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Recommended Reading
The MLWP highly recommends the following books
for the Canadian (& Worldwide) Wrestling Fan
-all descriptions from the source sites except where noted-
The Rassler From Renfrew - Gary Howard
A look at the life of Larry Kasaboski and his Northland Wrestling
For fifty years, old-time wrestling and the Kasaboski name went hand-in-hand in the Ottawa Valley.
Especially Larry Kasaboski, who followed his older brother Alex into the ring during the Depression years of the 1930s,
then turned his talents to promoting. In the decades after the war, Northland Wrestling Enterprises
staged fights in arenas up and down the Valley and throughout Northern Ontario, pitting passions against
loyalties for the likes of Benny Trudel, Bill Curry, Don "One-Man-Gang" Evans, the Parks Brothers,
and Gorgeous George Grant. Author Gary Howard has been a life-long fan of the sport, and in this book,
shares his enthusiasm for the early years of show wrestling. Richly illustrated with rare photos, posters,
and other memorabilia.
General Store Publishing or
Gary Howard
Wrestling Title Histories - Gary Will & Royal Duncan
Comprehensive Title Histories
Wrestling Title Histories is the most complete record of professional wrestling titles and titleholders
ever published. It is cited by wrestling publications around the world as the authority on wrestling's champions
and championships. From coast-to-coast in North America, to Japan and around the world - from William Muldoon in
the 19th century to The Rock - Wrestling Title Histories is the ultimate guide to pro wrestling's greatest
champions. Contains information on titles from the WWF, WCW, ECW, NWA, Canada, Japan, Mexico, Britain, Australia,
New Zealand, all the old territories - Florida, Mid-Atlantic, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Detroit, Toronto,
Dallas, Portland, Kansas City, St. Louis, Atlanta, Calgary, Memphis, Knoxville, Montreal, Puerto Rico, Mid-South
and more - as well as hundreds of independent promotions from across the U.S. (including now-defunct favorites
like Smoky Mountain, the UWF, and the USWA).
Gary Will's Wrestling History
Bang Your Head! The real story of The Missing Link - Dewey Robertson & Meredith Renwick
The Story of Dewey Robertson & The Link
“And in this corner, at 260 pounds, from Parts Unknown, it's The Missing Link!”
Wrestling fans around the world thrilled to those words in the mid-80s as the bizarre and volatile Missing Link would enter the ring. But then, he disappeared from wrestling as mysteriously as he appeared, and for more than a decade fans wondered what became of him. Now, the man behind that blue-and-green mask is finally stepping out to tell people the real story. No, he wasn’t a Stone Age throwback or even a refugee from a circus freak show – he was veteran ring hero Dewey Robertson, known to wrestling fans for his all-Canadian looks, physique, and mastery of a thousand wrestling moves.
Written in a plain-talk, straight-from-the heart style, Bang Your Head tells Dewey’s story from the very beginning — growing up in the wrestling mecca of Hamilton, Ontario; becoming one of the stalwarts of Toronto’s Maple Leaf Wrestling promotion; moving to the southern United States to morph into one of wrestling’s most popular “goons”; losing his career and abusing alcohol and drugs; beicomng destitute and homeless for nearly a year; returning to Canada to begin a long road to recovery; and finally emerging victorious only to find that his fans were still waiting. The tremendous response to his appearances showed that interest in the Link was as strong as ever.
Bang Your Head also gives fans an unprecedented look at the reality of a wrestler’s life outside the ring: the weeks on the road away from family and friends, the constant risk of injury, loneliness, financial instability, strains on family life from constantly moving around to follow the work, and the easy access to women, alcohol, and drugs. Dewey is one of the few pros who will admit publicly that he used steroids, and graphically documents the damage they did to his health.
ECW Press
Pro Wrestling Hall Of Fame : The Canadians - Greg Oliver
First in the series looking at the Canadians
The dark secret of professional wrestling? Canada. By population, no other country on Earth has sent as
many top performers to the upper echelon of the squared circle. But to this day, the Canadian origins of
these superstars have been hidden or played down by promoters. Now, everything's about to change. Here, for the
first time in print, respected wrestling author Greg Oliver blows the lid off the secrets: Rowdy Roddy Piper
was never from Scotland, he's from Saskatche-wan; Mad Dog Vachon, billed from Algeria, was from Quebec;
Abdullah the Butcher learned to use a fork in Windsor, Ontario; Val Venis isn't a porn star from Las Vegas
but a wannabe helicopter pilot from southern Ontario. The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame details all of the
top stars to come out of Canada. From the golden era of wrestling's itinerant early days, to Pay-Per-View
billionaires and Wrestlemania x8, top names like Chris Jericho, Whipper Watson, Chris Benoit, Gene Kiniski,
Rick Martel, Killer Kowalski, Edge and Christian, Chris and John Tolos, Yvon Robert, and Sky Low Low are profiled.
Plus a special section features the famous fighting families like the Harts, Cormiers, and Rougeaus. Full of photos
and fascinating stories and facts, The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame is a must for any wrestling fan whether they hide
their country of origin or not!
ECW Press
Pro Wrestling Hall Of Fame : The Tag Teams - Greg Oliver & Steven Johnson
Second in the series looking at Tag Teams
When you put four pro wrestlers in a ring, you double the athleticism, mischief, and entertainment.
That's the equation behind The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Tag Teams, the first comprehensive and historical
look at wrestling's tag team phenomenon. It contains hundreds of extensive interviews with well-known wrestlers,
promoters, and managers. A who's who of wrestling since the 1950s reveal tales of pain, measly payoffs,
and a trade that was practised as much for love as money. Find fascinating profiles chock full of little known
info about top tag teams, as well as humorous anecdotes. With detailed insider information, the authors
explain how tag team matches actually work and why, sometimes, they do not. Casual fans will be anxious
to see how their favorites stack up on the list of the top teams of all time. With its impressive
collection of rare, historic photos, this book will stand out as a reference source and talking point
for years to come.
ECW Press
Pro Wrestling Hall Of Fame : The Heels - Greg Oliver & Steven Johnson
Third in the series looking at the Heels
From the critically acclaimed authors of The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Tag Teams comes the most
comprehensive look ever at the colorful villains, heels, bad guys and rule breakers who give professional
wrestling so much of its character. In The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Heels, Greg Oliver and Steven
Johnson take readers on an informative and entertaining ride through mat mayhem. With their signature mix of
original research, interviews, and anecdotes, they describe the rise and development of wrestling’s bad guys,
from riots in small-town arenas in the 1920s to the mega-event pay-per-views of today. Intended for everyone
from casual fans to wrestling historians, the book explains how a barrel-chested Milwaukee brewer became
wrestling’s first Nazi, then served his country with distinction in World War II. You’ll find out how bleached
blond bad guys like the legendary Ric Flair trace their lineage to Gorgeous George — and about the little-known
Ohioan that George himself emulated. And of course, Oliver and Johnson’s list of the most influential heels
in history is sure to spark debate. Like its predecessors in this series, The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame:
The Heels features more than a hundred rarely or never-before-seen photos of wrestling’s most despised
characters — it’s a must read for anyone interested in the unique world of sports entertainment.
ECW Press
Pain & Passion The History Of Stampede Wrestling - Heath McCoy
The History of Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling
Calgary’s Stampede Wrestling spawned some of the biggest wrestling stars in history, from mat kings of the past
like Gene Kiniski and Superstar Billy Graham to modern idols like Bret “Hitman” Hart, the British Bulldogs, and
Chris Benoit. Pain and Passion tells how a small, family–run wrestling business profoundly influenced the world of
professional wrestling as we know it today. Pain and Passion takes readers on a rowdy ride through the evolution
of Stu Hart’s Calgary promotion, from its meagre beginnings in the 1940s, its peak in the 1980s, and its fall as
Vince McMahon’s World Wrestling Entertainment changed the face of wrestling forever.
But this is more than a wrestling story — it’s a tale of family and of human tragedy. The Hart family lived for
the wrestling business and, like Starbucks mowing down a mom–and–pop coffee shop, the emergence of McMahon’s media
colossus ran Stampede into the ground. The wrestling game lost its innocence and western Canada lost a staple of
its pop culture. As for the Hart family, the once–mighty clan was nearly destroyed by the business it loved.
The Stampede Wrestling story is a wild blood–on–the–mat saga over fifty years in the making. It’s sure to captivate
not only wrestling fans, but anyone who appreciates a powerful drama.
ECW Press
National Wrestling Alliance: The Untold Story of the Monopoly
that Strangled Pro Wrestling - Tim Hornbaker
The History of the NWA
For more than 40 years, nearly every aspect of professional wrestling’s behind-the-scenes mechanisms were
controlled by the National Wrestling Alliance. That included all of the drama, mayhem and colorful characters
millions of fans were exposed to around the world. The NWA’s reign of dominance grew out of a humble Midwestern
trade agreement and established a callous and sometimes vindictive cartel that stifled opposition and protected
their empire. Utilizing political connections, the members of the National Wrestling Alliance avoided a open
ended disaster in 1956 when the U.S. Government sought to dismantle their monopoly. Although it remained intact,
the NWA struggled in the years following as associates continued to test the boundaries set by law, and members
concentrated on satisfying their own personal greed by any means humanly possible. National Wrestling Alliance:
The Untold Story of the Monopoly that Strangled Pro Wrestling will be the first book to thoroughly explain how
the organization came to existence, expanded their control, and eventually caught the sharp eye of the Department
of Justice. It analyzes some of the biggest moments in wrestling history and describes the NWA’s place in the
market from it’s inception until present day. Offering detailed information on famous wrestlers, promoters, and
major events, this book will stand as an essential wrestling reference.
Leagacy of Wrestling
Drawing Heat - Jim Freedman
A look at Ontario Wrestling
Drawing Heat, a book about Dave McKigney's heroic life, was written by UWO's Jim Freedman, now a professor
emeritus in UWO's anthropology department. ("Drawing heat" is wrestling talk for rousing the crowd). Freedman says
the Wildman's shows were as wild and hairy and unlikely and mythical as his own shaggy, force-of-nature self.
The book was published in the 1980s before the Wildman's death. Still, the sense of impending doom is strong.
So is McKigney's cheerful, almost elemental, refusal to surrender. Much of the action in the book takes place
in and around London. City wrestling fan and ace photographer Terry Dart is a key source. Ma Pickles, a fan for
"34 years," is among the Londoners who helps "(the) professor," as Freedman becomes known to the grapplers. The
book shows posters promoting McKigney's bills and gruesome photos following bloody bouts here. McKigney is gone now.
But unlike today's grapplers, he was an immortal when it comes to drawing heat - and performing with heart.
He lives on, thanks to a great book.- from Slam Wrestling http://slam.canoe.ca/SlamWrestlingArchive2001/aug4_wildman-sun.html
Check your Library or E-Bay, book is very hard to find nowadays
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