Pittsburgh Post-Gazette from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania • Page 51

19 PG North: Thursday, December 13, 1990 rirra The Master of Disaster Reserve Twp. man eyes career as pro wrestling manager GLASS FIREPLACES DOORS AND SCREENS TO FIT ANY SIZE AND SHAPE If if I I 1 It 4 'i Gas Logs by; Hargrove, Peterson, Duncone N. Main St. at the bridge Zelienopie, Exit 452-6732 Gas Logs MajesticMartin Fireplaces Mantles-Stock and Custom -Sizes By J.B. Dream Complete Line of Accessories 20 ON GAS LOGS ACCESSORIES 1 We Feature 3 Showrooms of Wicker Rattan.

SEE OUR NEW MULTI-LEVEL 4,000 SQUARE FOOT SHOWROOM HOURS: SAT. 9-5; THUDS. FRI. 9-9 Reserve Township's Brian Hildebrand, right, has managed pro wrestler Terry Funk in several matches. By Mark Madden Post-Gazette Sports Writer The references on his resume read like a Who's Who of pro wrestling: Jim Cornette, Bobby Eaton, Terry Funk and Eddie Gilbert.

Wrestling Observer editor Dave Meltzer says his ringside work is "better than a sizeable percentage of guys working regularly today." So why can't Brian Hildebrand get a job as a pro wrestling manager? Good question. But Reserve Township's Hildebrand, 28, is still trying. The North Catholic High graduate is working sporadically, mostly on East Coast independent cards, while waiting for a break. "I'm working a couple weekends a month," says Hildebrand, who works days as a shoe salesman. "I'll do it part-time as long it doesn't get boring.

As far as making the big time goes, I'll give it another two years." Hildebrand, who works as Dr. Mark Curtis, "The Master of Disaster," says his job is "to stir up as much trouble as possible at ringside, and to make the dull points of a match interesting." He's stirred up, er, trouble for eight years now in front of as many as 2,500 and as few as a couple dozen. Reality break: Hildebrand doesn't actually handle the affairs of those he manages; like the rest of pro wrestling, that's a work, or illusion. He's there to add to the crowd reaction his man draws by interfering or badmouthing. Or by getting beat up.

Hildebrand (5-7, 145) occasionally wrestles, "mostly women and midgets really," he says. But, as a manager, he takes some crazy falls courtesy of some much bigger men. "Since I'm so light, my thing is the backdrop," Hildebrand said, referring to a move where he charges a man who ducks, then hurls him in the air over his back. "I got hang time of about six seconds once." Hildebrand's ringside work is strong; his interview skill is an unknown quantity, since he hasn't worked for a promotion with TV. Doing good interviews is crucial for a manager, since he is often called upon to talk for a wrestler with limited speaking skills.

"I practice on home video and even in front of mirrors, but it's not the same; there's no pressure," said Hildebrand. "I need to get into a smaller promotion that has weekly TV and get some experience. But I'm sure I can do it." Hildebrand has come close to getting a break before, most notably in 1987 when he was set to go to the now-defunct Universal Wrestling Federation to do a "fan out of the stands" act. He would have become wrestlermanager Eddie Gilbert's protege, then turned on him in order to make Gilbert a "good guy." But the' UWF was purchased and folded by the established National Wrestling Alliance, killing Hildebrand's chances. Hildebrand recently sent a tape and resume to the new Global Wres-- tling Federation, which will absorb the Memphis-based U.S.

Wrestling Alliance and begin operation as a national promotion early next year. Global Wrestling Federation president Joe Pedicino said his group will be looking to fill 11 managerial positions, adding that "eight or nine are already filled." Hildebrand says his ultimate goal is to work the NWA, but his immediate goal is working for the GWF. "If I can go there and make ends meet, I'd be very happy," he Hildebrand's idol is Jim Cornette, who has parlayed his schtick as a rich, tennis racket-wielding mama's boy into a reputation as wrestling's top manager ever. "Brian's tremendous," said Cornette. "His ringside work's great, better than 85 percent of the people in the NWA.

His interviews need work, but he's better now than he was 3-4 years ago. "He gets some heat, his antics are good his bumps are unbelievable. He's enthusiastic, he has a great attitude and he's willing to learn. He deserves a shot somewhere." Hildebrand has worked against (well, with) Cornette twice, most recently managing Terry Funk and Cactus Jack Manson vs. Cornette's team of Lane and Eddie Gilbert in Philadelphia last Nov.

10. He also managed former NWA champ Funk against Jerry Lawler on another Philly show Nov. 11. "Working with Cornette is always a big deal," Hildebrand said. "I've know Jim for 15 years.

He is, in my opinion, the greatest manager ever and he's done a lot to help me. "Managing Funk was a childhood dream come true. I saw him when I was a kid on vacation in Detroit; he's always been No. 1 in my book. I saw The Sheik stab him in the eye with a pencil and he did this routine that was absolutely incredible." But the man Hildebrand most wanted to impress in Philly was Meltzer, wrestling's top non-affiliated expert and its one-man Siskel Ebert; if he says it's good, it is.

"I was real nervous with Meltzer there," Hildebrand admitted. "Brian was real good at ringside," said Meltzer, whose Observer newsletter has nearly 4,000 subscribers. "He's absolutely good enough to get a chance at the big time. He was real good at the Funk-Lawler match. "His future will depend on his interview work.

If you're a manager, you need to be at least adequate on interviews TV means so much." Grabbing a big-time managerial job would enable Hildebrand to narrow his jobs down to one. Working small shows means doing whatever's necessary to get the show off filling in as a ref, as a wrestler, even putting up and taking down the ring. To wit: In addition to managing as Dr. Mark Curtis, Hildebrand wrestled in a Ninja Turtle outfit on both Philly shows. "That outfit was hot," he said.

"I couldn't move, and I had to work as a good guy, which I'd never done. But I love doing what I'm doing and I'm willing to do a lot to keep doing it." compete at Pitt merly the Pitt Aquatic Club). "The times should be very fast." Swimmers from Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New York, New Jersey, and Virginia will compete. Fielding large teams from the Pittsburgh area will be Team Pittsburgh and the Jewish Community Center. Competition is scheduled to begin each day at 9 a.m., with finals at 6:30 p.m.

Top swimmers to By Karen Kadilak More than 1,000 swimmers from 36 teams and eight states expect to compete at the Pitt Christmas Meet, tomorrow through Sunday at Trees Pool. The short-course meet will feature senior competition, open to swimmers of all ages who meet stringent qualifying time. "This is one of the largest meets in the country," said Chuck Knoles, head of host Team Pittsburgh (for FigurGyy BATMAN. iy your CHOicEjLU x'llSVyw QQWmm Complete Line Of VTf hj Cri batman Accessories fx vi Choose from a variety ofWrjJ $096 JQ 86 YJrv 0 BATMAN figures For ages 4 Jj 1 1 and up.0063150 Save 20 60 off original prices. M'Wkfit fFhhOk Choose from Russian $MwmM JlW flWtb ni ISlSf FtCX- Hispanic, Brazilian, Nigeriarf.pl jTLaIJ compare 15" vlf1 Special Edition, Army, anwffljfl meohzitm I yAcBirthday Kids Cabbage Patch anta Special Deiiveryf Each 16" kid comes with one of three different pOSGahle Kids fSP 0ri97 PRfflrWll noise makers-squeeze the kid's tummy to hear rseaoie 30200 30201 aQ Sfj the kazoo, party rollout or party horn make a Moveable arms and legs are designed sol rtf fflnS i fun sound.

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