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ABOUT THUNDERBOLT PATTERSON
– Dick Steinborn
December 7, 2007
When I promoted for Gunkel Enterprises for three years in Columbus, Georgia, Clyde ‘Thunderbolt’ Patterson worked for us. Yes,
that’s his name. I always considered him to be a tremendous talent. The only problem was Clyde didn’t know how to handle
himself. He didn’t know when a good thing was happening when it was right in front of him. I say that because of an incident that
happened while I promoted Columbus.
In those days, no one ever thought about music accompanying wrestlers to the ring, but I had that thought. I was the promoter. I could do
what I pleased and I knew what my patrons could stand each and every week that I promoted in that town. The music group the Oâ
€™Jays dominated the hit songs of the era. One was called “Love Trainâ€�. It had such a beat, that I could see Clyde sashaying
himself to the ring after leaving the dressing room to that particular music.
I confronted T-Bolt one Monday night at the Auditorium, suggesting that he enter the ring to music. He agreed. For twenty seconds the
music played before the dressing room door opened. I witnessed the patrons swaying from left to right to the song that had no meaning
at the time. The fans just started rocking to the tune.
Then it happened. T-Bolt swung that dressing room door open and did his famous stroll to the ring. It was a promoter’s dream to
see one’s thoughts happen right in front of you. The fans started clapping to the song, as Clyde kept the beat in his stroll to the stairs
at the ring. Such excitement as the fans rocked from left to right, and Patterson continuing his swaying movements through his walk to
the ring just looked so natural. When the match ended, the music picked up again, and Clyde sashayed to the dressing room. I
presented myself with a feather in my cap. It was a promoter’s love of the business, realizing a creation became successful.
At 2 am in the morning, All-South’s booker, Tom Renesto, called me and told me to squash the music for T-Bolt. Evidently Patterson,
who was riding with Tom, complained all the way to Atlanta that he truly wasn’t a clown to enter the ring through music. I was quite
disappointed, suddenly realizing that Patterson didn’t have a clue.
Two days later, the Columbus newspaper had a big story on how the fans at the City Auditorium were greeted to exciting music, as the
entrance of a wrestler brought new meaning to the fans. Then, when T-Bolt arrived in Columbus the next week, I confronted him with the
news of how the columnist of the Columbus newspaper had glorified his entrance to the ring the week before. Clyde was shocked and
said, “Well, let’s do it again.� I told him it was too late.
It takes all kinds to make a business. And some, unfortunately, have to keep searching to find the way.
– Dick Steinborn
December 7, 2007
When I promoted for Gunkel Enterprises for three years in Columbus, Georgia, Clyde ‘Thunderbolt’ Patterson worked for us. Yes,
that’s his name. I always considered him to be a tremendous talent. The only problem was Clyde didn’t know how to handle
himself. He didn’t know when a good thing was happening when it was right in front of him. I say that because of an incident that
happened while I promoted Columbus.
In those days, no one ever thought about music accompanying wrestlers to the ring, but I had that thought. I was the promoter. I could do
what I pleased and I knew what my patrons could stand each and every week that I promoted in that town. The music group the Oâ
€™Jays dominated the hit songs of the era. One was called “Love Trainâ€�. It had such a beat, that I could see Clyde sashaying
himself to the ring after leaving the dressing room to that particular music.
I confronted T-Bolt one Monday night at the Auditorium, suggesting that he enter the ring to music. He agreed. For twenty seconds the
music played before the dressing room door opened. I witnessed the patrons swaying from left to right to the song that had no meaning
at the time. The fans just started rocking to the tune.
Then it happened. T-Bolt swung that dressing room door open and did his famous stroll to the ring. It was a promoter’s dream to
see one’s thoughts happen right in front of you. The fans started clapping to the song, as Clyde kept the beat in his stroll to the stairs
at the ring. Such excitement as the fans rocked from left to right, and Patterson continuing his swaying movements through his walk to
the ring just looked so natural. When the match ended, the music picked up again, and Clyde sashayed to the dressing room. I
presented myself with a feather in my cap. It was a promoter’s love of the business, realizing a creation became successful.
At 2 am in the morning, All-South’s booker, Tom Renesto, called me and told me to squash the music for T-Bolt. Evidently Patterson,
who was riding with Tom, complained all the way to Atlanta that he truly wasn’t a clown to enter the ring through music. I was quite
disappointed, suddenly realizing that Patterson didn’t have a clue.
Two days later, the Columbus newspaper had a big story on how the fans at the City Auditorium were greeted to exciting music, as the
entrance of a wrestler brought new meaning to the fans. Then, when T-Bolt arrived in Columbus the next week, I confronted him with the
news of how the columnist of the Columbus newspaper had glorified his entrance to the ring the week before. Clyde was shocked and
said, “Well, let’s do it again.� I told him it was too late.
It takes all kinds to make a business. And some, unfortunately, have to keep searching to find the way.
