Here is what I have on Johnny Valentine's record versus Dory Funk, Jr. and Jack Brisco in St. Louis.  All at Kiel Auditorium.

6/18/71..attendance 11,259 sellout

lost to NWA Champion Dory Funk, Jr.1st fall - Funk won with a reverse jackknife and back cradle 19:35.  2nd fall - Valentine won with six brainbusters 2:32.  3rd fall - Valentine missed a brainbuster on the apron and hit the ring post.  Funk pulled him into the ring and applied the spinning toehold for the submission 2:30.

6/2/72 attendance 8331

lost to NWA champion Dory Funk, Jr.  2st fall - Valentine won with eleven brainbusters 15:37.  2nd fall - Funk won with a spinning toehold 9:08.  3rd fall - Bout was stopped when Valentine could not answer the bell after the spinning toehold.

2/2/73 attendance 10,544  (Valentine had won Missouri title from Harley Race Jan. 19)

lost to NWA champion Dory Funk, Jr.  1st fall - Funk won with a spinning toehold 18:26.  2nd fall - Valentine won with brainbusters 1:40.  3rd fall - Funk won with a body press after both men collided, but Dory fell on top of Valentine 7:43.

10/4/74 attendance 8778

lost to NWA champion Jack Brisco.  1st fall - Brisco bloodied Valentine and won with the figure four leglock 23:11.  2nd fall - Valentine won with brainbusters 2:08.  3rd fall - Brisco won with a front rolling cradle (small package) off Valentine's attempted body slam 4:12.

Rather unlike St. Louis to have lost every match, but in all cases Valentine was meeting the World Champion, around whom everything was always built.

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I really never was given a position per se in St. Louis with Vince Jr.  I had input and was actually part of a couple bookingmeetings when they took place in St. Louis.  It became obvious over time that a national promotion was not going to fine-tune for St. Louis or anywhere else, and I gave less input.  Not sure they wanted it anyhow...we just had different ideas about what wrestling was.

Indeed, the first few shows in St. Louis were on fire.  They fed off the remains of the local war, were packed with stars top to bottom, and had plenty of blood and run-ins unlike anything St. Louis had ever seen.  As Sam foresaw, however, all this "hot shotting" burned out over a couple years and houses fell except in select circumstances.

As to Greater St. Louis Wrestling, I loved it and it was great fun..although exhaustring.  I would have been better served had I found someone who shared my passion for the St. Louis philosophy and the ncessary details on whom to rely.  In other words, I needed another young Larry!  Honestly, I was trying to do too much myself.  Sam was a sounding board for my ideas and a steady hand in terms of giving advice.  He did not suggest matches or provide a direction.  He did, however, warn me about pitfalls having been in a promotional war himself.  Simply, he was a friend.

And none of us really anticip[ated what Vince Jr. was going to do.  Many now claim they knew all about what Vince was going to do -- and, bluntly, that's horse manure.  He caught everyone by surprise. 

Okay...as to Bobby Bruns, I believe he started booking for Sam in 1959 right around the time that "Wrestling at the Chase" began.  He left in 1969, when Pat O'Connor took over.  I'm not sure about when he passed away but I'd guess -- and it's not terribly educated - around 1980.

I met him early on and he was very nice.  However, at that point, I was just a kid who wrote magazine stories so really had no meaningful contact with Bobby.

As to KC and St. Louis, I vaguely remember Sam mentioniung some interplay back and forth but -- at least in Sam's telling -- it didn't seem to be a very big deal.  He did mention he once had the opportunity to be involved in KC, but with the NWA he just felt his plate was full.

Even further back, I honestly don't know about Londos' position although it makes sense he would have some input since Sam was battling an entrenched power structure.  I do know Sam said Londos was not that great of a wrestler, but he was colorful and great attraction.

Just a bit too far away and I don't recall any hard facts to pass on about Sam, Lou and Londos.

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Hi Harry...glad to see you're still full of vim and vigor and good questions.

As to O'Connor, Sam never really talked about that.  They did do a rematch, which Rogers won.  It might also have been that O'Connor was married and settled down as a partner in Kansas City operation.  Actually, O'Connor probably doesn't get the credit he deserves as a Hall-of-Famer because of the work he did with what was a minor league circuit.  Pat wasn't in the limelight at all, save for St. Louis, never worked much in the same towns that Rogers did, so he has been easy to overlook in current times.  I will admit, as a youngster back then, it really did seem like Pat half disappeared except for St. Louis.

As to the DQ, it was only a disqualification in the THIRD and DECIDING fall that would stop a title from changing hands.  Thus, the Thesz-Kiniski switch was right within bounds.  I doubt any negotiations as such were needed, Lou was more than ready to step down and Kiniski had his blessing..it was just a little twist that left the door  open for rematches and made for more excitement that particular evening. 

Yes, I was at the match and, amazingly, took pictures from ringside. One of those photos is in the book.  Somehow my photos survived all these years and I almost forgot I had them.  I recall the crowd as surprised, cheering, and respectful. Boos yes..but cheers for both men.

In St. Louis, wrestling was a sport and Kiniski was recognized for beating one of the alltime greats.  If I'm not mistaken, Lou and Gene shook hands after.

I looked forward to every single day I announced.  Really.  That sounds so simple, but it happens to be the truth.  That little, tiny part of helping the guys tell the story was fun.

No real intrigue on the Funks, Kiniski, Brisco, O'Connor...just a match to draw money, it had historical implications, it was special, and it laid the groundwork for many bouts to come and cashed in on some that had happened.  Typical Sam..typical St. Louis.

You're thinking Bruno could have won the title from Harley proves Sam did a great job selling that match, doesn't it?  In the end, Bruno and Sr. had done Sam a favor so asking Bruno to lose was not an option. Plus, Sam was respectful of Bruno's place in the business.

The key was that by using Bruno, Sam had shown anyone who was trying to gain control of the NWA title that Sam was willing to cut a deal with someone else and -- most importantly -- could do big business.  Once again, Sam made sure he was never in a position to be held up by one wrestler or one faction, even the NWA title itself.

By the time Bruno and Harley met -- and it was a good battle -- all of the political intrigue had calmed down.

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Thanks for the queries, Larry.

As far as a gamble, Sam Muchnick was a sharp player and probably the only giant gamble he took was in starting his own promotion in the 40s.  He was bucking what was known as "The Trust" in that period, and in which his boss - Tom Packs - was a major player.  But the times were a-changin' and Sam did read that.  However, it was his personal feelings that made him take the leap.  Nonetheless,. that was a huge gamble - to battle Packs.  And Sam might have lost, had it not been for him being a key player in the formation of the National Wrestling Alliance and developing a good rapport with promoter  Al Haft, who opened the door for Sam to use Buddy Rogers.  Plus, Lou Thesz also realized that his boss - Packs - was weakening and was instrumental in building a partnership with Lou's longtime friend Sam.

As to a potential NWA champion, I was usually online with the choices due to my relation with Sam.  I know many will expect me to say Dick Murdoch or "King Kong" Brody based on the book, but neither would have been successful as champion.  Neither Dick nor Frank dealt with the political back-stabbing  in diplomatic fashion.  In other words, being asked to do a sixty minute broadway with Joe Schmo in Kumquat, Iowa on Tuesday night would not have been met with glee!  LOL 

My thoughts were more directed to the 80s - which never happened! - and would Ted DiBiase, David or  Kerry Von Erich and Ric Flair been a good combination to ping-pong the crown for an enrtire decade just as Thesz, Longson, and Watson did 40 years earlier?  And those one week runs as champion -- yuck yuck yuck!!!!  Terribly destructive for the crediblity of the crown. 

While politics was always huge in picking the champion, it became a destructive force as the 80s dawned.  Only Flair on top saved it, because Ric could have been the champion in any era.

Baba was comparable to Sam as far as honesty goes.  The difference, of course, was that Bsba was also a wrestler and for many years the star of his own promotion.  In terms of traditional, they were alike in that both believed in solid finishes and not many gimmicks.

One could argue that Baba had a "territory" (All Japan, with many towns in competition to Inoki) as a promoter, while Sam only did St. Louis.  But Sam held the National Wrestling Alliance together and sincerely did try to work toward the overall good.  Baba, simply by the fact he had a "territory," was more concerned with his business.  In that regard, Baba was not comparable to Sam.

Mr. Matysik:

I had a few questions I hope you might answer.

1.) Over the years who was the biggest pain in the neck, but was such a draw you had to bring them in?

2.) Was there anyone that you wanted to book for the Chase but due to circumstance never did?

Thank you for your time