From his early days growing up in Boston during the WWWF era… to surviving brutal tryouts under Gene Anderson and Nelson Royal… to training in the infamous Hart Dungeon… Bob Blackburn’s journey into professional wrestling was anything but ordinary
We dive deep into:
- The insane 250-man tryout that only four survived
- Training under Gene Anderson (and what those “tryouts” were really like)
- Stu Hart, Bruce Hart, and a gimmick pitch so wild it nearly got him struck by lightning
- Becoming “The D.I.” in Continental Wrestling
- The Honor Guard, Mark Young, and tag team gold with Randy Colley
- Working with a young Sid Vicious (and surviving the leg drop)
- Why Austin Idol once refused to follow his promo
- REAL heat in Montgomery and a riot level whipping angle
- Losing a wheel off his car on I-40 on the way to Memphis… and selling his car to a state trooper
- Living with Mark Calloway (The Undertaker) in Nashville
- Why Memphis was the hardest hitting territory he ever worked
- The phone call from Roman Gabriel that ended his wrestling career overnight
This is a raw, honest, hilarious, and occasionally jaw dropping look at what it was like working in the dying days of the territory system, when the miles were long, the money was thin, and the heat was very real.
If you love Continental Wrestling, late 80s Memphis, Eddie Gilbert stories, or behind the scenes tales from the road, this episode is for you.
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What is The Retro Wrestling Archive Podcast Network?
The Retro Wrestling Archive Podcast Network is a home for nostalgia pro wrestling podcasts featuring interviews, reviews, recaps, and deep dives into the people, promotions, and moments that shaped wrestling history.
Our network includes original in-house shows like The Retro Wrestling Re-View Podcasts, Beyond Wrestling, Dangerous Conversations w/Doug Gilbert & Tommy Rich, and LIVE from the Archive!, along with affiliate podcasts such as STSPod, The Hang, Talkin' off the Top Rope, and Get Your Bell Rung, among others.
Presented in association with Jackson Media Creations, the Retro Wrestling Archive Podcast Network is dedicated to one mission: preserving pro wrestling history.