Story Behind The Story
Chapter Two: Les Thatcher “Fireballed” Storyline
#PWHS #Article #StoryBehindTheStory #SBTS #LesThatcher #Fireball
Recently, I re-read a great four part article by Mike Cline on his Mid-Atlantic Grapplin’ Greats website. It was consumed by me like an unforgettable four course meal. But there was an aspect that would not let me go; let me rest. It hit me suddenly, “That’s it, this story will help give the younger guys a glimpse of how territories did it in the 'good ole day,' how when rosters were limited, multiple storylines were mandatory to keep people tuning in week after week”.
I have contemplated different ways of presenting the facts, but I have chosen a step-by-step approach with the hope you can sense the emotion build to the night that ended this specific storyline. I want to say upfront that this story revolves around Les Thatcher, a name lost among most of our younger fans today. Les needs to be remembered; as Wild Bill from Solie’s Vintage Wrestling said: “Les Thatcher. A former wrestler who wrestled from the late '60s into the late '70s, Les then moved outside the ring to the jobs of trainer, booker, promoter, TV producer and broadcaster.” Let me add that Les was NWAlliance Rookie of the Year for the 1966-67 season, which he beat out the likes of Terry Funk and the late Bobby Shane for this prestigious award. Got your interest? Here’s a step by step memory of a great storyline; things just did not happen spontaneously and hope that it turned out great.
I have contemplated different ways of presenting the facts, but I have chosen a step-by-step approach with the hope you can sense the emotion build to the night that ended this specific storyline. I want to say upfront that this story revolves around Les Thatcher, a name lost among most of our younger fans today. Les needs to be remembered; as Wild Bill from Solie’s Vintage Wrestling said: “Les Thatcher. A former wrestler who wrestled from the late '60s into the late '70s, Les then moved outside the ring to the jobs of trainer, booker, promoter, TV producer and broadcaster.” Let me add that Les was NWAlliance Rookie of the Year for the 1966-67 season, which he beat out the likes of Terry Funk and the late Bobby Shane for this prestigious award. Got your interest? Here’s a step by step memory of a great storyline; things just did not happen spontaneously and hope that it turned out great.
Part One: Pre-Match and the Match
It is the morning of September 4, 1967 at Jim Crockett’s office on Morehead Street in Charlotte, North Carolina. At the meeting are: Big Jim Crockett, JCP employee George Harben, Les Thatcher, George Becker (the booker), Johnny Weaver, J.C. Dykes, and the Infernos Frankie Caine and Rocky Smith. The following storyline was laid out for that night’s Labor Day main event match at the Charlotte Coliseum:
Pre-Match
1. Harben was to make sure that the only JCP ref to be in the building when the main event started was the scheduled Angelo Martinelli. Les would have to be the choice to ref when the emergency arose.
2. Les was to wrestle earlier that evening, shower and change. Les was instructed to wear his very best suit and to be seen by a good percentage of the fans watching the match from the sidelines. He was told if his clothes got ruined, they would be replaced.
The Match
3. During the first fall, Angelo was knocked down and injured, but still able to count to three to give the Infernos the first fall. He would signal for assistance.
4. Harben went to Angelo’s aid and determined he could not continue but needed immediate attention. Angelo was helped to the back while Harben was finding out there were no other regular refs in the building. Harben yelled (without microphone) for Les to come to ringside. Without the use of the microphone, the fans got involved yelling (sells the storyline that much more) at Les that Harben wanted him right away.
5. Les comes to the ring and agreed to help out by officiating the remainder of the match, even though the Infernos loudly protested. He takes his suit coat off and motions for the bell. The second fall went to the good guys which led to the explosive third and deciding fall.
6. The tension was building on several levels; between Les and the Infernos (with Dykes putting his two cents in at every chance), and also between these two bitter enemies. It was just earlier that year George Becker had taken the loaded boot off of Inferno #2.
7. The end came quickly as the fans were half standing, half sitting on the edge of their seats screaming for Becker and Weaver to defeat the villains in the blue masks. One of the Infernos took exception to Les’s “prejudiced” officiating and pushed him. Les immediately got back into his attacker’s face and reminded him he was not to be touched. While engaged in conversation, Weaver quickly schoolboyed the Inferno for the one-two-three. Les raised Becker and Weaver’s hands and the fans explode into loud cheers.
8. Becker & Weaver left the ring quicker than usual, so that gave time for the three villains to complain loudly to the substitute ref. A minor rhubarb ensued, to get the fans’ attention. The Infernos then held Thatcher’s arms and the fans were shocked, then incensed, to see J.C. Dykes throw a fireball into the face of Les Thatcher.
9. Thatcher grabbed his face and started screaming in agony as he fell flat onto the mat. The Infernos ran out, Becker & Weaver ran back in with the convenient towel Johnny had brought to the ring for that night only. They wrapped the victim’s face and helped him back to the back of the building.
10. Weaver, as planned, even told the real medics with the ambulance present that Les had a phobia about ambulances; they would take him to the hospital. He told them so to protect the business from the reality behind the storylines.
11. Les covered his head, and slipped out of the back of the coliseum. He then slouched down into the floorboard of Rudy Kay’s back car seat until he reached his own apartment.
Part Two: Labor Day To Christmas Night
That was the cliffhanger that kept us tuning in week in and week out: would our hero be out forever, was the injury really not as bad as it seemed, what would the teams involved say about that night, would there be unexpected events yet to happen? The more skilled the wrestler, the better the storyline. However, these tragic circumstances would pull on any average person’s heartstrings. That’s why many an old or non-athletic owner, promoter, etc would be involved in territories’ plot lines around the world.
1. While staying low-key, Les went about making his eye look burned, but healing. He shaved his left eyebrow off, rubbed the area to make it appear irritated. He then applied “New Skin” in such a way to make it appear wrinkled. Now for the real selling point: applied Mercurochrome over a large area and lightly applied Vicks Vapor Rub to give it an oozing affect.
2. Les appeared in all of his scheduled towns and explained what happened. He did not wrestle for several weeks but was selling his storyline one town at a time. Mr Crockett himself was telling him how large his burn was to appear nightly, so as to be appearing to heal and getting closer to revenge.
3. While at TV tapings there was the usual interview at ringside while the Infernos were awaiting their match to begin. Seeing his scarred face was too much of a temptation to ignore, the Infernos ripped at his healing face and caused the temperature of a heated rivalry to raise a few degrees. That brought Becker and Weaver to his rescue, bringing the six back into the center of this storyline’s spotlight.
4. The feud was fueled with every JCP program that was seen in each town. It carried the usual pictures but even had columns by J.C. Dykes infuriating the fans with his slanted viewpoint. These columns were countered by the opposing tag team and Les himself.
5. This rivalry stayed in the news month in and month out. The fans had to see sweet revenge carried out.
Part Three: Justice Is Served
For over three months the ending had been hinted at. Now was the time for the hero to come to the ring and gain his revenge.
1. Holidays were always a Big Event time at JCP. The announcement was made that on December 25, 1967 at the annual Charlotte Coliseum event the headlining event was an explosive six man tag match.
2. On a personal basis, Les was nervous on two different levels:
He had never main evented in such a large venue and
He was concerned if the crowd was bad, it would be blamed on the “new kid” and the fans really were not that much into his story or worse, his personality. That fear left soon after the doors opened and JCP Harben said, “They’re really pouring in!”
3. It was the perfect match-up: Les was getting a chance to get back at the most hated JCP manager at that moment who had burned his face, while teaming with the top Mid-Atlantic tag team for years, against one of the top money-making tag teams ever.
4. The match was like a dream come true. They split the first two falls, but in the third fall J.C. Dykes was bleeding so bad the three bad guys decided to leave. But to add insult to injury, the formerly injured youngster got a special souvenir that somehow seemed to make this long awaited night worth it all: as the Infernos were leaving, Les grabbed one of the Inferno’s precious masks right off his head! His identity was saved, but it was the only time either Inferno would lose their entire mask while touring JCP country.
There you have it-from the morning meeting on September 4, all the way to the main event and revenge on December 25, Christmas Night. It was the largest Coliseum crowd on Christmas up to that date ever. That is the final evidence of a successful storyline. Everything was orchestrated; every I dotted and T crossed. From no other refs available, to Weaver taking care of the ambulance, to Les staying out of sight without his burned face, to the planned heat sketches on TV, to being the largest Holiday crowd with usual minor players, Manager JC Dykes and youngster Les Thatcher, being in the forefront of it all.
Unique content strictly for the Professional Wrestling Historical Society.
Story Behind the Story: Chapter Two.
Author: Terry Kent.
Published: March 21, 2018.
Article: #187.
Editor: Jimmy Wheeler.
Story Behind the Story: Chapter Two.
Author: Terry Kent.
Published: March 21, 2018.
Article: #187.
Editor: Jimmy Wheeler.
Specials Thanks
Mike Cline for his research and permission to share his story.
Les Thatcher for his personal pictures being used.
Carroll Hall for the advert.
Mid-Atlantic historians are so great and proud of their tradition.
Thank you!
Mike Cline for his research and permission to share his story.
Les Thatcher for his personal pictures being used.
Carroll Hall for the advert.
Mid-Atlantic historians are so great and proud of their tradition.
Thank you!
Story Behind the Story: Chapter One - Read Here.
Other articles by Terry can be Read Here.