"Like any other sport, wrestling’s popularity was heavily dependent on fan support, and thankfully, we had some of the best around. The Sydney scene was full of loyal fans who would travel not just around Sydney but all over New South Wales to attend shows, and we always chatted to them before and after shows. We got to know a lot of them by their first names and there were some great characters like Clary, Gaetano, ‘One-ball’ Ken, Shirley, Les Kent, Skull, Rocky, Happy Humphrey, James Stanios, Paul Robinson, Sandy and Rebecca, Mark Harvey, and John Shelvey. I even attended the wedding of one fan: Steven Ditz whom I had met through another fan (Sue Chuter from Melbourne). I developed personal friendships with a number of Sydney fans over the years and I’m lucky to be still friends with them today, even long after my retirement. Friends like Ed Lock, Martin Heppell, Dave Reck , and Dann Leonard were huge fans and were instrumental in helping me get this book going. Others like Graham ‘Fozzy’ Young ended up in the business, wrestling for a year or two before finding his niche as a well-respected referee and going on to have a great twenty-year career. Then there were fans like Jolene Taylor and her mum and grandmother, Alan Griffiths, Kirk and Colleen Beattie, Stephen Chard , The Gleeson family, Greg Tingle, and Andy Raymond. Greg is a journalist with several websites dedicated to sports and Andy is a famous sports broadcaster who had a 25-year career with Foxtel and now runs his own sports podcasts. Obviously, each state has their own loyal fanbase, which the wrestlers really appreciate, but I think Sydney’s fans are the best." Photo credit: Ken Dunlop
Greg Tingle: Great stuff Ken...I think I may have just sped-read my favorite chapter of the book. It's about fans and supporters, and well of course those prepared to risk their neck, back and life to entertain the masses for an honest carney living. I will always respect every wrestler for just being prepared to get in the wrestling ring and give it a go. In a world of critics where everyone is an expert, there's only so many who will actually become a professional wrestler and be able to enjoy a sustainable career. Much respect, and thanks for the memories.
