Territories
Tri-State Wrestling Alliance: The TWA
#PWHS #Article #Territories #TriStateWrestling #TWA
March 1, 1991 - Wilmington News Journal
With each passing day, the memory of Pro Wrestling having thriving territories fades as each loyal territory fan passes on to the “big grandstand in the sky”. Since 1948, there have been Major 3 Wrestling Associations that made up most of the territories that most fans today over thirty would recognize as the NWA, the AWA, and today's WWE (that has been known as the WWWF and the WWF). Of course there is a major history lesson that time does not allow to be written at this time. The object of this article is to educate the unlearned that there were at different times regional territories that were successful for a season of time. Their success needs to be remembered beyond the few loyal fans that still feel the adrenalin flowing when the memories of their region come to mind.
For about two years, 1990 and 1991, there was a small territory that captured the attention to the fan that read the insider sheets or even read magazines. It was called the Tri-State Wrestling Alliance, or TWA for short. The headquarters was Philadelphia where the majority of its shows took place. Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey were the three states where TWA matches were held to give this territory its name (though there was at least one card in Maryland). However, taking a look at their complete match history will show Philadelphia as the main location, whether it originated in bars or the famed Penn Hall, where most of its star-popping cards took place.
Joel Goodhart went from hosting a local radio show, Rasslin’ Radio, to promoting some of the best cards ever presented. Philadelphia fans birthed the ECW but it was originated from these TWA cards. The matches were a unique combination of blood battles sprinkled with some of the best scientific wrestling. This territory showed that a fan base could appreciate different genres with the same enthusiasm. Loud applause could be heard for two hardcore legends, like The Original Shiek and Abdullah the Butcher, doing their trademark mat work, and at the same time for skilled battles, like Owen Hart and Takayuki Iizuka.
Joel Goodhart loved wrestling. In fact, he’s still involved in a Philly independent wrestling endeavor. He wanted to bring the best to his hometown fans. Something different than the entertainment of the WWF, or even the different flavor of the consistent NWA. Being a successful business man, he was fortunate to be able to finance this new venture. However, Joel was probably his worst enemy as he began to empty his wallet to bring in talent from all parts of the world. This extra effort attracted a loyal audience from Philly as well as the East Coast. I even traveled five hours to see the March 2, 1991 card which included the old guys, The Original Shiek and Abby. The main event that night was so impressive I wrote an earlier article (What a Card: Chapter 2 - Philly Fan Lumberjack Match) because it was the closest I have ever been in a Pro Wrestling riot. Joel’s wallet finally said “No more”, and he sold to Tod Gordon which brought about the more famous ECW wrestling.
I have listed a highlight of All Star matches that were held under the TWA banner. Joel definitely put the fan first and foremost and several thousand loyal fans would still like to say a big “Thank You”. Speaking to anyone that ever enjoyed the atmosphere, or watched the star-packed cards, still express this emotional sentiment to me. Make sure you read the cancelled card that Joel had scheduled before calling it quits. In my humble opinion, this is one short-lived territory that should never be forgotten through the decades that will follow this small article written by this Virginian who witnessed the magic of a Joel Goodhart card firsthand.
APRIL 16, 1989 (SUNDAY)
Newark, Delaware
Attendance: 1,100
1 - Bam Bam Bigelow Vs. The Mystery Man,
Double Disqaulification
2 - Don Muraco Vs. David Schultz,
Double Disqualification
JANUARY 27, 1990 (SATURDAY)
Winter Challenge
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Attendance: 1,400
Seconds: Bruno Sammartino (Sammartino)
1 - Stretcher Match
Larry Winters def. D.C. Drake
2 - Bam Bam Bigelow Vs. Terry Gordy,
Double Count-out
3 - Dog Collar Match
Junkyard Dog def. Paul Jones
4 - Nikita Koloff def. Manny Fernandez,
Disqualification
5 - AWA World Heavyweight Championship
Larry Zbyszko def. David Sammartino
MARCH 31, 1990 (SATURDAY)
Spring Spectacular
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Attendance: 2,000
1 - Tom Pritchard def. Cheetah Kid
(00:16:40).
2 - I Quit Match
D.C. Drake def. Larry Winters
(00:37:00)
3 - Misty Blue Simmes def. Kat LeRoux
(9:52)
4 - Paul Orndorff def. Austin Idol
5 - USWA Unified Championship
Kerry Von Erich def. Jerry Lawler (c),
Disqualification
6 - Steel Cage
Tully Blanchard def. Bam Bam Bigelow
JUNE 9, 1990 (SATURDAY)
Summer Sizzler
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Attendance: 1,050
1 - American Brass Knuckles Championship
The Cheetah Kid def. Tom Pritchard
NEW CHAMPION
2 - Bob Orton, Jr. def. Don Muraco
3 - Jerry Lawler def. Austin Idol,
Disqualification
4 - Russian Chain Match
Nikita Koloff def. Manny Fernandez
5 - Paul Orndorff def. Tully Blanchard
JULY 21, 1990 (SATURDAY)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1 - Jules Strongbow def. Mike Sharpe
2 - Bob Orton Jr Vs. Ken Patera,
Double Count-out
3 - Ken Patera Vs. Kimala,
Double Count-out
SEPTEMBER 15, 1990 (SATURDAY)
Autumn Armageddon
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Attendance: 1,500
1 - Eddie Gilbert def. Cactus Jack
2 - Adrian Street def. Jimmy Valiant.
3 - TWA Championship
DC Drake def. Rockin' Rebel
NEW CHAMPION
4 - Kevin Von Erich & Chris Adams Vs. Al Perez & Austin Idol,
Double Count-out
5 - Manny Fernandez Vs. Abdullah the Butcher,
Double Disqualification
6 - Jerry Lawler def. Terry Funk,
Disqualification
Note:
The TWA Championship was held up going into this event.
MARCH 2, 1991 (SATURDAY)
Winter Challenge II
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Attendance: 1,735
1 - Al Perez def. Stan Lane
2 - Russian Chain Match
Ivan Koloff def. Manny Fernandez
3 - Falls Count Anywhere
Cactus Jack def. Eddie Gilbert
4 - The Sheik Vs. Abdullah the Butcher,
Double Disqualification
5 - TWA Championship
JT Smith def. D.C. Drake (c),
Disqualification
6 - USWA Unified Championship - Fan Participation Lumberjack Match
Jerry Lawler def. Terry Funk (c),
Disqualification
MAY 4, 1991 (SATURDAY)
Newark, Delaware
Attendance: 300
1 - TWA Champ DC Drake def. JT Smith,
Disqualification
2 - Eddie Gilbert def. Buddy Landel
3 - Abdullah the Butcher Vs. Bam Bam Bigelow,
Double Disqualification
MAY 11, 1991 (SATURDAY)
North East, Maryland
Attendance: 600
1 - TWA Championship
DC Drake (c) def.t JT Smith,
Disqualification
2 - The Honkytonk Man def. Paul Orndorff
3 - Cactus Jack def. David Sammartino
4 - Bam Bam Bigelow Vs. Abdullah the Butcher,
Double Disqualification
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1 - TWA Championship - Dog Collar Match
DC Drake def. Tony Stetson
2 - David Sammartino def. Cactus Jack
3 - Paul Orndorff def. The Honkytonk Man
4 - Bam Bam Bigelow Vs. Abdullah the Butcher,
Double Disqualification
MAY 18, 1991 (SATURDAY)
Spring Spectacular II
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Attendance: 1,253 attendance
1 - TWA Tag-Team Championship
Johnny Hotbody & Larry Winters def. Jimmy Jannetty & Rockin' Rebel
2 - Barbed Wire Match
Eddie Gilbert Vs. Cactus Jack,
No Contest
3 - Al Perez & Buddy Landell def. the Fabulous Ones,
Disqualification
4 - TWA Championship
DC Drake def. JT Smith
5 - USWA Unified Championship
Jerry Lawler def. Honkytonk Man,
Disqualification
6 - Paul Orndorff def. Rick Rude,
Disqualification
Note:
It was to crown the first ever TWA Tag-Team Champions
AUGUST 3, 1991 (SATURDAY)
Summer Sizzler II
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Attendance: 562
1 - Falls Count Anywhere - Two out of Three Falls Part One
Cactus Jack def. Eddie Gilbert,
One Fall to None
2 - Luna Vachon beat Madusa Micelli,
Disqualification
3 - Stretcher Match - Two out of Three Falls Part Two
Eddie Gilbert def. Cactus Jack,
One Fall Each
4 - Buddy Landell Vs. Austin Idol,
Double Disqualification
5 - The Fantastics (Rogers & Fulton) def. Stan Lane & Jim Cornette
(00:14:33)
6 - Steel Cage - Two out of Three Falls Part Three
Eddie Gilbert Vs. Cactus Jack,
Double Disqualification - One Fall Each
SEPTEMBER 21, 1991 (SATURDAY)
Autumn Armageddon
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Attendance: 1,524
1 - TWA Championship
JT Smith def. DC Drake (c)
NEW CHAMPION
2 - TWA Tag-Team Championship
The Blackhearts def. Johnny Hotbody & DC Drake (sub for Larry Winters)
3 - Owen Hart def. Takayuki Iizuka
4 - Terry Funk Vs. Kevin Sullivan,
Double Disqualification
5 - Eddie Gilbert & Madusa Micelli def. Cactus Jack & Luna Vachon
6 - Steel Cage
Abdullah the Butcher def. The Sheik
(00:05:17)
Note:
Drake was a substitute for Larry Winters.
OCTOBER 26, 1991 (SATURDAY)
Pine Hill, New Jersey
1 - TWA Tag-Team Championship
The Blackhearts (c) def. Rockin' Rebel & Jimmy Jannetty
2 - Special Guest Referee Buddy Rogers
Steve Williams def. Bam Bam Bigelow,
Disqualfication
3 - Eddie Gilbert Vs. Kevin Sullivan,
Double Disqualification
4 - TWA Championship
Buddy Landel def. JT Smith (c)
NEW CHAMPION
NOVEMBER 16, 1991 (SATURDAY)
Boothwyn, Pennsylvania
1 - TWA Tag-Team Championship
The Blackhearts (c) def. Tony Stetson & Michael Bruno
2 - PNW Championship
Demolition Crush (Brian Adams) (c) def. Billy Jack Haynes
JANUARY 25, 1992 (SATURDAY)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1 - Buddy Rogers Vs. Buddy Landel
2 - Steve Williams & Terry Gordy Vs. Dan Kroffat & Doug Furnas
3 - Falls Count Anywhere
Eddie Gilbert Vs. Kevin Sullivan
4 - Chris Benoit Vs. Shiro Koshinaka
Note:
Show cancelled.
Newark, Delaware
Attendance: 1,100
1 - Bam Bam Bigelow Vs. The Mystery Man,
Double Disqaulification
2 - Don Muraco Vs. David Schultz,
Double Disqualification
JANUARY 27, 1990 (SATURDAY)
Winter Challenge
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Attendance: 1,400
Seconds: Bruno Sammartino (Sammartino)
1 - Stretcher Match
Larry Winters def. D.C. Drake
2 - Bam Bam Bigelow Vs. Terry Gordy,
Double Count-out
3 - Dog Collar Match
Junkyard Dog def. Paul Jones
4 - Nikita Koloff def. Manny Fernandez,
Disqualification
5 - AWA World Heavyweight Championship
Larry Zbyszko def. David Sammartino
MARCH 31, 1990 (SATURDAY)
Spring Spectacular
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Attendance: 2,000
1 - Tom Pritchard def. Cheetah Kid
(00:16:40).
2 - I Quit Match
D.C. Drake def. Larry Winters
(00:37:00)
3 - Misty Blue Simmes def. Kat LeRoux
(9:52)
4 - Paul Orndorff def. Austin Idol
5 - USWA Unified Championship
Kerry Von Erich def. Jerry Lawler (c),
Disqualification
6 - Steel Cage
Tully Blanchard def. Bam Bam Bigelow
JUNE 9, 1990 (SATURDAY)
Summer Sizzler
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Attendance: 1,050
1 - American Brass Knuckles Championship
The Cheetah Kid def. Tom Pritchard
NEW CHAMPION
2 - Bob Orton, Jr. def. Don Muraco
3 - Jerry Lawler def. Austin Idol,
Disqualification
4 - Russian Chain Match
Nikita Koloff def. Manny Fernandez
5 - Paul Orndorff def. Tully Blanchard
JULY 21, 1990 (SATURDAY)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1 - Jules Strongbow def. Mike Sharpe
2 - Bob Orton Jr Vs. Ken Patera,
Double Count-out
3 - Ken Patera Vs. Kimala,
Double Count-out
SEPTEMBER 15, 1990 (SATURDAY)
Autumn Armageddon
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Attendance: 1,500
1 - Eddie Gilbert def. Cactus Jack
2 - Adrian Street def. Jimmy Valiant.
3 - TWA Championship
DC Drake def. Rockin' Rebel
NEW CHAMPION
4 - Kevin Von Erich & Chris Adams Vs. Al Perez & Austin Idol,
Double Count-out
5 - Manny Fernandez Vs. Abdullah the Butcher,
Double Disqualification
6 - Jerry Lawler def. Terry Funk,
Disqualification
Note:
The TWA Championship was held up going into this event.
MARCH 2, 1991 (SATURDAY)
Winter Challenge II
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Attendance: 1,735
1 - Al Perez def. Stan Lane
2 - Russian Chain Match
Ivan Koloff def. Manny Fernandez
3 - Falls Count Anywhere
Cactus Jack def. Eddie Gilbert
4 - The Sheik Vs. Abdullah the Butcher,
Double Disqualification
5 - TWA Championship
JT Smith def. D.C. Drake (c),
Disqualification
6 - USWA Unified Championship - Fan Participation Lumberjack Match
Jerry Lawler def. Terry Funk (c),
Disqualification
MAY 4, 1991 (SATURDAY)
Newark, Delaware
Attendance: 300
1 - TWA Champ DC Drake def. JT Smith,
Disqualification
2 - Eddie Gilbert def. Buddy Landel
3 - Abdullah the Butcher Vs. Bam Bam Bigelow,
Double Disqualification
MAY 11, 1991 (SATURDAY)
North East, Maryland
Attendance: 600
1 - TWA Championship
DC Drake (c) def.t JT Smith,
Disqualification
2 - The Honkytonk Man def. Paul Orndorff
3 - Cactus Jack def. David Sammartino
4 - Bam Bam Bigelow Vs. Abdullah the Butcher,
Double Disqualification
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1 - TWA Championship - Dog Collar Match
DC Drake def. Tony Stetson
2 - David Sammartino def. Cactus Jack
3 - Paul Orndorff def. The Honkytonk Man
4 - Bam Bam Bigelow Vs. Abdullah the Butcher,
Double Disqualification
MAY 18, 1991 (SATURDAY)
Spring Spectacular II
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Attendance: 1,253 attendance
1 - TWA Tag-Team Championship
Johnny Hotbody & Larry Winters def. Jimmy Jannetty & Rockin' Rebel
2 - Barbed Wire Match
Eddie Gilbert Vs. Cactus Jack,
No Contest
3 - Al Perez & Buddy Landell def. the Fabulous Ones,
Disqualification
4 - TWA Championship
DC Drake def. JT Smith
5 - USWA Unified Championship
Jerry Lawler def. Honkytonk Man,
Disqualification
6 - Paul Orndorff def. Rick Rude,
Disqualification
Note:
It was to crown the first ever TWA Tag-Team Champions
AUGUST 3, 1991 (SATURDAY)
Summer Sizzler II
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Attendance: 562
1 - Falls Count Anywhere - Two out of Three Falls Part One
Cactus Jack def. Eddie Gilbert,
One Fall to None
2 - Luna Vachon beat Madusa Micelli,
Disqualification
3 - Stretcher Match - Two out of Three Falls Part Two
Eddie Gilbert def. Cactus Jack,
One Fall Each
4 - Buddy Landell Vs. Austin Idol,
Double Disqualification
5 - The Fantastics (Rogers & Fulton) def. Stan Lane & Jim Cornette
(00:14:33)
6 - Steel Cage - Two out of Three Falls Part Three
Eddie Gilbert Vs. Cactus Jack,
Double Disqualification - One Fall Each
SEPTEMBER 21, 1991 (SATURDAY)
Autumn Armageddon
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Attendance: 1,524
1 - TWA Championship
JT Smith def. DC Drake (c)
NEW CHAMPION
2 - TWA Tag-Team Championship
The Blackhearts def. Johnny Hotbody & DC Drake (sub for Larry Winters)
3 - Owen Hart def. Takayuki Iizuka
4 - Terry Funk Vs. Kevin Sullivan,
Double Disqualification
5 - Eddie Gilbert & Madusa Micelli def. Cactus Jack & Luna Vachon
6 - Steel Cage
Abdullah the Butcher def. The Sheik
(00:05:17)
Note:
Drake was a substitute for Larry Winters.
OCTOBER 26, 1991 (SATURDAY)
Pine Hill, New Jersey
1 - TWA Tag-Team Championship
The Blackhearts (c) def. Rockin' Rebel & Jimmy Jannetty
2 - Special Guest Referee Buddy Rogers
Steve Williams def. Bam Bam Bigelow,
Disqualfication
3 - Eddie Gilbert Vs. Kevin Sullivan,
Double Disqualification
4 - TWA Championship
Buddy Landel def. JT Smith (c)
NEW CHAMPION
NOVEMBER 16, 1991 (SATURDAY)
Boothwyn, Pennsylvania
1 - TWA Tag-Team Championship
The Blackhearts (c) def. Tony Stetson & Michael Bruno
2 - PNW Championship
Demolition Crush (Brian Adams) (c) def. Billy Jack Haynes
JANUARY 25, 1992 (SATURDAY)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1 - Buddy Rogers Vs. Buddy Landel
2 - Steve Williams & Terry Gordy Vs. Dan Kroffat & Doug Furnas
3 - Falls Count Anywhere
Eddie Gilbert Vs. Kevin Sullivan
4 - Chris Benoit Vs. Shiro Koshinaka
Note:
Show cancelled.
Unique content strictly for the Professional Wrestling Historical Society.
Territories.
Author: Terry Kent.
Published: September 3, 2015.
Article: #106.
Editor: Jimmy Wheeler.
Territories.
Author: Terry Kent.
Published: September 3, 2015.
Article: #106.
Editor: Jimmy Wheeler.
Other articles by Terry can be Read Here.