Bob Orton Sr. dead at 76 (MidEast Break for Grand Sports Entertainer)

SLAM Sports ^ | July 17, 2006 | Steven Johnson

[GreenHornet]

I enjoyed Jr in FL in the 1970s. I remember Sr making rare appearances as well. I can't remmeber who Jr teamed up with though as a heel.

In the early 70s, one of the local UHF stations where I grew up (Philly) began broadcasting NWA Championship Wrestling from Florida, with commentator Gordon Solie. I remember watching Bob Orton Sr. tag-teaming with his son, Bob Orton Jr. Up until then, the only wrestling we saw was the then-WWWF.

(By the way, great tag line!)

[Archie Bunker on steroids]

GH....Florida wrestling was exceptional during that time perior. It wasn't until cable of the early 80s did we get WOR out of NY and the WWF. Many of the WWF superstars cut their teeth in Florida and then later Georgia. The names of early FL were Dusty Rhodes, Bob ORton Jr. Rocky Johnson, Masked Assasin, Missouri Mauler, Superstar Graham, Rick Flair, Baron Von Raske, the Spoiler, Mike Graham, Steve Kearn, Billy Robinson etc.

[Roberts]

RIP

[Moose4]

Growing up in the '70s, on Saturday afternoons I used to watch Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling out of Greensboro, NC (I was in Virginia)--they later became part of the NWA. Ric Flair, Chief Wahoo McDaniel, Ricky Steamboat, Jimmy Snuka, Paul Orndorff, Arn and Ole Andersen, Rufus R. "Freight Train" Jones...those were the days, man.

}:-)4

[GreenHornet]

GH....Florida wrestling was exceptional during that time perior. It wasn't until cable of the early 80s did we get WOR out of NY and the WWF. Many of the WWF superstars cut their teeth in Florida and then later Georgia. The names of early FL were Dusty Rhodes, Bob ORton Jr. Rocky Johnson, Masked Assasin, Missouri Mauler, Superstar Graham, Rick Flair, Baron Von Raske, the Spoiler, Mike Graham, Steve Kearn, Billy Robinson etc.

You're right about that - it was exceptional! That's where I first found out about wrestlers like the Ortons, Dusty Rhodes, Mr. Wrestling (Tim Woods), Mike Graham and his father, Eddie Graham, and Buddy Colt, just to name a few.