Spinning Toe Holds Everywhere

Opposition in Plainview, Texas
 

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We had just finished working to a packed crowd on a Saturday night at the sports arena in Plainview, Texas. My father,
Dory Funk Sr. and I were in the main event against Sputnik Monroe and Tokyo Tom. In the semi final, Ricky Romero
had wrestled Killer Karl Kox. The referee that night was Jack Cain.

As we set on the benches in the dressing room cooling off, the local promoter, 83 year old B.T. Bridges came in and
shook our hands and thanked us for a great show. He passed out our envelopes filled with cash,
$90 for each wrestler and the referee. Everyone was happy.
We had programmed Plainview to a capacity house. only seven wrestlers were on the card. It was a good payday for a
small Saturday night show only sixty miles from home in 1964.

B.T. Bridges sat down to talk to my father. He said, "We have a problem Dory. We have Opposition here in Plainview.
Sputnik Monroe jumped out of his seat and said, "Who is the puke that is running opposition here in town. I'll go kick him
in the ass so hard I will be hopping around on one leg, because the other one will be stuck up his ass. Dory I'll will whup
him like Borden House Pie I'm a Diamond Ring and Cadillac Man and nobody is going to mess with my way of making
a living. " My father said, “Who in the Hell is running here? Is it Fritz?” (Referring to Fritz Von Erich, NWA promoter in
the Dallas territory) B.T. said, No Dory, it is nothing like that, it is the Catholic church here in town, they are having
wrestling shows at their recreation hall on Wednesday nights. B.T. continued, "This is a small town and it just will not
support two wrestling promotions."

On the way to the show in Lubbock, Texas on Wednesday night, Dory Sr. stopped in Plainview, Texas and made a visit
to St. Hyacinth's Catholic Church. He entered the recreation hall and saw five or six young men in a makeshift ring 
practicing for their show. An old Padre was watching as they were attempting to copy what they had seen on the
television show, World Championship Wrestling that aired every Saturday afternoon out of Amarillo.

My father walked up to the old padre and said, “These guys are not wrestlers, they have had no training and they are
disgracing the wrestling business with their imitations of some very athletic men and women. Dory Funk went on, I can
beat any one of them in a minute and if you like I will take them all on one at a time and beat them all right here before
you."

The Old Padre looked at his wrestlers and said, “Is that true?" One spoke for them all and said, “Well Father He might
try to hurt us, he is a shooter, he could put the spinning toehold on and break a leg.” The old Padre turned and looked
at my father and said, “Don't worry Mr. Funk, there will be no wrestling here tonight in fact there will be no wrestling
here at the Catholic church any night. Thank you for bringing your problem to my attention."

The next week my father was happy to tell old B.T. Bridges he had paid a visit to the Catholic church and not to worry,
There would be no opposition in Plainview, Texas and he could go on and run his business.

B.T. smiled and looked at me and said, “I’ll bet there were spinning toe holds everywhere."