VIEW FROM THE RISING SUN
by Masanori Horie

My Kick-A** Photo Gallery
Part Four

(Photos on this page copyright Masanori Horie)

Hina Matsuri (Doll Festival)

Hina Matsuri is a Japanese festival for girls held on March 3. Tiered platforms for Hina Ningyo (a set of dolls representing emperor, empress, attendants, and musicians in ancient court dress) are set up in the home, and young girls in Kimono celebrate the festival with a meal and by eating Hishi-mochi (diamond-shaped rice cake) and drinking Shiro-zake (made with rice malt and Sake [a brewed alcoholic beverage made from fermented rice]). Abdullah the Butcher is with Hina Ningyo in Tokyo. In 2000, he will celebrate the 30th Anniversary of his first Japan tour (August 21-September 17, 1970). But, he has still loved meat and blood rather than rice and Sake.

Behind the Face

Mick Foley wrote, "Rick Patterson from Canada was suited up for the popular Leatherface gimmick,"…"Patterson was a kind human being, and tried to hold the (nails) board steady, to minimize the impact," in his book, "Have A Nice Day! - A Tale Of Blood And Sweatsocks." Ricky was from Birds Hill, Manitoba, Canada, and debuted as a wrestler in Winnipeg in 1982. He wrestled for New Brand Wrestling in Winnipeg with his brother, Barry Patterson, as the Hollywood Blonds; Al Tomko's Universal Wrestling Federation in British Columbia; Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling in Alberta; Emile Dupre's Atlantic Grand Prix in the Canadian maritime provinces; Bob Geigel's Central States area with Mike Stone as the Montana Cowboys; Mexico; Carlos Colon's WWC in Puerto Rico; and Wang Pyo "Jaguar" Lee's New Korea Wrestling. He, as Ricky Patterson, came to Japan for the first time for W*ING from January 2-8, 1993. He filled the Leatherface character in September 1993, while the original one, Corporal Mike Kirchner, was detained. I don't think Ricky is upset that Mick revealed his name, because he knows how Mick is. Ricky is a very sweet person, and his mask was hand-made by his lovely fiancée.

Politically Incorrect and Damn Proud of it !

Three-time former ECW World Heavyweight champion Sandman (Jim Fullington) enjoys his vacation in Palo Duro Canyon in Texas without his Singapore Cane (Kendo Stick). This beer-drinking / cigarette-smoking / cane-swinging Hardcore Icon came to Japan for the first time for the infamous New W*ING from March 25-30, 1995, with Public Enemy, Pit Bulls, Jason Knight, and J.T. Smith (as Masked Boogeyman). Even he had the ECW Heavyweight title match, but New W*ING was one of the dampest offices and drew around 100 - 200 every night. Actually, Sandman was introduced to Japanese fans by a cable television program named "Champ Forum" in 1991, when he was wrestling for Joel Goodhart's TWA.

Teacher and Pupil

NWA World Heavyweight champion Naoya Ogawa is scheduled to have NWA title matches in another PAC RIM Tour run by NWA Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling in Korea from February 24-27, and at Kadena Air Base and Camp Hansen in Okinawa, Japan from March 1-4, though they haven't officially announced their schedule yet. And, he will appear on the Rikidozan Memorial Show at Yokohama Arena on March 11, 2000. He has become a key person for New Japan Pro Wrestling as a natural heel rival against Shinya Hashimoto. Ogawa inherited Antonio Inoki's "Strong Style" tradition.

A Master Of Wrestling

Bill Robinson is a wrestling coach at the UWF Snake Pit Japan Gym in Kouenji, Suginami in Tokyo now. Over a 25-year wrestling career in the UK, Canada, USA, and Japan, he had a lot of great matches with Verne Gagne, Nick Bockwinkel, and Dory Funk Jr. and won various major titles. In Japan, he beat Toyonobori to win the IWA (International Wrestling Association) Heavyweight title at Okayama Prefectural Gym on December 19, 1968, and he beat Rusher Kimura to win the title again at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo on June 3, 1974. He beat Jumbo Tsuruta to win the United National Heavyweight title at Akita City Gym on March 5, 1972. He beat Killer Tor Kamata to win the PWF (Pacific Wrestling Federation) Heavyweight title at Kurume City Gym in Fukuoka on October 9 in 1978. Antonio Inoki vs. Bill Robinson for the NWF (National Wrestling Federation) Heavyweight title at Kuramae Kokugikan (Sumo Hall) on December 11, 1975 was one of the greatest matches in Japanese wrestling history (60 minutes time up draw).

El Kaleidoscope

Mil Mascaras is wrestling for CMLL Japan, run by CACAO Planning, a wrestling mask and costume maker in Japan, from February 5-13. It is amazing that Mascaras still keeps the IWA World Heavyweight title, which he won in 1975. IWA was a group running in opposition to the WWWF in New York in those days. Gaijin (foreign) wrestlers had always been "bad guys" in Japan until Mascaras introduced Lucha Libre's high-flying moves to us when he came to Japan for the first time for the old Japan Pro Wrestling (JWA) from February 19-March 10, 1971. Since the advent of Mascaras, Japanese wrestling has been sped up. The image of "Japanese vs. Gaijin" and "Good guy vs. Bad guy" category has totally changed.

Double Terry

Terry Gordy has been absent from Japan since he lost to Gen-ichiro Tenryu in a singles match in Kobe, Japan on November 1, 1998. He was one of the greatest gaijin (foreign) wrestlers, whom the late Giant Baba rated very high about his natural ability on the ring. It is a pity that he is still 38 years old, and I miss his heyday in World Class, Georgia Championship Wrestling, and All Japan Pro Wrestling in the 1980's. When Terry Funk had his "first" retirement match at Kuramae Kokugikan (Sumo Hall) on August 31, 1983, Funk was teaming with his brother Dory against Stan Hansen and the then-22-year-old Gordy. In the middle of December 1999, The Fabulous Freebirds (Gordy & Michael Hayes), managed by Jim Garvin, reunited and faced The Fantastics (Bobby & Jackie Fulton [James & George Hines]) in an independent show in North Carolina, but you can imagine how Gordy was. On the other hand, since WCW Monday Nitro on January 3, 2000, Funk has been like a full blossom out of season. Funk will face Ric Flair at WCW SuperBrawl in San Francisco, California on February 20. What a contrast between light and shade in our life; but, no doubt, "Wrestling" runs in Double Terry's blood.