1982 MSG show: Capt. Lou Albano cuts and runs
Let’s take a break from talking about injuries, wrestlers being released and the burial of Randy Orton for a brief visit to the good old days.
I had been a wrestling fan for nearly 10 years in 1982, but I still wasn’t sure whether the blood was real or not. The secrets of pro wrestling were not as exposed as they are today, and I subscribed to the commonly held belief that wrestlers used blood capsules. They couldn’t really be gushing blood out of their foreheads, could they? It was all a show, right?
Looking back, it’s amazing that I couldn’t have figured it out, especially on the rare occasions that legendary WWF manager Capt. Lou Albano wrestled in singles matches. The WWE Hall of Famer couldn’t have made it more obvious that he was cutting his head with a razor blade if he had grabbed the microphone and announced it.
I was watching a Madison Square house show from 1982 on WWE 24/7 the other day, and the card included a match between Albano and Pat Patterson. The eccentric Albano was in rare form. As soon as the match began, Albano pulled a foreign object out of his tights. Patterson immediately took it away from him and started hitting him in the head with it. After each blow, Albano, in plain view, brushed his taped right thumb across his forehead, and the blood began pouring.
A dazed Albano wobbled around the ring trying to tag an imaginary partner before finally bailing and heading to the back. The entire thing lasted less than 90 seconds.
Classic stuff.
To watch the Albano-Patterson match on YouTube, click here.
Comments
I saw that on a "Best of the WWF" video rental.
Posted by: Christopher | June 11, 2009 7:20 PM
Kevin , there's a joke there somewhere re: Albano pulling a foreign object out of his tights and Patterson but I think I'll let someone else do the honors :)
Posted by: the artist formerly known as jack in hebron | June 11, 2009 8:47 PM
How long do you think it'll be before Batista comes back?
I hope Umaga get's the help he needs.
Even if Orton does win the belt back this Mon. I think the damage is already done.
Ha! Just kidding Eck. Do you think it's so obvious to notice the blading now because you know what to look for? Back then all you were seeing was Patterson hauling off on Cpt. Lou and you were caught up in the moment. Now if you see some guy take a chair shot and fall to mat with his head in his hands you know what's comming.
Question: Do you think guy's who get a lot of "color" i.e. Abdullah the Butcher, The Sheik, Flair, Rhodes, HBK, HHH, Abyss and Carlos Colon were EMO kids when they were growing up? With them cutting themselves all the time, you have to wonder.
Posted by: Andre the Midget | June 11, 2009 8:52 PM
I guess I shouldn't be surprised that Vince McMahon referred to Albano as a "fat slob" during commentary.
Posted by: Bob Buscaglia | June 12, 2009 1:25 AM
lol That was really very funny.
Posted by: Kunal | June 12, 2009 6:27 AM
I think the most obvious bladding I can recall was at Wrestlemania 2 when King Kong Bundy bladed himself in the cage match against Hulk Hogan. You can see him hide the razor under that outfit he wore. Thats around the same time I started realizing wrestling was fake when Hulk Hogan would "hulk up" all the time. Talk about insulting our intelligence..
Posted by: delon | June 12, 2009 4:49 PM
LOL Albano tried to tag a nonexistant person, what a trip.
Posted by: The Evil Orange | June 12, 2009 11:18 PM
Ah for the good old days of WWWE, Captian Lou they need you and all of the managers of old, a new Grand Wizard, Scary Sherrie, Freddie "pencil necked geek" Blassie, Mr.Fuji and so many more. One thing though, back then there was such a "strict" adherance to the rules, why didn't Captain Lou get the win for Patterson using the foreign object? Then the crowd going nuts after the anounced winner the one the only " Captain Looooooou Albano.
Posted by: Mick Fowl | June 13, 2009 3:20 PM