Sonfaro Posted October 31, 2009 Share Posted October 31, 2009 A-P-W-F The following pages were recovered from the desk of one Salvator ‘Sonny’ Faron, an extended member of the Lamberti family, during a joint sting operation handled by Sgt. Robert Law of the Manhattan P.D. and the FBI. The names have not been changed, and nothing has been altered. During the course of the investigation Manhattan P.D. will continue to look into both Mr. Faron and the Lamberti Family, and the ‘American Professional Wrestling Federation’ company that links them together... A-P-W-F July 17th, 1972 Dear… whatever you are. The therapist tells me I’m to write in this everyday. To get my feelings out on paper. I don’t see why. Writing in a stupid book isn't going to bring my father back, or keep me from shaking around people... What’s in the past is in the past. I have a future to worry about without people thinking I'm some kind of sissy. I mean how many twenty year olds guys do you know who write in a [expletive] diary? Look at that. I'm writing the stupid thing questions. I must be crazy. Terry’s already started calling me a sissy. I mean, who else around the neighborhood visits a shrink on a constant? The old man isn’t too happy about this either. Another hundred bucks down the drain he says. Money he could have spent on talent, he says. I believe him… Big Frank is nothing if he isn’t thinking about his investments. Comes with the job I guess. Speaking of which, Franks giving me a promotion. I’m now Assistant to talent relations, which looks a whole lot better on paper than it is in practice. It basically means I run and get the talent their coffee, their smokes, or their brown paper bags I don’t ask about. Not the kind of job I expected to get after graduating from Community College of Philedelphia, but hey, when your caretaker is the owner of the largest wrestling promotion in America, you learn to keep your head low and your mouth shut and do as you’re told. Theres a lot of people out there who don’t want APWF to succeed… "APWF: War Diaries" http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/oo13/Sonfaro/th_APWF1.jpg OOC: Not sure how long I'll be able to keep this going for, but I'll give it a good run for my money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistaken Posted October 31, 2009 Share Posted October 31, 2009 interesting start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mystery Posted October 31, 2009 Share Posted October 31, 2009 I'll be watching. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonfaro Posted October 31, 2009 Author Share Posted October 31, 2009 The old man is gone... A-P-W-F Franco Lambert is a steel tycoon with family ties to the New York mafia, and at one time was by far the most wealthy gentleman involved in the wrestling industry. He leveraged this advantage to the maximum, paying the cream of the U.S. crop top dollar to wrestle for his promotion, APWF. With the likes of Micky Starr, Rip Chord, and Dan Stone leading the charge, APWF was headed straight for the top... Until Richard Eisen and SWF showed up. Since then, APWF has been in something of a downward spiral, losing sponsorship by the hour. It was only a matter of time before Franco Lambert abandoned ship… - From Richard Law's case report. A-P-W-F April 5th, 1975 The Old man is gone. It’s weird seeing this on paper. Knowing that it’s true. Franco's the man who paid my way through college. Franco's the man who got me my first job. Franco's the one who took me in after dad died. Hell, I’ve known Franco Lamberti for most of my life. I’ve never known the old man to ever quit anything in his life. Franco Lambert has stepped down from his position as owner of APWF. I don’t know all the details yet. They don’t talk much in the talent department. I know this war with the SWF [*the Supreme Wrestling Federation, APWF’s chief competition] has taken it’s toll on him. I know he’s had to shut down some of the steel mills down in Philly. He’s sold a great deal of his stock as well. It’s like he’s giving up. I’ve never known Franco to give up. I’m not sure what’s going to happen to APWF. Dan Stones working the booking end of the shows for now, till everything gets sorted out. Ma’ Loretta is helping with the business meetings. And Terry… Well Terry’s been tight lipped about the whole thing. He hasn’t been to their house in a while, I know. But I would think he would have said something when Franco announced it to the boys. Holy Hell. The old man’s really stepping down. I don’t know what’s going to happen. Things are moving a lot faster than they should be right now. All I know is that the old man is gone. And APWF is running without a captain. - Sonny * Inserted for clarification. - Johnny Quin, Manhattan P.D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonfaro Posted October 31, 2009 Author Share Posted October 31, 2009 The new owner of APWF... A-P-W-F Joseph Salvator Faron jr., also known as Sonny, is the godson of Franco Lamberti, and the adoptive son of on Joseph Salvator Faron Sr.* His true parentage is unknown, the earliest record of him is recorded at St. Anna Franncis Orphanage on 121st street. Joseph Faron Sr. was found murdered on March 12th, 1957. Sonny arrived in the care of Franco Lambert in June of the same year… - Taken from the FBI’s profile of Sonny Faron. A-P-W-F April 9th, 1975 Terry’s is the new owner of APWF. I’d be surprised, but it’s just the sort of thing Terry would do. He'd been presuring Franco for a while now for more responsibility. More say in the booking of the shows. He has it now I suppose, so he must have said something right to the old man. I mean, Franco must have thought Terry the logical choice when he stepped down. Right? Terry hadn't told a lot of people. Heck, I only found out when the rest of the boys did. He called them before the tapings, sat them all down, and just blurted it all out. He used his trust fund to buy out the company, making him the sole proprietor of the American Pro Wrestling Federation. Franco was behind him the whole time. Didn’t say anything. He just stared out blankly at us, as if he was glimpsing what was once his pride. Terry beamed when he told everyone, his face filled with triumph and determination. The faces around the room were different. Richard Selzer looked surprised. Marcus McKing looked excited. Dan Stone looked disgusted. And me? I don’t know what I looked like. I’m not sure I want to know. At least business can move forward again. Or at least begin the process of moving forward again. Since Franco stepped down, the SWF have taken a secure lead on American wrestling. A lot of people don’t give Terry enough credit. He’s smart. He’s got every bit the brains his father has, without all the baggage. Hopefully, Terry’s smart enough to right the ship. ... Hopefully... - Sonny [*Joseph Salvator Faron Sr. is believed to have been a fence for the local mafia.] - Johnny Quin, Manhattan P.D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cmdrsam Posted October 31, 2009 Share Posted October 31, 2009 Welcome to the 75 era. I'll be reading. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonfaro Posted November 1, 2009 Author Share Posted November 1, 2009 A-P-W-F Franco Lamberti, also known as Frank Lambert, obtained the adoption papers for Sonny Faron on June 17th, 1975. From that moment on, Sonny was a member of the Lambert household, and is believed to have been a key witness to several of Franco’s dealings with the mob, though no official record exists to confirm or deny this theory. He is a year younger that Franco’s son Terry, who is the heir apparent of the Lambert family business… - Taken from the FBI’s profile of Sonny Faron. A-P-W-F April 27th, 1975 Another fight between Dan and Terry today. Loud yelling, mostly from Terry, though Dan was giving every bit back. It sounds like a contract dispute. Something about the CWF [Canadian Wrestling Federation, another rival promotion*] offering Dan more money to stay up there than trek all the way down here. Terry keeps screaming at Dan about loyalty. It’s mostly profanity laced. It isn’t going well. At least Franco’s taking everything in stride. He’s still contracted to the company, so the transition in power hasn’t been so bad. He’s providing color commentary with Kurt [berkly] for the television show. Still as funny as ever. I don’t know. Things are still strange. Terry’s booked a lot more angles these days. Lots of the boys don’t like that. Ray [Kingman] has been nervous about his performances on the mic as of late. They all have. There’s a lot of rumbling about Terry lately. Bad talk. Mostly Dan and George, but some of the lower card guys too. It’s troublesome. What with SWF on primetime TV, and CWF up north, we’ve got a lot more competition than we’re used to. I’m not sure if I should talk to him about it. He’s been in a foul mood. ... Hell, he’s always in a foul mood a lot these days. - Sonny * Inserted for clarification. - Johnny Quin, Manhattan P.D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonfaro Posted November 2, 2009 Author Share Posted November 2, 2009 A-P-W-F The incident in question occurred at the APWF TV Taping of All-Pro Wrestling during the month of Febuary. Insiders in the industry refer to this sort of thing as a ‘shoot’, and that it is not part of the show. Details on how this event effected the psyche of Terry Tambert will be divulged further in this paper. - Taken from Terry Lamberts psyche report.A-P-W-F May 7th, 1975 Dan snapped Terry’s arm. I knew they had bad blood between them, what with Dan signing exclusive with CWF. I didn’t think it was so bad that a traditionalist like Dan Stone would break kayfabe and go into business for himself. I guess when he found out Dan had taken the contract, Terry Lambert made it his mission to ensure that Dan didn't go out in style. He booked himself to go over in 4 minutes, but the match itself went much differently than Lambert had planned. Dan locked him in… I don’t know, an armbar I guess. And just stretched it. In different ways. For three minutes. I knew it wasn’t a good idea to piss off a shooter like Dan. Terry’s always had a much larger image of himself than reality would suggest. I guess it came back to bite him in the [expletive] this time. Terry looked to be in pain. Hell, I know he was. The audience kind of quieted down when they saw it. They didn’t know what they were seeing. And then, before Joe could come in and break things up, Dan rolled Terry on top of him and let the ref count the pinfall. Backstage, Dan shuffled out quickly and quietly; he stopped only to see George DeColt, who was practically cheering for him. The rest of us are smart enough to keep our mouths shut. Terry’s got torn ligaments in his arm now. He’s out a few months. I’d hate to tell him I told you so. Dan exits the building and out the parking lot… and the last vestage of the old APWF dies with his departure. All that's left now is Terry Lambert... - Sonny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonfaro Posted November 3, 2009 Author Share Posted November 3, 2009 A-P-W-F Marcus McKing is the youngest member of the APWF roster, as well as their current heavyweight champion. There has been some controversy over this win, as many attribute the victory to backstage politics and double dealings. It should be noted the Marcus McKing is good friends with the defendant, and may be charged as an accessory to the crime. - From Richard Laws case report. A-P-W-F July 12th, 1975 He gave Marcus the belt. The match wasn’t all that bad really. George led the rookie well enough, and the crowd got hot for it in the last few moments though. Those final seconds though, Marcus giving a low blow to George and then hitting the Coronation for the one two three, was the more telling reaction. I’ve never seen so much garbage thrown in the ring before. I like Marcus. He’s a nice kid. A little big for his britches, but certainly a decent human being. He’s been over the house to eat with Ma’ Loretta, Franco, Terry and me. Back when he was still a journeyman. Only a year or so ago. And now... Now he's the top of our company. To be fair, he's been getting upper midcard level reactions for the last few months. But I’m not sure if he should be getting the title so soon. He’s just nineteen. How many world boxing champs are nineteen? Make no mistake about it. Terry took the belt off George simply because of his stance with Dan. Backstage, George came up to Terry and spit directly into his face. We all saw it. He’s got maybe four or five months left on his contract. I doubt he’ll be renewing. After the show, Terry disappeared into his office and didn’t come out. A part of me sees the reasoning of what he was trying to do. It’s becoming clearer and clearer to us now that our company trails considerably behind the SWF in terms of ratings. A shock title change like that will be sure to increase interest in the brand. But overall, it’s managed to piss off the boys in the back more than ever. Somebody has to step in soon Somebody has to make a stand for these guys. Someone needs to be the leader. - Sonny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonfaro Posted November 3, 2009 Author Share Posted November 3, 2009 A-P-W-F Prosecution. Please state your name to the court. Sonny. M-my name is Salvatore Faron. Pro. Any aliases Mr. Faron? Son. My friends call m-me Sonny. Pro. Mr. Faron, would you please tell the court what your relationship was with Mr. Lambert? Son. Um… I was a member of his booking team from 1975 till… well recently- Pro. Your relationship Mr. Faron. We want to know your relationship to the defendant. Son. …I’m… I was his friend…. - Transcript taken from ‘The People vs. Terry Lambert’, Part I A-P-W-F August 3rd, 1975 I think I’ve been promoted. Terry called me out of our talent meeting and into his office. Which, until a few months ago, used to be Franco’s office. The entire way over I was ‘escorted’ by Joe Micelli [better known by his in ring name of The Brooklyn Punk*], a good friend of Terry’s who has shown the only semblance of respect Terry’s gotten from anyone outside the family. I worried a little for my job security. We talked at length a bout little things. What Franco would do. What he's doing. What's working and what isn't. It's the first time I'd ever seen Terry take this job so seriously. Thats when he spilled the beans. He tells me he’s building what he calls a war council. A group of individuals with wrestling minds who want to accomplish one thing. Burn SWF into the ground. He says he wants me on the team. Says it was my eye that helped us land guys like Sam Stragavelli and the American Giant [also known as Giant Grimsley]. He wants me in on the discussions on how to improve the company. He wants me on the team. I didn’t know what to say at first. Terry’s never been one to ask for help before. To much like his old man I guess. But looking into his eyes… I don’t know. It was like I could see just how young he was. Just how unready he had been for this war we’re waging. How unfair it was for Franco to leave him to face this burden alone. I tell my brother yes. Because he is my brother, blood or no blood. And in that way I prepare to give Terry my support. APWF must survive this war. It’s our families' only treasure. - Sonny * Inserted for clarification. - Johnny Quin, Manhattan P.D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonfaro Posted November 4, 2009 Author Share Posted November 4, 2009 A-P-W-F Prosecution. And what exactly went on inside this... 'War Room'? Sonny. Oh. That was just the booking room. Pro. Booking room? Son. Y-yes, that's right. Pro. So who was Mr. Lambert booking for? The Mafia? The KGB? Son. Um... No. No, we just booked the shows... - Transcript taken from ‘The People vs. Terry Lambert’, Part IA-P-W-F August 28th, 1975 I’d never been in the War Room before. Terry'd taken to calling the booking room this the day he took over from Franco. I’d overheard stories about it from Jackson [Professional wrestler, Edmond Jackson]. His tall tales didn’t do it justice. A singular room; a round table in the center with nothing but pictures of workers, sheets of paper strewn about the floor. The chairs of the council surrounded the table like knights of old, while in the center, at the end farthest from the door, was the chair of Franco Lambert. The chair that now belonged to Terry. Kurt Berkely was the first to greet me. Kurt’s been the lead announcer for the company for the past three years, and has been involved with some of the better moments in the company. He’s a little bit of a yes man, but he’s well liked, and a solid human being. At least he acknowledges my existence. Richard Seltzer glares at me when he comes in. It's likely he's only just heard about my promotion to booker within the last few moments. Hell, this may be the moment he realized it. Seltzer used to be a wrestler by the name of Dick Slecksic. He had good psychology, but never really made it out of the midcard for us. He was injured in a match with Suhail Assanti; Assanti dropped him on his head before he was ready. Forced into early retirement, he now works as our primary road agent, putting the matches together from an inring standpoint. He's almost always grouchy. Jackson nods in my direction when he gets down, but doesn’t say much else. He’s a traditionalist, and probably the only man who has real sway over Terry on the booking team. Real old-school shooter. Last of a dying breed. Really the nicest guy in the world, but the utmost professional when it comes to the business. I'm really glad he's here. He's one of the best. Joe just ignores me, to which I am grateful. He’s called The Brooklyn Punk for a reason, but he’s Terry’s best friend, and has his ear most of the time, so it would be in my best interest to stay out of his way. Terry was a little late to the meeting. He cut a few wisecracking jokes. Tried to lighten the mood. No one laughed but Joe. Terry then began the meeting proper, formally announcing the Tour Across America concept and pushing for approval. He didn’t mention it being my idea at all during the course of the meeting, but that’s all right. We had bigger things to worry about. We have a lot of problems going into the final quarter; the regional station is threatening to cancel our show. George DeColts’ contract is up in three months. SWF has a major lead in markets across the country. We’re in an up hill battle. But we’re not going to give up. We’re going to keep fighting. Or die trying. - Sonfaro O.O.C.: I know this is a lot of boring backstory and what not, but it get's better... Hopefully. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonfaro Posted November 5, 2009 Author Share Posted November 5, 2009 A-P-W-F The following is a copy of Salvatore Faron’s personal roster evaluation sheet used for the month of September; his first month on the booking team. We are told that Red represents "Heels", or bad guys. Blue represents "Faces", or goodguys. It is interesting to note just how high Lambert’s allies in the promotion are as opposed to his enemies. Whether this has any connection to the crimes for which he is accused or not remains to be seen. A-P-W-F MAINEVENT. Crippler Ray Kingman – possibly the best technician in America today. Lacks charisma of a DeColt, or a Lambert. Two year contract says he will be with us for the long haul (so long as SWF doesn’t grab him up). Edmond Jackson – Veteran, great ring general. Age starting to wear on him; it’s been a good five years since we saw him at his best. Still has much to give to the company. Marcus McKing (APWF HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION) - Our champ (for now). Really needed another three years before he could be seriously considered even a challenger to the title. His inexperience shows. Still, he’s able to get the crowd behind him, and Terry likes him. Terry Lambert – great entertainment, skills are [lots of eraser marks] to be desired. If I can convince Terry to get better in the ring, I think I can convince Mr. Jackson that he’ll be able to earn the title. Not sure if Terry can wait that long though. The Brooklyn Punk – Joe’s got some skill. Not much, but he can hold his own in the uppercard. UPPER MIDCARD. Babyface Dave – a good hand in the midcard. I think we missed his chance at a major title run a year or so ago. Still, a solid uppercarder. George DeColt – George has let it be known that he’ll be leaving in 3 months regardless. Terry wants him jobbed out, but I think he has much more value in one last feud. I think there’s a way everyone can win. I just need to talk to Terry about it… Identity Black – One of the best big men in the business. He’s playing something of a bully for us, but I think there’s a better gimmick we can give him. Michaell Mitchell – Michael’s good, but not great. We’ll use him as a gatekeeper mostly. He’s not going to like it. I don’t think he’ll stick around after 3 months either. The Masked Patriot – Mr. Gibson is a fine talent, but doesn’t have much charisma. We’ll keep the feud between he and Identity Black running for a while. MIDCARD. Giant Grimsley – the largest athelete in the America today. One of the nicest guys really. Unpinned since turning heel earlier this year. I think we should keep it that way. Kenzo Isozaki – ½ of Yakuza Riot. The best tag team in America in my opinion. We need to make them some belts. I’ll talk to Terry about that. Sam Stragavelli – He’s big, he’s strong, he’s getting better in the ring every day. Sam sure is a strong contender for the future of APWF. He’s going to be a star somewhere. I sure hope it’s with us. Shigeta Takahasi - ½ of Yakuza Riot. The best tag team in America in my opinion. We need to make them some belts. GCG’s been eyeing him for a while. We’ll have to do something about that. Suhail Assanti – [Expletive]-face. He’s good in the ring, but everyone hates him. He’s got a little over a year on his contract. I’m fairly certain Terry’s going to let him go well before that. The Mad Hungarian – 1/3 of the Moustache Brigade. Heaths a nice guy. Glad he could fill in for Burt Sellek. Wade Morris – 1/3 of the Moustache Brigade. Wade’s working hard for us. I’m sure he’s with us for the long haul… LOWER MIDCARD Sheik Mustafa (TRI-STATE TITLE) – Suhails associate and current Tri-State champion. He’s a little easier to deal with than Assanti. The Tri-State title’s a little higher than his station. We’ll see if he can rise to it. The Stomper – an 8 year vet. Unlikely to rise from the midcard I think. Can have a good match with nearly anyone though. Trent Peak – an average brawler, not much else. Franco didn’t like him, but Terry thinks he’s swell enough. Warren Hampton – a decent all around worker, but unlikely to exceed the midcard. OPENER Romeo Hearthrob – ½ of the Heartwrenchers. Romeo has a decent future ahead of him if he can continue to improve. Rudolph Gray – ½ of the Heartwrenchers. Rudolph is a solid Midcard guy. ENHANCMENT Jacoby Jones – 1/3 of the Moustache Brigade. Jacoby is still learning the ropes. NON-WRESTLING TALENT Franco Lambert - Color Comentator. Former boss. Kurt Berkely - announcer Richard Seltzer - Road Agent Jeff Hanson - Referee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonfaro Posted November 6, 2009 Author Share Posted November 6, 2009 Plans Change... A-P-W-F SWF's concept of an 'exclusive' contract was revolutionary in America at the time, nad thought now its common practice for the larger federations to have several workers locked onto their roster, this was not always the case. So it comes as no suprise that federations such as Lamberts APWF feared their workers signing with Richard Eisens company. Financial evidence tells us that Terry Lambert was having his people scratch up enough money to begin offering his wrestlers their own written contracts, but little evidence that he managed to pull it off by the end of 1975... - From the memoirs of Richard Seltzer. A-P-W-F September 2nd, 2009 Wade’s been offered a contract with SWF. It’s sound business on their part. Burt Sellek, as good as he is, has been floundering in the singles department for several months now. Wade’s worked with him before, and another tag team will surely bolster their company to a much better position. That doesn’t make things any better for us. For his part, Wade’s been tight lipped on the whole matter. He assures us that he hasn’t made his decision yet, but his eyes already seem far away to me. We’ll probably loose him within the week. That leaves plans in a dire straights. The plan had been for The Moustache Brigade and Yakuza Riot to feud all the way until our new tag belts were finished, but those plans will need to be scrapped until we can regroup. Terry wants to job Wade out until the end of his contract. I’m not sure I blame him. Our first touring show will be this Wednesday. Hopefully I can prove to Terry how valuable these shows will be in keeping up our popularity. Who knows, we may even be able to save out TV show. I know, it’s a pipe dream. But still… To dream is better than to give up right? - Sonny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foolinc Posted November 6, 2009 Share Posted November 6, 2009 I'm liking what you are doing so far with the diary and am interested in seeing what you are going to do with "the company that wasn't." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonfaro Posted November 6, 2009 Author Share Posted November 6, 2009 A-P-W-F APWF began touring shows the first Wednsday of September 1975. There was little hype beyond the promise that workers from the famed promotion would be there. Among the audience was legendary Scorleoni Family front man Vincent Valoreo, who claimed later to be there only to see the show. - From Richard Laws case report.A-P-W-F Jackson suggested I keep a record of the touring show, to get a feel for whether this will work or not. To keep track of things I notice about certain angles and matches that may be helpful in future. If I’m going to write my feelings and all that other bull[expletive], I guess I might as well write out the show in here. - Sonny APWF TOUR ACROSS AMERICA (Weds) Pennsylvania Park: 2000 fans Wednsday Week 1, September 1975 ANGLE: Franco Lambert is backstage with Marcus McKing, conducting an interview about all of the challenges to his title. McKing mentions George DeColt, Edmond Jackson, Crippler Ray Kingman, and Terry Lambert, and concludes by saying none of them are in his league. Babyface Dave comes in and interrupts the interview, annoyed that he was left off that list. Baby Dave and McKing argue, before deciding to have a match later. Rating C BOOKING NOTES: A decently received opening promo from Marcus and Dave, with McKings’ charisma really growing. I’ve seen Marcus get under the crowd far worse than he gave us tonight, but working with Franco in this segment seemed to help. His performance looked good, and it moved several of our storylines forward in one segment. I was really impressed with Babyface Dave, as it seemed that he was improving at acting. MATCH: George DeColt defeated The Stomper in 7:57 by submission with an Iron Claw. Match Rating C+ BOOKING NOTES: George DeColt had just flown in from CWF tapings the night before, and so he seemed off his game tonight. Still, their mutual performance skills, not to mention George’s star power, quickly got the audience into this contest, and though the conclusion was never really in doubt, Stomper did catch one or two frightening nearfalls in the match. I may have to change my opinon on The Stomper, as he’s really improved in his performance skills. This match really had the crowd excited. ANGLE: After the match, Franco Lambert enters the ring to conduct a special interview with George DeColt. DeColt admits that he hasn’t been himself since he lost the title, but quickly states that he is inserting himself back into the hunt, and personally calls out Marcus McKing for a title shot at the TV taping on Saturday. Rating B BOOKING NOTES: Mr. DeColt is a master on the microphone, as the mere thought of DeColt reclaiming the title from the rookie champion lifts the crowd the crowd. MATCH: New York's Finest defeated The Moustache Brigade w/ Jacoby Jones in 12:33 when Terry Lambert defeated Wade Morris by pinfall with a handful of tights. During the match we also had Jacoby Jones accidentally hit Mad Hungarian. Match Rating D BOOKING NOTES: Rather by the numbers for all involved. I’ve seen Terry do better anyway, though its usually in shorter matches. He was visibly tiring toward the end of this contest. Franco and Kurt Berkley sounded great beside me, and so our tape of the event will at lest sound good. Wade was brawling with the best of them out there, improving in Rumble skills. I guess that’s good… for SWF. ANGLE: After the match, The Mad Hungarian confronts Wade Morris for losing the match for the Moustache Brigade. It almost comes to blows until Jacoby Jones steps in to break them up. The Mad Hungarian calms down and buries the hatchet with Wade Morris and the three walk backstage together. Rating D Booking Notes: Not much reaction on the break up tease between the Moustache Brigade. I suppose the audience can see it coming already. MATCH: Giant Grimsley defeated Trent Peak in 5:47 by pinfall with a Giant Slam. Match Rating E+ BOOKING NOTES: Not sure what was wrong with Grimsley tonight. He was really off his game tonight. I mean, this match brought the crowd's mood down. Ah well, at least Giant Grimsley is improving in Performance skills a little. ANGLE: After the match, the monstrous Giant Grimsley attacks Trent Peak in the ring, and leaves him down and out. Rating B+ BOOKING NOTES: It’s amazing the turn around Grimsley’s had since becoming a heel. His matches aren’t all that good, but his angles have been amazing. MATCH: Crippler Ray Kingman and Edmond Jackson defeated The Sheiks in 14:34 when Crippler Ray Kingman defeated Suhail Assanti by submission with a Crippler Cloverleaf. Match Rating C- BOOKING NOTES: Crippler Ray Kingman seemed off his game tonight, but Edmond managed to support him enough so that at least he looked excellent. Suhail Assanti was visibly tiring toward the end, not a suprise. I was really impressed with Sheik Mustafa’s progress here, as he improved both in Rumble skills. and in Performance skills. ANGLE: Sam Stragevelli and The Masked Patriot, better known as tag team American Muscle come to the ring and the two challenge The Sheiks to a match. Rating C- BOOKING NOTES: Sam Strong held up the entertainment end of things, and the Masked Patriot was acceptable. I don’t know, we’ll see how things go. MAIN EVENT: Marcus McKing defeated Babyface Dave in 15:01 by pinfall with a Long Live the King. During the match we also had George DeColt distract McKing. Marcus McKing makes defence number 1 of his APWF Heavyweight title. MATCH Rating B- BOOKING NOTES: This was a really good match, and in actuality was one of the best title defenses McKings had. If I’m correct it’s the first clean win he’s had as champion in a long time. There were problems with the match sure. The match suffered because there was not enough selling shown. But Marcus McKing improved in Performance skills. Really a great match to close out the night. Kudos to both men. I’ll have to congratulate them afterwards. ANGLE: After the match, Marcus McKing takes his belt and holds it high. Suddenly, George DeColt comes down to the ring and gets a hold of a microphone. DeColt cuts a promo on Marcus McKing, challenging him to a match. Marcus McKing declines the challenge, telling DeColt that he isn’t in the Champion’s league. He leaves the ring with George DeColt furious. Rating B BOOKING NOTES: Great segment to close the show. This segment lifted the crowd and made them want to see more. Marcus McKing is learning to show more charisma as his retort to George DeColt was just spot on. Overall C+ Final Thought: All in all, I’d say this show can be considered a success. It should have increased our popularity. There was solid work in the ring as well as outside the ring, so I feel really good about things. Lets hope that this helps us when we come back for the TV tapings on Saturday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonfaro Posted November 6, 2009 Author Share Posted November 6, 2009 interesting start. I'll be watching. Welcome to the 75 era. I'll be reading. I'm liking what you are doing so far with the diary and am interested in seeing what you are going to do with "the company that wasn't." Thanks to all who've taken an interest in this diary. I'm more of a storyline/angle writer than experienced dynasty crafter, so any encouragment is a real treat. Thanks! - Sonfaro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mystery Posted November 7, 2009 Share Posted November 7, 2009 Thanks to all who've taken an interest in this diary. I'm more of a storyline/angle writer than experienced dynasty crafter, so any encouragment is a real treat. Thanks! - Sonfaro I'm in the same boat with you my friend but I take my storyline/writing craft on my shows but its a good start. Keep it up. Now I wanted to do an APWF diary but '75 gets me dull don't know why. I hope that Sam Strong/Stragavelli doesn't leave very soon once you hit cult, he's a big thing to keep. As well if you get either Mighty Thor and Johnny Boy Trucker on your roster and give him more of his Texas Outlaw gimmick. Good luck. I like it so far Sonfaro. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonfaro Posted November 8, 2009 Author Share Posted November 8, 2009 The Aftermath... A-P-W-F Defense. You were a key member of Terry Lamberts booking team... Edmond Jackson. Correct. Def. How would you describe your time working for Mr. Lambert? Jac. [Clears throat] I have nothing but... respect for Mr. Lambert. Def. Would you say he was a good boss? Jac. He's had his moments. Def. I see. And how would you describe Salvatore Faron? Jac. Sonny? He's a good kid. He was in over his head when everything got rolling though. Way over his head... - Transcript taken from ‘The People vs. Terry Lambert’, Part 4 A-P-W-F Thursday, Week 1 September 1975 We made a profit of a little over 2000 dollars after the touring show. I can’t really describe how I felt. It’s one thing to be backstage, watching the show on the monitors in the greenroom. It’s quite another to watch it from the sidelines, knowing that it’s your idea that’s being displayed. Most of the show was booked by Seltzer and Jackson, but the set up for some of our key stories… I had a hand in that. I felt… I don’t know, good I guess. Satisfied. More satisfied than I had in a long time. It wasn’t all good news of course. Suhail, as he is known to do from time to time, spent most of his time backstage spreading rumors about Crippler Ray Kingman and small children. Kingman of course, was furious when he heard, and nearly took Assanti’s head off during their match. Jackson managed to calm them down backstage, and Terry read him the riot act. Of course, being the jerk that Assanti is, he simply blew it off, told Terry whatever, and walked off. I swear, I never knew why we kept him around. I tried to talk to Terry after the show, but he was already gone. Went to visit Jenna, his high school sweetheart I think. So instead I went and talked to Jackson. For the record, Edmond Jackson is an absolute softie. One of the nicest guys around, so he could just be making me feel better, but he told me I was doing okay for a kid who had just been fed to the wolves so to speak. I took it as a compliment. We had one more touring show scheduled before the big TV taping that Saturday, so I stayed back a little later to get some of my ideas across. I knew there was a likelihood that nothing would be used, but hey call me a dreamer… Not that you’ll call me anything at all. You’re a notebook. - Sonny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr T Jobs To Me Posted November 8, 2009 Share Posted November 8, 2009 I like your format in this, and setting up a tour to try to save the TV deal is a savvy move. I'm interested to see what comes of the story you're building outside of the ring here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonfaro Posted November 9, 2009 Author Share Posted November 9, 2009 <p>Show #2</p><p> </p><p> </p><blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25001" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div> <p><em> </em></p><div style="text-align:center;"><p><em><em><strong>A-P-W-F</strong></em></em></p></div><p></p><p><em> "Come, one and all! See the best wrestling in America today! Only at the Pennsylvania Park arena!"</em></p><p> - Original tag line for APWF touring show.</p><p> </p><div style="text-align:center;"><p><strong><em>A-P-W-F</em></strong></p></div><p></p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> </p><div style="text-align:center;"><p><strong><span style="font-size:18px;">APWF TOUR ACROSS AMERICA (Thurs)</span></strong><strong> </strong> </p><p> Pennsylvania Park: 2000 fans</p><p> Thursday Week 1, September 1975</p></div><p></p><p></p><p> </p><p> <strong>ANGLE:</strong> <strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">Franco Lambert </span></strong>opens the show by interviewing our two champions. <strong><span style="color:#FF0000;">Marcus McKing</span></strong> and <strong><span style="color:#FF0000;">Sheik Mustafa</span></strong>, who look very different side by side, cut a mutual promo on the people who are challenging them. As if on cue, <strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">The Masked Patriot </span></strong>(with <strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">Sam Stragevelli</span></strong> in tow) and <strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">George DeColt</span></strong> arrive and interrupt the promo. The four have a big argument, going back and forth, before things take a violent turn and they start brawling. A whole host of staff hit the ring to break them up, and as they are being pulled apart Franco makes it clear that a match is going to take place between them. </p><p> <strong><span style="font-size:12px;">Rating C</span></strong></p><p> </p><p> <span style="color:#800080;"><em><strong>BOOKING NOTES:</strong></em></span><span style="color:#800080;"><em> Sam Stragavelli’s presence helped The Masked Patriot during this segment, but that was because its Sam Stragevelli. I think the audience can already tell that Sam and the Patriot aren’t really a long term team, and it shows in the awkwardness between the two. It’s like they throw each others timeing off or something. McKing was fantastic in the segment, picking up more charisma, and George looked good. Sheik Mustafa improved at acting, charisma, and performance, so it was a good learning night for him. I wish we could have gotten the angle to be hotter,l but it was fine for what it was.</em></span></p><p> </p><p> <strong>MATCH: </strong><strong><span style="color:#FF0000;">New York's Finest</span></strong><strong> defeated </strong><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">Warren Hampton</span></strong><strong> and </strong><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">Babyface Dave </span></strong><strong>in 13:21</strong> when Terry Lambert defeated Warren Hampton by pinfall with a handful of tights. </p><p> <strong><span style="font-size:12px;">Match Rating D+</span></strong></p><p> </p><p> <em><span style="color:#800080;"><strong>BOOKING NOTES:</strong></span></em><em><span style="color:#800080;"> A quick test to see if a potential Tag team could be garnished between Dave and Warren, both of whom don’t have a set program yet. It was a decent match considering the people in it, and the announcing/color for the tapes was good. That’s something at least.</span></em></p><p> </p><p> <strong>MATCH: </strong><strong><span style="color:#FF0000;">Giant Grimsley </span></strong><strong>defeated </strong><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">Jacoby Jones </span></strong><strong>in 1:18</strong> by pinfall with a Giant Slam. </p><p> <strong><span style="font-size:12px;">Match Rating D-</span></strong></p><p> </p><p> <span style="color:#800080;"><em><strong>BOOKING NOTES:</strong></em></span><span style="color:#800080;"><em> A slightly better contest for Grimsley and Jones, but it still brought the crowds mood down. Again, Franco and Berkley make the tapes sound better than reality.</em></span></p><p> </p><p> <strong>ANGLE:</strong> The monstorous <strong><span style="color:#FF0000;">Giant Grimsley</span></strong> attacks <span style="color:#0000FF;">Jacoby Jones</span> in the ring, and leaves him down and out. </p><p> <strong>Rating B+</strong></p><p> </p><p> <span style="color:#800080;"><em><strong>BOOKING NOTES:</strong></em></span><span style="color:#800080;"><em> Grimsley’s attacks have been really exciting stuff. Hopefully we can shoe horn him into a feud with these angles like these.</em></span></p><p> </p><p> <strong>MATCH: </strong><strong><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">Crippler Ray Kingman</span></strong></strong><strong> and </strong><strong><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">Edmond Jackson</span></strong></strong><strong> defeated </strong><strong><strong><span style="color:#FF0000;">Yakuza Riot</span></strong></strong><strong> w/</strong><strong><strong><span style="color:#FF0000;">Rolf Shelton </span></strong></strong><strong>in 15:12</strong> when Crippler Ray Kingman defeated Shigeta Takahasi by submission with a Crippler Cloverleaf. During the match we also had Rolf Shelton distract Jackson. </p><p> <strong>Match Rating C</strong></p><p> </p><p> <em><span style="color:#800080;"><strong>BOOKING NOTES:</strong></span></em><em><span style="color:#800080;"> A really solid tag match from everyone. Kingmans' performance was really good, and Yakuza Riot improved in several skills over the course of the match.</span></em></p><p> </p><p> <strong>ANGLE:</strong> <span style="color:#0000FF;"><strong>Crippler Ray Kingman</strong></span> and <strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">Edmond Jackson</span></strong> are in the ring, celebrating their victory when <strong><span style="color:#FF0000;">New York's Finest</span></strong> attack them, and leave them down and out. </p><p> <strong>Rating B-</strong></p><p> </p><p> <span style="color:#800080;"><em><strong>Booking Notes:</strong></em></span><span style="color:#800080;"><em> Edmond Jackson performed poorly in this segment unfortunately. Not sure what happened there, but it looked like he was out of place for this segment. New York’s Finest gains some momentum going into their match with Edmond Jackson and Crippler Ray Kingman at the TV taping though.</em></span></p><p> </p><p> <strong>MATCH: </strong><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">Sam Stragavelli </span></strong><strong>defeated </strong><strong><span style="color:#FF0000;">The Stomper </span></strong><strong>in 12:57</strong> by pinfall with a Piledriver. </p><p> <strong>Match Rating D+</strong></p><p> </p><p> <span style="color:#800080;"><em><strong>BOOKING NOTES:</strong></em></span><span style="color:#800080;"><em> Franco’s commentary gave the match a boost, and Sam Stragavelli improved in Performance skills. A decent match altogether, but nothing to write home about.</em></span></p><p> </p><p> <strong>MAIN EVENT: </strong><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">George DeColt </span></strong><strong>and </strong><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">The Masked Patriot </span></strong><strong>defeated </strong><strong><span style="color:#FF0000;">Sheik Mustafa </span></strong><strong>and </strong><strong><span style="color:#FF0000;">Marcus McKing</span></strong><strong> in 17:53</strong> when George DeColt defeated Sheik Mustafa by pinfall with a DeColt 45. During the match we also had Sam Stragavelli distract The Sheik. </p><p> <strong>MATCH Rating C</strong></p><p> </p><p> <span style="color:#800080;"><em><strong>BOOKING NOTES:</strong></em></span><span style="color:#800080;"><em> This match taxed Marcus McKing a little more than usual, as he was visibly tiring toward the end. He still looked good out there, playing his part in the match to perfection and improving in both Rumble and Performance skills. But George was the guy who really stood out. </em></span> </p><p> </p><p> <strong>ANGLE:</strong> <strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">George DeColt </span></strong>comes down after a match, and cuts a promo on <span style="color:#FF0000;"><strong>Marcus McKing</strong></span>, challenging him to a match. Marcus McKing accepts the challenge. </p><p> <strong>Rating B</strong></p><p> </p><p> <span style="color:#800080;"><em><strong>BOOKING NOTES:</strong></em></span><span style="color:#800080;"><em> A great way to close the show and garner interest in the TV show on Saturday, as this segment really lifted the crowd. Marcus McKing is learning to show more charisma in his response to DeColt. I’ve got to say, I’m really looking forward to their match.</em></span></p><p> </p><p> </p><div style="text-align:center;"><p><strong><span style="font-size:18px;">Overall C</span></strong></p></div><p></p><p> </p><p> <em><span style="color:#800080;"><strong>Final Thought:</strong></span></em><em><span style="color:#800080;"> Not quite as good a touring show as last time, and we used Sheik Mustafa to much. Still, this show can be considered a success. It should increase out popularity.</span></em></p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonfaro Posted November 11, 2009 Author Share Posted November 11, 2009 Dinner with the Lamberti family... A-P-W-F The Lamberti family live in a small home in the suburbs of Philedelphia, about thirty minutes away from the old Lamberti Steel Mills. Terry Lambert has spent nearly his entire life in the home and as such has had contact with some of the more notorious members of several mafia families in the area. It was he who pointed out the surveillance van the last time the Corleoni family was over for dinner, ruining nearly four hours of surveillance. - From Richard Laws case report. A-P-W-F I had dinner with Terry and Ma’Loretta. Franco was out, apparently. I’m not sure how I feel about that. Dinner was fine though. Loretta Lameberti is one of the best pasta cooks in Philly. Absolutely delicious. Terry mostly talked about some crude joke he and Joe played on our referee Jeff Hanson. I didn’t pay much attention. He then went on to talk business. All in all, the touring shows have been a success in so far as financials, so he was pleased on that account. He wasn’t happy with the lack of hot feuds going on though, and wanted to know what the team was going to do about it. I mentioned the idea for a feud between Grimsely and a uppercarder, but that we hadn’t really decided on who yet. Terry tried to convince me to feed DeColt to him. I told him we’d think about it. We then discussed the Wade Morris situation. Out of respect for Ma’Loretta, Terry kept the language to a minimum, but I could tell he was upset. Terry is a lot of things, but he’s nothing if he doesn't believe in loyalty. To the brand, to the company, to the boys in the back. Terry has a sort of code of honor that he follows in life, and while he’s certainly not the most likable guy, you have to admire him for that at least. He told me his idea for a storyline involving what he called “A Hungarian, A Hooker, and lots of TV time”. Actually, the more I think about it, the better an idea it is. I’ll talk to Jackson and the others, see what they think. More discussion was held, but it didn’t go anywhere, and we both agreed that we should wait until the TV taping to make some final decisions. The drive back to my apartment was a lonely one. It gave me plenty of time to thing. SWF had held a card called Night of Legends up north in the Conneticut Symphony Hall to a crowd of 10,000 people. Meanwhile, we’re getting by with 2000 and acting as if our crowds are huge. It has me worried. Half the problem with our TV deal is that they expect us to bring in ratings like the SWF, when really that’s not remotely feasible. If we can pull of a decent rating maybe, just maybe, we can regain some of the ground we lost when Micky left [Micky Starr, former APWF World champion, and possibly the most famous worker in America.*] A lot is riding on this TV taping. A hell of a lot - Sonny * Inserted for clarification. - Johnny Quin, Manhattan P.D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonfaro Posted November 11, 2009 Author Share Posted November 11, 2009 APWF All-Pro Wrestling Picks... A-P-W-F At one point in time, APWF could say that they had the only wrestling TV show. With SWF coming into prominence, and CGC becoming a national power in canada, its becoming increasingly hard for the company to claim to be number two. - Anonymous Source. A-P-W-F This week, on APWF All-Pro Wrestling! Americas favorite wrestling show returns for another exciting night of action here in the Pennsylvania Park studio. Fans can expect the unexpected with the usual cast of characters and a few surprises coming their way. “Crippler” Ray Kingman, Edmond Jackson, New Yorks Finest, and APWF World Heavyweight Champion Marcus McKing will all be in attendence. Make sure you catch APWF All-Pro Wrestling right here, on Channel 7! APWF Heavyweight Title: Marcus McKing © vs. George DeColtGeorge DeColt has been itching for a title rematch all summer long, but has always been denied. Now, ‘Gorgeous’ George DeColt gets his first title rematch since loosing the belt to Rookie Marcus McKing. Will the Gorgeous One reclaim his throne? Or will the New King of APWF continue his reign? TAG MATCH: New Yorks Finest vs. Crippler Ray Kingman and Edmond JacksonNew Yorks Finest have been thorns in the sides of many a wrestler since their inception months ago. Now two of the best wrestlers in the world will test their skill against perhaps the most dangerous Tag Team in APWF history. Will Kingman and Jackson’s technical prowess win the day? Or Will New Yorks Finest continue to shine? 6MAN TAG MATCH: The Moustache Brigade vs. Giant Grimsley and Yakuza Riot w/ Rolf SheltonThe Moustache Brigade has had its share of problems of late, but now they face Yakuza Riot and the ever dangerous Giant Grimsley. Can the Brigade pull it together? Or will they fall to Rolf Shelton’s charges? TAG MATCH: American Muscle vs. The Sheiks Since loosing the Tri-State title to Sheik Mustafa, the Masked Patriot and his partner, ‘American Strongman’ Sam Stragevelli, have been itching for a chance at reclaiming the belt for the good ole USA. However, with Suhail Assanti in his corner, the Sheik has always been able to sneak out with the title. Now the four face off togther in a tag match, and if he wins, The Masked Patriot will get another shot at the Tri-State title. Will The American Muscles take the win? Or will the Shieks continue their devilish ways? Quick Picks: George DeColt vs. Marcus McKing New Yorks Finest (Terry Lambert and The Brooklyn Punk) vs. Crippler Ray Kingman and Edmond Jackson The Moustache Brigade (Wade Morris, The Mad Hungarian, and Jacoby Jones) vs. Giant Grimsley and Yakuza Riot (Kenzo Isozaki and Shigeta Takahasi) w/ Rolf Shelton American Muscle (The Masked Patriot and Sam Stragevelli) vs. The Sheiks (Sheik Mustafa and Suhail Assanti) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mystery Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 <p>George DeColt vs. <strong>Marcus McKing</strong></p><p> <em>Ya gotta have to job Decolt all ya can before his contract expires on you.</em></p><p> <strong>New Yorks Finest (Terry Lambert and The Brooklyn Punk)</strong> vs. Crippler Ray Kingman and Edmond Jackson</p><p> <em>I don't think that Lambert will lose unless its outside an area where Crippler is popular.</em></p><p> <strong>The Moustache Brigade (Wade Morris, The Mad Hungarian, and Jacoby Jones)</strong> vs. Giant Grimsley and Yakuza Riot (Kenzo Isozaki and Shigeta Takahasi) w/ Rolf Shelton</p><p> <em>Fine I don't mind.</em></p><p> <strong>American Muscle (The Masked Patriot and Sam Stragevelli)</strong> vs. The Sheiks (Sheik Mustafa and Suhail Assanti) </p><p> <em>I think that American Muscle is some new team on the rise.</em></p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foolinc Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 George DeColt vs. Marcus McKingNew Yorks Finest (Terry Lambert and The Brooklyn Punk) vs. Crippler Ray Kingman and Edmond Jackson The Moustache Brigade (Wade Morris, The Mad Hungarian, and Jacoby Jones) vs. Giant Grimsley and Yakuza Riot (Kenzo Isozaki and Shigeta Takahasi) w/ Rolf SheltonAmerican Muscle (The Masked Patriot and Sam Stragevelli) vs. The Sheiks (Sheik Mustafa and Suhail Assanti) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonfaro Posted November 12, 2009 Author Share Posted November 12, 2009 I like your format in this, and setting up a tour to try to save the TV deal is a savvy move. I'm interested to see what comes of the story you're building outside of the ring here. Thanks, I'm really gratefull. I'll have the TV show written out either tonight or tomorrow, so if anybody else wants to make their picks, now's the time! - Sonfaro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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