Reflecting on wrestling at Shea Stadium
With the final remnants of Shea Stadium having been demolished Wednesday, I figured it was an appropriate time to look back on pro wrestling’s connection with the storied stadium in Flushing, N.Y.
Before there was such a thing as WrestleMania, there was Showdown at Shea. Back when WWE was a Northeastern promotion known as the WWWF (and later the WWF), the company held three historic supercards at Shea Stadium, in 1972, 1976 and 1980.
Obviously, there was no pay-per-view or Internet in those days, so the place where most fans (including me) found out about the Shea events was in wrestling magazines.
The 1980 show was headlined by one of the most famous matches in the pre-WrestleMania era – Bruno Sammartino versus Larry Zbyszko in a steel cage. I was 12 when the Bruno-Zbyszko feud began and it remains one of my favorite rivalries to this day. That feud left such an impression on me that when I attended a Mets game at Shea in the early 1990s, I looked out onto the field and thought: “That’s where Bruno and Zbyszko wrestled in a cage.”
On the undercard of that event in 1980, Andre The Giant defeated a cocky, young heel named Hulk Hogan. In typical Hogan fashion, he claimed in his autobiography that his match against Andre was the reason for the big gate, but anyone who followed wrestling at that time knows how ridiculous that statement is.
The crowd (reported as being more than 36,000) came to see Bruno gets his revenge on former protégé Zbyszko. In fact, as it relates to wrestling at the stadium, Shea was the house that Bruno built. “The Living Legend” wrestled in the main event on all three of the stadium supercards.
In 1972, he and WWWF champion Pedro Morales wrestled to a draw that lasted more than an hour in what was billed as “The Match of The Century.” I believe it was the first babyface vs. babyface world title match in the company, and I don’t think there was another one until 1990 when Hogan faced The Ultimate Warrior at WrestleMania VI.
The 1976 show was the most unique of the Shea events. The top match inside the stadium was a WWWF title bout between Sammartino and Stan Hansen. Sammartino had legitimately suffered a broken neck in a match against Hansen, and this was a much-anticipated grudge match.
The actual main event of the night, however, took place in Tokyo and was shown at the stadium via closed circuit television. It was the infamous shoot match between Muhammad Ali and Japanese great Antonio Inoki. Also on that card at Shea, Andre The Giant faced Chuck Wepner in a boxer vs. wrestler match. Let’s just say that Wepner did not fare as well against Andre as Floyd Mayweather did against The Big Show last year at WrestleMania.
To watch promos for the 1980 Shea Stadium show by Hulk Hogan, Bruno Sammartino and Larry Zbyszko, click here.
Note: I will post my thoughts on last night’s episode of TNA Impact later today. I hardly know where to start.
Comments
After reading a nice rememberance of early Shea stadium matches , I then read your final sentence in re: to last night's Impact . - I missed it , didn't record it , and will have to view Saturdays airing of it . By the tone of your comment I'm guessing it was an epic disaster ?
Posted by: the artist formerly known as jack in hebron | February 20, 2009 7:22 AM
Kevin, didn't Backlund and Morales win the Tag Title at Shea?
RESPONSDE FROM KEVIN ECK: Yes. They beat The Samoans in 1980. Even though Backlund was champ, Bruno headlined the show.
Posted by: Jeff | February 20, 2009 7:31 AM
TNA was that bad, huh? I can't wait to see what you've got to say. Show them no mercy, Kevin!
Posted by: Sean the Cynic | February 20, 2009 8:22 AM
Impact one owrd " SAD"
Posted by: chris | February 20, 2009 9:00 AM
On a side note Kevin, do you think WWE will be interested in Petey Williams. And if so would he be able to use the Canadian Destroyer?
RESPONSE FROM KEVIN ECK: My guess is that they wouldn't be interested. ROH seems like a better fit.
Posted by: Jason | February 20, 2009 10:43 AM
Kev,
Thanx for the youtube links. I busted out laughing when I saw "Young" Vinnie Mac. I watched the Hogan/Andre match and it was terrible. Only Freddie Blassie made it watchable, and the Japanese commentary was a hoot.
Posted by: Sean | February 20, 2009 12:30 PM
Kevin, this is one aspect of Shea that you don't hear a lot about, but was definitely huge.
Thanks.
Also, anxiously awaiting your blog on Impact.
Posted by: Ben | February 20, 2009 1:37 PM
The first interview featuring Hogan , he really seemed to be trying to emulate or steal from Superstar Billy Graham's personna .
By the way Kev, after seeing old tape of Vince , I can really see the resemblance between you and your dad . ...I'm just kidding !
Posted by: the artist formerly known as jack in hebron | February 20, 2009 2:33 PM
Watching the Hogan/Andre match made me extremely grateful for Steamboat/Savage at Wrestlemania.
Posted by: King of Pants | February 20, 2009 4:35 PM
Kev:
When Backlund & Morales won the Tag title, did they not have to forfit as Backlund could not fulfill his obligation as WWF Champ? Then a tournament was held to crown the new champs? Who won that tourney? The Samoans? Also, was this before or after Peter Maivia turned on Backlund in a Tag match?
Thanks for the Shea memories!
RESPONSE FROM KEVIN ECK: Yes, Backlund and Morales gave up the titles and The Samoans won them back in a tournament. Never made any sense to me. Why would Backlund try to win something he knew he wasn't going to keep? This was about a year after Maivia turned on Backlund -- if I remember correctly.
Posted by: Matt | February 20, 2009 5:46 PM
Get Eck! Get Eck! Tell him I want him to write his entry about Impact! MAKE IT HAPPEN! MAKE IT HAPPEN!
Posted by: Cliff | February 20, 2009 5:49 PM
Speaking of Andre, has anyone picked up a copy of the new book put out by WWE which highlights and comments on Andre's biggest matches and events including several bouts against Hogan in addition to the one at Shea? Thanks.
Posted by: Bradley | February 20, 2009 6:37 PM
"The first interview featuring Hogan , he really seemed to be trying to emulate or steal from Superstar Billy Graham's personna ."
Isn't Hogan's entire persona extremely similar to Superstar Billy Graham, right down to the feather boa, brother?
Posted by: Bob Buscaglia | February 20, 2009 11:15 PM
I bet Bruno and Larry were itching to get at each other since they were basically standing side by side during their promos. It's funny how they would do that back then
Posted by: jt | February 21, 2009 2:12 AM
Bob Buscaglia -
Hogan has said in the past of Billy Graham being one of his early inspirations , but I also meant in this clip that more specifically Hogan used Graham's "dialect".
Posted by: the artist formerly known as jack in hebron | February 21, 2009 4:40 PM