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| NATIONAL WRESTLING ALLIANCE: the Untold Story of the Monopoly that Strangled Pro Wrestling
Release Date: May 2007 / Author: Tim Hornbaker / Publisher: ECW Press DESCRIPTION In the 1950s, in Las Vegas, a businessmen’s conglomerate dominating a $25 million-a-year sports industry hid their illegal practices from the U.S. Department of Justice until they were caught. The sport that privileged cold hard cash over honest competition was professional wrestling, and the conspirators were members of the famed National Wrestling Alliance. National Wrestling Alliance: The Untold Story of the Monopoly that Strangled Pro Wrestling examines the NWA promoters’ overwhelming success, and the relationships to influential politicians and writers that protected their financial interests for over 50 years. Breaking the façade of sports production, it shows how promoters actually twisted arms to edge out their opponents. Hornbaker documents the life of the NWA, from its humble beginnings in the Midwest after World War II, to its worldwide expansion. He chronicles the Department of Justice’s investigation, providing sports fans with a never-before-told side of wrestling’s legacy. The most noteworthy exploits of the National Wrestling Alliance were behind locked doors. Now, the conspiracies of a century-old brand of entertainment will finally be revealed. REVIEWS Rich Tate: I found this book to be the most comprehensive and well-written reference piece associated with the business of professional wrestling. Every wrestling fan – the older generation who saw the boom period of what the NWA meant to us and our territorial promotions – down to the newer generation who laughs at the current version of the alliance; especially those who look at us funny for speaking so highly of what they only see as a current gnat on the wrestling scene. Highest possible recommendation. Crimson Mask: Finally a well researched book with no self-serving agenda and the resultant horse ****. Very balanced view of the NWA and its positives and negatives. I finally understand all the Chicago stuff for the first time. Clears up some of the leakier claims in 'Chokehold', and also very good on the pre-NWA period and the breakup of the Trust, and on Muchnick, Mondt, Capitol and the early WWWF, and the effect of TV (and losing TV). Too much on the modern era IMO and information that's already generally well known, is my only real beef, but I understand why. Gotta sell books. Absolutely recommended. Order from Amazon |