| MEDIA REVIEWS |
| C |
CATCH WRESTLING: A Wild and Wooly Look at the Early Days of Pro Wrestling in America
Release Date: November 2005 / Author: Mark S. Hewitt / Publisher: Paladin Press
--- The book is factual history of pro wrestling's early days with dates given when the events took place.
Forgotten hookers like Charles Olsen join the well known ones like Gotch, Zbyszko, Pesek, Lewis in weaving a
look at the mat sport little known to the addicts of today. We learn the true history of Frank Gotch in the Klondike,
among other facts. (Don Luce)
--- The author has done the nearly impossible by digging through the most undocumented period of
professional wrestling to piece together an historical masterpiece. Highly recommended to anyone who truly
wants to understand when, where, and how it all started in America. (Rich Tate)
CHAIR SHOTS AND OTHER OBSTACLES: Winning Life's Wrestling Matches
Release Date: March 2004 / Authors: Bobby Heenan and Steve Anderson / Publisher: Sports Publishing
--- I liked this book, but Heenan's first book was better. I recommend this book, but only after you've read
Heenan's first book. This is not the place to start with Heenan. (Trent Van Drisse)
CHEATING DEATH, STEALING LIFE: the Eddie Guerrero Story
Release Date: December 2005 / Authors: Eddie Guerrero and Michael Krugman / Publisher: World Wrestling
Entertainment
CHOKEHOLD: Pro Wrestling's Real Mayhem Outside the Ring
Release Date: September 2003 / Authors: Jim Wilson and Weldon T. Johnson / Publisher: Xlibris
--- This is an important if flawed book. Throw out Wilson's ridiculous self-aggrandization, question the facts in it,
and you're still left with a well-researched and at times shocking look at how the business is conducted.
Recommended with reservations. (Crimson Mask)
--- Recommend you don't support Jim Wilson's bull. (Mick N. Brawler)
--- This is an amazing book in many, many ways. Wilson's anal-retentive ways, and his lack of knowing what a
good worker is, gets annoying and over-bearing at times, but his dim-viewed take on how the NWA controlled
wrestling in the 70's is fascinating. I highly recommend this book for those really interested in how shady and cut
throat pro wrestling operated in the 70's, but with Wilson you have to consider the source at times. He's not a liar,
but he never quite grasped the game, which makes his view on things just that much more interesting. (Trent
Van Drisse)
CHRIS AND NANCY: THE True Story of the Benoit Murder-Suicide & Pro Wrestling's Cocktail of Death
Release Date: November 2009 / Author: Irvin Muchnick / Publisher: ECW Press
--- Incredible retelling of the tragic story, with all its odd twists and bizarre turns. The actions of no one are
spared, with the exception of Nancy and young Daniel Benoit, as Muchnick recounts the events as they played
out before your very eyes in the media, and then turns to what he has discovered since everyone moved onto
other scandalous events or simply tuned back into wrestling without a second thought. Although it often appears
as though the author is playing conspiracy theorist, clearly alleging cover-ups took place along the way, it is hard
to argue with some of the holes he has found in his investigation and research. Highly recommended for anyone
willing to relive the horrific events to find out what was overlooked during the official investigation and see who is
or who isn't talking anymore. (Rich Tate)
CHYNA, THE 9TH WONDER OF THE WORLD: If Only They Knew
Release Date: January 2001 / Authors: Chyna and Michael Angeli / Publisher: Regan Books
CLASSY FREDDIE BLASSIE: Listen, You Pencil Neck Geeks
Release Date: February 2004 / Authors: Freddie Blassie and Keith Elliott Greenberg / Publisher: World Wrestling
Entertainment
--- Mixed feelings on this one. It's not bad by any means, but with Freddie's life and career it should have been a
whole lot better, and the WWE shilling is an annoyance. Still, with Freddie's life and career, it's worth reading.
Recommended with reservations. (Crimson Mask)
--- I was hoping for so much more than I got with this one. Blassie spent more time in Georgia than most places
he went, yet covered Georgia very little. Still, great stories, especially from New York and Los Angeles. Too
much romancing of Mr. McMahon in it, but if you want some good stories and laughs, as well as a little info on
some colleagues rarely mentioned these days, it's a good option. Recommended if you can get past the
marketing scheme. (Rich Tate)
THE COWBOY AND THE CROSS: the Bill Watts Story, Rebellion, Wrestling, and Redemption
Release Date: January 2006 / Authors: Bill Watts and Scott E. Williams / Publisher: ECW Press
--- A look into the mind and heart of the man who promoted some of the most consistently compelling
professional wrestling of the '70s and '80s. Watts' recollections are interesting even if they in some cases differ
with everybody else's. IMO the book is weakened by Watts' constant assuaging of his own ego and skirting of
some issues, and by recurring forays into preaching. Recommended with reservations. (Crimson Mask)
--- If you can overlook the fact that Watts' religious references pop up throughout, it's a compelling book. I had no
problem getting past it, as I realize a wrestler's bio is not just about wrestling, but also about his life. Although
there are fascinating stories contained here, I question the accuracy, as his recollections of events surrounding
the Georgia war of the 1970s differ significantly from everyone else's, whose are all similar. Recommended with
a small dose of salt. (Rich Tate)
Release Date: November 2005 / Author: Mark S. Hewitt / Publisher: Paladin Press
--- The book is factual history of pro wrestling's early days with dates given when the events took place.
Forgotten hookers like Charles Olsen join the well known ones like Gotch, Zbyszko, Pesek, Lewis in weaving a
look at the mat sport little known to the addicts of today. We learn the true history of Frank Gotch in the Klondike,
among other facts. (Don Luce)
--- The author has done the nearly impossible by digging through the most undocumented period of
professional wrestling to piece together an historical masterpiece. Highly recommended to anyone who truly
wants to understand when, where, and how it all started in America. (Rich Tate)
CHAIR SHOTS AND OTHER OBSTACLES: Winning Life's Wrestling Matches
Release Date: March 2004 / Authors: Bobby Heenan and Steve Anderson / Publisher: Sports Publishing
--- I liked this book, but Heenan's first book was better. I recommend this book, but only after you've read
Heenan's first book. This is not the place to start with Heenan. (Trent Van Drisse)
CHEATING DEATH, STEALING LIFE: the Eddie Guerrero Story
Release Date: December 2005 / Authors: Eddie Guerrero and Michael Krugman / Publisher: World Wrestling
Entertainment
CHOKEHOLD: Pro Wrestling's Real Mayhem Outside the Ring
Release Date: September 2003 / Authors: Jim Wilson and Weldon T. Johnson / Publisher: Xlibris
--- This is an important if flawed book. Throw out Wilson's ridiculous self-aggrandization, question the facts in it,
and you're still left with a well-researched and at times shocking look at how the business is conducted.
Recommended with reservations. (Crimson Mask)
--- Recommend you don't support Jim Wilson's bull. (Mick N. Brawler)
--- This is an amazing book in many, many ways. Wilson's anal-retentive ways, and his lack of knowing what a
good worker is, gets annoying and over-bearing at times, but his dim-viewed take on how the NWA controlled
wrestling in the 70's is fascinating. I highly recommend this book for those really interested in how shady and cut
throat pro wrestling operated in the 70's, but with Wilson you have to consider the source at times. He's not a liar,
but he never quite grasped the game, which makes his view on things just that much more interesting. (Trent
Van Drisse)
CHRIS AND NANCY: THE True Story of the Benoit Murder-Suicide & Pro Wrestling's Cocktail of Death
Release Date: November 2009 / Author: Irvin Muchnick / Publisher: ECW Press
--- Incredible retelling of the tragic story, with all its odd twists and bizarre turns. The actions of no one are
spared, with the exception of Nancy and young Daniel Benoit, as Muchnick recounts the events as they played
out before your very eyes in the media, and then turns to what he has discovered since everyone moved onto
other scandalous events or simply tuned back into wrestling without a second thought. Although it often appears
as though the author is playing conspiracy theorist, clearly alleging cover-ups took place along the way, it is hard
to argue with some of the holes he has found in his investigation and research. Highly recommended for anyone
willing to relive the horrific events to find out what was overlooked during the official investigation and see who is
or who isn't talking anymore. (Rich Tate)
CHYNA, THE 9TH WONDER OF THE WORLD: If Only They Knew
Release Date: January 2001 / Authors: Chyna and Michael Angeli / Publisher: Regan Books
CLASSY FREDDIE BLASSIE: Listen, You Pencil Neck Geeks
Release Date: February 2004 / Authors: Freddie Blassie and Keith Elliott Greenberg / Publisher: World Wrestling
Entertainment
--- Mixed feelings on this one. It's not bad by any means, but with Freddie's life and career it should have been a
whole lot better, and the WWE shilling is an annoyance. Still, with Freddie's life and career, it's worth reading.
Recommended with reservations. (Crimson Mask)
--- I was hoping for so much more than I got with this one. Blassie spent more time in Georgia than most places
he went, yet covered Georgia very little. Still, great stories, especially from New York and Los Angeles. Too
much romancing of Mr. McMahon in it, but if you want some good stories and laughs, as well as a little info on
some colleagues rarely mentioned these days, it's a good option. Recommended if you can get past the
marketing scheme. (Rich Tate)
THE COWBOY AND THE CROSS: the Bill Watts Story, Rebellion, Wrestling, and Redemption
Release Date: January 2006 / Authors: Bill Watts and Scott E. Williams / Publisher: ECW Press
--- A look into the mind and heart of the man who promoted some of the most consistently compelling
professional wrestling of the '70s and '80s. Watts' recollections are interesting even if they in some cases differ
with everybody else's. IMO the book is weakened by Watts' constant assuaging of his own ego and skirting of
some issues, and by recurring forays into preaching. Recommended with reservations. (Crimson Mask)
--- If you can overlook the fact that Watts' religious references pop up throughout, it's a compelling book. I had no
problem getting past it, as I realize a wrestler's bio is not just about wrestling, but also about his life. Although
there are fascinating stories contained here, I question the accuracy, as his recollections of events surrounding
the Georgia war of the 1970s differ significantly from everyone else's, whose are all similar. Recommended with
a small dose of salt. (Rich Tate)