The Wrestling Insomniac: My first WWF/WWE Event

I have always been a wrestling fan, I can’t remember not watching wrestling and that’s thanks to my Dad who was also a fan. I can say without a shadow of a doubt that I am a much bigger fan than he ever was, but I still have him to thank for my love of wrestling.

It was my Dad who took me and my Cousin Chrissy to my first ever World Wrestling Federation show on June 4, 1989 at the Cumberland County Civic Center in Portland, Maine. Now I don’t remember all the fine details but I will tell you what I do remember.

Actual tickets stubs that were ripped on opposite sides and I lined them up to reform a single ticket

We bought the tickets at the back of a department store from Ticketron, I believe it was Sears, my Dad didn’t tell me what we were doing and when I heard him order them I got so excited. During Superstars they would always have a segment talking about WWF On Tour and whenever they mentioned Maine, which was more often back then, I would beg to go and finally he relented.

My brother was jealous that I was getting to go to the show and he wasn’t so our stepfather took him and they sat in a different section on the floor.

At the souvenir stand my Cousin Chrissy and I both got a poster and a t-shirt, she got the Hulk Hogan Teddy Bear T-Shirt and I believe she got a Mrs. Elizabeth poster but she can’t recall. I got an Ultimate Warrior poster and a No Holds Barred t-shirt that I still have. My brother got the Hulk Rules rip off shirt.

This is the same poster that I got that day

What was peculiar about the No Hold Barred shirt was the fact that Hulk Hogan signed it, in fact he signed all of them, but some reason mine was signed twice one on above the other. A couple other kids walking by pointed it out as they also had No Holds Barred shirts that were signed, but only once!

My son Canaan wearing my No Holds Barred T-Shirt I got at this show

The double autograph

Canaan wearing my brothers Hulk Rules shirt from this show, the bandana is mine from another time

I can’t recall the entire card but I do remember most of the matches and have been able to piece some of them together thanks to www.thehistoryofwwe.com

and the results they had from June 3^rd at the Boston Garden and June 5^th in Cedar Rapids, IA along with WWF’s style of running the same card in different cities as they could get away with it then.

My dad has taken photos, however I had never seen them and he lost them. I recently asked Phil Laine if he had any photos of the show as he goes to every wrestling show practically. Of course he was front row and he had doubles and gave be the second set. He mostly has photos of the Hogan match but there were a few others.

The Results:

Paul Roma defeated Boris Zhukov

Tim Horner defeated Barry Horowitz

The Warlord defeated Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart

Dino Bravo pinned Hercules special guest referee “Rugged” Ronnie Garvin

“American Dream” Dusty Rhodes (sub for Jake “The Snake” Roberts) defeated “Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase

Bret “Hitman” Hart fought Mr. Perfect to a 20 minute time limit draw

Tag Team Champions: Demolition: Ax & Smash defeated Twin Towers: Big Boss Man & Akeem the African Dream

“Macho Man” Randy Savage with “Sensational” Sherri Martel defeated World Champion: Hulk Hogan via count-out

The opening match I know had a guy named Mike in the match. I remember thinking, hey that’s my name, and that I didn’t know either guy in the match.

I remember being disappointed that Jake wasn’t there as he was one of the guys that I was looking forward to the most, but Dusty Rhodes was an amazing substitute. My dad used to rent all the tapes and I had seen Dusty Rhodes in classic battles with Tully Blanchard and Ric Flair, he hadn’t even debuted in the WWF on TV yet so it was so excited to see a wrestler the NWA unexpectedly.

So cool to see Demolition in person! I still remember the Bret Hart vs. Perfect match being one of the best matches I have ever seen. Even at almost 10 years old I was able to appreciate it for how magnificent it was.

When Hulk Hogan came out the crowd was the loudest and everyone was standing and jumping. Hogan was the only guy I couldn’t see until he was elevated on the ring apron. At that time I was a huge Hogan fan so when he lost I was really disappointed. I realized that he was still the Champion, but he still lost.

Phil's Photo's: