple logic that is lost on today's version of the business: You are only as good as the people that you beat, and the number of times that you win. Beat nobodies-you are the champion of nobodies. Beat someone who gave you a contest and you are impressive. Carpenters existed to make wrestlers look like champions.
Johnny Rodz
The list of carpenters should always start or end with this man. The trial horse of the WWWF and WWF, Rodz was an exceptionally skilled worker who could mat wrestle, brawl, fly off the ropes, cheat, punch, stretch and do anything that a wrestler should be able to do-and he did it to perfection. Wrestlers (generally babyfaces) who entered the WWWF were given Rodz before they went on television. If Rodz couldn't pull a good or great match out of the newcomer, the newcomer was sent packing. Rodz was also something of a Sheriff for Vincent James McMahon. If someone was getting out of line, they were given a match with Rodz in some small arena. The end result would be a beaten, bruised and battered man, who had pinned Rodz. Regardless of his "victory", the wrestler had been sent a message that he heard loud and clear for weeks.
Rodz achieved fame on top of the card outside of the WWWF, working as the "Mad Arab" Java Ruuk in the NWF (Buffalo/Pedro Martinez); Los Angeles N.W.A. (Labell); and Pittsburgh (Newton Tatrie). But Rodz always returned to the WWWF to lose matches. Why? He was valued by Vincent J. McMahon, and was paid very well for his efforts. Rodz made more losing in the WWWF than he did winning in the other territories. In my opinion, Johnny Rodz was the greatest worker in WWWF history, and hands down the best carpenter ever.
José Estrada
The longtime tag partner of Johnny Rodz, Estrada was a superb junior heavyweight who had success in Puerto Rico as a multi-time title holder for Colon's WWC (as of one the many masked Super Medicos), as well as being one half of the original Conquistadors, and a WWF Junior Heavyweight Champion.
But Estrada is most remembered for being a carpenter for nearly 15 years for the WWF. Like Rodz, Estrada was extremely talented and a gifted worker. Like Rodz, Estrada found that he could make a lot of money losing to guys on the way up the ladder. Estrada was lighter and speedier than Rodz and could do some incredible Lucha Libre maneuvers when allowed to show his abilities. As a tag team, Estrada and Rodz were so good that sometimes fans would boo when they lost to a team that clearly lacked their ring abilities.
Marvin Turner and Dave Finley
Long time viewers of WTBS Georgia and World Championship Wrestling programs will recognize these names. Turner was a local guy who mainly worked television tapings. Finley (not to be confused with David "Fit" Finlay of British and WWE fame) was a graduate of Nelson Royal's wrestling school.
Both guys lost nearly every match that they were in, but both were excellent workers. Turner was a rugged, tenacious and could throw a punch. Finley had a lot of talent and was able to do acrobatic moves, as well as mat wrestle. Both (by wrestling standards) were on the smaller side, and so neither made it out of television and opening match status, but they were great workers and always made the men who beat them look really good in the process. Turner and Finley kept matches on TBS from being straight squashes.
Mike Jackson
The perennial Alabama Junior Heavyweight Champion (the title was defended sporadically, and to the best of my knowledge, Jackson is still the champion). Mike Jackson had legitimate amateur wrestling credentials and knew his way around the ring. For small promotions, he was a world beater. For large promotions, he was a go-getter who always took the match to his opponent before eventually falling in defeat. Jackson would often coach green newcomers through matches-sometimes forcing the rookie to put holds on Jackson without realizing that he had done so. Any match in which Mike Jackson was involved looked good. Without his efforts a lot of "Main Event" wrestlers would have looked awful.
Davey O'Hannon, S.D. Jones and Pete Doherty
Long time favorites to the fans of the WWF-especially in the New England states-all three men were very talented wrestlers who had tasted success. O'Hannon had won titles for the Funks in Amarillo; Doherty had a run as the Golden Terror for the WWWF before being unmasked by Mil Mascaras; S.D. Jones had won titles in Los Angeles, and the Carolinas in tag teams. Yet, all three are today remembered for being carpenters in the WWF.
Of the three, O'Hannon was the best-rounded. He could work as a babyface, eliciting sympathy and encouragement, or as a cocky, brash heel-making fans want to see him be taught a lesson. S.D. Jones was the Johnny Rodz for incoming heels and monsters. Get a good match with Jones, and you took your first step on your way to a match at Madison Square Garden down the line with the babyface champion. At one time, the WWF tried to push Jones as a tag partner for Tony Atlas. It didn't work, simply because fans had become accustomed to Jones as a carpenter. They could get behind him as a headliner.
Pete Doherty was a phenomenon before there ever was an Undertaker. By all rights, Pete should have been a job guy. He was paunchy, pale white, got winded easily, he was missing teeth. Everything about him screamed "squash" But Doherty had an off-beat personality and a will to succeed that shone through his deficiencies. Fans rallied behind him in every match. In many arenas-especially in the Boston Gardens-Pete would be given loads of offense before finally losing the match. Often Pete would get the bigger cheer for losing than his opponent received for winning. In one memorable "feud" that was limited to the Boston area, Pete squared off against Jesse "The Body" Ventura. Doherty lost every match, but both he and Ventura looked great. Those matches were outdrawing the main events in terms of fan reaction.
Kenny Jay
"The Sodbuster". Kenny Jay was the carpenter of choice in the AWA. He could take a beating; give a beating; be a favorite or a villain, and he always, but always made the incoming AWA wrestlers look like gold. Jay worked in Verne Gagne's company for over a decade and even received a small push once in his tenure in Minnesota.
Why Carpenters are So Needed Today: Look at wrestling today. It doesn't matter which promotion you follow-EVERYONE is a "Superstar". The problem with an All-Star line up in wrestling is twofold.
One: If everyone is a star, stars are not supposed to lose. If Superstars lose matches, then can they really be Superstars? Look at Dolph Ziggler. One week he wins, the next week he loses. One week he wins a title, the next night as a titleholder, he loses his match. Is he a champion or a chump? Is he really good, or really bad? How can anyone be certain? Oh, but he IS a Superstar! Let's not forget that!
Two: If Superstars beat other Superstars and also lose to other Superstars, then who is the best? Much less-who is better than whom? The guy with a title belt? Well, no-he loses too…he simply doesn't lose the title because he doesn't defend it. But remember-they are SUPERSTARS!
Wrestling is in desperate need of carpenters. Wrestling needs a group of strong, skilled workers (whether it be the wrestling worker or the Sports Entertainment worker) who will give a competitive match every, single night-and lose most nights. In that sense, you see a newcomer to WWE or TNA who will face a guy that wins some matches, loses some, but is clearly a tough competitor. If the newcomer can get by this test, he moves on to a harder test next time-a guy who wins most of his matches, and loses some. If the wrestler gets by THIS obstacle, he finally faces a star. By this point, the wrestler has proven himself, and when the two stars (established and newcomer) meet, the match actually means something-as does the victory.
Carpenters were the first rung on the ladder of ascension to success. And in fact, that is what is truly missing from today's version of wrestling: a ladder to ascend. If everyone is instantly a Superstar, how are you going to fit everyone on that top rung? Bring back good carpenters. Bring back ladders. Bring back reasons to make matches matter.
Here are a few relevant facts. With a few exceptions, every single star in professional wrestling (pre-Sports Entertainment era) did jobs. They either did the job when starting their careers; finishing their careers; often both. Wrestlers who were employed to lose generally fell into two categories:
"Job Guys"-these were the out of shape folks that you saw get pummeled on a weekly basis. They offered little offense in matches and were used in squash matches-generally against monster heels. Many of the job guys worked regular, 40-hour jobs in civilian life and only worked weekends and television tapings for extra money or for a small taste of fame. WWWF punching bag Frankie Williams fits this category.
The other category was made up of "Carpenters". Much as the word implies, these wrestlers were craftsmen. Often they were highly skilled mat wrestlers, or highly skilled professional wrestlers who could work a match as well or better than the stars that they put over every night. If it were not for the carpenters in wrestling, the magnitude of the main event wrestlers would have been lessened severely. It is simple logic that is lost on today's version of the business: You are only as good as the people that you beat, and the number of times that you win. Beat nobodies-you are the champion of nobodies. Beat someone who gave you a contest and you are impressive. Carpenters existed to make wrestlers look like champions.
Johnny Rodz
The list of carpenters should always start or end with this man. The trial horse of the WWWF and WWF, Rodz was an exceptionally skilled worker who could mat wrestle, brawl, fly off the ropes, cheat, punch, stretch and do anything that a wrestler should be able to do-and he did it to perfection. Wrestlers (generally babyfaces) who entered the WWWF were given Rodz before they went on television. If Rodz couldn't pull a good or great match out of the newcomer, the newcomer was sent packing. Rodz was also something of a Sheriff for Vincent James McMahon. If someone was getting out of line, they were given a match with Rodz in some small arena. The end result would be a beaten, bruised and battered man, who had pinned Rodz. Regardless of his "victory", the wrestler had been sent a message that he heard loud and clear for weeks.
Rodz achieved fame on top of the card outside of the WWWF, working as the "Mad Arab" Java Ruuk in the NWF (Buffalo/Pedro Martinez); Los Angeles N.W.A. (Labell); and Pittsburgh (Newton Tatrie). But Rodz always returned to the WWWF to lose matches. Why? He was valued by Vincent J. McMahon, and was paid very well for his efforts. Rodz made more losing in the WWWF than he did winning in the other territories. In my opinion, Johnny Rodz was the greatest worker in WWWF history, and hands down the best carpenter ever.
José Estrada
The longtime tag partner of Johnny Rodz, Estrada was a superb junior heavyweight who had success in Puerto Rico as a multi-time title holder for Colon's WWC (as of one the many masked Super Medicos), as well as being one half of the original Conquistadors, and a WWF Junior Heavyweight Champion.
But Estrada is most remembered for being a carpenter for nearly 15 years for the WWF. Like Rodz, Estrada was extremely talented and a gifted worker. Like Rodz, Estrada found that he could make a lot of money losing to guys on the way up the ladder. Estrada was lighter and speedier than Rodz and could do some incredible Lucha Libre maneuvers when allowed to show his abilities. As a tag team, Estrada and Rodz were so good that sometimes fans would boo when they lost to a team that clearly lacked their ring abilities.
Marvin Turner and Dave Finley
Long time viewers of WTBS Georgia and World Championship Wrestling programs will recognize these names. Turner was a local guy who mainly worked television tapings. Finley (not to be confused with David "Fit" Finlay of British and WWE fame) was a graduate of Nelson Royal's wrestling school.
Both guys lost nearly every match that they were in, but both were excellent workers. Turner was a rugged, tenacious and could throw a punch. Finley had a lot of talent and was able to do acrobatic moves, as well as mat wrestle. Both (by wrestling standards) were on the smaller side, and so neither made it out of television and opening match status, but they were great workers and always made the men who beat them look really good in the process. Turner and Finley kept matches on TBS from being straight squashes.
Mike Jackson
The perennial Alabama Junior Heavyweight Champion (the title was defended sporadically, and to the best of my knowledge, Jackson is still the champion). Mike Jackson had legitimate amateur wrestling credentials and knew his way around the ring. For small promotions, he was a world beater. For large promotions, he was a go-getter who always took the match to his opponent before eventually falling in defeat. Jackson would often coach green newcomers through matches-sometimes forcing the rookie to put holds on Jackson without realizing that he had done so. Any match in which Mike Jackson was involved looked good. Without his efforts a lot of "Main Event" wrestlers would have looked awful.
Davey O'Hannon, S.D. Jones and Pete Doherty
Long time favorites to the fans of the WWF-especially in the New England states-all three men were very talented wrestlers who had tasted success. O'Hannon had won titles for the Funks in Amarillo; Doherty had a run as the Golden Terror for the WWWF before being unmasked by Mil Mascaras; S.D. Jones had won titles in Los Angeles, and the Carolinas in tag teams. Yet, all three are today remembered for being carpenters in the WWF.
Of the three, O'Hannon was the best-rounded. He could work as a babyface, eliciting sympathy and encouragement, or as a cocky, brash heel-making fans want to see him be taught a lesson. S.D. Jones was the Johnny Rodz for incoming heels and monsters. Get a good match with Jones, and you took your first step on your way to a match at Madison Square Garden down the line with the babyface champion. At one time, the WWF tried to push Jones as a tag partner for Tony Atlas. It didn't work, simply because fans had become accustomed to Jones as a carpenter. They could get behind him as a headliner.
Pete Doherty was a phenomenon before there ever was an Undertaker. By all rights, Pete should have been a job guy. He was paunchy, pale white, got winded easily, he was missing teeth. Everything about him screamed "squash" But Doherty had an off-beat personality and a will to succeed that shone through his deficiencies. Fans rallied behind him in every match. In many arenas-especially in the Boston Gardens-Pete would be given loads of offense before finally losing the match. Often Pete would get the bigger cheer for losing than his opponent received for winning. In one memorable "feud" that was limited to the Boston area, Pete squared off against Jesse "The Body" Ventura. Doherty lost every match, but both he and Ventura looked great. Those matches were outdrawing the main events in terms of fan reaction.
Kenny Jay
"The Sodbuster". Kenny Jay was the carpenter of choice in the AWA. He could take a beating; give a beating; be a favorite or a villain, and he always, but always made the incoming AWA wrestlers look like gold. Jay worked in Verne Gagne's company for over a decade and even received a small push once in his tenure in Minnesota.
Why Carpenters are So Needed Today: Look at wrestling today. It doesn't matter which promotion you follow-EVERYONE is a "Superstar". The problem with an All-Star line up in wrestling is twofold.
One: If everyone is a star, stars are not supposed to lose. If Superstars lose matches, then can they really be Superstars? Look at Dolph Ziggler. One week he wins, the next week he loses. One week he wins a title, the next night as a titleholder, he loses his match. Is he a champion or a chump? Is he really good, or really bad? How can anyone be certain? Oh, but he IS a Superstar! Let's not forget that!
Two: If Superstars beat other Superstars and also lose to other Superstars, then who is the best? Much less-who is better than whom? The guy with a title belt? Well, no-he loses too…he simply doesn't lose the title because he doesn't defend it. But remember-they are SUPERSTARS!
Wrestling is in desperate need of carpenters. Wrestling needs a group of strong, skilled workers (whether it be the wrestling worker or the Sports Entertainment worker) who will give a competitive match every, single night-and lose most nights. In that sense, you see a newcomer to WWE or TNA who will face a guy that wins some matches, loses some, but is clearly a tough competitor. If the newcomer can get by this test, he moves on to a harder test next time-a guy who wins most of his matches, and loses some. If the wrestler gets by THIS obstacle, he finally faces a star. By this point, the wrestler has proven himself, and when the two stars (established and newcomer) meet, the match actually means something-as does the victory.
Carpenters were the first rung on the ladder of ascension to success. And in fact, that is what is truly missing from today's version of wrestling: a ladder to ascend. If everyone is instantly a Superstar, how are you going to fit everyone on that top rung? Bring back good carpenters. Bring back ladders. Bring back reasons to make matches matter.
Unique content strictly for the Professional Wrestling Historical Society.
Carpenters.
Author: Harry Grover.
Published: May 1, 2015.
Article: #87.
Editor: Jimmy Wheeler.
Carpenters.
Author: Harry Grover.
Published: May 1, 2015.
Article: #87.
Editor: Jimmy Wheeler.
Other articles by Harry can be Read Here.