WRESTLING IN THE PAST--HOW GOOD?
By: Dory Funk Jr.
2/23/2006 10:57:39 PM
Funk's Corner - Wrestling in the Past, How Good? Blood was
streaming from my father's head as he tried to regain his balance
and come to his feet. A size twelve shoe caught him flush in the
face knocking him down again. Dory Funk Sr. tried to fight back but
his efforts were futile as big Frank Murdoch continued his ruthless
assault.
As I watched this beating take place, every blow was as if it were
happening to me and every time my father tried to fight back I was
fighting with him inside my heart. I looked at my brother Terry.
Tears streamed down his face. He was out of his seat and on the way
to my father's side. Mother reached and grabbed him by his arm. I
could see her give him the squeeze and pull him back to his seat. I
was only 11 years old and Terry was 8, Mother was the boss.
We were at the sports arena in Amarillo, Texas. The event was
professional wrestling. My father swung wildly at his opponent, the
man they billed as the "Fabulous Texan." I twisted in my chair
hoping and praying that he would not get hurt and could come back
for victory.
The Fabulous Texan, Frank Murdoch slipped behind and reached for
the sleeper hold. My father charged the turnbuckle in the corner of
the ring. Murdoch crashed face first in to the corner and fell back
into the ring. Dad reached to wipe his face so he could see better.
Now his hand was covered in blood. He just stared at his bloody
hand. My heart jumped and I nearly fell off my chair. I knew when
Dad saw the blood he would go wild and so did the four thousand
fans jammed into the Amarillo Sports Arena. They were going crazy
cheering my father on to beat the hell out of Frank Murdoch.
Murdoch was back on his feet, but hesitated when he saw the look in
dad's eyes. The crowd at the sports arena was going crazy. They
knew when Dory Funk saw blood, something was going to happen soon.
Murdoch moved in close. My father swung with all he had. You could
hear the punch land and see the perspiration fly as dad connected
with a right to Murdoch's chin. Dory Funk picked up the 6' 3" 250
pound Murdoch high over his head and slammed him to the mat to a
roar of approval from the fans. Now Funk had Murdoch pinned in the
corner landing blow after blow. There was so much excitement and so
much noise that he didn't hear the referee telling him to stop it
because Murdoch was caught in the ropes. In an effort to pull them
apart, the referee grabbed Funk from behind. In a fit of anger,
Dory turned and blasted the referee with a forearm to the
chin.
It was all over, Dory Funk was disqualified and Frankie Hill
Murdoch was the winner of the match.
On our website at www.dory-funk.com, we have photos of Dory Funk
Sr. in this match as it happened in 1953.
