This is the fifth part of a series on John Ringley, a trusted confidant of the late Jim Crockett Sr. and an influential force in Jim Crockett Promotions during the late 1960s and early '70s.
The Carolinas had been known as a hotbed for tag-team wrestling during the 1960s. But toward the end of the decade, headliners had grown older, talent had become stale and crowds had declined.
John Ringley, right-hand man for Jim Crockett Sr., had also seen enough of booker George Becker, who, by that time in his mid-50s, was also still wrestling at the top of the card.
"I kept watching this thing," said Ringley. "We were primarily a tag-team territory. We had four-man and six-man matches. Then we went to eight-man. So George walked in the office one day and said he had an idea."
"Let's go to a 10-man tag," the popular but aging veteran said, perhaps half-jokingly. And then he walked out without waiting for a response.
Wrestling Wrestling: Ringley coined 'Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling' moniker By Mike Mooneyham Special to The Post and Courier
Dumbfounded, Ringley and Crockett just sat there in the office, and Ringley asked, "What are we going to do now? Twelve-man tags so George can keep working?"
Becker would end up leaving the company in 1971, ending a 20-year run with Crockett, and starting an opposition promotion.
It was a difficult split, as Becker had been elder statesman of the territory with the popular Johnny Weaver proving to be the ideal complement as his young babyface partner for nearly a decade. Crockett Promotions was a tag-team hotbed, and Becker and Weaver ruled the roost.
Becker, though, had "outlasted his time," said Ringley. At 5-8 and 185 pounds, Becker looked more like your average businessman than a professional wrestler.
Becker would finish his career with a short-lived promotion that he formed with Tony Olivas and Mike Gallagher following the falling-out with Crockett. Gallagher, who had wrestled for many years as one half of a noted heel team with brother Doc, would later go on to establish Shakey's pizza chain.
Ringley recalls driving back from a show with wrestler Johnny Heidman when he arrived home and his wife, Frances, notified him that he had a phone call. It was from Becker's wife, claiming that Ringley had put sugar in their gas tank.
"George and Johnny were best friends," said Ringley. "I think they had grown up together. I said 'Wait a minute, let me let you talk to my friend here.' Johnny got on the phone and told her that he had been with me all night and that I hadn't done anything to them. Those were just the little things you had to put up with."
Ringley also made it clear that Becker was not kicked out of Crockett Promotions. "He wasn't booted out of our organization. He was removed as booker, and that was it. We didn't tell him to pack his bag or anything like that. And then he went in opposition to us. So that was the end of it. But I had no animosity toward George even though he ran opposition. Life goes on."
Sports John Ringley took shows on the road with Crockett Promotions By Mike Mooneyham Special to The Post and Courier
Weaver, Becker's longtime tag partner, and Rip Hawk were named co-bookers of Jim Crockett Promotions following Becker's departure.
"Everybody took it great. I set it up that neither one of them would have access to a telephone until I talked to both of them," said Ringley. "Of course we didn't have cellphones back then. I met with Weaver first, and then I met Rip. The only one who complained about it was Rip's wife at the time. She called Mrs. Crockett and said that I was running the organization and all this kind of stuff. But she was the only one."
Scott brought in
The new arrangement worked for a while, said Ringley. But his ultimate goal was to have one booker.
"When you had two bookers, or one booker, his card would always be full and the other house you ran that night was sucking wind. If it was a babyface booker, it was hard to get babyfaces in there. At that time George would be working with the strongest heels. Vice versa, if you had heels, you couldn't get heels in there.
Wrestling Wrestling: Ringley says Crockett's mantra was 'promote what the fans like' By Mike Mooneyham Special to The Post and Courier
"Johnny and Rip did a good job -- probably the most loyal people I've ever known -- and they tried to do their best. But I wanted to bring in a single booker that did not work (wrestle)."
After a couple of years, said Ringley, it was time for another change.
During the 1950s and '60s, George Scott had been a top-flight wrestler, forming one of the sport's most successful brother duos, The Flying Scotts, along with younger brother Sandy.
In 1973 Ringley recruited and hired Scott, who would use his considerable talents as a booker to eventually turn the storied Mid-Atlantic territory into one of the hottest promotions in the country.
"I had been in touch with George Scott the entire time," said Ringley. "George and I played golf together. I made a deal with George to come in."
But there was one more hurdle that had to be overcome.
"George booked himself on a card in Greenville, S.C., and I didn't pay him. We had an agreement that he would participate financially in all the houses, but he wouldn't work. So he came to me after I did the payoff on that."
Sports Wrestling: John Ringley revisits wrestling heel Skull Murphy's tragic demise By Mike Mooneyham Special to The Post and Courier
"I noticed you did the payoff on Greenville, but I didn't get paid for the ring work."
"That's right. You didn't get paid," replied Ringley.
"Well I'll never wrestle again," said Scott.
"That's exactly right. Now you got the point," said Ringley with a smile.
Reach Mike Mooneyham at [email protected], or follow him on X at @ByMikeMooneyham and on Facebook at Facebook.com/MikeMooneyham. His latest book -- "Final Bell" -- is available at evepostbooks.com and on Amazon.com.
Did you know ...
WWE Hall of Famer Hacksaw Jim Duggan, one of wrestling's most beloved characters, played college football at SMU (Southern Methodist University) in Dallas. The New York native was recruited by Ohio State, but picked SMU over the Buckeyes.
Duggan, who played offensive tackle from 1974-76, was later signed by the Atlanta Falcons, but knee injuries derailed his football career.
On this date
Twelve years ago today on this date (Dec. 22, 2012): Rip "The Profile" Hawk, who formed one of the top heel teams in the business with Big Swede Hanson during the 1960s and '70s, passed away at the age of 82.
"We used to get our heads busted," recalled Hawk, who could never stand up straight again after taking a suplex and undergoing neck surgery. "I had my nose broken eight times, got a cauliflower ear, ribs broken, both elbows broken, kneecap broken, I don't know how many times my ankles have been traumatized, and I had my sternum split. Other than that, it was pretty good."
Fortunately Hawk, whose real name was Harvey Evers, fared well after his wrestling career had ended, embarking on a variety of business ventures and settling down in Hereford, Texas, where he coached wrestling at the local YMCA.
Photo of the Week