By Brian Hoops, Torch nostalgia specialist

PWTorch VIP members have first-look access to all of Torch Nostalgia specialist Brian Hoops's latest blogs in the newly upgraded VIP Forum. His blogs are published first in the PWTorch VIP Forum, and Hoops interacts with other VIP members and Torch staff and contributors in the blog comments area afterward. Some of Hoops's blog entries will be exclusive to the VIP Forum.

-- Very sorry to hear about the passing of John Tolos, my condolences to John's family. Short bio of what I know about John as Tolos was at the tail end of his career when I started watching wrestling. John Tolos wrestled with his brother Chris in a successful tag team in the 1950s and 1960s. In the late 1960s, Tolos went out on his own and traveled to Los Angeles to work for promoter Mike LeBell. Tolos most famous run started in May of 1971 in the Los Angeles territory in a feud with Freddie Blassie. Tolos was not the greatest in-ring performer by most accounts, but was an incredible talker and had excellent promo abilities. It was his promo abilities that led to his famous feud with Freddie Blassie in 1971.

Blassie was presented the Wrestler of the Year award and Tolos took exception to Blassie winning the award as Tolos thought he should have won. Tolos confronted Blassie, things got heated and Tolos threw powder in Blassie's eyes, "blinding him." In reality, Blassie took time off to have knee surgery, but the promotion sold it like it was real and with Blassie really in the hospital for the surgery, the fans believed it as real as well. Other babyfaces tried to gain revenge for Blassie against Tolos, although none were able to do it over the course of several months.

With Tolos on the mike bragging about blinding Blassie and Blassie selling the blindness, the promotion was red hot in building to Blassie's big return where he would finally get his revenge on Tolos. The first sellout crowds in the L.A. territory were drawn because of this angle, where neither man touched each other until actually in the ring as the crowds were drawn solely off the believability of the angle and the promo ability of Tolos and Blassie.

The blinding angle would be copied in some form several times by different promotions over the next several decades. The most successful was done by Bill Watts in Mid South with the Junkyard Dog and Michael Hayes. Hayes "blinded" JYD with Freebird cream, causing JYD to miss seeing the birth of his daughter and igniting the crowd into a near riot anytime the Freebirds appeared. JYD's return drew huge business, drawing over 25,000 fans to the Louisiana SuperDome to see the Dog gain his revenge on Hayes and the Freebirds. ECW ran a similar angle with The Sandman and Tommy Dreamer and recently TNA tried it with James Storm and Chris Harris.

Tolos and Blassie were both babyfaces in the mid-'70s and teamed together, but Tolos never again reached the popularity of 1971. Tolos wrestled in several other territories, even surfacing in the AWA in the early 1980s for Verne Gagne. The only match of Tolos I have in my library is Tolos facing Jerry Lawler in a prelim match at Super Sunday, April 24, 1983. Without the promos or interview time, Tolos didn't seem like anything special.

Younger fans may recognize Tolos as the "Coach." Tolos was a manager for Curt Hennig in 1990 after the Genius gimmick ran its course and Lanny Poffo was removed as manager for Hennig and Tolos was brought in as his replacement. Tolos later used the same gimmick for Herb Abrams UWF.

-- WWE 24/7 Classics on Demand is promoting "Wild, Wild West" featuring matches from Texas - plus the HOF career of Dusty Rhodes including matches of Rhodes against Ivan Koloff, Spiros Arion, Ted DiBiase, Kevin Sullivan, Larry Zbyszko, and Ric Flair. Terry Funk is featured in the Film Room section and the Clash of the Champions 18 will also be presented. Royal Rumble 1989 will air in two parts as well as the 2009 Royal Rumble. Classics will also air Triumph and Tragedy of WCCW, a highly recommended DVD.

-- For wrestling fans that can't get enough wrestling on free TV, ESPN Classics is now airing the UWF at 2:00 p.m. CT each weekday in addition to the AWA weeknights at 10:00 p.m.

-- Best Buy is having a blowout sale on some WWE and TNA DVDs for as low as $4.99.

-- ICONs of Pro Wrestling will have an event on August 2 at Cromwell, Conn. The event will feature appearances by Terry Funk, Harley Race, Dallas Page, Justin Credible, Marty Jannetty, Salvatore Sincere, Tony Devito, Rick Fuller, and more. More info at Pro Wrestling Icons.

-- Article on ECHO Pro Wrestling and ODB at ECHO Pro Wrestling.

-- Info for a new wrestling documentary called Bloodstained Memories at Bloodstained Memories

-- Mick Foley and Mike Graham have been added to the Terry Funk, Ring Roast 2 lineup presented by Kayfabe commentaries on Oct 23 in Monroe, New Jersey. Previously announced talent include Roastmaster Bill Apter, New Jack, Kevin Sullivan, Tammy Sytch, comedian Ryan Maher, and Dennis Stamp. Tickets are on-sale at Ring Roasts and include a limited number of VIP meet and greet packages.

-- Torch read Rod Stetzer sent in this link to TCM website about Tony Lister. Lister was an actor in the Hulk Hogan movie, "No Holds Barred" and McMahon brought Lister into wrestling as Zeus, appearing in a tag team match with Hogan and Randy Savage at SummerSlam 1989. I remember Lister acting in Matlock and most recently Batman, "The Dark Knight."

-- Interesting to see Kimbo Slice announced as a participant for the next Ultimate Fighter. Dana White had stated he would not sign Slice to fight in the UFC unless Slice agreed to do the show and fight his way to a contract. Spike TV had to have a huge hand in this as Slice meant huge ratings to Elite XC and should mean big ratings for TUF.

Thanks for reading and VIP members be sure to check listen to the nostalgia audio podcast later this week.

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