August 2005...I snuck into that show...

Hello again, - I quickly want to say a thank you to all who have reached out about the site, it warms my little black heart that so many are enjoying it. 

Last weekend I joined Mitchell's Mess & More at the Sports Wax Promotions - Collector's Jam at the Concord, NC Arena & Event Center:

 

This weekend, I'll be joining the table at the 4th & Goal Collector's Vault show in Shelby, NC at the LeGrande Center.  

I've posted a few photos from August 2005 here. Other than the routine HVW and APW shows this month, I did venture out to Asheville, NC with Nick Fury to attend the Universal Championship Wrestling show at the Civic Center. Very cool for me as the Civic Center is where I used to watch the NWA whenever they came through town. I wasn't booked to shoot this show, but I was at the right place at the right time and got to go to ringside.  Even though the attendance was very low, it still had a big show feel to me, plus I got to shoot the Steiner Bros. for the first time. 

That's it, thanks for reading and don't forget: Take the Picture.

See me in the flesh...

Heading to Spartanburg, SC this coming Saturday (May 23) for Community Championship Wrestling's "Night of Honor." This will take place at the VFW building at 326 Carolina Dr, Roebuck, SC.  Proceeds from the show go towards a great organization: Veteran's Last Patrol. They match veteran volunteers up with other veterans who are in Hospice care. I'm happy to support any group that supports veterans - so come out!  You can see me and I may even talk to you!

May 2005

What better time to make a new post than a completely snow covered day? So here we go. 

I started branching out in May 2005 - AWC (promoter: "Stray Cat" Brodie Ray Chase) in Easley, SC; Carolina Championship Wrestling in Gaffney,SC and UCW in Greenwood, SC.  Looking back on all the photos I took away from APW and HVW I can tell I was having to adjust how I shot matches to adapt to the variety of talent I saw while on the road. Seeing these different faces and venues sparked the desire to broaden my horizons with wrestling photography.  

This album includes photos from: 
May 7 - CCW, Gaffney SC Middle School 
May 8 - American Pro Wrestling, Spartanburg (Mother's Day show)
May 20 - UCW, Greenwood, SC. 

It also includes a photo of a young man that I had the pleasure of knowing for his whole life: Trevor Arrowood - he came down to the APW Mother's Day show and was interviewed by Jay Eagle. I encouraged Trevor's interest in 'rassling and he later joined me on the road to Charlotte,NC for a memorable show and Waffle House visit (he got to eat with Kevin Owens aka Kevin Steen). I have worked with his father for many years and Trevor followed his father into law enforcement, working at Rock Hill,SC Police Department. The Trevor's Gift Scholarship Program was established to honor Trevor's memory by providing students the means to pursue a degree in Criminal Justice at Western Carolina University. If you have a moment, check out their website. 

Click here for the May 2005 Album

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In Mitchell's Mess & More news -coming up in February, the bosses will be at the American Legion in Wilmington for the Carolina Sports Promotions card show on the 7th and then at the Segra Stadium for the Fayetteville Woodpeckers Spring Fling on the 28th. 

This time of year means Mad Monster Party time in Charlotte, NC! This is the anniversary of my reconnection with the Smiths and has become an annual meet up for us all. 

February 2005

I am pulling photos from February 5, 12, 18, 19 and 26 of 2005. All of these were at American Pro Wrestling in Spartanburg, SC. 

On 2/18, APW helped promote the Legends of Wrestling show that took place the next night at the Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium (See the booking sheet below). A strap match between Greg Valentine and Chief Jay Eagle was set up as a tribute to the Valentine / Wahoo McDaniel match from 1977 where Valentine won the Mid-Atlantic Title. 

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE GALLERY

Further Reading:

https://midatlanticwrestling.net/resourcecenter/spartanburg_legends/spart_nol_index.htm

https://www.midatlanticwrestling.net/resourcecenter/spartanburg_legends/2005/spartanburg_2005_pl.htm

https://www.midatlanticwrestling.net/resourcecenter/spartanburg_legends/2005/spartanburg_2005.htm

Mitchell's Mess & More is taking the month of October off - but will return in November: Wrestling With Purpose on Nov. 1 at Scotland High School in Laurinburg, FWE on Nov. 15 at Sport HQ in Cary, and then I'll join up with the guys at this year's Retro-Toy Con in Greenville, SC from Nov. 21-23. 

Thanks for reading!

January 2005

January 1, 2005 - American Pro Wrestling hosted the (first?) Johnny Weaver Iron Man Tournament. There are a couple of photos in the gallery of Johnny - I'm not sure where the rest of the pics are from the night. This was the last night I used the Sony Mavica camera. 

By the next show, Jan. 8 I had moved up to the Nikon D70 Digital SLR.  It was leaps and bounds better than what I was used to. I slowly learned what I could capture with it. 

In Mitchell's Mess & More news: 1/2 of Mountain (me), Coastal and Piedmont were all able to get together at the Mad Monster Expo held in Concord, NC August 22-24. Mad Monster (the MM Party in February) is where Tre and I were reunited many years ago from our 'rasslin days and it has become an annual tradition for all of us to get together, enjoy a Red Lobster lunch on Saturday - support the awesome charity: Scares That Care, see old friends and hang out.

September sees MMM debuting in Havelock, NC on Saturday, the 6th at the Brothers Boyd - Friends of the Comic-Con III and then I'll be joining the tables at the Southeast Collectors Showcase in Concord, NC on Sept. 20 & 21. 

The gallery below has photos selected from APW shows on Jan. 1, 8, 15 and 22.  The show was snowed out on Jan. 29 per my notes. 

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE GALLERY. 

Speaking of notes, take a look at these original booking sheets from APW, Jan. 15 & 22: 

Thanks for reading!

2004 - APW, HVW...

The last couple of weeks I have looked through the 2004 photos folder. It was over 3300 photos...and...they were not the best. I took photos from a seated position for a few months at American Pro Wrestling in Spartanburg (APW). It was the top tier of the metal bleachers you see on the left of the below photo: 

 I was learning "on the job" so to speak. I had no experience in photography, but I was a big wrestling fan and knew what a good wrestling photo looked like. I was learning my way and the photos showed that. Also, the Sony Mavica had a bit of a delay, so I missed more than I got. 

So here are some selected pics from (mostly the latter part of ) 2004. I've tried to do a mix and include different wrestlers, but as I mentioned not all of the photos were that great, so if you're looking for someone specific you may not see them-this wasn't intentional...again, in 2004...I wasn't that good. 

View the gallery here.

I'll be joining the con family again next weekend at the Mad Monster Expo in Charlotte, NC. It's a great horror convention and is where I reconnected with Tre & Mitchell from Mitchell's Mess & More. They usually have a rassler or two also. This year: The Honky Tonk Man, Killer (Karrion) Kross & Scarlett Bordeaux, and Saraya.

Further Reading: 

https://midatlanticwrestling.net/andersons/abc/2004_abc1/abc1.htm

https://witnesstheevolution.com/

https://jimmyvaliant.weebly.com/

https://madmonster.com/expo-2025/

https://scaresthatcare.org/

It started in 2004...

 It started in 2004...Adam Jaxon and Ken Magnum started training with Gary "Viper" Benfield and debuted in American Pro Wrestling (Spartanburg, SC) for owner, Chief Jay Eagle.  They used different names back then:  Ethan Cage & Kris Pain. These guys are family - they were a great classic tag-team (called The UnderGround) and we had a lot of fun together. This was the beginning of the journey for me and I'm forever thankful they let me tag along with them. 

Below are some photos from that year:

Just like everybody involved, we started out as fans and we happily ran into Barbarian several more times down the road.

The bear belonged to Jimmy Kindrid...Ken didn't care. 

Blond hair courtesy of "Hot Shot" Shane Austin

The "I Hate Viper" head wrap.

The fireball injury head wrap. 

July 4, 2004 - High Velocity Wrestling in Hendersonville, NC at Jackson Park - what was published...

...and what you didn't see: 

Return to the cheap seats...

22 January 2022

Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium

Spartanburg, SC

Big Time Wrestling

While I have attended 'rassling shows since my "retirement" I usually did not take a camera opting instead to just enjoy the show.

I've been getting the "itch" the last few months though, so I sent my 

Nikon D80 to the shop and took it with me to watch Big Time Wrestling in Spartanburg. Got to see some old friends and sit in the upper level. 

Lodi vs. Brock Anderson (w/ father, Arn). In Anderson fashion, Brock focused his attacks on one part of the body. 

 

 

  

George South vs. Jerry "The King" Lawler. Two of my favorites. I don't care what anyone says, I enjoy watching George whip a crowd into a frenzy and he did it here. 

 

 

FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood) vs. Rock n' Roll Express. This and the South v. Lawler match made me feel like a 'rassling fan again.  R&R announced that this was the beginning of the farewell tour and at the end FTR paid homage to the veterans.