Freeport Journal-Standard from Freeport, Illinois • Page 9

Freeport (HI.) JournafcStandard, Friday, October 28, 1977 Page 9 Bob Greene There has been a cultural renaissance in Chicago. After almost a year of being absent from the airwaves, wrestling promoter Bob Luce has returned. His wrestling shows may once again be seen each Sunday at noon on Channel 44. This makes me very happy. Bob Luce is my favorite television star.

As soon as I noticed he was back on the air, I invited him to meet me for a quiet discussion. Luce was screaming within five seconds of the moment 1 met him. This is not unusual. Luce always yowls like a rabid cur. He was kneeing at the underside of the table and stomping his feet on the floor.

This is, normally a sign that he wishes to talk. "Fourteen men In the ring at the same time?" Luce howled. "This is nothing exceptional! You're disqualified by being thrown over the top rope. The last man standing is the winner! Yukon Cholak! He weighs the last time we ever got him on the scale! I think it was 320! Wilbur Snyder! Two-seventy! The Valiant Brothers! Handsome Jimmy and Luscious John! Luscious John is an ex-Marine! I asked Luce about the story of his disappearance and re-emergence on loqal television screens. Both legs pumped madly as he pounded his feet on the floor.

"If I'm not on TV I'm not making any money!" he yelled. "I've been off 40 and I've been starving 40 weeks! Five years on Channel 44! Tremendous years! Ben's Auto Sales was my sponsor! Bernie and Arnie Turovitz! If we had a Bernie and Arnie Turovitz in every wrestling town we'd never have to worry about another payday! They dropped my show! Bernie has often said to me he could be in the new car business! He's in the used car business! He prefers used cars! "Forty" weeks went by I Then h'e called me! It was on July Three days before my baby was born! Bernie called rhe In Milwaukee! Actually Arnie called me! He called for Bernie! His very words were I've never made as much money as I did with you! How would ydu like to g6 back on television! Hd says you know Bob I want It understood! We're not buying wrestling! We're buylrig Bob Luce! Bernie is an extremely gifted negotiator! He said OK Bob! I'm going to buy you Bob I He did! "If we aren't on TV we aren't in business! I think a lot of the papers! Yourself and Fitz! And Condon! But wrestling needs Ben's! I wish there were more Ben's Auto Sales! Some people say I downgrade the business! Verne Gagne didn't like it! He thought it was satire! He thought Bob Luce was, hurting wrestling! I ran Gagne 'a film clip beating up Gagne's kid! Gagne IS'a guy who is always in control of himself at all limes! He said insane! That's all he said! Insane! THe general feeling is that Bob Luce was so far out! Jimmy Valiant said you're either 20 years ahead of your time or you don't belong on television! I do have a mind of my own! I asked Luce about his history as a wrestling promoter. i. "We grossed more than anyone else ever done!" Luce hollered. "We drew 'more people! The whites! The blacks! The Chicanes! The middle-class The poor blacks! The well-to-do blacks! The well-to-do whites! The middle-class whites! The stockbrokers and their wives! They saw the show on television and had to come out and see it! I ran the gamut! "I remember 1964! I was running a tabloid at the time! The' National Tattler! The Beatle craze was on! It was in its what I call a high spot! It was a heyday! I thought of George Ringo the wrestling Beatle! All I had to do was get someone to be George 'Ringo the Wrestling Beatle! The Beatles were coming into the Amphitheatre! I'm gonna get George Ringo the Wrestling Chicago As Luce Returns The Patient Is Improving Don Oakley Britain, the SICK man of Europe, if not exactly chasing the nurses through the corridors is at least sitting up in bed and feeling much better, thank you.

Consider these symptoms of returning economic health: record balance of trade surplus in August of $550 million. This was the difference between what Britain sold to foreigners and what it bought from them. inflation rate down to 14.4 per cent still horrendous by U.S. standards but a vast improvement over the 30 per cent rate of two years ago. bull market that has propelled shares of stock on the London exchange up by 270 per cent in 32 months.

official interest rate of 6 per cent, compared with 15 per cent a year ago, that is attracting foreign investors. perky pound that is becoming so strong the government is debating whether to let it continue to rise in relation to foreign currencies. An appreciating pound would push up the price of British exports, but it would alsd cut the price of imports and help reduce inflation. The basic reason for Britain's optimistic prognosis is North Sea oil, which is now flowing in at the rate of 800,000 barrels a day and will eventually go to nearly double that amount, promising to make Britain the only Western industrial nation completely self-sufficient in energy. On the cautionary side, however, much of the country's newfound prosperity exists in the expectations of stock market speculators.

Industrial production has been stagnant for a year, unemployment is at high and the trade unions, which agreed last year to curb wage demands, are becoming restive again. But thanks to that North Sea oD, Britain has been given a new lease on life of perhaps 10 years' duration, enough time to put its economic house in order. As Prime Minister James Callaghan remarked the other day, rarely in history has a nation been given a second chance like this. We trust the British will make the most of it. Lay Away Now For Christmas '199" Eaty Weekly Terms The Victoria Collection DIAMONDS PERFECT FOR TWO The most beautiful of designs for the biggest matching diamond engagement and wedding rings for her plus a handsome matching band for him.

Set in 14 Kt. white or yellow gold. Buy Now Pay Later dAto m.StephenionSt, 235-3169 Beatle! ,1 want Jayne Mansfield to be his manager! dan you get ahold of the guy who Is her manager I He was the guy who was" kilted with hew '-'J got a guy. to be George Ringo the Wrestling Beatle! Mis name was Bob guitar, and take piano lessons! Me had Been loslhfe! I told him I'm name was Ringo Starr! 1 went to the Amphitheatre! The Beatles were standing front of the cameras! I had George Ringo the Wrestling Beatle! I went up to the Beatles' photographer! He had on his London trenchcoat! Me said I can't do It! He took a picture of sold out In They're freaky out there! He went to Buffalo! Hans Schmidt! A very wicked guy! He. beat George Ringo the Wrestling Beatle! Not only did he beat him! He smashed him over the head with the guitar! George Ringo the Wrestling Beatle called me! Sabrel I Want to get you to play the mslHehad George Ringo the Wrestling Beatle with He said his guitar was smashed! I said going to get Ringo Starr! what did you have the guitar in the ring Ringo! His "George Ringo the Wrestling Beatle for! He said I'm emitting! He forgot he pictures of you with George was Bob Sabre! "He thought he was George Ringo the Wrestling Beatle! These wrestlers! I won't say they're characters! "At home 1 sit and I brood! I'm going to be honest with you! Which I always.

am! I don't watch television! Only old movies! Any movie that's been in a theater is an old movie to me! Like my wife says! I rise and I fall!" ILLUSTRATIONS ENLARGED 6 fr ee ce TooV.U£*; 0 Suson 0 3 i hAof Fre 0 -uVfifAef" 1 i Con rd- Joyce geasr- S3 0 FrMport, Illinoit.