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Pedicino, Blackstone To Host Atlanta's First-Ever NWA Fanfest!
In two weeks, longtime Atlanta TV wrestling personalities Joe Pedicino and Boni Blackstone will join more than 100 of wrestling's greatest heroes and villains, and fans from all over the world, at Atlanta's first-ever NWA Wrestling Legends Fanfest Weekend.
For three days and four nights - Thursday through Sunday, August 4-7 - throngs of wrestling fans will converge on Atlanta's Airport Marriott hotel for a weekend reunion featuring autograph signings, photo opportunities, question-and-answer sessions and yes, even live wrestling matches!
Dozens of stars from the glory days of Georgia Championship Wrestling and the National Wrestling Alliance will take part in the tenth annual gathering that's coming to Atlanta for the first time this year. Ole Anderson, The Assassin, Mr. Wrestling II, Steve O,"Million Dollar Man" Ted Dibiase, "Doctor D" David Schultz, "Mr. USA" Tony Atlas, Killer Tim Brooks, The Masked Superstar, Dory Funk Jr., Terry Funk,"Continental Lover" Eddie Mansfield, "Wildfire" Tommy Rich, Nick Bockwinkel,Harley Race, Joyce Grable, Judy Martin, Leilani Kai, Thunderbolt Patterson,Ron Simmons, Gypsy Joe, Stan "The Lariat" Hansen, Teddy Long, "Hands of Stone" Ron Garvin, "Outlaw" Ron Bass, Buddy Colt, Scrappy McGowan,Moondog Rex, Tully Blanchard, "The Perfect 10" Baby Doll, Greg "The Hammer" Valentine, Big Mama, Lars Anderson, "Russian Bear" Ivan Koloff, James J. Dillon, The Mongolian Stomper, "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka, "The Universal Hearthrob" Austin Idol, Pat Rose and Randy Rose are 40 featured guests that will be reuniting with former rivals, signing autographs, taking photos with fans and creating new memories that you'll cherish for a lifetime!
Each featured guest is scheduled to take photos with fans at least once (sometimes more,) during the weekend. For a nominal fee, we'll take your photo, process it --even get it autographed for free! -- and return to you a beautiful, one-of-a-kind 8" x 10" autographed photo of you and your favorite wrestling heroes! There will be individual photo ops with each of the featured guests, as well as some rare, group photo ops available.
Each featured guest is also scheduled to sign autographs for fans at least once during the weekend. Those with VIP "All Access" Passes are allowed to get two autographs from each featured guest at our Autograph Stage.
VIP "All Access" Passes are on sale now! These get you early admission each day, first access to the Autograph Stage and photo booths, exclusive admission to revealing Question-and-Answer sessions, and a free ringside seat to Saturday night's wrestling matches! Throw in a free souvenir t-shirt and a "All Access" neck lanyard and you have the VIP hookup!
Your purchase helps support our efforts to celebrate the rich tradition of wrestling in Georgia and to honor the heroes of wrestling's past and present. Thanks for being part of a truly special weekend. Most folks will tell you it's a remarkable reunion.
Should you have any questions or comments to share, please feel free to email us at NWALegends@aol.com
We look forward to seeing you in Atlanta!
20/20 Revisited: Eddie Mansfield, David Schultz Q&A!
Former NWA Southeastern tag team champions in Ron Fuller's Knoxville territory, "The Continental Lover" Eddie Mansfield and "Doctor D" David Schultz -- both blond and daring -- had established themselves in wrestling rings throughout the south, but both are probably most remembered for a fateful night in December 1984.
The wrestling industry was thriving. Jim Crockett Promotions had just produced two wildly successful supercards called "Starrcade," and Vince McMahon's WWF was on the cusp of it's first Wrestlemania. Mainstream media attention was at an all-time high. Along come's John Stossel, an aspiring investigative reporter for ABC News and it's weekly primetime show "20/20." Although both Mansfield and Schultz' appearances on the show weren't related, both dropped bombshells that were felt throughout the industry.
Now more than 26 years later, Mansfield and Schultz will sit down together in front of a live audience at this year's NWA Wrestling Legends Fanfest Weekend in Atlanta and, for the first-time ever, discuss candidly exactly what took place leading up to the national television appearance as well as the aftermath. Never before have these two men come together to discuss that fateful night. But it all happens Thursday night, August 4, during an opening night question-and-answer session at next month's Atlanta reunion.
You don't want to miss this!
Can't Make It To Atlanta For Fanfest?
For those of you unable to make it to Atlanta for next month's NWA Wrestling Legends Fanfest Weekend, we have a special offer.
Here's what you'll get by mail, after the event:
• This year's fanfest t-shirt! (Adult sizes Small thru 4X)
• This year's fanfest lanyard and VIP "All Access" Pass!
• This year's fanfest souvenir program, autographed by all the guests pictured (includes all 40 featured guests plus Bill Apter, Joe Pedicino and Boni Blackstone!
• This year's souvenir program from the live wrestling matches, autographed by all the wrestlers competing!
• This year's Six-DVD set of all the weekend's activities!
The cost is $159, which includes FREE SHIPPING within the continental United States.
Order Now! This special value is available until August 7th!
Don't Miss Your Chance At Winning This Beautiful Belt!
Since it's inception four years ago, the Hall of Heroes dinner banquet and awards ceremony has quickly become a favorite part of our fanfest get-togethers. Throughout this weekend, you'll hear about many fundraisers to help establish a real-life, brick-and-mortar museum, a place where fans can year-round celebrate the rich tradition of the National Wrestling Alliance -- our very own Hall of Heroes! For the third year in a row, we are pleased to have a very special raffle item to help in those efforts.
Designed by Rico Mann and handcrafted by the "Ace of Belts" Dave Millican, the Hall of Heroes Class of 2011 championship belt features beautifully detailed portraits of all eight of this year's honorees: Masked Superstar, Ron Garvin, Ted Turner, The Assassins, Gordon Solie, Ray Stevens and Sir Oliver Humperdink. This one-of-a-kind masterpiece is nickel- and 24k gold-plated, 14 emeralds, and a custom relief tip that features the NWA Wrestling Legends Hall of Heroes logo. It weighs well over 10 pounds and is valued at more than $4,000.
This extraordinary belt, which will be on display throughout the weekend, will be going home with one very lucky person. Raffle tickets are on sale all weekend and only $1 each, so buy many! The drawing for the belt will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, August 7. You do not need to be present to win.
Good luck!
If you can't be at fanfest but would still like to purchase raffle tickets, please email NWALegends@aol.com for complete details!
Win Mr. Wrestling II's Robe In Atlanta!
That's right! Some lucky fan will have an opportunity to win an authentic, ring-worn robe of one of the all-time greats, Mr. Wrestling II!
To help raise money for a real-life, brick and mortar Hall of Heroes, Mr. Wrestling II -- a Class of 2010 Hall of Heroes honoree himself -- has donated this beautiful robe to be auctioned off in one of our very special silent auctions at fanfest. You won't believe the extraordinary detail on this robe, handmade by his late wife (who is also known for having made Ric Flair's most elegant robes, as well.)
But that's not all, during his scheduled photo op times, you'll be able to get a photo taken with the legend himself wearing this great robe.
This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
Ted Turner, Gordon Solie Among 8 Tapped For Hall of Heroes!
Media mogul, philanthropist, and former WTBS SuperStation owner Ted Turner and legendary TV announcer Gordon Solie are among eight iconic figures being inducted into our Hall of Heroes this August in Atlanta.
Turner will be recognized for seeking out wrestling programming in the early days of cable TV and, for more than two decades, providing a broadcast home for matches sanctioned by the once-mighty National Wrestling Alliance.
The exposure gained from being on Turner's quickly-expanding SuperStation broadcasts, and the station’s jump to satellite transmission in 1976, brought Georgia Championship Wrestling and the NWA to a new level of national popularity.
In short order, it made household names of "Nature Boy" Ric Flair, "Wildfire" Tommy Rich, and Mr. Wrestling II. Another is Atlanta wrestling legend Thunderbolt Patterson.
A 2007 Hall of Heroes inductee himself, Patterson arrived in Georgia in the early 1970’s and experienced first-hand the added popularity of being seen on one of cable television’s first wrestling shows. "Ted Turner provided us a lot of opportunities in the early days," said Patterson, who will be inducting Turner during a dinner banquet and awards ceremony Friday night, August 5, at Atlanta’s Airport Marriott hotel. "Suddenly, our TV wrestling show was not just seen in Atlanta each week, but in far-away places like Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia. Without Ted Turner, Atlanta wrestling would still be 'Atlanta wrestling.' Thanks to his vision, it became World Championship Wrestling!"
The Hall of Heroes inductions are part of Atlanta's first-ever NWA Wrestling Legends Fanfest Weekend August 4-7. The tenth annual event offers fans and followers of all ages an exciting three-day forum to reconnect with some of TV wrestling's notable heroes and villains. Autograph sessions, photo opportunities, and question-and-answer sessions fill the weekend, and tons of wrestling memorabilia will be on display.
Turner will be joined by seven other Class of 2011 Hall of Heroes inductees, including legendary TV wrestling announcer Gordon Solie, affectionately known as "The Dean" of all wrestling announcers.
Recognized by fans for his monotone, stoic interview style, Solie arrived in Atlanta in 1974 at the urging of Turner and played a vital role in Turner’s broadcast expansion and ultimate media empire.
He became the voice of the weekend studio wrestling shows -- filmed on location at Tuner's 1050 Techwood Drive studio -- that quickly became the most-watched programming on cable television at the time.
"He was the man," said wrestling icon Dusty Rhodes, "the absolute best to ever call a match!"
Others being honored will include wrestling legends The Assassins (Joe Hamilton and Tom Renesto,) "Hands of Stone" Ron Garvin, Sir Oliver Humperdink, Ray "The Crippler" Stevens, and the Masked Superstar.
Wrestling fans from everywhere remember Bill Apter, Editor of Pro Wrestling Illustrated and it's family of wrestling magazines, including The Wrestler and Inside Wrestling.
It's not a tremendous discount, but every little bit helps, right?
The Atlanta Airport Marriott, the host hotel for the 2011 NWA Wrestling Legends Fanfest Weekend, is offering a discounted group rate for those that book early.
