DLVH84
09-22-2010, 11:28 PM
I know a lot of the ECW fans knew most of its beginnings; however, today's wrestling fans never knew the very beginning of ECW...
In 1989, Joel Goodhart ran a promotion called Tri-State Wrestling Alliance (TWA), which mainly ran around Philadelphia, but has ran cards in the tri-state area of Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey.
TWA ran smaller shows at bars and high school gyms and ran bigger shows at Temple University and Pennsylvania Hall at the Philadelphia Civic Center, where the NWA/WCW would mainly hold cards.
At the time, TWA's big stars were Cactus Jack, Eddie Gilbert, Terry Funk, Jerry Lawler, Abdullah The Butcher, Manny Fernandez, Buddy Landell, and The Original Sheik. At the same time, they had local stars like Tony Stetson, Larry Winters, Johnny Hotbody, J.T. Smith, The Sandman, C.N. Redd, Glen Osbourne, Michael Bruno, Jimmy Jannetty, Rockin' Rebel, D.C. Drake, Crybaby Waldo, and Donn E. Allen.
The promotion had memorable feuds such as Cactus Jack vs. Eddie Gilbert, Abdullah The Butcher vs. The Original Sheik, Tony Stetson vs. Johnny Hotbody, Larry Winters vs. D.C. Drake, and Madusa Miceli vs. Luna Vachon.
Unfortunately in January 1992, TWA folded, after cancelling a card at Pennsylvania Hall, where the main event was booked to be the "Battle of the Nature Boys," as Buddy Rogers challenged Buddy Landell for the TWA Heavyweight Championship.
Between January and February 1992, Joel Goodhart sold his share of the company to his partner, Tod Gordon, who renamed the promotion Eastern Championship Wrestling and held its first card on February 25, 1992 and lasted until their last card on January 11, 2001, and the promotion was later bought by Vince McMahon in 2003.
However in October 2009, nearly 18 years after the promotion folded, the TWA resurrected like a phoenix. Some of the original TWA roster are still there, as well as new talent. Plus, TWA also has a working agreement with East Coast Wrestling Association, where they can cross-promote shows.
In 1989, Joel Goodhart ran a promotion called Tri-State Wrestling Alliance (TWA), which mainly ran around Philadelphia, but has ran cards in the tri-state area of Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey.
TWA ran smaller shows at bars and high school gyms and ran bigger shows at Temple University and Pennsylvania Hall at the Philadelphia Civic Center, where the NWA/WCW would mainly hold cards.
At the time, TWA's big stars were Cactus Jack, Eddie Gilbert, Terry Funk, Jerry Lawler, Abdullah The Butcher, Manny Fernandez, Buddy Landell, and The Original Sheik. At the same time, they had local stars like Tony Stetson, Larry Winters, Johnny Hotbody, J.T. Smith, The Sandman, C.N. Redd, Glen Osbourne, Michael Bruno, Jimmy Jannetty, Rockin' Rebel, D.C. Drake, Crybaby Waldo, and Donn E. Allen.
The promotion had memorable feuds such as Cactus Jack vs. Eddie Gilbert, Abdullah The Butcher vs. The Original Sheik, Tony Stetson vs. Johnny Hotbody, Larry Winters vs. D.C. Drake, and Madusa Miceli vs. Luna Vachon.
Unfortunately in January 1992, TWA folded, after cancelling a card at Pennsylvania Hall, where the main event was booked to be the "Battle of the Nature Boys," as Buddy Rogers challenged Buddy Landell for the TWA Heavyweight Championship.
Between January and February 1992, Joel Goodhart sold his share of the company to his partner, Tod Gordon, who renamed the promotion Eastern Championship Wrestling and held its first card on February 25, 1992 and lasted until their last card on January 11, 2001, and the promotion was later bought by Vince McMahon in 2003.
However in October 2009, nearly 18 years after the promotion folded, the TWA resurrected like a phoenix. Some of the original TWA roster are still there, as well as new talent. Plus, TWA also has a working agreement with East Coast Wrestling Association, where they can cross-promote shows.