Author: David Shama

There’s nothing amusing about Verne Gagne’s plight these days but years ago he and his American Wrestling Association, headquartered in Minneapolis, provided lots of laughs on Saturday night television.  Gagne, 82, has dementia and allegedly was involved this winter in an incident with a fellow resident at Friendship Village who later died.

Back in the 1960’s and 70’s Gagne’s All-Star wrestling TV show originated from the Calhoun Beach Hotel.  The program’s mission was to rile up viewers enough so that they bought tickets for the next wrestling card at either the Minneapolis or St. Paul auditoriums.  A sideline pursuit was to sell a vitamin called Gera Speed.

This was Gagne’s product, as was the AWA where he directed a roster of wrestlers, many of whom he trained, on cards in places like Minneapolis, Winnipeg and Omaha.  Most of the time Gagne was also “world champion,” except when he was valiantly trying to reclaim the championship from a notorious bad guy like “Mad Dog” Vachon.

Wrestling fans who knew how to read and think (not everyone) knew that pro wrestling was divided into fiefdoms where promoters like Gagne ruled and their world champions were more regional than national or international.  Minneapolis Tribune columnist Dick Cullum delighted in referring to Gagne as champion of the “seven county mosquito control district.”

On Saturday nights Gagne’s blood boiled at the antics of bad guys like “Mad Dog” and Larry “the Axe” Hennig.  Gagne was often steamed when he stepped into the TV interview area to chat with ring announcer Marty O’Neill, a portly, bald chap who usually appeared on camera wearing dark glasses.  His famous command to the TV masses about an upcoming main event at the auditorium was: “Don’t you dare miss it!”

Sometimes the interview area was as hazardous as the ring.  A crazed wrestler like the beloved Crusher might ram his head through the background wall in the interview area.  O’Neill, ever alert, was sometimes witness to an interviewee being attacked by a bad guy who just happened to be wrestling the victim that night downtown.

O’Neill and Gagne were in harmony when they pitched the Gera Speed product each week.  I have no idea about the benefits, but those who watched O’Neill and Gagne knew the pitch would always include how Gera Speed provides “Vim, vigor and vitality!”

The first time I met Gagne was a meeting about potential public relations work for him and the AWA.  Although the TV show for years referred to AWA headquarters in Amarillo, Texas, the operation was based in the old Dyckman Hotel downtown.  The commissioner was supposed to be some character named Stanley Blackburn but the guy who sat on the AWA throne was Gagne.

At the Dyckman we discussed my assignment which was to write a wrestling story for consumer publication.  I soon realized that writing about the pre-determined business of pro wrestling and stating the facts could produce conflict.  I was fresh out of journalism school and committed to fact finding, accuracy, fairness and objectivity.

Gagne had a different mindset and let’s put it this way: he didn’t like my story as much as I did.  Our meeting reached an apex when either something I wrote or said questioned the legitimacy of pro wrestling.  At that moment Gagne removed some of his artificial teeth, sort of an Exhibit A to prove that wrestling was if not real, at least dangerous and worthy of adulation.

Over the years I would occasionally see Gagne, and neither he nor I ever brought up my brief association with the AWA.  Gagne was consistently affable and fun to be around.  Friends and fans did consider him a champion, the kid from Corcoran, Minnesota who became a wrestler and football player at the U, then built a pro wrestling career and business that lasted for about four decades.

Gagne and his crew made professional wrestling special entertainment.  I didn’t dare miss it.

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