ESPN Classics Report 5-18-02
Submitted by Calvin Martin on Monday, May 20, 2002 at 12:44 PM EST



ESPN Classic Golden Age of Wrestling for 5/18/02
Report by David Taub
taubda@udmercy.edu


Today, it's a one-match show as Gorgeous George takes on Franike Tolliver from the International Amphitheater in Chicago from 1955.

It is a two-of-three falls match with former boxing great Jack Dempsey as the referee.

Dempsey gives pre-match instructions and wants the pat-down on GG, but of course he refuses. GG goes through his pre-match antics, but not as elaborate as they were last week. Finally the first fall is underway. Tolliver (yes, I have been made aware it is actually 'Talaber' but this is how the graphics spelled his name out) musses George's hair, which sends the Orchid to his male valet for immediate hair care.

GG works a single-leg and uses the ropes for leverage which irks the crowd. He is countered by a hammerlock from Tolliver and two trade holds back and forth. GG breaks away and slinks towards the ropes, feigning a heart attack. THis is only to lure Tolliver in and GG reapplies the single-leg takedown.

Tolliver counters with head scissors, and we are back to chain wrestling, with both men working hammerlocks, arm bars, headlocks, etc. Obviously, the style back then is much different. The wrestlers work the holds and sell them for longer periods of time. The body contact is much closer and has a much more bruising approach.

In the meantime, GG and Dempsey continue to pester each other. Finally, the fall occurs after a series of flying headlocks by Gorgeous George gets the pin to win the first fall in 31:02 (most of it shown).

Now for fall two, it is a lot more back-and-forth with more reversals and more punching. Tolliver gets the pin to even the match with a piledriver in 8:19.

In fall three, the effects of fatigue are setting in. The grappling style continues, as the two combatants bodies mash together. The pattern seems to be take the opponent down, work him a little, bend the joints the wrong way, reversal, let him him, repeat. At one point Tolliver reverses a flying headlock attempt by GG into a back breaker over his knee.

Tolliver hits a sloppy looking piledriver at the 3 minute-remaining mark but is too close to the ropes. He tries for another but can't get it. Finally, time winds down and we have a 60-min. draw (most shown).

That's all for this week. Next week (Sat., May 25 on ESPN Classic at 6 a.m.), it's: BOBO BRAZIL, THE MONGOL, PAUL CHRISTY & KILLER KOWALSKI.

I appreciate your feedback. E-mail me at taubda@udmercy.edu.

--
David Taub
http://www.DetroitTitans.com








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