[NJPW News] New Japan Pro Wrestling just released a video for the news that the NWA is coming back to NJPW.
NWA’s President Bruce Tharpe and the NWA World Heavyweight Champion Rob Conway are returning to Japan once more to prove that they are #1. Satoshi Kojima was unsuccessful in his attempt against Conway in April, but now the question stands with who from NJPW will step up to challenge Conway next?
![Edward “Moose” Cholak - Chicago Tribune [November 3rd, 2002]
“In the old Marigold Arena on Chicago’s North Side, the long, low calls would begin even before Edward Cholak entered the ring.
‘Moooose! Moooose!’ the crowd called, until Mr. Cholak, a giant of a man at 6 feet 4 inches and nearly 400 pounds, emerged, often with a real moose head propped on his shoulders.
He was known as ‘Moose’ Cholak throughout a professional wrestling career that spanned four decades and took him across America. He also worked for many years as an engineer for the City of Chicago.
Mr. Cholak, 72, of Chicago, died of complications from a stroke, Thursday, October 31st, in St. Margaret Mercy Healthcare Center, in Hammond.
He was born and raised on Chicago’s Southeast Side, where his parents ran a tavern. Large and strong even as a youth, he was an all-city wrestler at Chicago Vocational High School, and he played football for a year at the University of Wisconsin before leaving to join the Navy during the Korean War. He received engineering training while in the service.
When he returned to Chicago in 1952, Mr. Cholak was recruited by wrestling promoter “Chief” Don Eagle to join the pro circuit.
Though a far cry from the outrageous antics that make up televised wrestling today, professional wrestling in those days was a show and the wrestlers knew they were the players.
‘The crowds wouldn’t come just to see somebody wrestle somebody else on the mat,’ said Mr. Cholak’s wife of 45 years, Arlene.
And in those early days, Mr. Cholak always guaranteed a good time, donning his moose head and giving his moose call before grappling with an opponent.
Though he was well known on the U.S. circuit and went to Japan several times to wrestle, the pay didn’t match his celebrity.
In the mid-1970s, Mr. Cholak joined the city’s Streets and Sanitation Department, for which he worked until 1996 overseeing crews involved in street projects.
Until the mid-1980s, Mr. Cholak continued to wrestle.
Toward the end of his career, he weighed more than 400 pounds and his knees gave him trouble. Still, he loved the life under the lights and hearing the crowd rumble his name.
‘Everybody called it out. He was very, very popular,’ his wife said.
Other survivors include a daughter, Kathleen, and a son, Steven.
A visitation will be held from 2 to 9 p.m. Sunday, in Elmwood Chapel, 11200 S. Ewing Ave., Chicago. A mass will be said at 10 a.m. Monday, in Annunciata Catholic Church, 11128 S. Ave. G, Chicago.
Notes: The article was written by Rudolph Bush, while the photograph comes from “Pro Wrestling Illustrated: The Year In Review”, from April, in 2003.](http://24.media.tumblr.com/1cbcd07a6db0422e573ef1894b9c13d3/tumblr_mmcv33tDsZ1qzx70zo1_500.jpg)
Edward “Moose” Cholak - Chicago Tribune [November 3rd, 2002]
“In the old Marigold Arena on Chicago’s North Side, the long, low calls would begin even before Edward Cholak entered the ring.
‘Moooose! Moooose!’ the crowd called, until Mr. Cholak, a giant of a man at 6 feet 4 inches and nearly 400 pounds, emerged, often with a real moose head propped on his shoulders.
He was known as ‘Moose’ Cholak throughout a professional wrestling career that spanned four decades and took him across America. He also worked for many years as an engineer for the City of Chicago.
Mr. Cholak, 72, of Chicago, died of complications from a stroke, Thursday, October 31st, in St. Margaret Mercy Healthcare Center, in Hammond.
He was born and raised on Chicago’s Southeast Side, where his parents ran a tavern. Large and strong even as a youth, he was an all-city wrestler at Chicago Vocational High School, and he played football for a year at the University of Wisconsin before leaving to join the Navy during the Korean War. He received engineering training while in the service.
When he returned to Chicago in 1952, Mr. Cholak was recruited by wrestling promoter “Chief” Don Eagle to join the pro circuit.
Though a far cry from the outrageous antics that make up televised wrestling today, professional wrestling in those days was a show and the wrestlers knew they were the players.
‘The crowds wouldn’t come just to see somebody wrestle somebody else on the mat,’ said Mr. Cholak’s wife of 45 years, Arlene.
And in those early days, Mr. Cholak always guaranteed a good time, donning his moose head and giving his moose call before grappling with an opponent.
Though he was well known on the U.S. circuit and went to Japan several times to wrestle, the pay didn’t match his celebrity.
In the mid-1970s, Mr. Cholak joined the city’s Streets and Sanitation Department, for which he worked until 1996 overseeing crews involved in street projects.
Until the mid-1980s, Mr. Cholak continued to wrestle.
Toward the end of his career, he weighed more than 400 pounds and his knees gave him trouble. Still, he loved the life under the lights and hearing the crowd rumble his name.
‘Everybody called it out. He was very, very popular,’ his wife said.
Other survivors include a daughter, Kathleen, and a son, Steven.
A visitation will be held from 2 to 9 p.m. Sunday, in Elmwood Chapel, 11200 S. Ewing Ave., Chicago. A mass will be said at 10 a.m. Monday, in Annunciata Catholic Church, 11128 S. Ave. G, Chicago.
Notes: The article was written by Rudolph Bush, while the photograph comes from “Pro Wrestling Illustrated: The Year In Review”, from April, in 2003.
![“The Valentine/Flair Wars” - Sports Review: Wrestling [May 1981]
Bloody Ric Flair, Greg “The Hammer” Valentine IS professional wrestling.](http://24.media.tumblr.com/dce91b37ee3b863f12d23d24d4113826/tumblr_mln2jova7b1qzx70zo1_1280.jpg)
Based on this look, I want to say that this was around 1989 where Scott Hall went full Magnum T.A. in the NWA. Seeing photos like this always crack me up because I can only see “The Bad Guy” Scott Hall here as if the hair and mustache were fake/removable.
Also: Holy cow! Scott Hall plays as many sports as Bo Jackson!
King Jerry Lawler’s “SlamBurgers” Restaurant and Menu [1976]
Despite what that sign says, Jerry Lawler did not own the SlamBurgers restaurant. “The King” merely gave the real owner the rights to use his likeness and name for a cut of the profits, and the burger shop changed its entire menu to be wrestling based.
![“Dusty Rhodes: Champions of Champions…” - Inside Wrestling [November 1984]
Bloody Dusty Rhodes IS professional wrestling.
Related: Bloody Ric Flair IS professional wrestling.Bloody Michael Hayes IS professional wrestling.Bloody “Superstar” Billy Graham IS professional wrestling.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/915563bef907d5e350cdd08511191118/tumblr_mj651pPX7H1qzx70zo1_1280.png)
“Dusty Rhodes: Champions of Champions…” - Inside Wrestling [November 1984]
Bloody Dusty Rhodes IS professional wrestling.
Related: Bloody Ric Flair IS professional wrestling.
Bloody Michael Hayes IS professional wrestling.
Bloody “Superstar” Billy Graham IS professional wrestling.
![Ric Flair vs Andre the Giant - Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling [10/14/1977?]
Proof that these two legends actually faced each other inside a wrestling ring. In fact, “The Nature Boy” and Andre wrestled several times against each other in their careers, but it was usually in tag-team competition. The only other time I can find the wrestling icons one-on-one was in Orlando, Florida on 2/13/1983.](http://24.media.tumblr.com/ef24715b500142f4e69982c8cda99bd0/tumblr_mhojsdNgTU1qzx70zo1_1280.png)
Ric Flair vs Andre the Giant - Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling [10/14/1977?]
Proof that these two legends actually faced each other inside a wrestling ring. In fact, “The Nature Boy” and Andre wrestled several times against each other in their careers, but it was usually in tag-team competition. The only other time I can find the wrestling icons one-on-one was in Orlando, Florida on 2/13/1983.
![Ric Flair’s Second Wedding Day [1983?]
Kind of difficult to track down the real dates, but it looks like Flair’s children are up front, David and Megan. Oh, there’s also a “Dragon” and a “Hot Rod” in this photo as well!](http://25.media.tumblr.com/566161dda63110c0f5de518eed728b48/tumblr_mhokitNduz1qzx70zo1_500.jpg)
