Vioilence in Wrestling Page
Last updated 16 September 1999
How do you respond to criticism that wrestling is too violent for children?
Submitted by Alton Dreyer oif Cincinnati OH
BILLY JACK HAYNES:
Heck, I can't agree with that sentiment at all.
Wrestling
saved my life when I was young. If it wasn't for positive role models
like Dusty
Rhodes and Stan Stasiak, and a promoter by the name of Don Owen, I don't
know where I'd be right now. I won't deny that wrestling is violent, but
there's no
gray areaof morality in this sport. We're the best role models in
sports.
STAN HANSEN: "Hell, I make all my kids watch every rasslin' show. And I
quiz 'em
about it at dinnertime, too. Yeah, current events with Big Stan. One
wrong
answer equals one lick of the belt. I used to smack 'em around with the
belt
what holds my pants up, but now I can use my world championship belt to
chop a
few welts in their scrawny butts. Toughens 'em up hoss.
Editor's note
The belt Hansen is referring to is the AWA World title he
held at
the time, when the AWA was still in operation.
BRUISER BRODY:
Kids ought to see violence. As much of it as possible.
It'll
give "em street sense. The best example for kids I ever saw was in Canada
a long
time ago. Tarzan Tyler was beatin' up some pretty boy, and the guy's
12-year-old
little brother ran into the ring to save him. Tyler bodyslammed the kid
to teach
him a lesson: Don't get involved in anything you ain't tough enough to
control.
GORDON SOLIE:
I've read some of that criticism from psychologists and
sociologists. I know theri hearts are in the right places, but they're
mistaken.
As a broadcaster, I try to put hideous violence in perspective for our
younger
viewers. I don't think they should be shielded from, say, the sad reality
of
Kevin Sullivan; they have to know the consequences of evil in order to
combat it.
RICK STEAMBOAT:
They tell me fans under 14 years old used to be banned
from
wrestling matches in New York State. To me, that's ridiculous. Wrestling
is
no more violent than any other contact sport. Most wrestlers don't
battle
to maim
or cripple, and they're the ones who are cheered by the kids. A clean
pinfall over a rulebreaker shows kids that they, too, can triumph over
adversity without taking the easy way out by chaeting.
PRECIOUS:
Kids? Yeecchh! Kids are supposed to be angels, right? Kids at
the
matches are holy terrors, man. Most of the filthy names I hear come out
of the
foul mouths of babes, 10-year-olds who drool over the Sports Illustrated
swimsuit issue. And their parents promise to buy 'em chocolate chip ice
cream if
they hurl abuse at me! Brats are too violent, for wrestling, not the
other way
around!
ABDULLAH THE BUTCHER (via interpreter):
Children? Braised on a spit is
best.
Cooked is best, because junk food diets of American youngsters spoil
fresh meat.
Nutrition for body of Sudanese steel like mine. Prefers uncooked chicken,
lamb,
vital organs from beasts of burden. This much is energy muscle feed,
unlike
spoiled meat of humans who sit their muscles at television screens.
Still,
children are tastier than wrinkled, dried-up grannies.
DUSTY RHODES:
Yo, I appreciate the concern that I hear from mommies and
daddies
about lettin' the wee pals watch wrestling. It ain't pretty sometimes.
But when
I think about all them pediatric wards in hospitals I've been to, and the
little
fella in a wheelchair who gave me an oil portrait of Willie Nelson for my
last
birthday. He don't think rasslin's a bad example for the kids.
KERRY VON ERICH:
I was lucky enough to grow up as a Von Erich, part of
a
family that cherished wrestling and all it stands for. But I don't know
what I
would have done if I hadn't been exposed to wrestling at an early age. I
wouldn't recommend this line of work for most kids, but if you're tough
enough
to take the bruises and fair enough to handle the feuds without turning
bitter,
there is nothing more rewarding.
MR. WRESTLING II:
During the course of a long career, I met a lot of
kids and
their parents. I never saw a child who was negatively influenced by our
sport.
I like to think we stand for something noble in the hearts of men, a
striving for honor and decency. Children realize that it is unprincipled
men
who cause
terrible violence in the ring. Fan favorites inspire them to learn the
right
lessons about life.
If you have any comments, I can be reached via email at
Hack-Man@twc-online.com