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PODCAST

When It Was Cool Wrestling and Retro Pop Culture (DragonKingKarl)

When It Was Cool

For all shows including our archived content visit our Patreon page - https://www.patreon.com/wiwcool Pro wrestling history. WWE, WCW, NWA, AEW, NXT, NJPW, TNA, Impact, ROH, AWA, ECW, and the pioneer era of pro wrestling. Karl Stern (DragonKingKarl) is a pro wrestling historian who has produced the DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Audio Show for over 15 years at Wrestling Observer. This is the free version of some of the pro wrestling podcasts we produce at When It Was Cool. There is much more

sports wrestling

All Episodes

52:52

Drunker Than a Musicians Dog - 1000 Hours

When It Was Cool Wrestling and Retro Pop Culture... ·

2025/04/06

My 1000 Hours Podcast covers the pioneer era of pro wrestling and presently we are going through my latest book DragonKingKarl's Pioneer Era Pro Wrestling Omnibus. Col. James H. McLaughlin rules the American wrestling landscape. John McMahon and Homer Lane are trooping across the country and pro wrestling is gain popularity from coast to coast. The rise of Prof. Thiebaud Bauer and Prof. William Miller and their brand of entertainment style wrestling is also sweeping the country, but the newspapers

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01:03:32

Long Form History of Wrestling Podcast - March 1985 -...

When It Was Cool Wrestling and Retro Pop Culture... ·

2025/04/01

Today my show returns to one of the most epic months in pro wrestling history, March 1985. WWF WrestleMania took place at the end of the month, however, during first weeks of the month Dr. D David Shultz gets fired (for real this time) from WWF, Hulk Hogan drops talk show host Richard Beltzer on his head and injures him, and Hulk Hogan and Mr. T get a fortuitus opportunity dropped in their laps with a hosting gig on Saturday Night Live. Plus, news from Japan, the NWA, SECW, AWA, World Class, and

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45:43

Iron Sheik in the WON HOF, Tokyo Dome, More!

When It Was Cool Wrestling and Retro Pop Culture... ·

2025/03/25

On this episode, I take a look at the Hall of Fame case for former WWF Champion and one of the craziest characters in pro wrestling history - The Iron Sheik. I look at the qualifications for the Iron Sheik and the Observer Hall of Fame plus my personal story of booking the Iron Sheik once. Then I look back to the mid-1930s to Madison Square Garden and the return of Jim Londos, and a mid-1990s look at the Tokyo Dome and the BVD Martial Arts tournament featuring Antonio Inoki and... Sting! Patreons

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01:04:27

Monster Classical and Geological Hippodrome - 1000 Hours

When It Was Cool Wrestling and Retro Pop Culture... ·

2025/03/23

1000 Hours Podcast takes a look back at the pioneer era of pro wrestling. With information pulled from my latest book, DragonKingKarl's Pioneer Era Pro Wrestling Omnibus: The Bible of the Pioneer Era of Wrestling. On this episode, hour 68 of our series, we continue our look at the post 1870 Detroit International Tournament era. New York is growing as a hub for pro wrestling and promoter and former champion Harry Hill is putting together pro wrestling's first syndicate, trust, or promotion featuring

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46:15

Bob Armstrong in the WON HOF, Tokyo Dome, MSG, More!

When It Was Cool Wrestling and Retro Pop Culture... ·

2025/03/11

On today's show, our Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame candidate discussion moves to 'Bullet' Bob Armstrong. Bob Armstrong (and family) was among my favorites growing up. Bob Armstrong was the hometown hero of my regional wrestling promotion Southeastern Championship Wrestling and later as The Bullet in Continental. Does he belong in the Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame? Plus, discussion of 1934 Madison Square Garden where Jim Londos finally gets the title back from 'Pig Farmer' Jim Browning

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56:20

Col. James H. McLaughlin the Undisputed Champion -...

When It Was Cool Wrestling and Retro Pop Culture... ·

2025/03/09

Hour 67 of the 1000 Hours Podcast takes a look back at the very first 'undisputed' champion in pro wrestling. As I continue a study through my latest book: DragonKingKarl's Pioneer Era Pro Wrestling Omnibus: The Bible of the Pioneer Era of Wrestling, we have just studied the 1870 Detroit International tournament which set up the recognized rules of wrestling and crowned Col. James H. McLaughlin as champion. But McLaughlin wasn't yet the official American champion, that was Homer Lane, but McLaughlin

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57:34

Steamboat and Youngblood, Tokyo Dome, More!

When It Was Cool Wrestling and Retro Pop Culture... ·

2025/03/04

On this week's show, I discuss the life and mysterious death of Jay Youngblood and whether he and Ricky Steamboat as a tag team should be in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame. Also, the entire Mid-Atlantic area and the incredible tag team scene of that time. Then I take a look at a 1994 Tokyo Dome featuring Hulk Hogan and a Brutus Beefcake match that I simply must see! Support us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/wiwcool

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50:26

Midnight Express, Look at Young Deaths in Wrestling

When It Was Cool Wrestling and Retro Pop Culture... ·

2025/02/25

This week, I will again be going through a booklet of old DragonKing Newsletters I recently found again. I continue with a look back at the early days of the Midnight Express and look back at the era when it was a trio of Dennis Condrey, Randy Rose, and Norvel Austin. There are also multiple articles we will look back at cover the epidemic of young deaths in pro wrestling that occurred from the mid-1980s until the early 2000s. Be sure to support When It Was Cool on Patreon for instant access to over

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54:25

The Most Monumental Moment of the Pioneer Era - 1000...

When It Was Cool Wrestling and Retro Pop Culture... ·

2025/02/23

1000 Hours podcast discusses the pioneer (pre-1900) era of professional wrestling which I wrote about in my latest book the DragonKingKarl Pioneer Era of Wrestling Omnibus. On today's podcast we cover the most monumental moment of the pioneer era of wrestling - the 1870 Detroit International Tournament. This tournament set many of the rules for pro wrestling and has long been the source of myth and misinformation. By listening to today's podcast, you will gain a detailed perspective of the origin

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57:26

Midnight Express History, Joe Stecher, More!

When It Was Cool Wrestling and Retro Pop Culture... ·

2025/02/18

And now for something different... I have recently found a booklet in my possession I had forgotten about. After closing down the original DragonKing Press Newsletter, I briefly (for 10 issues) launched a volume two. I have now made the DragonKing Newsletter Vol. 2 available as a Kindle book and we will spend a few weeks going through it. Today, we talk about the early history of the Midnight Express, Joe Stecher, and the highly controversial book by Downtown Bruno (Bruno Lauer). Come and join me

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57:43

1985 Begins! - Long Form History of Wrestling

When It Was Cool Wrestling and Retro Pop Culture... ·

2025/02/11

I begin my methodical look back at pro wrestling in 1985 with January 1985 from my book DragonKingKarl's 1984-1985 Pro Wrestling Omnibus book. Hulk Hogan is the WWF champion and had been for a year, he is also a huge star in Japan. Ric Flair is the NWA World champion and looking forward to a big year. Rick Martel is the AWA World champion and is feuding with Jimmy Garvin. Plus, The Road Warriors, Antonio Inoki, and much more! Join me for a detailed look back at January 1985!

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50:45

Bull Curry in the WON HOF, MSG, Tokyo Dome, more!

When It Was Cool Wrestling and Retro Pop Culture... ·

2025/02/04

On this week's classic wrestling show I look at the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame case for Wild Bull Curry, a name in pro wrestling before I was a fan, let's look back at his career. Also on this show, we return to Madison Square Garden in New York City, NY following the Jack Pfefer scandal, then we go to the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo Japan for an early 1990s show putting both New Japan and WCW talent together on the same show.

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49:05

Ole Anderson and the WON HOF, more

When It Was Cool Wrestling and Retro Pop Culture... ·

2025/01/28

On today's show the main topic of discussion is changes in pro wrestling and society over the past 30 years, how pro wrestling culture ebbed and flowed during that time, and just how great was early 1990s WCW? From a financial standpoint, terrible, but there was also a lot of fun to be found. Then I examine the case for Ole Anderson, as a singles wrestler, for the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame.

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01:05:03

The Life and Crimes of Uzile Prickett - 1000 Hours

When It Was Cool Wrestling and Retro Pop Culture... ·

2025/01/26

I continue to take listeners through my latest book DragonKingKarl's Pioneer Era Pro Wrestling Omnibus: The Bible of the Pioneer Era of Pro Wrestling and we have reached the 1860s, the era right before the Detroit International Tournament, the event which would effectively kick off pro wrestling in America, sort of. Today, I get to revisit one of my favorite and most colorful of the pioneer era pro wrestlers: Uzile Prickett, who won the American championship then set off across the country wreaking

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50:27

The Von Erichs in the WON HOF, MSG Jack Pfefer...

When It Was Cool Wrestling and Retro Pop Culture... ·

2025/01/14

Today I take a look at the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame case for the Von Erich brother trio of David, Kevin, and Kerry Von Erich. Amazingly, the only Von Erich in the Hall of Fame is Fritz, should this be the case? Also on this show, more from the Jack Pfefer scandal in New York wrestling, plus a really cool show from the Tokyo Dome in 1992. Lots of pro wrestling history in this episode!

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48:25

The Players Are on the Field - 1000 Hours

When It Was Cool Wrestling and Retro Pop Culture... ·

2025/01/12

As I continue to work through my latest book, DragonKingKarl's Pioneer Era of Pro Wrestling Omnibus: The Bible of the Pioneer Era of Wrestling on this podcast, we arrive to the era right before the Detroit International Tournament which would set the rules largely for the coming first era of pro wrestling in America. Just before the Detroit tournament, the American championship was born around New York with names you might not yet know but are instrumental in the foundation of pro wrestling in the

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52:44

Tully Blanchard and Arn Anderson in the WON HOF,...

When It Was Cool Wrestling and Retro Pop Culture... ·

2025/01/07

On this week's show, I take a look back into the 1930s for more history from Madison Square Garden in New York as the fallout from Jack Pfefer's exposing pro wrestling continues, a rare hybrid-shoot style show takes place at the Tokyo Dome in 1992, and then we discuss the case of Tully Blanchard and Arn Anderson with J.J. Dillon in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame.

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53:21

Crisis in Infinite Fandoms

When It Was Cool Wrestling and Retro Pop Culture... ·

2024/12/31

I round out the year of 2024 by taking a look at the concerning fan bases of multiple pop culture fields including pro wrestling. Over the past few years, wrestling fan bases have seemingly been at war with each other. Fans of WWE hating fans of AEW and vice versa. Even the pro wrestling media has been feuding. Has it always been this way? I will examine that question and assure you that it is not just the wrestling community having trouble co-existing with different ideas. Please check out my

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54:42

Wrestling Gets Organized - 1000 Hours

When It Was Cool Wrestling and Retro Pop Culture... ·

2024/12/29

The 1000 Hours Podcast is all about the pioneer era of pro wrestling. Karl Stern, author of the DragonKingKarl Pioneer Era Pro Wrestling Omnibus is the host. We continue to work our way through the book and are now up to just prior to the 1870 Detroit International Tournament. Pro wrestling starts to get more organized during this era. Harry Hill comes onto the scene, and he will play a major role in the development of pro wrestling. The early players are coming onto the board, so let's discuss

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48:22

Saturday Retro Wrestling Podcast - Mr. Olympia...

When It Was Cool Wrestling and Retro Pop Culture... ·

2024/12/14

Today, we take our time machine back 8 years for a show that might seem random but isn't. As I explain in the newly recorded intro, later this week we are introducing a new podcast on our network called Southeastern Championship Wrestling Action News by Aaron Gartlan who will be covering the existing Southeastern and Continental shows. So, to set the stage, here is my biography of one of SECW's biggest stars and my personal favorite, Mr. Olympia (Jerry Stubbs)

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233 results

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