MLB to Small Town America: Drop Dead

Hot damn did I love me some roller derby on overnight ESPN during summers as a kid. Paired nicely with AWA wrestling and Aussie Rules Football. Thank God for lax parenting.

 

I'm certain that's the first time I was introduced to Billy Barty. And tremendously thrilled somebody got the Roller Derby reference. I used to skate around the garage and pretend I was a jammer.

 

Richmond 9-5171. Get tickets now!!!

 

I don’t know if they think they can’t find enough drama from legitimate bouts or if it is just technically infeasible to film in the rinky dinky Shriners auditoriums where they take place, but I’m surprised somebody hasn’t taken a run at broadcasting the women’s-only teams that have popped up everywhere the last several years, even just for Web-only streaming.

 

Growing up in the 70s, many Saturdays were spent watching the LA T-Birds on TV. It was amazing how they won every match on the final run. They even topped the Lakers 33-game winning streak.
I went to a match in probably 1979 or 80 at the San Bernardino Swing Auditorium. It was noticeable how much faster the men were than the woman and comical how many fans were taking it seriously.

 

I still have no idea where "Kezar Auditorium" is, but never was able to talk my dad into going to the Cow Palace. Saturday was Big Time Wrestling, ABC's coverage of the PBA Tour and then Roller Derby. A great way to spend a dreary, rainy January back in the day.

 

As a child I loathed Danny O'Reilly and John Hall when the T-Birds would square off against the Canadian All Stars led by Paul (The Bear) Rupert and Frankie Marcedo on the men's side and Diane Syverson, Sherry Jackson and Gwen (Skinny Minnie) Miller on the distaff side.

 

We'd probably get laughed at today for watching bowling on TV, but those Saturday afternoons on ABC were fun to watch. Earl Anthony and his buzzcut dominated the lanes while Chris Schenkel and Nelson Burton Jr. rocked the broadcast booth.

 

Much like in Northern California, except it was the Bay Bombers at 5 p.m. Sundays on KTVU with Walt Harris (who also did pro wrestling on Saturdays) mikeside from Kezar Auditorium. Years later, our local prep basketball teams would draw a San Francisco school in the NorCal playoffs and the games would be at Kezar. Could never get the assignment.

Laugh all you want at some of the ludicrious story lines that would put WWE to shame, but I remember they had a doubleheader at the Oakland Coliseum on Fourth of July that drew 50K.

 

Mark Roth beating the stuffing out of Marshall Holman after getting trash talked was the highlight of my weekends.

 

Golden Gate Park, near Kezar Stadium.

 

The roller derby “Cheap Seats” episode was great.