Drawing Heat
#PWHS #BrookReview #JimFreedman #Wrestling #ProWrestling #WrestlingBear #Canada #DrawingHeat
5/5 Stars
Jim Freedman at time of writing this had been a life long casual wrestling fan. At a University he was a teacher of Anthropology and Economics and had always had a love for writing. His primary focal point in this book was Dave 'Canadian Wildman' McKigney. The 'Wildman' was a long term journeyman kind of wrestler wrestler who had traveled around and would eventually become famous for wrestling bears. Not only that, McKigney also headed up his own outlaw promotion under the name of Big Time Wrestling in Ontario, Canada. Which would be one of the last true old school territories in North America.
We start off looking at Jim Freedman's opening journey to composing this tale which ultimately is a diary of his time with Dave McKigney put together into a nice flowing narrative. As it happens the story actually starts in the offices of the famous Tunney's of Maple Leaf Wrestling fame, as well as Jack who would later appear for the World Wrestling Federation as their on air President. From the promotion run by the Tunney's, Freedman takes the reader along his travels into the truly old school, carnival-esque, promotion run by McKigney. What occurs from their first meeting up until the end of Freedman's time with the promotion could very easily be made into a movie. A natural plot lays there just begging to be made into a movie, the struggles of an old time promoter struggling to make ends meat in the changing economical world and that of the professional wrestling one itself. A troupe of wrestlers almost completely reliant on the success of the promotion with stars of yesteryear swinging by to pick up one more pay check and give the shows a much needed boost. Arguably the best part of it is, anyone can relate to McKigney's passion and will to succeed against the odds, a truly touching story full of moments to make you laugh, near tearjerkers, nail biting anticipation (Assuming you don't already know the story), a comradeship that is not often seen, and most importantly as the reader you can almost feel the work ethic of McKigney take it's tole on your body and mind combined just from reading it, let alone actually going through it. There's insight into the cost of running shows, how you promote a show, what happens before, after, and during a show, traveling with the boys, putting a card and a feud together. Then on top of that you get a rare behind the scenes look at guys like the original Sheik, the Tolos Brothers, Whipper Watson Jr., and a look at the wrestling bears of the industry. There's just too much to recount all of it. At the end as this is the second edition release of 2010, you get a bonus interview with Jim Freedman from 2009 conducted by Scott Teal and a look at Dave McKigney's tragic car crash death along with Adrian Adonis and Pat Kelly.
I honestly can't believe I haven't read this book before now (October 28, 2013 time of writing). Originally released in 1988 this is a real groundbreaking book for the time in North America. For modern fans reading this review think Beyond the Mat in book form. They are not exactly the same and the overall story is different, but it's the best comparison I can think of for how unheard of this kind of content was at the time. Simply a book you can't put down once you start reading it. Even though it was released in 1988 originally, the story was put together in 1981 to be forged into this book over the following few years. A truly unique and through provoking look at a business that simply didn't commonly let people into it's inner sanctum during the time Drawing Heat was composed. No matter who you are you can pick this up and read it, wrestling fan or not. I can not recommend it enough.
We start off looking at Jim Freedman's opening journey to composing this tale which ultimately is a diary of his time with Dave McKigney put together into a nice flowing narrative. As it happens the story actually starts in the offices of the famous Tunney's of Maple Leaf Wrestling fame, as well as Jack who would later appear for the World Wrestling Federation as their on air President. From the promotion run by the Tunney's, Freedman takes the reader along his travels into the truly old school, carnival-esque, promotion run by McKigney. What occurs from their first meeting up until the end of Freedman's time with the promotion could very easily be made into a movie. A natural plot lays there just begging to be made into a movie, the struggles of an old time promoter struggling to make ends meat in the changing economical world and that of the professional wrestling one itself. A troupe of wrestlers almost completely reliant on the success of the promotion with stars of yesteryear swinging by to pick up one more pay check and give the shows a much needed boost. Arguably the best part of it is, anyone can relate to McKigney's passion and will to succeed against the odds, a truly touching story full of moments to make you laugh, near tearjerkers, nail biting anticipation (Assuming you don't already know the story), a comradeship that is not often seen, and most importantly as the reader you can almost feel the work ethic of McKigney take it's tole on your body and mind combined just from reading it, let alone actually going through it. There's insight into the cost of running shows, how you promote a show, what happens before, after, and during a show, traveling with the boys, putting a card and a feud together. Then on top of that you get a rare behind the scenes look at guys like the original Sheik, the Tolos Brothers, Whipper Watson Jr., and a look at the wrestling bears of the industry. There's just too much to recount all of it. At the end as this is the second edition release of 2010, you get a bonus interview with Jim Freedman from 2009 conducted by Scott Teal and a look at Dave McKigney's tragic car crash death along with Adrian Adonis and Pat Kelly.
I honestly can't believe I haven't read this book before now (October 28, 2013 time of writing). Originally released in 1988 this is a real groundbreaking book for the time in North America. For modern fans reading this review think Beyond the Mat in book form. They are not exactly the same and the overall story is different, but it's the best comparison I can think of for how unheard of this kind of content was at the time. Simply a book you can't put down once you start reading it. Even though it was released in 1988 originally, the story was put together in 1981 to be forged into this book over the following few years. A truly unique and through provoking look at a business that simply didn't commonly let people into it's inner sanctum during the time Drawing Heat was composed. No matter who you are you can pick this up and read it, wrestling fan or not. I can not recommend it enough.
Unique content strictly for the Professional Wrestling Historical Society.
Review of Drawing Heat.
Reviewer: Jimmy Wheeler.
Published: Pre-2020.
Book Review: #31.
Editor: Jimmy Wheeler.
Unique content strictly for the Professional Wrestling Historical Society.
Review of Drawing Heat.
Reviewer: Jimmy Wheeler.
Published: Pre-2020.
Book Review: #31.
Editor: Jimmy Wheeler.
Drawing Heat.
Author: Jim Freedman.
Pages: 171.
Published as Paperback: 2010 (originally 1988).
Publisher: Crowbar Press.