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Action began with the opening bout of the 109th Family Readiness Group benefit held at the Nanticoke Armory Saturday night, when soldiers tangled with Retro Pro Wrestling’s ‘Bad Boys.’
FRED ADAMS/FOR THE TIMES LEADER
NANTICOKE – About 300 professional wrestling fanatics of all ages enjoyed a night of rough and tumble entertainment Saturday at the Nanticoke Armory.
Soldiers from the 109th Field Artillery named the “Heroes” tangled with Retro Pro Wrestling’s “Bad Boys.”
Representing the Heroes were J.P. “The Howitzer” Karpovich, Bob “Shot Gun Blast” Dick, Anthony “Ammo Can” Derosia, Mark “Firepower” Vital, Mike “The Cannon” Collis, Brian “Excalibur” McMichael, Sean “Sandman” Haines and Brian “Machine Gun” Martin. The Bad Boys included Vinnie Delicious, Cletis, Cooter, Boris Naboka and Malta the Damager. Also included was a sumo-suited match between local weather forecaster Kristi Capel and Amanda from WRKZ radio in a knock-down, drag-out female match.
Sgt. 1st Class “Howitzer” Karpovich said the event showed how trained soldiers measure up against “professional athletes.” To prepare, the Heroes all went through several weeks of intensive training under the auspices of Tom Rumsby, aka “The Executioner.”
The event raised funds for the 109th Family Readiness Group, he said.
“Excalibur” McMichael would not divulge his strategy for the ring but did provide the audience with some flips, falls and submission holds. He added the training for the event was quite a “learning experience.”
Rumsby and organizer Tom Bremer thought the wrestling event was a great way to provide some family entertainment while supporting the local military. Bremer, who was wounded in Vietnam, said he and Rumsby brought the World Wrestling Coalition and Retro Wrestling together to perform.
Rumsby trained the Heroes on some specialty moves such as the headlock takedown, back slam, and other Greco-Roman techniques. He stressed the event was not for the “weak at heart” and would involve a fair amount of “black and blue” contact.
Malta the Damager, a 13-year veteran professional wrestler, said he performed for several benefit events including ones for the victims of Hurricane Katrina and the September 11 attack. Besides damaging, he works to clean up the wrestling business.
Mainstream professional wrestling has become too “profane and sexist,” he said. It should be more of a family entertainment such as the event in Nanticoke.
“As professional athletes we should set an example,” he said. A father of two, Malta does not let his children watch televised wrestling.
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leader.com