A time to remember 
by "G" GFlm@aol.com
A fifties title match


Responses welcome GFlm@aol.com

It's been several years now since he has passed, but I still remember all of
the stories he told me. Gordon Solie was the Walter Cronkite of wrestling he
had seen it all. He knew all the greats and near greats, Bruno, Buddy Rogers,
Gorgeous George, Mildred Burke, Lou Thesz. I loved listening to him tell about
all the matches he had seen. It was just like being there, he could describe
every hold and toss each move and counter. Each tail better than the last.
After several hours I finally asked him if one match stood out, had he ever
seen some thing completely different or unusual? His eyes looked toward the
ceiling and a smile came on his face.

It was the winter 1950 in Chicago I was calling a wrestling card on the radio,
" we did that back then" he said. It was to be a double main event card. Lou
Thesz was to defend the World Heavy weight title and June Buyers was to
wrestle for the World Women's title. I remember that the snow had been falling
all across the mid west for days but the arena was full and the show must go
on. The six thousand people in the crowd had enjoyed the five matches they had
seen, only now it was time for the main events to start. The problem with that
was that both Lou Thesz's and June Buyers opponents has failed to show up.
Back in the dressing room area the promoter was frantic with six thousand
people screaming for a title match some thing had to be done. It was so funny
to see this guy running back and forth trying to save the card with any kind
of a title match. After about twenty minuets, with the fans screaming for
their money back it was June Buyers that came up the plan. For years she had
been saying that she could hold her own with any body in the ring man or
woman. June offered to wrestle Thesz in the main event. She had only two
demands first she wanted to be paid a dollar more than Thesz, and she wanted a
title for title match. Well with that all hell broke loose, Thesz said no way
he was going to wrestle a woman. Back and forth it went with the promoter
pleading with Thesz, and June demanding equality of pay and titles. After
another fifteen minuets with the crowd getting angry and shouting for there
money back, the promoter offers Thesz a five thousand dollar under the table
bonus and he accepts. The first mixed title match in history is about to take
place.

The lights in the arena go dark the chanting crowd goes quiet no one knows
what to expect. I tell the radio listeners what is happening, and that I don't
know what to expect my self. As the lights come up both the fans and I see
Thesz and Buyers heading to the ring. The arena is almost silent as the two
champion wrestlers enter between the ropes. Thesz is dressed for battle in
black satin trunks black paten leather wrestling boots and a black satin ring
jacket. Buyers enters in a long flowing gold robe, white boots and a very
tight and reveling, for 1950 light blue satin suit. Her hair and make-up done
to perfection. The crowd does not know what to expect, they sit and listen as
the announcer calls for the bell. "Ladies and Gentlemen, for the first time
any were in professional wrestling. A mixed Championship match. In this corner
the Woman's World Wrestling Champion June Buyers and in this corner her
opponent the Heavyweight Wrestling Champion of the world Lou Thesz. This is a
title for title match, one fall with no time limit. The winner will be The
Combined World Wrestling Champion. Good luck and May the best wrestler win."

The referee gives both wrestlers his instructions sends them to their corners
and calls for the bell. Thesz turns and takes two steps toward his corner as
the bell rings, before he gets there Buyer's boots crash into the back of his
head. She has launched a drop kick from center ring that stuns the heavyweight
champion. Thesz is shot face first into the turnbuckle and slumps down. The
only thing holding him up is his arms draped over the top rope. Buyers is on
him in a flash grabbing the back of his head by the hair she smashes Lou's
face into the top turnbuckle over and over. As the ref moves in to pull her
off Thesz, Buyers drives her knee into his lower spine. Lou slowly slides down
the ropes face first landing in a heap in the corner. "You got to remember,"
Solie tells me " that at this time Lou Thesz is maybe 29/30 years old and a
tremendous male specimen, the heavyweight champion of the world". The crowd is
silent almost in disbelief to see the champion lying on the mat. June can no
longer be held back by the ref. The women's champion twice stomps on Thesz
before pulling him to his feet. Dragging him from the corner she whips him to
the opposite turnbuckle. He crashes into it and begins to slide down the
ropes. A second later Buyers smashes into him with a flying close line. Before
he has time to fall The Ladies Champion pulls him up by the chin. Holding him
by the chin she slams her forearm into his neck and upper chest over and over.
Placing her boot in his belly and grabbing the back of his head Buyer monkey
flips The Heavy Champion out of the corner and on to his back. Thesz lands
hard and bounces twice arching up holding his spine. Buyers gives him no time
to rest. Pulling him to his feet she whips him to the ropes. Flying back at
her she drives a knee into his mid- section. Lou's eyes bulge wide as a gasp
of air escapes his lungs. He stumbles a step or two and drops to his knees
holding his belly. June's boot smacks the back of his head as he collapses
face first on the mat. The Ladies Champion is not content to try to pin him,
straddling the Heavyweight Champion she grabs two handfuls of his black satin
trunks and pulls up. With his butt in the air, his legs apart and his trunks
stretched tight Buyers drives a kick between his legs. Lou cries out in pain
as his knees are drawn up and he cups his hands over his damaged manhood.
Rolling on the mat writhing in pain The Heavyweight Champion of The World
seems almost helpless. Slowly with great effort Thesz gets to his knees still
holding himself moaning rocking back and forth. Buyers believes that this is
her opening and moves toward Thesz. Pulling one of his arms free in an effort
to get at him she does not see the punch coming. Lou Thesz has decided that he
has taken enough, and that he must fight back or loose his title. A closed
fist crashes into June Buyers well below her stomach. The same instant the
punch lands her boot again find is mark on Lou. The crowd is shocked to see
both champions on the mat writhing in pain their hands cupped between their
legs. The ref starts the count over both champions. Lou is first to struggle
to his feet. Reaching down grabbing June he pulls her to her feet. A whip to
the ropes sends her flying as she rebounds toward him Lou leaps in the air in
a standing drop kick. His boots collide with her chest and chin. June is
lifted off her feet and sent flying back against the ropes, as she slides down
them her arms hook the top rope and are trapped by the second. The Women's
World Wrestling Champion is caught in the ropes unable to free herself. Thesz
shows no mercy as he stomps the Ladies champ again and again. Buyers screams
in pain as she wiggles and twists trying to get free. Lou's boots smash into
her chest and lower abdomen over and over. She cries out to the referee " help
me please - get me out of these ropes". " Make him stop kicking me". The ref
is at last able to free her and she falls to the mat cupping her hands over
her breasts to protect them. Lou is on her in a flash. Pulling her to her feet
whipping her to the ropes and clothes lining her. Lou again pulls June to her
feet going between her legs grabbing a handful of her satin tights hooking her
head he lifts and slams her to the mat. June is again pulled up trapping her
in a front head lock Lou takes her tights and suplexes her over on her back.
Dropping down on her and hooking her leg he rolls her into a pin. June is able
to kick out by the count of two. Back on their feet the two champions are
winded and hurting as they lock up collar and elbow. The next fifteen minutes
see the champion's exchange holds, throws, fists, elbows, slams, and kicks.
The crowd is horse from shouting, but it is also stunned by what it is seeing.
After nearly thirty minutes of wrestling the Heavyweight Champion seems to be
slowing down getting weaker he cannot seam to fight off June's attacks. After
slamming Lou to the mat with a back body drop, June pulls him up and drives
him face first into the turnbuckle. June pounds on his back with forearm
smashes. She knees him and sends a reverse elbow into his spine. The
Heavyweight Champion of the World collapses to the mat. June drags him by his
boots face down to the center of the ring. Standing over him she stomps his
back several times. This once proud male champion now seams dazed and
confused. June again pulls up on his trunks raising him off the mat. With the
black satin stretched tight around his manhood, June kicks him once more
between the legs. Lou cries out in pain, but before he can cup his hands over
the injured area he is pulled to his feet. Reaching through his legs grabbing
his trunks and hooking his head, June lifts him off his feet. Up and over he
comes but before he can crash to the mat June drops to one knee slamming his
lower back on her out- stretched thigh in a back breaker body slam. The
referee as well as every one in the crowd is stunned to see the 29yr old
Heavyweight Champion of the world on the mat writhing in pain. As Lou rolls
from side to side arching his back and hold his spine. The Woman's World
Champion June Buyers struts around the ring with her arms in the air. The ref
tells her "the match isn't over yet, you have to pin him". June has other
ideas, taking the champions black paten leather boot under her arms she flips
him face down on the mat. Pulling up on his legs wile sitting down on his
back, the ladies world champion has the world heavyweight champion trapped in
a perfectly applied Boston Crab.

The ref is surprised by what he sees Lou is hopelessly trapped he cannot
escape. June Buyers brings the ref back to focus as she tells him "ask him-go
ahead ask him if he's had enough- does he give up". Lou is quick to answer "
No-No I don't submit". Three more times over the next two minutes Lou is asked
to submit and three times he says no. All this time the Woman's World Champion
has been pulling up harder and harder on his legs, and bending his back more
and more. At the end he can take no more. The World Heavyweight Champion
succumbs to the pain inflicted on him by the Women's Champion. He cries out
his submission " OK -OK stop the match I've had enough - I submit. Let me go
June, you've beaten me - I Give up - I Give Up". The mean streak in June comes
out as she continues to punish the heavyweight champion. Looking back over her
shoulder she taunts him " had enough - want me to let you go - tell me you
submit". The trapped and helpless male champion has no choice but to cry out
his submission again. "Yes - yes - I've had enough - Let me go Please June -
Please I submit - I submit". June finally drops the defeated former champ.
Standing over him she raises her arms in victory. Slowly order is restored to
the chaotic arena. No one can believe what they have just seen. The badly
beaten former champ slowly crawls toward the ropes. The announcer enters the
ring and calls for the bell. "Ladies and Gentlemen the winner by Boston Crab
submission and now both the Women's and Combined World Wrestling Champion June
Buyers". The ref raises June's hand and the victorious Buyers waves and smiles
for the crowd. The former heavyweight champion of the world has made his way
to his corner and pulled himself up by the ropes. Taking the championship belt
off the turnbuckle in his corner he slowly returns to center ring. Shaking the
new Champion's hand he gives her the title belt and lifts her arm in another
show of victory.

I tell Solie that was an incredible story, and ask him how Lou got the title
back. He just smiled and said that is a story for another time. I never did
learn how Lou got the title back, Gordon passed away shortly after we spoke. I
bet it was a great story.