5/01/06

-by roger deem-

What I wouldn't give to have one more chance to watch Dick Murdoch in action.

Dick was not somebody I would choose to hang or chill with (like Murdoch EVER chilled!).  
But whether watching him over the TV, through a viewfinder or from a ringside seat, no
wrestler ever gave me more entertainment.

Before he "invaded" St. Louis in 1972 (as the masked "Invader"), I saw Murdoch in action
many times at A.W.A. spot shows.  Teaming with "Dirty" Dusty Rhodes, Dick ran roughshod
over tag competition as part of The Texas Outlaws. 

From a technical standpoint, no grappler was ever more chameleon-like  than Dick.  
When the situation called for it, Murdoch could trade holds with anyone.  At other times
he would instigate a pier sixer that would make Charlie Bronson look like a cocktail
waitress.  He was a master of mat psychology and storytelling.

And in St, Louis, only Dick "The Bruiser" used humor as well as Murdoch. Often the "Mayor
of Waxahatchie, Texas" would execute a move which would backfire with embarrassing
results and then milk the ensuing laughter for all it was worth. 

I always wondered if Dick personally knew the elderly red-haired lady named Ruth with
whom he so often bantered at the Kiel and the Chase.  The intensity with which she
verbally assaulted Murdoch was a hoot.  And he gave it right back to her. 

I remember he reduced her to speechlessness one time - when he leaned over the
ropes and yelled at her, "Why don't you crawl back over to your seat and finish sucking
the label off your beer bottle?"  As Ruth tried very hard to appear miffed, her neighbors
at ringside roared their approval.

And one very rare night when Murdoch was booked but was not able to appear, Ruth
looked like the Pillsbury Dough Boy after being giant-splashed by "Moose" Cholak. 

And wow, could Dickie go!  I never saw him give a lazy performance.  Every time out of
the shoot he gave us everything he had.   As I have reflected on all-out Armageddons I
never got to see, I find myself thinking one that might have topped the list would have
been Murdoch vs. Johnny Valentine.  How much would they have to pay a man to act as
referee for that kind of a donnybrook?

Dick also had a great love for props.  In the theatre, properties are items one generally
uses to tell the story a point or establish character.  To Murdoch, props were tables,
chairs, ringposts, turnbuckles, popcorn boxes, beer cups, ring announcers--anything he
could use with which to slam an opponent or with which he could be bludgeoned. 

He had many classic battles in St. Louis against the most legendary performers.  Who in
the mat world of that era could say they had gone toe-to-toe with the likes of "The
Bruiser", Harley Race, Bruno Sammartino, Dory Funk, Jr., Jack Brisco, Ted DiBiase, "King
Kong" Brody and Andre the Giant?  And he battled them all in legendary Mound City main
events.

The worst heat I ever saw generated during a taping of Wresting at the Chase came on
March 17, 1979 (air date), when Murdoch topped "The Bruiser" to regain the Missouri
State Championship.  Murdoch had the titleholder in a body press when "Bruiser" draped
his leg over the ropes.  The referee counted to three and Murdoch yanked Dick's leg off
the strand. 

Larry Matysik proclaimed Murdoch the new champion and Dick made a very hasty exit
out of the studio.  To say the fans were displeased does not begin to describe the
situation.  And I reacted with all of the bravery and fortitude I could muster:   as "The
Bruiser" went on the warpath, I hid behind Mickey Garagiola!

In my book I discuss my favorite interaction with Murdoch - an incident he devised
involving my camera's flash unit.  In the past 20 years I have never seen a grappler who
was as inventive, as creatively fresh time after time as was Dick Murdoch.

Even the greats of the business could be predictable.  Did Ric Flair ever work a main
event where at least once he wasn't whipped across the ring and flew upside down over
the turnbuckles to the apron?  During his run as the WWF's King, didn't Harley Race flip
over the ropes backwards and bang his face on the apron every night?  And can one even
imagine a battle involving "The Bruiser" that didn't get taken to the floor at least once
(not counting fence matches, of course)?  But we never knew what Murdoch would do.   He
was unpredictable, colorful and amazingly talented,

I never had the opportunity to interact with Dick outside the arena.  I understand he
played as hard as he worked and I know he left us much too soon.  He had a rare gift of
being able to play the clown without making himself a buffoon. 

To email Roger, click HERE