When It Was Cool Wrestling (DragonKingKarl)

Barney Smith is Dead - 1000 Hours

Feb 27, 2024

I mean, Barney Smith was probably dead under the best of circumstances. He went to the finals of American pro wrestling's first ever major championship tournament in 1870 but, as we have been researching for a long time now, there seemed to be no clear evidence he died at the hands of Col. James H. McLaughlin in...

From the Pages of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter - Blackjack Mulligan

Feb 20, 2024

On this edition of the DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Podcast we travel back to 2016 for Dave Meltzer's Wrestling Observer Newsletter biography of Blackjack Mulligan. Mulligan was a big, tough, cowboy heel and babyface who also booked around the country. He was a top star in the AWA, Jim Crockett Promotions,...

Pioneer Era Wrestling in France - 1000 Hours

Feb 19, 2024

This episode of 1000 Hours is brought to you by Andrew who recently read an article about showmanship in wrestling in the 1800's in France. The French and the English seemed to have the biggest impact on pioneer era pro wrestling in America and, no question, they had a penchant for the dramatic as we have already...

Long Form History of Wrestling Podcast - March 1984 (Race, Tsuruta, Flair)

Feb 13, 2024

This is the 100th installment in the Long Form History of Pro Wrestling podcast series from author and wrestling historian Karl Stern. On this episode we look back at March 1984 following the death of David Von Erich the wrestling world is still in shock. Ric Flair and Harley Race pull off a secret NWA World title...

Bounty on Barney - 1000 Hours

Feb 11, 2024

It's hour 36 of 1000 Hours, the podcast all about the pioneers of pro wrestling. On this episode we do a lot of research on pioneer era wrestling including some new tidbits about Col. James H. McLaughlin which leads us back to our most enduring mystery- did Col. McLaughlin kill Barney Smith? If yes, then why is there...