Jerry Brisco a Top Contender for the Harley Race's NWA TItle (1973)

Jerry Brisco and "Big" Bill Ward at WBTV studio in Charlotte, NC

The following is an excerpt from Les Thatcher's "Wrestler's Eye View" in Mid-Atlantic Wrestling Magazine from July 1973. The subject was Jerry Brisco, one of the top singles stars at the time for Jim Crockett Promotions.

JERRY BRISCO has set out to recapture the Eastern Heavyweight Championship Belt taken from him earlier in the vear by OLE ANDERSON. There have been some classic battles between Jerry and Ole. Jerry may detour briefly to get a shot at New N.W.A. Worlds Champ
HARLEY RACE.

Most wrestling experts felt that Jerry's brother Jack would be the man to dethrone kingpin of 4 years DORY FUNK JR. But Race pulled it off in Kansas City. Jerry would like to be the one to bring the World's Belt into the Brisco family.

Les wrote that column in late June of 1973, just a matter of weeks before Jerry Brisco's brother Jack defeated Harley Race for the NWA title in Houston. 

Ric Flair: "And Then It Was My Turn."

By Dick Bourne
Mid-Atlantic Gateway

On Monday night May 8, 2000, Ric Flair appeared on WCW Monday Nitro on TNT and brought with him the old NWA World Heavyweight championship belt that he wore beginning in 1981 when he defeated Dusty Rhodes until February of 1986 when the belt was replaced by the famous "Big Gold" version of the NWA title.

It was a big surprise and a very nostalgic moment for fans from the 1970s and 1980s who so connected with the "ten pounds of gold", which was the top title and top belt in all of professional wrestling during the territory years.

Nitro was in St. Louis, MO, that night, historically the most important city on the National Wrestling Alliance map. Flair spoke generally about how important it was to work there for Sam Muchnick if you wanted to become NWA champion one day. He also spoke eloquently about seeing that belt for the first time.

That had to be a very cool moment for old-school fans of St. Louis wrestling.

Here is a transcript of Flair's remarks as they pertained to the "ten pounds of gold."

"In the year nineteen hundred and seventy eight, Terry Funk told me if I wanted to be a star in this business I had to get to St. Louis on Friday night. You know what I'm talkin' about. I had to be at the Kiel or The Arena, I had to be live at the Chase, I had to be in St. Louis if I wanted to be a star.

And then I saw this for the first time. It was around the waist of the legendary Jack Brisco. And I said, "Jack, do you think I could ever be World champion?" He said, "Kid, keep workin'. Work at it every day and every night and maybe by the grace of God you might get it some day.

And then there was Terry Funk, and then it was Harley Race, and then it was Dusty Rhodes.

And then it was my turn.

And this is what we all desired to have and be, the World Heavyweight championship. We gave up everything. We gave up life, we gave up our families, we worked every day, we partied all night. We were the champions of the World. The best this sport had to offer."

 

That episode of WCW Monday Nitro is currently available on demand on the Peacock Network. The interview with Flair is at approximately 25:20 into the program.

A very bright moment during a really sad time in WCW.

This post was originally published on the "Domed Globe" website in May of 2019, and republished on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway in May of 2023.

The Funks and the Briscos Take Over Greensboro on Thanksgiving (1973)

Jim Crockett (Sr.) Scholarship Fund Night in Greensboro
by Dick Bourne
Mid-Atlantic Gateway

 

The Crockett Territory's Biggest Night of the Year

When Jim Crockett passed away in 1973, the family decided to establish a scholarship in his name. According to a report in the Greensboro News & Record, the traditional Thanksgiving night event in the Greensboro Coliseum was the first in a series of scholarship events to be held in the coming weeks to honor the legacy and memory of James Allen Crockett, Sr. Proceeds from the event would go to that fund.

Ticket stub from Thanksgiving Night in Greensboro 1973
Nov. 22, 1973  -  48 years ago!

The Thanksgiving event in Greensboro, which was always a big affair and one of the biggest shows of the year in the entire territory, was particularly loaded that evening. The NWA World champion Jack Brisco was booked to defend the ten pounds of gold against former champion Dory Funk, Jr. in what was another in a series of classic battles between the two wrestlers who defined pro-wrestling in the 1970s. Jack had defeated Harley Race in July of that same year for the title, and the angle now was that Brisco had never defeated his arch-rival Funk, Jr. in a title match.  This was a huge deal at the time and billed as a special event selected for Greensboro. To add even more star power to that main event, former legendary champion Lou Thesz was brought in as special referee for the title contest.

A number of other big names were brought in from outside the area for the show, which wasn't that unusual for big shows in Greensboro. Terry Funk was in to challenge Eastern (by then renamed Mid-Atlantic) Heavyweight champion Jerry Brisco in a battle of the younger brothers who were in the main event that night. Indeed, Thanksgiving night in Greensboro was a Funk vs. Brisco showcase.

Also in for this huge show were the father and son combination of Eddie and Mike Graham. Eddie and Mike were top stars for Championship Wrestling from Florida, and Eddie was also the promoter of that territory. They squared off against one of the Mid-Atlantic territory's top legendary heel tag teams Rip Hawk and Swede Hanson. What a classic brawl that must have been.

Another top star in for the big card that didn't wrestle regularly in the territory was Cowboy Bill Watts. A regular in Georgia and Florida, Watts had made several special appearances in Greensboro that year, but was not a regular member of the Crockett roster.

TRANSCRIPTS

Championships At Stake In Thanksgiving Wrestling  

Thanksgiving night in the Greensboro Coliseum will be wrestling championship night, the finest card ever presented to Piedmont sports fans. 

Jack Brisco, the new world heavyweight title-holder, will risk his crown against Dory Funk Jr. of Texas, the former champion. Funk lost his title some time ago to Harley Race, who in turn was beaten by Brisco ... and Jack Brisco has never beaten Funk in a title match. Lou Thesz, a former world champ, will be the special referee. 

Younger brothers of both champions clash In the Eastern Heavyweight title match. Jerry Brisco, who holds the crown, will take on Terry Funk. Both title features will be one hour time limit.  

This Thanksgiving special, which usually draws the season's largest wrestling crowd at the Greensboro Coliseum, will be the first in a series of Jim Crockett Scholarship Fund events throughout the area. Wrestlers and promoters alike are working to set up a series of college scholarships to honor the late Jim Crockett, regarded as the South's outstanding promoter at the time of his death last spring.  

Other matches include Cowboy Bill Watts versus Beauregard, Bob Bruggers versus El Gaucho and The Destroyer versus Rufus R. Jones. A special tag team match will have Rip Hawk and Swede Hanson against Eddie and Mike Graham. 

Wrestling Set Tonight  

The late Jim Crockett will be honored tonight during professional wrestling in the Greensboro Coliseum tonight involving world champions. 

Lou Thesz, who held the world crown for many years, will referee a match between current champ Jack Brisco and Dory Funk Jr.  Funk lost his title to Harley Race who was beaten by Brisco.

The Eastern Heavyweight title is also at stake with present titlist Jerry Brisco being challenged by Terry Funk. Rip Hawk and Swede Hanson will have a tag team battle against Eddie and Mike Graham and there will be several singles events. 

A Rare Thanksgiving Night Card in Charlotte

With so many big outside names taking the top spots on the Greensboro card, one could easily wonder where the rest of the Mid-Atlantic roster was that night. Typically, Norfolk, VA, also hosted a big card of wrestling on Thanksgiving night. But in 1973, Charlotte instead played host to a rare Thanksgiving night show that, like Greensboro, also featured some special guest stars.

 

The headline event for the Charlotte Coliseum featured the top two singles stars in the territory at the time, Johnny Valentine vs. Johnny Weaver. In the semi-main event, the Mid-Atlantic tag team titles were on the line as new champions Jay York and Brute Bernard defended against the area's most popular tag-team combination, former champs Sandy Scott and Nelson Royal. As an added bonus, former world boxing champion Joe Louis was in town and had been assigned as special referee for the title contest.

 

Two big outside names were brought in for the show as well. Area favorite Paul Jones had been campaigning in the state of Florida for the last couple of years and had won the Florida Heavyweight championship. He was in the midst of a red-hot feud with Buddy Colt. The two had traded the Florida title several times during the year of 1973 and now they brought their heated rivalry to Charlotte for Thanksgiving night. The Florida title was not on the line in Charlotte, but it was a bit of a homecoming for Jones who had wrestled on cards throughout the Mid-Atlantic territory for years before moving down to the sunshine state. Charlotte fans were well familiar with the feud because "Championship Wrestling from Florida" was seen on Charlotte area television in those years.

 

Charlotte's traditional night for wrestling was Monday night, and as a testament to the city's ability to support pro-wreslting, Jim Crockett Promotions returned to the city the very next Monday night 11/26, only four days following the big Thanksgiving night show. The main event back at the cozy confines of the Charlotte Park Center was Johnny Valentine vs. Rufus R. "Freight Train" Jones.

 

The death of Jim Crockett had saddened the entire Mid-Atlantic area earlier that year, but on this big night Jim Jr., David, Jackie, and Frances did their father proud with one huge night of wrestling in their showcase cities. It was the territory's biggest night of the year and was 1973's shining moment.

  Edited from a post originally published June 30, 2015 on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway

Connecting the Dots: Brisco, Funk, Race, & Rhodes (1977)

by Dick Bourne
Originally published on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway

During the first years of my hardcore fandom of pro wrestling, 1975-1976, there were four main singles stars in the Mid-Atlantic area. Those wrestlers were Wahoo McDaniel, Paul Jones, Ric Flair, and Blackjack Mulligan. This was my "A-list."

But there was another "A-list" I was fascinated by, too, and that was a group of four wrestlers that were atop the NWA's world championship picture during those years. That group included Jack Brisco, Terry Funk, Harley Race, and Dusty Rhodes.

During the mid-to-late 1970s, these were the guys that dominated the NWA coverage in the newsstand magazines. And even though Rhodes didn't win the NWA title until 1979 (and really only seriously in 1981), he was always in the title picture, and the darling of the magazines. He was also a special attraction in our area, especially in the 1970s, as much or more than the NWA champions.

I was always fascinated by how these four always were interconnected from a storyline and title-lineage perspective. I remember this first really dawned on me when our TV programs showed the tape of Harley Race beating Terry Funk for the NWA title in Toronto in 1977, and Whipper Billy Watson (a former NWA champion and Toronto legend doing commentary for the match) made the observation that not only was Race now a 2-time champion, but he had defeated both of the Funk brothers in doing so.

From that point forward, the Funk/Brisco/Race triangle (with Rhodes thrown in there causing trouble) was one of my favorite subjects to dwell on.

So it was with great pleasure that I recently came across this wonderful little article from the Tampa Tribune published two days after Race defeated Funk in that very match in Toronto, and promoting the matches later that night at the Hesterly Armory in Tampa. The article is un-credited, but whoever wrote it knew their stuff, and it was a delight reading how he sorted through all of the these connections I used to think about as a young teenage wrestling fan, and related them beautifully to the current events in Florida.

From the article in the Tampa Tribune, February 8, 1977, via Newspapers.com:

Race Regains NWA Title, Defends Against Brisco

Harley Race won the National Wrestling Alliance world heavyweight championship against Terry Funk in Toronto Sunday night and will defend the title against Jack Brisco tonight at Fort Homer Hesterly Armory.

As far as Brisco is concerned, their championship fight is three nights too late. Brisco beat Race Saturday night at the Bayfront Center in St. Petersburg.

The turn of events involving Funk, Race, Brisco and Dusty Rhodes make soap operas seem awfully dull.

Rhodes beat Funk in the featured title match Saturday night at the Bayfront, but Funk was disqualified for kayoing the referee and the title didn't change hands.

Funk, however, injured a knee in that match and against better judgment went ahead with his scheduled match with Race in Toronto Sunday night.

Race beat Funk in a quick 14 minutes, 10 seconds with an Indian death lock, which places pressure on the knee and ankle.

NWA rules require a new champion to fulfill the former champion's match commitments. Interestingly, this brings Race right back against Brisco on tonight's Gasparilla Championships starting at 8:30 at Hesterly.

Terry Funk defeated Brisco for the championship in Miami in December of 1975.

Race previously held the title by defeating Dory Funk Jr. - - Terry's brother - - in March of 1973 and Race lost it to Brisco the following July.

An interesting triangle.

And who does Rhodes, the popular "American Dream wrestle tonight at Hesterly? Dory Funk Jr.

So, tonight's intriguing lineup pits Race vs. Brisco and Rhodes vs. Funk -- one champion and two ex-champs in the top two bouts.

It was in the same Gasparilla week of 1969 that Dory Funk Jr., lifted the heavyweight championship from Gene Kiniski at Hesterly.

Race has been wrestling professionally for 17 years. He turned pro with the NWA at 16, the youngest wrestler ever to do so.

Race makes his home in Kansas City.

I learned another little NWA title history storyline nugget in this article, too. I never knew the bit about Terry Funk injuring his knee in St. Petersburg the night before the title change in Toronto. Maybe I'd read that before and just forgotten it, but it was a nice little twist to NWA title lore.

Terry Funk defeats Jack Brisco for the NWA World Title

Dr. Tom Prichard: The Night Brisco Became Champion

Tom Prichard's ticket stub for wrestling at the
Sam Houston Coliseum, July 20, 1973

Back in 2012, while surfing the internet, I came across a great article by pro-wrestling superstar Tom Prichard on his "Doctor's Note" blog.  In his article "Harley Race vs. Jack Brisco: The Night Brisco Became NWA World Champion", Prichard looks back at the significance the date July 20, 1973 had for him in several ways, not the least of which was the historic title change between Race and Brisco, also the night the belt known as "the ten pounds of gold" was first presented to the champion.

 Prichard, who grew up in El Passo, TX, watching wrestling out of the Amarillo territory, was there in Houston that night and the pomp and circumstance surrounding the big night left a lasting impression on him. I greatly enjoyed his first hand account.

Included in the article are images of the actual newspaper reports that week (not reproductions) as well as programs, magazines, and his row 12, seat 8 ticket stub. All very cool, indeed.

Many of the clippings seen in Prichard's post are also featured in the "Ten Pounds of Gold" book, copies of which were provided by Harley Race.

Click the link the below to go to Tom Prichard's blog and relive the night history was made in Houston.

"Harley Race vs. Jack Brisco: The Night Brisco Became NWA World Champion" 

 

Dr. Tom's blog is "The Doctor's Note" and is located here:

http://drtomprichard.blogspot.com/

 

 

Originally published on the Domed Globe site in October of 2012

Jack Brisco defends against Dory Funk, Jr. in Japan (with Sam Muchnick)

A classic 2-of-3 falls contest in Japan in January of 1974 between reigning NWA World Champion Jack Brisco and former champion Dory Funk, Jr. from Japan. The video includes great pre-match footage of NWA President Sam Muchnick with Jack's brand new NWA World Championship belt, the original "ten pounds of gold" on the red velvet strap. 

 

 

This post was re-published on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway on April 13, 2021

Brisco Reign Begins: Hand Raised in Houston

Ring announcer Boyd Pierce raises the hand of a triumphant Jack Brisco moments after Brisco defeated Harley Race for the NWA World Heavyweight championship on July 20, 1973 in Houston, Texas. A dejected Race is seen in the corner behind them.

NWA President Sam Muchnick is at left. He had attended the card that night in Houston and brought the new NWA World title belt with him. It was presented to Race before the match, but he didn't have a chance to enjoy the new belt, as Brisco took the 2-out-of-3 fall match and the championship laurels that night.

Although hidden behind Brisco in this photograph so you can't see him here, it is Tiger Conway, Jr. who is strapping the belt around the new champion's waist.

A wonderful photograph, perhaps taken by promoter Paul Boesch who took many photos that night, featured in an issue of Gong Magazine in Japan.

www.tenpoundsofgold.com

Red Velvet

The domed-globe belt was barely six months old in this screen-capture taken from video of an NWA title defense by Jack Brisco against Dory Funk, Jr. on January 29, 1974 in Japan.

The red velvet-covered leather strap was still on the belt at this point, but would soon come off and the belt would be reworked with a black leather strap (and no velvet fabric.) This is really a beautiful look at the new belt.

NWA President Sam Muchnick is seen at left.

Complete details on the evolution of the domed-globe belt through its four different versions from 1973-1986 can be found in the book Ten Pounds of Gold.

Late edit: The video of the Brisco/Funk match from Japan, including the footage of Sam Muchnick with the red velvet strapped belt, can be seen here.  

www.TenPoundsOfGold.com

The NWA's "Big Three" (Japan Magazine)

Thanks to Scottie Richardson at Wrestler Weekly for sending us this image of a classic Japanese magazine cover featuring the NWA champions from 1969-1976. This shot was taken in 1973 as part of a series of famous photos in a hallway at a show in Japan.

Featured are NWA World Heavyweight champion Jack Brisco (front) with NWA President Sam Muchnick (back center) flanked by former champions Dory Funk, Jr. (left) and Harley Race (right.)

Jack Brisco and the New NWA World Championship Belt (1973)

Jack Brisco and the new NWA Belt (Florida 1973)

Gordon Solie and new NWA Champion Jack Brisco on the set of Championship Wrestling from Florida (1973)

Classic Brisco Cover from Japan

The champ is here. Great cover shot of #WWE Hall of Famer Jack Brisco, the first World champion Jerry Lawler ever faced in Memphis. pic.twitter.com/ITXqDc1OFz

— Travis Scott Bowden (@TravScottBowden) August 4, 2017

Japanese NWA Wrestling Collage

The Japanese magazines still do an excellent job of remembering the old NWA champs. These are images from a special section of a recent magazine there that looked back at the history of the NWA World title and presented a special interview with Harley Race.

Ex-NWA Champs in the WWF

It broke my heart when the NWA champions of my youth (Jack Brisco, Terry Funk, Harley Race) all left for the WWF in the mid-1980s during the early days of the wrestling wars. I was an NWA loyalist!

But in retrospect, I'm glad they did as it gave all of them an additional run in the spotlight they so richly deserved but might not have received in the remaining NWA territories which, with the exception of Jim Crockett Promotions, were all falling by the wayside.

Here are a few "Piper's Pit" segments that featured the Brisco Brothers and Terry Funk, from 1984 and 1985. Fun stuff.

Mike Cline: Jack Brisco - The Champ

Check out Mike Cline's great post on former NWA champion Jack Brisco on his website "Mid-Atlantic Grapplin' Greats":

Jack Brisco: The Champ

A Classic Newspaper Ad from Florida (1975)

A great looking ad from "Championship Wrestling from Florida" featuring NWA Champion Jack Brisco and "the ten pounds of gold."

What a loaded 10-match card! Not only was Jack defending the title against Terry Funk, but two former world champs were also meeting in the semi-final as Terry's brother Dory Funk, Jr. met Harley Race. Plus Eddie Graham, Jim ("J.J.") Dillon, Johnny Weaver, Bob Backlund, Bob Armstrong, Danny Hodge, and others.

The card was held at the beautiful Bayfront Center in St. Petersburg, Florida. For my money on of the most beautiful arenas in the most perfect setting of any venue in Florida.

Belltime 8:30!!

* * * * * * * * * *

FUNK EARNS TITLE SHOT
St. Petersburg Newspaper

ST. PETERSBURG—Wrestler Terry Funk. brother of former world champion Dory Funk Jr.. has won the right to meet current world champ Jack Brisco for the title and will tonight in the feature match at the Bayfront Center.

That will be the final match on a card that begins at 8:30 p.m.

In another big match, Dory Funk Jr. will meet the man who took his title away from him, Harley Race. Eddie Graham will take on the Mongolian Stomper and then Bearcat Wright in a special five minute match.

In other matches: Johnny Weaver will meet Jim Dillon in a Florida TV title match; Mike Graham and Tiger Conway will wrestle Doug Somers and Joe Soto: Bob Armstrong will wrestle against Roger Kirby: Danny Little Bear faces Dutch Mantel; Danny Hodge battles Jon Foley and in the opener Bob Backlund comes up against Pat Barrett.

* * * * * * * * * * *

RESULTS
Jack Brisco defeated Terry Funk
Dory Funk Jr. defeated Harley Race by DQ
Mike Graham and Tiger Conway defeated Joe Soto and Doug Somers
Dick Slater defeated Chris Markoff
Jim Dillon defeated Johnny Weaver
Eddie graham defeated the Stomper

Brisco Celebrates with Boesch in Houston

Promoter Paul Boesch hugs Jack Brisco who had just defeated Harley Race for the
NWA World Championship. 

One of my favorite magazine photos from Houston the night Jack Brisco defeated Harley Race for the NWA world championship. The date was July 20, 1973.

Brisco is being hugged by promoter Paul Boesch. Boesch holds a camera in his left hand. He took many photos in the ring after that match, several of which were given to Harley Race who provided them for use in the book "Ten Pounds of Gold" which documents that historic night in Houston.

Also in the photo are ring announcer Boyd Pierce and despondent Harley Race.

Available on Amazon.com and at TenPoundsofGold.com

Terry Funk Letter to Jack Adkisson (1975)

Terry Funk letter to Jim Barnett (1975) (Click to Enlarge)

Another wonderful piece of historical memorabilia:

This is a letter written by Terry Funk to the NWA secretary-treasurer Jim Barnett in the days following Funk's victory over Jack Brisco for the NWA world heavyweight championship. Funk won the title December 10, 1975, in Miami, FL. The letter is dated December 15, 1975.

It is basically formal documentation of:

(1) Funk's request that the NWA, through Barnett, be his booker for appearances as long as he is NWA champion.
(2) Funk acknowledges he is in possession of the gold belt which remains the property of the NWA.
(3) He will only lose the title when instructed to do so by the NWA.
(4) He agrees to be booked for at least one rematch with the person who takes the title from him.

Fascinating stuff indeed.

* * * * * * * * * *

Special thanks to Yuhki Kihara and Atsushi Kanie for providing this and other images on the Domed Globe blog.

Historic Telegram to Sam Muchnick (1975)

1975 Telegram Announcing a new NWA World Champion (click to enlarge)

What an amazing piece of historical memorabilia! This is an actual telegram from then NWA president Jack Adkisson (aka Fritz Von Erich) to former longtime NWA president Sam Muchnick informing him that a new NWA world heavyweight champion had been crowned in Miami, FL. 

On December 10, 1975, Terry Funk defeated Jack Brisco for the world's most prestigious wrestling championship.

"Terry Funk defeated Jack Brisco with a cradle hold in 28 minutes tonight December 10th in Miami, Florida and is now recognized as the new world's heavyweight champion by the National Wrestling Alliance."

* * * * * * * * * *

Special thanks to Yuhki Kihara and Atsushi Kanie for providing this and other images on the Domed Globe blog.