LOOKING BACK AT THE 1968 NATIONAL WRESTLING ALLIANCE MEETING IN LAS VEGAS
By Dory Funk Jr. on 8/20/2008 3:38 PM
Funk's Corner - NWA Meeting Las Vegas 1968
Monday September 9th, 1968 Meeting Room of the Dunes Hotel in Las Vegas,
Nevada, 9:00am scheduled meeting of the National Wrestling Alliance.
It is 9:15 and all members of the NWA are not yet in the meeting room as Eddie
Graham, Nick Gulas and Jim Crockett Sr., "The Southeastern Faction," of the
NWA are still in the hallway with last minute preparations for the meeting.
At 9:20, all are members are in their seats and Sam Muchnick is finally able
to hit the gavel opening this meeting of the National Wrestling Alliance. Gene
Kiniski is NWA World Champion at the time. Representing the Amarillo Territory
are Dory Funk Sr., Terry Funk and myself.
Sam Muchnick's opening speech - "I can remember the day when the National
Wrestling Alliance was so important that if anyone was late, I had the
authority to fine them up to $200 for showing up to a meeting late. It seems
those days are gone. It is now 9:20 and we are just getting started. I hope
some day we can return our NWA meetings to the importance that they once had.
Everybody took Sam's opening speech serious, the morning session was very
productive. and we broke for lunch.
The afternoon session was scheduled to start at 1:00pm. All members were in
their seat and ready to go on time except for one, my father and owner of the
Amarillo Territory, Dory Funk Sr. Dad was not on time and the meeting was
starting.
Sam began the meeting by assigning committees, first the Television Committee,
Chairman Fritz Von Erich, Roy Shire, and Jim Crockett Sr., The Grievance
Committee, Chairman, Don Owen, Bob Geigel and Mike Labell, as Sam was ready to
name the Finance Committee the door opened at the back of the room.----
It was my father, Dory Funk Sr. who burst into the room and said, Sam, "I am
so sorry I am late, I apologize -----
From the podium, Sam Muchnick hammered the gavel and said, Dory Funk Sr. there
is no excuse for showing up late at a meeting of the National Wrestling
Alliance. Sam hammered the gavel again and said, Dory Funk Sr. I am fining you
$200 for arriving late for a meeting of the National Wrestling Alliance.
Dory Funk Sr. said, "But Sam, I have a good reason why----
The gavel came down again and Dory Funk Sr. said, "Okay Sam, I apologize I
should have no excuse for showing up late for a meeting of the National
Wrestling Alliance." Dad walked up to the podium, took out his bullfold and
gave Sam Muchnick $200 in cash as his penalty for late arrival to a meeting of
the National Wrestling Alliance.
27 members of the NWA stood and gave Dory Funk Sr. a standing ovation for
accepting his punishment and paying the fine.
After the evening meeting was over and we were standing in the hallway, Terry,
myself and Dad were talking privately about the days events when Sam Muchnick
came over with $200 folded between his middle and forefinger and tucked it
into my father's shirt pocket.
Sam only said, "Thanks, Dory for your help. I don't think we have to worry
about them not being on time any more.
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