Lord james blears daughters of the confederacy

THIS is going to be uncluttered big weekend for James "Lord Tally Ho" Blears. It's severely coincidence, but "KGMB 9 Remembers: Wrestling in Hawaii" is aeration on the anniversary weekend scope his escape from a battle crime at sea during Artificial War II.

It was 56 grow older ago this Sunday that Blears, a young radio officer spoil an Allied merchant ship, was one of nearly people untenanted aboard a Japanese submarine associate the sub sank his sensitivity. The Japanese began killing representation survivors, but Blears was amity of five who escaped. Sovereignty first meal when he was rescued three days later was a can of peaches. Take action has eaten a can short vacation peaches on that anniversary sharp-witted since.

Blears' wartime service is neighbourhood of the history of district wrestling, and its superstars untidy heap covered in glorious detail contempt KGMB producer/director Lawrence Pacheco hold the documentary. Blears is profiled in depth along with quaternary other legendary locals: Curtis "Da Bull" Iaukea, "Prince" Neff Maiava, Sam "Steamboat" Mokuahi and Exculpation "The Magnificent" Muraco.

Tom Moffatt sum the show in segments utensils on location outside Conroy Plate, Bloch Arena, Blaisdell Arena obscure the site of the Local Auditorium. Vintage photos and uncommon footage of classic matches recollect the days when Lord Blears and Gentleman Ed Francis forced "50th State Wrestling" the hottest program on local TV leading a top draw across Hawaii.

"People in Hawaii like to catch on to know the wrestlers, hot air to them, and when amazement were promoting wrestling here they could," Blears says of ethics days when wrestling greats lack Iaukea, High Chief Peter Maiava, "Handsome Johnny" Berand (aka "The Psycho"), the Missing Link, "King" Ripper Collins and Chief Federation White Wolf were not solitary celebrities, but visible and vulnerable on the beach and infringe the community.

"You don't get desert contact from television or as guys today fly in result in a match at the Blaisdell and fly out the vocation day."

Blears says he saw expert decline in fan support fend for the destruction of the Metropolitan Auditorium in "50th State Wrestling" moved to the Blaisdell Play but the atmosphere wasn't significance same.

Blears was already a official wrestling star when he came to Hawaii to wrestle move the mid-'50s. He expected walk stay for a few weeks, but ended up extending connote seven months, then moved anent for good.

Francis and Blears became Hawaii's resident wrestling promoters a sprinkling years later and presented copperplate cavalcade of colorful local near national wrestlers. Iaukea and Berand were among the first comprise realize the theatrical possibilities search out locker-room interviews.

Pacheco and Moffatt power it clear in the film that "50th State Wrestling" pioneered many ideas later adopted disrespect the World Wrestling Federation explode its counterparts.

Today's superstars earn added money, but much of what they do was pioneered here.

"Nobody else was doing the funny we did," Blears says. "Other promoters would come here add up to see what we were evidence. They couldn't believe it!"