Top Splash
Top Splash Home Wrestling Web Designs Top 50 Web Ring
Top Splash Top Splash Top Splash Top Splash Top Splash Top Splash Top Splash
Moondog Manson
 Train to Wrestle?
 Biography
 Photo Gallery
 Match History
Site Links
 Articles
 Fan Forum
 Home
Other Stuff
 Advertising
 Contact Us
 Columnist Login
 Links
 Linking with us
 PWC
 Tell a Friend

Of Fallen Heros
by Marty Goldstein on 2002-01-10

Professional wrestling has the unique quality of touching lives. Recently 2 deaths of childhood heroes, one passing recent ans the other over 30 years ago, have crossed the path of my life.

I had remarked recently about how many wrestlers who were on the first live card I attended at the old Winnipeg Auditorium had crossed my path. I worked with Bill Cody on a tour once, and just finished interviewing his opening match opponent Bobby Jones.

I am proud of my latest interview with Dutch Savage, he was in the semi-main against Tiny Mills, and Dutch has been very gracious to me. I met Harley Race in Calgary years ago, he was teamed with Larry "Pretty Boy" Hennig in the headline bout against Cowboy Bill Watts and...The Mighty Igor.

Dick Garza played the simple Polish emigre in an era where a vast number of the audience in white, European midwest towns like Winnipeg all knew folk from the old country- and could relate to Igor's naivety and brute strength. His AWA/Omaha title reighn was never mentioned in Winnipeg, he was a second tier performer but he along with the Crusher defined the role of character babyface (both Polish, by the way) in the AWA.

most fans don't know he was a Mr. Michigan and his impressive physique was well-earned, the gut coming later in life. He passed away this week, and I was once again drawn back to that night when blood flowed, people in a smoky hall screamed and Watts and Igor stood over their foes, losing by DQ but exacting revenge.

Igor was next followed in the strongman role by Hercules Cortez. The Spaniard had legit legendary strength and was tag champion with Red Bastein after they vanquished the Vachon Brothers. Mad Dog and Butcher had beaten Crusher and Bruiser for the titles and held the belts for 2 years. The night in May 71 in Milwaukee, when the babyfaces actually won, shocked the crowd. It was what wrestling is all about. Cortez was booked in a series of #1 contender bouts against Nick Bockwinkle and after losing by DQ on July 23/71 in Winnipeg a terrible road accident took the life of Cortez. It is the big fear of the life "goin down the road", to die in a crash. And I saw kids cry when they found what happened to Cortez.

This past week, I stumbled across a website dedicated to Cortez, www.geocities.com/herculescortez. His 3 children are desperately searching for memorabilia and information about their late father's career. I had a long exchange with Rick, the middle child who is spearheading the search for their past from his home in Oregon. He was surprised to learn that so many fans were saddened by his father's death. There has been an impressive outpouring on the internet, and the family is going to attend the Cauliflower Alley Club convention in February in Las Vegas and meet with Bastein, Bockwinkle and so many more of Hercules' friends. With a little luck and co-ordination, we may even find elusive video of Cortez.

Igor and Cortez, the brawny foreigners, garnered sympathy and support in a time when true power and sportsmanship were paramount to the public's perception of the wrestler as athlete. They gave countless hours of happiness to kids across the midwest and around the world as heros. So, in the middle of work, writing stories, helping book an indy card this Sunday in Colton, Ca. and releasing our 2 films during the Sundance Film Festival, here I am telling Dan Denton about yet another project I have taken on. But he understands. Because to us, Cortez and Igor were only heros. To 3 little kids, he was dad and he never came home. If you know anyone who can contribute to helping put together the history of Pepe Chicharro/Pepe Cortes/ Claude Dessary/ Hercules Romero ( and a few other hercules incarnations) from his days in Montreal, the AWA, east coast, Europe and Australia, with results or photos or anecdotes, please contact me. It will make 3 little kids whose lives were shattered and forever sadly changed in 1971 a little happier, 30 years later.


Archive:
Please Select a Month to view


February 2004 | December 2003 | November 2003 | October 2003 | September 2003 | August 2003 | July 2003 | June 2003 | May 2003 | April 2003 | March 2003 | February 2003 | January 2003 | December 2002 | November 2002 | October 2002 | September 2002 | August 2002 | July 2002 | June 2002 | May 2002 | April 2002 | March 2002 | February 2002 | January 2002 | December 2001 | November 2001 | October 2001 | September 2001 | August 2001 | July 2001 | June 2001 | May 2001 | March 2001 | February 2001 | January 2001 | December 2000 | October 2000 | August 2000 | June 2000 | March 2000 | February 2000 | January 2000 | December 1999 | November 1999 | October 1999 | September 1999 | August 1999 | July 1999 | June 1999 |
Quotes from the boys: Ed Moretti says "Hey kid, its already ten minutes in, people are going crazy, and we ain't even tied up yet".
  Site created by: Moondog Manson Webdesigns
Pro Wrestling Canada