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By Bob Magee of Pro Wrestling: Between the Sheets
PWBTS.com

On October 24, 2009, the Tri-State Wrestling Alliance (TWA) will return to the Philadelphia-New Jersey area independent wrestling scene.

The Tri-State Wrestling Alliance was founded by Joel Goodhart in 1989 and produced live events from 1989-1991 in the Philadelphia, New Jersey, and Delaware tri-state area, running shows at venues as personal as the Philadelphia’s Original Sports Bar, and as large as Temple University’s McGonigle Hall (a great venue for wrestling with the open sight lines), and Pennsylvania Hall, which was part of the Philadelphia Civic Center.

The TWA used names like Cactus Jack, Eddie Gilbert, Owen Hart, Terry Funk, Jerry Lawler, Abdullah the Butcher, Manny Fernandez, Buddy Landel, and the Original Sheik with a local crew including Tony Stetson, Larry Winters, Johnny Hot Body, JT Smith, Glen Osbourne, Michael Bruno, Jimmy Jannetty, Rockin’ Rebel, D.C. Drake, Crybaby Waldo and Don E Allen. The promotion saw Cactus Jack, Eddie Gilbert, and Sabu develop their local followings.

In an era where most televised wrestling was full of Titan Toon Adventures (along with the WWF steroid trial and allegations of sexual favors), and a WCW product that all too often wasn’t much better in a post-original Four Horsemen era, the Tri-State Wrestling Alliance promotion brought a Memphis-flavored kick-ass style of wrestling into the Philadelphia area.

The Eddie Gilbert-Cactus Jack matches brought the modern tradition of independent hardcore wrestling now associated with Philadelphia to the rest of the United States in 1990 and 1991 with their legendary matches in Joel Goodhart’s Tri-State Wrestling Alliance, including the legendary best of three falls match between the two at Philadelphia’s Convention Hall. The March 2, 1991 show went so far as as to draw 1,735 fans… to an independent show…which was unheard of at that time with a reported $32,000 plus gate.

The Tri-State Wrestling Alliance ended in January 1992, and led to the formation of ECW. It was the TWA style (and promoter Tod Gordon) that laid the groundwork for what would later become the most unque promotion in North American wrestling history.

It’s now 2009 and several of the talent in the Tri-State Wrestling Alliance have organized this reunion show, with a portion of the proceeds going to Alex’s Lemonade Stand. The show will feature many of the original members of the promotion, along with a few new faces well-known to Philadelphia wrestling.

So the Tri-State Wrestling Alliance Reunion Show will take place on Saturday October 24, 2009 at the Flyers Skate Zone, 601 Laurel Oak Road in Voorhees, NJ. The show starts at 7:30 pm with doors opening at 6:30 pm

Matches scheduled thus far include:

Double Main Event
Former WWE/ECW Superstar Al Snow with Head vs. “King of Old School” Steve Corino

Former TWA Champion “Nature Boy” Buddy Landel vs. “The Beast” Glenn Osborne

Special Appearance by DC Drake, plus also appearing The Blue Meanie

Scheduled to appear: Larry Winters, Tony “Hitman” Stetson, Michael “Hitman” Bruno, Rockin Rebel, “Crybaby” Waldo, Jimmy Jannetty, Rick Perez, Don E. Allen, as well as referees John Finegan and Jim Molineaux, plus ring announcer Bob Artese.

Tickets are $12 ringside/$10 general admission

Directions to Flyers Skate Zone
From NJ:
Coming off of 295 north or south, get off Exit 32 (Haddonfield/Voorhees). Make a right off of the exit onto Haddonfield-Berlin Road. Follow several miles to Laurel Oak Road just past the Eagle Shopping Plaza. Make a right onto Laurel Oak Road. The SkateZone is ¼ mile on the left, across from the rear of the Ritz Theatre.

From I-95:
Take the Walt Whitman Bridge into New Jersey. Take I-295 North to Exit 32 (Haddonfield/ Voorhees) . Make a right off of the exit onto Haddonfield-Berlin Road. Follow several miles to Laurel Oak Road just past the Eagle Shopping Plaza. Make a right onto Laurel Oak Road. The SkateZone is is ¼ mile on the left across from the rear of the Ritz Theatre.

From NJ Turnpike:
Exit turnpike at Exit 4. Follow signs to Rt. 73 North. Take Route 73 North and exit onto I-295 South. Take I-295 South to Exit 32 (Haddonfield/ Voorhees). Make a left onto Haddonfield-Berlin Road. Follow several miles to Laurel Oak Road. (Just past the Eagle Shopping Plaza). Make a right onto Laurel Oak Road. The SkateZone is ¼ mile on the left. (across from the rear of the Ritz Theatre)

For information and to buy tickets, go to TWAProWrestling.com. They are also available locally at Hair By Dezign, 123 Egg Harbor Road Suite 203, Sewell, NJ 08080; and at Body Max Fitness & Karate, 284 Delsea Drive, Sewell, NJ. Tickets will also be available at the door.

Until next time….

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