Biography: WWE Legends - Season 5 Episode 1 - The Curse of the Von Erichs, Part 1 - video Dailymotion

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Biography: WWE Legends - Season 5 Episode 1 - The Curse of the Von Erichs, Part 1

Transcript

00:00:00¿Qué es la vida de la vida de la vida?

00:00:30there's a lot of terrible things that happen

00:00:33but

00:00:34in between those moments

00:00:36are those good ones too

00:00:37the laughing children

00:00:41you remember being a little kid too

00:00:43and it's just beautiful

00:00:47I love life

00:00:50can't wait to wake up in the morning

00:00:53so I just say thank you Lord for another day

00:00:56you know

00:00:57he doesn't owe me a thing

00:00:59but a place to be born

00:01:00and a place to die

00:01:03there was a time I thought life is too long

00:01:05and now I think life is too short

00:01:10here come the Von Eriks

00:01:14you gotta understand how big a star

00:01:16the Von Eriks were in Texas

00:01:17if you knew anything about professional wrestling

00:01:19you knew who and what the Von Eriks were

00:01:21the Von Eriks

00:01:23the royal family of wrestling

00:01:25with Father Fritz as the king of the ring

00:01:27and each of his sons waiting to take over the throne

00:01:30Fritz had six kids

00:01:32each of these boys are gonna be world heavyweight champions

00:01:36I'm dedicating my life to it

00:01:38the greatest name in professional wrestling today

00:01:40the Von Eriks

00:01:41we began to really understand how important the Von Eriks were to the state of Texas

00:01:46they were superheroes

00:01:47the Von Eriks are a prime attraction

00:01:49they were on their way to greatness until all the tragedy struck

00:01:54at six years old

00:01:56Uncle Jack Yee is gone

00:01:58David Von Eriks was found lying across his bed early this morning

00:02:02as it's awfully hard to believe

00:02:03it could have been a heart attack

00:02:05Michael Von Eriks remains in critical condition

00:02:07at Baylor Medical Center

00:02:08doctors say the rest of the world has toxic shot syndrome

00:02:12investigators found a handwritten note

00:02:14mom and dad

00:02:15I'm in a better place

00:02:18Gary Von Eriks was in an accident recently

00:02:20this crumpled wreckage is all that's left

00:02:22some call it the curse of the iron claw

00:02:25it doesn't get easier

00:02:26Lord please don't take any more of my children

00:02:29was it a curse?

00:02:31was it just a series of tragic coincidences?

00:02:34was it the pressure of the wrestling business?

00:02:36the pressure of family?

00:02:37the pressure of the fans?

00:02:39they did go through a lot of tragedy

00:02:40it was made for movie

00:02:42it's a new film

00:02:43it's called the iron claw

00:02:44don't you dare question me

00:02:46great acting

00:02:47Zac Efron did a phenomenal job

00:02:48but it would have been nice

00:02:50if they'd have had the real story

00:02:53this one is a little different

00:02:54I've never talked about the things I've talked about

00:02:56but I wanted it to be said

00:03:00it might sound like the craziest story you ever heard

00:03:02but I know it's true

00:03:21there you go

00:03:23when I'm out here with my grandkids

00:03:26to me this is as good as it gets

00:03:30had I not been raised the way I was

00:03:32maybe I'd be different

00:03:33but that's just important to me

00:03:37oh Benji

00:03:39when I think about my youth

00:03:40and my time with my brothers

00:03:42it was so great

00:03:44so much fun we had then

00:03:46and then my dad

00:03:49he didn't have any idea

00:03:51what it was like

00:03:51to have brothers

00:03:54you know

00:03:54it's too bad too

00:03:56because

00:03:58because he was an only child

00:04:00and I can't imagine

00:04:01what that would like

00:04:01to be

00:04:02an only child

00:04:08Fritz von Erich is my father

00:04:10he was born

00:04:11Jack Atkinson

00:04:12in Jewett, Texas

00:04:15he had a pretty rough life

00:04:16I think

00:04:17he's only child

00:04:18and my granddad was busy

00:04:20and didn't have a lot of time for him

00:04:23my granddad didn't really pay any attention to my dad

00:04:26it was like

00:04:26if they weren't hunting

00:04:27well they weren't talking

00:04:30any stories I have about granddad being little

00:04:33are things that he told me

00:04:35in their town

00:04:37the dads would bet on their boys

00:04:39and have them fight in the woods

00:04:41and when granddad would lose

00:04:44his dad would just beat him

00:04:46in front of everyone

00:04:49the one person that my granddad felt like

00:04:53loved him

00:04:53was his daddy Ross

00:04:55his grandfather

00:04:55and so daddy Ross

00:04:57lived a few hours away

00:04:59and for granddad

00:05:01that was his one source of

00:05:03you know

00:05:03love and encouragement

00:05:05there was a guy in town

00:05:07who asked my granddad

00:05:09if

00:05:10you know

00:05:10he was maybe 12 or 13 years old

00:05:12my granddad was at the time

00:05:14and he said

00:05:15you know Jack

00:05:16if you want a ride

00:05:17I'll give you a ride

00:05:18you can ride in my truck with me

00:05:20and I go out there every weekend

00:05:21I'd be happy to take you

00:05:23and granddad

00:05:24was so excited

00:05:26to take that chance

00:05:28the man drove him

00:05:30in the truck

00:05:31on the way there

00:05:32the man

00:05:34molested my granddad

00:05:38my granddad said

00:05:39I wanted to see daddy Ross

00:05:41so bad

00:05:42that I let that happen

00:05:43every couple of weeks

00:05:44you know

00:05:44to go see daddy Ross

00:05:45and it was worth it

00:05:47so that

00:05:48that

00:05:48you know

00:05:49broke my heart

00:05:50whenever he told me about that

00:05:52that he was

00:05:54molested as a little boy

00:05:57I didn't know that

00:06:00there are things

00:06:00he didn't tell me

00:06:01but

00:06:02he did tell Kristen

00:06:03it's just really

00:06:04I guess he had no reason

00:06:06to tell me

00:06:07I didn't need to know

00:06:08I suppose

00:06:08kind of surprising

00:06:15I think that granddad

00:06:18had felt invisible

00:06:20for a large part

00:06:21of his childhood

00:06:22and recognized

00:06:24that

00:06:25the

00:06:26best way

00:06:27to get people

00:06:28to notice him

00:06:29was his

00:06:30athletic ability

00:06:32his size

00:06:34and so

00:06:35he went to college

00:06:36and he actually

00:06:37had a scholarship

00:06:38for football

00:06:39and he threw discus

00:06:40at SMU

00:06:42here you were at SMU

00:06:43with a scholarship

00:06:44and you met this

00:06:46young lady named Doris

00:06:48at the time

00:06:49that my grandparents

00:06:50met

00:06:50they loved each other

00:06:52so much

00:06:53and Mimi

00:06:55she wasn't going to

00:06:56let this boy go

00:06:57you know

00:06:58like this was a boy

00:06:59that was going places

00:07:00and you eventually

00:07:01married Doris

00:07:02but what did that cost you

00:07:04you mean up to an hour

00:07:05at that time

00:07:08well it cost me

00:07:09my scholarship

00:07:10when I started

00:07:11as a freshman

00:07:11at SMU

00:07:12they put a

00:07:12non-marriage rule in

00:07:14that any freshman

00:07:15that came in

00:07:15from then on

00:07:16at that time

00:07:16and later

00:07:17if they got married

00:07:18they lost their scholarship

00:07:19so because

00:07:19I didn't think

00:07:20that meant me

00:07:21I was too great

00:07:22uh-huh

00:07:23and you lost

00:07:24the scholarship

00:07:24yes sir

00:07:25just to condense it

00:07:26brother

00:07:26that's what happened

00:07:28all this time

00:07:29went on

00:07:30I had a wife

00:07:31and a young baby

00:07:32on the way

00:07:32and I really

00:07:35didn't know

00:07:35what I was going

00:07:36to do yet

00:07:42he tried lots of jobs

00:07:44he was a detective

00:07:46and a bus driver

00:07:49Ed Stringer Lewis

00:07:50belonging to

00:07:51Ole Ed

00:07:51was one of the

00:07:51greatest all-time

00:07:52wrestlers I guess

00:07:53ever was

00:07:53I said

00:07:54French you

00:07:55got a big name

00:07:55at SMU

00:07:56he said

00:07:56man we can

00:07:57train you

00:07:57for about six months

00:07:58put you in that

00:07:59sport of tournament

00:07:59you'll sell that

00:08:00building out

00:08:01and when he mentioned

00:08:02how much money

00:08:02I was going to make

00:08:03partner

00:08:03I mean to tell you

00:08:04he got my attention

00:08:05yes

00:08:05he said

00:08:06you're liable

00:08:06to make

00:08:06twenty or twenty

00:08:07five thousand dollars

00:08:08your first year

00:08:09in the business

00:08:09man I belong

00:08:11to him after that

00:08:12that's when my dad

00:08:13started professional wrestling

00:08:15Jack Atkinson

00:08:16of Dallas

00:08:17two hundred and fifty

00:08:17one pounder

00:08:19Atkinson is the tall

00:08:20boy on the right

00:08:22so Jack Atkinson

00:08:23started off as a

00:08:24local hero

00:08:25football player

00:08:26from SMU

00:08:26but he set out

00:08:28to travel far and wide

00:08:29to really make this

00:08:30his full-time career

00:08:31in wrestling

00:08:33there's no middle ground

00:08:35you either want

00:08:35the people to love you

00:08:36or to hate you

00:08:39people love to

00:08:39cheer for the good guy

00:08:40and boo the bad guy

00:08:42I think he was

00:08:43really smart

00:08:44in seeing the

00:08:46opportunity there

00:08:47to be a memorable

00:08:50heel

00:08:50a bad guy

00:08:52and so that's

00:08:54what my dad did

00:08:54he thought

00:08:55well the most

00:08:55detestable person

00:08:57I can think of

00:08:58would be a Nazi

00:08:59he changed his name

00:09:01to Fritz von Erich

00:09:02basically the most

00:09:03German name

00:09:04he could think of

00:09:05and there was a lot

00:09:11of potential

00:09:12in that character

00:09:13but he is rough

00:09:14and tough

00:09:15and nasty

00:09:16growing up as a fan

00:09:17if you watch TV

00:09:18you knew Fritz

00:09:19this guy is just vicious

00:09:21he just looked

00:09:22the part of a villain

00:09:23and he played

00:09:24the part of a villain

00:09:25unbelievably

00:09:25Fritz von Erich

00:09:26and the master

00:09:27of the Iron Claw

00:09:28the Iron Claw

00:09:29was Fritz's

00:09:30infamous finishing hold

00:09:32where he would

00:09:33take his big mitts

00:09:34and just wrap it

00:09:35around the skull

00:09:36and just squeeze

00:09:37until sometimes

00:09:38until blood came out

00:09:39or until they gave up

00:09:42that character

00:09:43was beneficial

00:09:44for his family

00:09:45and he was a family man

00:09:46he wanted Jackie

00:09:47to have everything

00:09:48and his wife

00:09:49to be taken care of

00:09:56Granddad

00:09:56what year were you born?

00:09:59um

00:09:591957

00:10:03oh

00:10:04that is

00:10:06so that's daddy

00:10:06right?

00:10:07oh okay

00:10:08okay so Uncle Jackie

00:10:09and you

00:10:09yeah

00:10:10by 1957

00:10:12it was just the two of us

00:10:13me Jackie

00:10:14and my mom and dad

00:10:19my mother loved

00:10:20her children

00:10:21she loved me

00:10:22and Jackie

00:10:23so much

00:10:24my mother was

00:10:25so full of love

00:10:27and my dad loved her

00:10:28we were happy

00:10:30and jovial

00:10:30and it was

00:10:32a great time

00:10:33there you are

00:10:34look at that cute baby

00:10:36that's me

00:10:37Jackie

00:10:38he was my big brother

00:10:40he kissed me

00:10:42he loves you

00:10:44oh Jackie

00:10:46he had the best

00:10:47personality

00:10:48he was funny

00:10:51like he's trying

00:10:52to make you laugh

00:10:54Jackie

00:10:54that big brother stuff

00:11:00was in 1959

00:11:01up in Niagara Falls

00:11:03we didn't have money

00:11:04back then

00:11:05we were

00:11:05we lived in a trailer

00:11:07house

00:11:07and uh

00:11:08one day

00:11:09Jackie wanted to go play

00:11:11and my mother was

00:11:12busy

00:11:12and so she said

00:11:14yeah go play

00:11:15Uncle Jackie

00:11:16asked if he could go

00:11:18to his friend's house

00:11:19a couple of

00:11:20mobile homes down

00:11:21and Mimi said

00:11:23yes

00:11:23just go ahead

00:11:24you can come home

00:11:25for lunch

00:11:26but yes

00:11:26go

00:11:29later on

00:11:30Mimi called her friend

00:11:32and they chatted

00:11:34for a few minutes

00:11:35and then she said

00:11:36um

00:11:36you can send Jackie home

00:11:38thank you so much

00:11:39for having him

00:11:40and her friend said

00:11:41well Jackie's not here

00:11:44Mimi said

00:11:45her heart dropped

00:11:46she immediately knew

00:11:47something was wrong

00:11:55that day

00:11:56Mimi was

00:11:58cleaning

00:11:59and it was cold

00:11:59outside

00:12:01and

00:12:02when she called

00:12:03her friend

00:12:04and said

00:12:04hey will you please

00:12:05send Jackie home

00:12:06she said

00:12:06Jackie never came over

00:12:07oh

00:12:08I mean

00:12:09as a mother

00:12:11when you say

00:12:12when you hear that

00:12:13that's

00:12:15I just can't imagine

00:12:19Mimi dropped the phone

00:12:21and just ran outside

00:12:22looking

00:12:24screaming his name

00:12:26and uh

00:12:27they couldn't find him

00:12:29so everybody

00:12:30in the little town

00:12:32there was looking

00:12:32for him

00:12:34eventually

00:12:34the neighbors say

00:12:35just go home

00:12:37and wait

00:12:37go home

00:12:37and wait

00:12:38and

00:12:39we're looking

00:12:39the cops are on

00:12:40their way

00:12:40so Mimi

00:12:42goes home

00:12:43so an officer

00:12:44knocked on the door

00:12:46when she opened it

00:12:47he said

00:12:48we found him

00:12:53but she said

00:12:54his countenance

00:12:55didn't match his words

00:12:56and she

00:12:57was just like

00:12:58okay give him to me

00:13:00give him to me

00:13:00but she said

00:13:01there was this

00:13:01siren in her mind

00:13:03like why is this

00:13:04why is he not happy

00:13:05why does his face

00:13:06not match

00:13:07what I'm hearing

00:13:08and

00:13:09um

00:13:09he just

00:13:10you know

00:13:10said we found him

00:13:11and Mimi said

00:13:12that she like

00:13:13he went to hug her

00:13:14and she just

00:13:15punched him

00:13:16in the chest

00:13:16over and over

00:13:17and

00:13:17um

00:13:19screamed and cried

00:13:23at six years old

00:13:24he was just gone

00:13:27just like that

00:13:30what happened was

00:13:32in this mobile home park

00:13:33someone had a little

00:13:34uh

00:13:35trailer

00:13:36or equipment room

00:13:37or something

00:13:37that had

00:13:38the sheet metal siding

00:13:40and so we was walking

00:13:41by rubbing his finger

00:13:43along it

00:13:44and he touched a spot

00:13:46where the skin

00:13:47on the trailer

00:13:47had been electrified

00:13:50the guy wired his trailer

00:13:52wrong

00:13:52he touched it

00:13:54it knocked him out

00:13:55he was face down

00:13:57on the ground

00:13:59some snow had melted

00:14:00so his face

00:14:01was in a puddle

00:14:02um

00:14:03and I think the actual

00:14:04cause of death

00:14:05was

00:14:05was drowning

00:14:08and then whenever

00:14:10granddad finally

00:14:11did get home

00:14:12I

00:14:13I cannot

00:14:14even imagine

00:14:15but just

00:14:15holding that news

00:14:17and then he comes

00:14:18home and you say

00:14:19here's what happened

00:14:19today

00:14:21my dad came home

00:14:23and

00:14:24punched the car window

00:14:25and broke the glass

00:14:27and

00:14:27it was a

00:14:28oh

00:14:29such a terrible time

00:14:31losing Jackie

00:14:32our first baby

00:14:35was a terrible blow

00:14:37to me

00:14:39listening to her

00:14:40tell that story

00:14:41made me

00:14:42realize

00:14:43oh

00:14:44she changed

00:14:45at that point

00:14:49she had an anger

00:14:50towards God

00:14:52God

00:14:53if you're real

00:14:54why did you let

00:14:55my little boy die

00:14:55she loved him

00:14:57but she felt like

00:14:58almost like

00:14:59but God owed her one

00:15:01for letting her

00:15:02baby

00:15:03be taken

00:15:05and

00:15:06at the time

00:15:07granddad blamed himself

00:15:08for being gone

00:15:10Mimi

00:15:10blamed herself too

00:15:12but she also blamed

00:15:13granddad for being gone

00:15:15so I think that

00:15:16sort of

00:15:18cumulatively

00:15:19as time went on

00:15:20that

00:15:21you know

00:15:22anger

00:15:22that resentment

00:15:23sort of

00:15:24just

00:15:24built upon itself

00:15:32anyone that loses a child

00:15:35there's no pain

00:15:36and no hurt

00:15:36anyone can ever go through

00:15:37unless you lose

00:15:38one of your children

00:15:39how did you feel

00:15:40about God

00:15:40at that time

00:15:41I didn't have a

00:15:42I didn't have a Lord

00:15:43at the time

00:15:44I didn't know

00:15:44he was there

00:15:45I didn't think

00:15:45he was there

00:15:47I just turned

00:15:47I said Lord

00:15:48if you're there

00:15:48if you're getting me

00:15:49back to Texas

00:15:51I said I will follow

00:15:52you the rest of my life

00:15:54he got me back to Texas

00:15:56it took a long time

00:15:57and I walked in a straight line

00:15:58and we went like this

00:15:59but we got there

00:16:02after Uncle Jackie died

00:16:04granddad

00:16:06when he had the opportunity

00:16:08to wrestle in Dallas

00:16:09regularly

00:16:09or in Texas

00:16:10I think that

00:16:12they wanted to

00:16:13pursue that

00:16:14for sure

00:16:15because it meant

00:16:15that they could

00:16:16you know

00:16:17be together more

00:16:18and wouldn't have to

00:16:19be separate

00:16:20so

00:16:21my grandparents

00:16:22and my dad

00:16:23they

00:16:24moved

00:16:25back to Texas

00:16:32oh wow

00:16:32there's a ranch

00:16:34that's where your

00:16:35great uncles grew up

00:16:37so after I was born

00:16:41my mother had four kids

00:16:43all boys

00:16:44Dave was born in 1958

00:16:46Carrie in 1960

00:16:49Mike was born in 1964

00:16:53and then Chris was born in 1969

00:16:56look at Uncle Chris

00:16:57what's he riding on?

00:16:58there's Chris

00:17:00my little brothers

00:17:01thought the world of me

00:17:03and I was really protective of them

00:17:04and I just fell into the job

00:17:07that was me

00:17:07and my big brother

00:17:08and

00:17:10and I loved my brothers

00:17:11look at you

00:17:12and Uncle Dave

00:17:13daddy

00:17:14yep

00:17:15skinny Dave

00:17:16we always hunted

00:17:18and fished

00:17:19and

00:17:19spent

00:17:20time together

00:17:23oh

00:17:24what great memories

00:17:25we had

00:17:25we all had horses

00:17:27we rode horses everywhere

00:17:29didn't everyone have

00:17:30their own motorcycle

00:17:31and their own dog?

00:17:32yep

00:17:32we sure did

00:17:33and our own baby guy

00:17:34and that's what we did

00:17:35all day

00:17:37there's Carrie with us

00:17:38first 22

00:17:39Carrie and I

00:17:40grew up together

00:17:42at their house

00:17:43out there

00:17:44in their ranch

00:17:44it was like

00:17:45Disneyland

00:17:47wear shorts

00:17:48and

00:17:49barefooted

00:17:49no shirt

00:17:50all through summer

00:17:51so that type of stuff

00:17:52oh that was me

00:17:53that's a flip

00:17:54really?

00:17:55it was a twisting flip

00:17:55you never told me

00:17:56you could do a

00:17:57oh yeah

00:17:57a back of our 80

00:17:59I said to my dad

00:18:00one day

00:18:00dad what should I do

00:18:02thank you for a living

00:18:02I like to brag

00:18:04and I'm a show off

00:18:05he said

00:18:05you might want to

00:18:06try pro wrestling son

00:18:10after uncle Jackie

00:18:12passed away

00:18:13Mimi and granddad

00:18:15had this idea

00:18:17that the world

00:18:18is dangerous

00:18:20and they both had the desire

00:18:23to keep their family safe

00:18:26from the ugliness of this world

00:18:31so they tried to make their house

00:18:34be the fun house

00:18:36where you wouldn't want to leave

00:18:37at that time

00:18:39my Mimi was unbelievably strong

00:18:44I mean she had to

00:18:45she had to keep it together

00:18:47to lose a six year old

00:18:50is

00:18:50how do you go on

00:18:51and whatever she did

00:18:52I think she did it right

00:18:53I just think it's amazing

00:18:55that

00:18:57both of them

00:18:58had this mentality

00:19:00to

00:19:02hold it all together

00:19:03like that

00:19:04both of them

00:19:06tell me about raising the boys

00:19:08the greatest memories

00:19:09I have in my life

00:19:10is raising those youngies

00:19:12gosh it was fine

00:19:13and I wish I could do it again

00:19:14I think that my dad

00:19:16learned a lot

00:19:17from his youth

00:19:18even though his father

00:19:20wasn't around

00:19:20he learned from that

00:19:22he's going to be

00:19:23the kind of father

00:19:24that is around

00:19:25don't misunderstand me

00:19:26I made a lot of mistakes

00:19:27raising my children

00:19:28but my wife and I

00:19:29love to have a minute of it

00:19:30that made me the difference

00:19:31to a lot of folks

00:19:31they don't love it

00:19:33a lot of the home movies

00:19:34that we have

00:19:35you can hear granddad talking

00:19:36he's narrating the whole thing

00:19:38and just laughing

00:19:39and chuckling

00:19:44he didn't have parents

00:19:45that wanted to spend time

00:19:46with him

00:19:47so he wanted to be a dad

00:19:48that did

00:19:49that wanted to spend time

00:19:50with his kids

00:19:52in the history of wrestling

00:19:53who would you say

00:19:54is the greatest wrestler

00:19:55of all time

00:19:59that's a rather leading question

00:20:00don't you think

00:20:00what do you think

00:20:01the answer's going to be there

00:20:02I would say

00:20:02Fritz von Erich

00:20:03right

00:20:04there's no doubt about that

00:20:05the most winning wrestler

00:20:06the wrestler that's

00:20:07the most money in the world

00:20:08today has got to be

00:20:08Fritz von Erich

00:20:09at the time

00:20:10Fritz

00:20:11he just became

00:20:13an idol

00:20:14around here

00:20:15in Dallas

00:20:16Whitworth area

00:20:17Fritz von Erich

00:20:18by his own admission

00:20:20the world's greatest wrestler

00:20:21people in Texas

00:20:23loved Fritz von Erich

00:20:24I mean he was

00:20:24that guy could have been

00:20:25king of Texas

00:20:26I remember

00:20:27Coach Landry

00:20:28and guys from the Cowboys

00:20:30would call my dad

00:20:31for advice

00:20:31and I just never really

00:20:33dawned on me

00:20:34how important he was

00:20:36not just Texas

00:20:37but all over

00:20:39all over the world

00:20:42my dad was a big star

00:20:43in Japan

00:20:43and he took

00:20:45each one of us

00:20:46Kevin was the first

00:20:47one of my sons

00:20:48to go on the trip

00:20:50I don't think

00:20:51Kevin even

00:20:52had any idea

00:20:55what to expect

00:20:55when he got there

00:20:57the first time

00:20:58I went with him

00:21:00I looked out

00:21:01the window

00:21:02and there were

00:21:02all these photographers

00:21:03like

00:21:04so many

00:21:05at least a hundred

00:21:07photographers

00:21:08I said

00:21:09dad

00:21:09there's some kind

00:21:10of movie store

00:21:11you should see

00:21:11all the photographers

00:21:13outside

00:21:13and my dad

00:21:15that's who they were

00:21:16there to see

00:21:16I couldn't believe it

00:21:18but they just wanted

00:21:19to see us

00:21:19wanted to see

00:21:20the guy

00:21:21the iron glow

00:21:23kids you know

00:21:24just like any other

00:21:25little fella out there

00:21:25we wanted to be

00:21:26just like our dads

00:21:27I guess

00:21:27all y'all are the same way

00:21:30and you know

00:21:31so we tried extra hard

00:21:32to I guess

00:21:33you know

00:21:34the young kids

00:21:34are just that way

00:21:35anything my dad did

00:21:36you know

00:21:37he was like

00:21:37we just wanted

00:21:38to be like him

00:21:39someone with

00:21:40Jack Atkinson's mindset

00:21:41he wants to conquer

00:21:42the world

00:21:43and by this time

00:21:45you know

00:21:45he knew how the business

00:21:46of pro wrestling worked

00:21:48and I think

00:21:49he probably just thought

00:21:50if I'm going to make

00:21:51a go of this

00:21:52if it's worth my time

00:21:53to be a wrestler

00:21:53it's more worth my time

00:21:55to be running everything

00:21:57he kind of took over

00:21:58the Dallas promotion

00:22:00now

00:22:00Fritz was the promoter

00:22:02and Fritz

00:22:04then used that opportunity

00:22:05to exert his power

00:22:07and to

00:22:08kind of take over

00:22:09the booking

00:22:10of the Texas territory

00:22:12and all of the Texas towns

00:22:14nobody realizes

00:22:15it at the time

00:22:16but

00:22:17the path

00:22:18for the Von Erich boys

00:22:19is being set here

00:22:21and in a lot of ways

00:22:23that would be

00:22:23a shadow

00:22:24over the family

00:22:24forever

00:22:30all of my brothers

00:22:31were in sports

00:22:32me

00:22:33Dave

00:22:33Kerry

00:22:34Mike

00:22:35were all

00:22:36athletes

00:22:37and

00:22:38we were good at it

00:22:39but with Chris

00:22:40he had asthma

00:22:42and had to take

00:22:43medicine for it

00:22:44and it

00:22:45it stunted his growth

00:22:47and it

00:22:49he couldn't breathe

00:22:50he really couldn't

00:22:51get enough air

00:22:52to

00:22:52to really be

00:22:53a successful athlete

00:22:55and it's just too bad

00:22:56it's just the way it is

00:22:57but me

00:22:58Dave

00:22:59Kerry

00:22:59Mike

00:23:00we just had a gift

00:23:01for it

00:23:03Kevin

00:23:04I mean

00:23:04in high school

00:23:05he really loved football

00:23:07man

00:23:07nobody could

00:23:09tackle him

00:23:10he'd just run over

00:23:11everybody

00:23:11you know

00:23:12so

00:23:12there's one game

00:23:13he averaged like

00:23:1421 yards a carry

00:23:16when dad would come

00:23:17to the football games

00:23:18it'd be a touchdown

00:23:19or something

00:23:20I'd look up in the audience

00:23:21and I'd see his hands

00:23:22do this

00:23:24and that's all I cared about

00:23:25that's all I wanted to see

00:23:26was how he felt about it

00:23:29David was 6'7

00:23:30so

00:23:30he was a great

00:23:31basketball player

00:23:32in Lake Dallas

00:23:34the only All-State athletes

00:23:35that that school

00:23:36has ever had

00:23:36were my sons

00:23:38David was All-State

00:23:39in basketball

00:23:40two consecutive years

00:23:41but the kids

00:23:44I've been very proud of

00:23:45it

00:23:47it was

00:23:48kind of cool

00:23:49David and Kevin

00:23:50both got scholarships

00:23:51to North Texas

00:23:51which when North Texas

00:23:53was really

00:23:53a Division I

00:23:55you know

00:23:55powerhouse

00:23:56Kevin went first

00:23:58and then David

00:23:58went the next year

00:23:59and played basketball

00:24:00and football

00:24:03I went to college

00:24:04to play football

00:24:05I didn't care about

00:24:06my degree

00:24:07or anything like that

00:24:08I loved football

00:24:10and that's all

00:24:11I could think about

00:24:12it was his freshman year

00:24:14I was there

00:24:15Wayne Carey

00:24:15went to watch the game

00:24:16in Denton

00:24:17at North Texas

00:24:18and I think

00:24:19somebody got blocked

00:24:20into him

00:24:21his own man

00:24:22or something

00:24:22and just

00:24:23tore his ACL

00:24:24you know

00:24:24just one of the worst things

00:24:26and he came back

00:24:27with a vengeance

00:24:28and I'll be dadgum

00:24:29if he didn't hurt

00:24:30the other one

00:24:30his sophomore year

00:24:33with my knees

00:24:35out

00:24:36I could tell

00:24:37it took something

00:24:37from my quickness

00:24:39football wasn't

00:24:40as much fun

00:24:40to me

00:24:42and so

00:24:43it was just

00:24:44a matter of time

00:24:45before I

00:24:45quit playing

00:24:46it

00:24:47it was over

00:24:49not time

00:24:49to make a living

00:24:51so

00:24:51I dropped out

00:24:53of college

00:24:53and

00:24:54I gave

00:24:55wrestling

00:24:55a try

00:24:58Kevin Von Erich

00:24:59was the oldest son

00:25:01and the first

00:25:02to give pro wrestling

00:25:03a shot

00:25:03when he decided

00:25:04to get in

00:25:05he didn't have

00:25:05to look far

00:25:06I mean his dad

00:25:06ran the local promotion

00:25:08by then

00:25:09Jack had taken over

00:25:10the Dallas promotion

00:25:12what's now known

00:25:12as world class

00:25:13championship wrestling

00:25:14so this is slowly

00:25:16becoming a family business

00:25:19I remember when

00:25:20Kevin debuted

00:25:21like it was yesterday

00:25:23I remember it

00:25:24because I was

00:25:24such a big fan

00:25:25of Fritz Von Erich

00:25:26and then Kevin debuts

00:25:27and he's

00:25:28he's this really

00:25:29good looking young guy

00:25:30with this great body

00:25:31it's this incredible

00:25:33star athlete

00:25:34and you're like

00:25:34wow

00:25:35this guy could

00:25:36carry on the

00:25:36Von Erich legacy

00:25:37Kevin majored in football

00:25:39and suffered an injury

00:25:40and football's loss

00:25:41became professional

00:25:42wrestling game

00:25:43in fact

00:25:44when I started out

00:25:45wrestling

00:25:45we had to change

00:25:46the building

00:25:47because the crowd

00:25:48was getting bigger

00:25:49from the Will Rogers

00:25:50complex in Fort Worth

00:25:52here's Saturday Night Wrestling

00:25:54there was the writing

00:25:55on the wall

00:25:56I could never make

00:25:56this kind of

00:25:57money

00:25:58cleaning catfish

00:25:59and washing dishes

00:26:02meanwhile

00:26:02David

00:26:03starts to take notice

00:26:05of what his brother

00:26:06Kevin was doing

00:26:06out there

00:26:07in the wrestling ring

00:26:08so even

00:26:08as a college student

00:26:10he begins to dabble

00:26:11in his dad's business

00:26:12as well

00:26:12David Von Erich

00:26:14high school all-stater

00:26:15in basketball

00:26:16Dave

00:26:17loved basketball

00:26:19when Dave

00:26:20got his first

00:26:20wrestling paycheck

00:26:23oh that's

00:26:24Mr. Wilkinson

00:26:25board

00:26:25he thought

00:26:26goodbye basketball

00:26:28introducing

00:26:30from Denton Texas

00:26:31weighing 236 pounds

00:26:33David Von Erich

00:26:34David was the one

00:26:36that picked up

00:26:36on the psychology

00:26:37of the

00:26:38of matches

00:26:39really well

00:26:40three brush

00:26:40rolling

00:26:41ground

00:26:41by David

00:26:41man he was

00:26:42really good

00:26:43David blocks

00:26:44race

00:26:44a suplex

00:26:45lifts

00:26:46race

00:26:46suplex

00:26:47by David

00:26:48Von Erich

00:26:49David had all

00:26:49the tools

00:26:50David was a natural

00:26:52it has been

00:26:53simply all

00:26:53David Von Erich

00:26:55who has

00:26:55dominated

00:26:56Harley Race

00:26:5718 years old

00:26:58he had his

00:26:59first sell

00:27:01that's pretty

00:27:01young to sell

00:27:02out a building

00:27:03like he did

00:27:03David Harley Race

00:27:04oh he caught

00:27:06him in the claw

00:27:07he caught

00:27:07race in the claw

00:27:09that's it

00:27:12David Von Erich

00:27:15I've known

00:27:16his old man

00:27:17for a long

00:27:18time

00:27:20he's legend

00:27:21and this kid

00:27:22right here

00:27:23is not

00:27:24damn far

00:27:25behind

00:27:34Dave and I

00:27:36were pro wrestlers

00:27:37now

00:27:38my dad

00:27:38he never really

00:27:39wanted us to

00:27:40wrestle

00:27:41he really

00:27:42didn't

00:27:42he wanted us to

00:27:43go to college

00:27:44and have

00:27:46desk jobs

00:27:48I never wanted

00:27:49my boys to be

00:27:49in wrestling

00:27:50what I didn't

00:27:51realize was

00:27:52that's the only

00:27:52last they'd ever

00:27:53know

00:27:53my dad was a

00:27:54pro wrestler

00:27:55and so that's

00:27:55the way we were

00:27:56brought up

00:27:56we wanted to be

00:27:57the best we

00:27:58possibly could

00:27:58and so my dad

00:28:00never pressured us

00:28:01into wrestling

00:28:01or pressured us

00:28:02into anything

00:28:02we just wanted

00:28:03to compete

00:28:03they literally

00:28:04had to talk

00:28:05Fritz into

00:28:05letting him

00:28:06start working

00:28:06and there's

00:28:08David

00:28:08look at that

00:28:08over the top

00:28:09and a big drop

00:28:10kick

00:28:10dad really

00:28:11didn't like

00:28:11that

00:28:12I say

00:28:12he didn't like

00:28:13it but the

00:28:14buildings were

00:28:14packed

00:28:15you know

00:28:15sell out

00:28:16crowds

00:28:16every week

00:28:17Kevin Von

00:28:18Eric

00:28:18that's what

00:28:19the people

00:28:20here

00:28:20want to see

00:28:21my dad

00:28:22was a promoter

00:28:22too so

00:28:23he liked

00:28:23that

00:28:24I think

00:28:25we have

00:28:25the very

00:28:25finest

00:28:26professional

00:28:26wrestlers

00:28:27in the world

00:28:27coming up

00:28:28my son

00:28:28Kevin

00:28:29my oldest

00:28:29boy

00:28:29Kevin Von

00:28:30Eric

00:28:30just stay

00:28:31with it

00:28:31you're

00:28:31going to

00:28:31enjoy

00:28:32this

00:28:32I don't

00:28:33believe

00:28:33this

00:28:33look

00:28:34at

00:28:34Kevin

00:28:34oh

00:28:36the oldest

00:28:37brother wrestled

00:28:37so the younger

00:28:38brother wanted

00:28:38to wrestle

00:28:39and my

00:28:40grandmother

00:28:41she said

00:28:42whatever they

00:28:43did

00:28:44my granddad

00:28:45made him do

00:28:45it 110%

00:28:47so he did

00:28:48give them a

00:28:49choice

00:28:49but if they

00:28:50wanted to

00:28:51he made sure

00:28:52that they

00:28:52committed 100%

00:28:53and she was

00:28:54supportive of that

00:28:55and then also

00:28:56my dad

00:28:57didn't have to

00:28:57pay us

00:28:58like he did

00:28:58the other

00:28:59guys

00:28:59we didn't

00:29:00mind

00:29:00the dad

00:29:00didn't

00:29:01pay us

00:29:01like the

00:29:01other

00:29:01wrestlers

00:29:02it was

00:29:02okay

00:29:03with us

00:29:03you know

00:29:03because

00:29:04everything

00:29:04was

00:29:05working

00:29:05out

00:29:05great

00:29:05we have

00:29:07probably

00:29:07the greatest

00:29:08wrestling father

00:29:09of all

00:29:09times

00:29:09a man

00:29:10by the

00:29:10name

00:29:10of

00:29:10Fritz

00:29:11Von

00:29:11Eric

00:29:12our

00:29:12ambition

00:29:13in life

00:29:13is to

00:29:14live up

00:29:14to his

00:29:14name

00:29:15and to

00:29:15do

00:29:15as

00:29:15well

00:29:15as

00:29:16he's

00:29:16done

00:29:16in

00:29:16this

00:29:16sport

00:29:18we had

00:29:19a family

00:29:19and we

00:29:20did it

00:29:21for the

00:29:21family

00:29:22and it's

00:29:23not for

00:29:24my family

00:29:25or for

00:29:25Dave's

00:29:25family

00:29:26it was

00:29:26for

00:29:26the

00:29:27family

00:29:31at the

00:29:31time

00:29:32my brother

00:29:32Dave

00:29:33got married

00:29:34young

00:29:35well he

00:29:36had a

00:29:36girlfriend

00:29:37and

00:29:38um

00:29:41wanted to

00:29:41do the

00:29:42right thing

00:29:42and marry

00:29:43her

00:29:43and he

00:29:43did

00:29:43around

00:29:45this time

00:29:45David's

00:29:45girlfriend

00:29:46Candy

00:29:46gets

00:29:47pregnant

00:29:47and in

00:29:481978

00:29:48their

00:29:49daughter

00:29:49Natasha

00:29:50is born

00:29:52David

00:29:52was real

00:29:52excited

00:29:53about her

00:29:54you know

00:29:54and uh

00:29:55Candy

00:29:56was just

00:29:56a wonderful

00:29:57mother

00:29:59once they

00:29:59had the

00:30:00child

00:30:00he was

00:30:01already

00:30:01talking

00:30:01like

00:30:02man

00:30:02I

00:30:02don't

00:30:03want

00:30:03to be

00:30:03on the

00:30:03road

00:30:03as much

00:30:04it

00:30:04makes

00:30:04it

00:30:04hard

00:30:05he

00:30:06was

00:30:06so

00:30:06excited

00:30:06about

00:30:07the

00:30:07cruise

00:30:07I'll

00:30:07never

00:30:07forget

00:30:08they

00:30:08were

00:30:08going

00:30:08on

00:30:08a

00:30:09cruise

00:30:09they

00:30:10had

00:30:10never

00:30:10been

00:30:10on

00:30:10a

00:30:10cruise

00:30:11and

00:30:11back

00:30:11then

00:30:12hardly

00:30:12anybody

00:30:12had

00:30:12been

00:30:12on

00:30:13cruise

00:30:13but

00:30:16and

00:30:16then

00:30:16sure

00:30:17enough

00:30:17Dave

00:30:18he

00:30:19gets

00:30:19a

00:30:19phone

00:30:19call

00:30:20they

00:30:21were

00:30:21able

00:30:21to

00:30:21get

00:30:21a

00:30:21hold

00:30:21of

00:30:21them

00:30:22and

00:30:23let

00:30:23them

00:30:23know

00:30:24that

00:30:24the

00:30:25child

00:30:25had

00:30:25died

00:30:28it

00:30:29it

00:30:29was

00:30:29SIDS

00:30:29sudden

00:30:30infant

00:30:31death

00:30:31syndrome

00:30:33it

00:30:33was

00:30:33just

00:30:34horrific

00:30:34man

00:30:36we

00:30:37didn't

00:30:37understand

00:30:37I

00:30:38mean

00:30:38how

00:30:38does

00:30:38a

00:30:38child

00:30:39just

00:30:39you

00:30:40know

00:30:40back

00:30:41then

00:30:41SIDS

00:30:41was

00:30:41a

00:30:42huge

00:30:42question

00:30:42and

00:30:43you

00:30:43know

00:30:43that

00:30:44a

00:30:44child

00:30:44could

00:30:45just

00:30:45a

00:30:45baby

00:30:45could

00:30:46just

00:30:46die

00:30:46in

00:30:46the

00:30:46middle

00:30:46of

00:30:47the

00:30:47night

00:30:47that

00:30:47had

00:30:47been

00:30:48perfectly

00:30:48healthy

00:30:49but

00:30:50that's

00:30:50what

00:30:50happened

00:30:51you

00:30:51know

00:30:53obviously

00:30:54that

00:30:54was

00:30:54a

00:30:54big

00:30:55blow

00:30:55for

00:30:55Dave

00:30:58David

00:30:58and

00:30:58Candy

00:30:59it

00:30:59affected

00:31:00their

00:31:00relationship

00:31:01they

00:31:01just

00:31:01kind

00:31:01of

00:31:01drifted

00:31:02apart

00:31:03and

00:31:03they

00:31:03ended

00:31:03up

00:31:03getting

00:31:03a

00:31:04divorce

00:31:05it

00:31:05was

00:31:05tough

00:31:06you

00:31:06know

00:31:06nobody

00:31:07nobody

00:31:08wants

00:31:08to

00:31:08bury

00:31:08their

00:31:08kids

00:31:11Jack

00:31:11Jr

00:31:11Fritz's

00:31:12firstborn

00:31:12son

00:31:13had

00:31:14died

00:31:14and

00:31:15then

00:31:15Jack's

00:31:16first

00:31:17grandchild

00:31:19dies

00:31:19of SIDS

00:31:20I

00:31:21don't

00:31:21know

00:31:21at

00:31:22that

00:31:22point

00:31:22if

00:31:22you

00:31:22start

00:31:23thinking

00:31:23in

00:31:23terms

00:31:23of

00:31:24a

00:31:24curse

00:31:24but

00:31:24it

00:31:24really

00:31:25does

00:31:25seem

00:31:25like

00:31:26there's

00:31:27a

00:31:27bad

00:31:27moon

00:31:27hanging

00:31:28over

00:31:28this

00:31:28family

00:31:32on my

00:31:33loud

00:31:33pitch

00:31:33sensational

00:31:34Von

00:31:35Eric

00:31:35brothers

00:31:36David

00:31:36and

00:31:37Kevin

00:31:39Dave

00:31:40and I

00:31:40were on

00:31:41the road

00:31:41a lot

00:31:41off the ropes

00:31:43and a big

00:31:43drop kick

00:31:45we were

00:31:46performing

00:31:46and so we

00:31:47weren't

00:31:47home like

00:31:49like

00:31:49Kerry was

00:31:52at home

00:31:52when

00:31:53Kerry was

00:31:54the big

00:31:54brother

00:31:55and Dave

00:31:56and I

00:31:56were out

00:31:56out

00:31:57Kerry

00:31:58was a

00:31:58lot

00:31:58more

00:31:58permissive

00:31:59than

00:32:00Dave

00:32:00and I

00:32:00were

00:32:00Kerry

00:32:01was

00:32:02out

00:32:02with

00:32:02Mike

00:32:02and

00:32:02Chris

00:32:03and

00:32:03he

00:32:03let

00:32:04things

00:32:04go

00:32:05things

00:32:05like

00:32:07drinking

00:32:08staying

00:32:08out

00:32:08Dave

00:32:10and I

00:32:10would have

00:32:11never

00:32:11let that

00:32:12go

00:32:12and

00:32:12Kerry

00:32:13was

00:32:14all

00:32:15about

00:32:15fun

00:32:16everybody

00:32:17loved

00:32:17him

00:32:18and he

00:32:18was

00:32:18so

00:32:18good

00:32:19inside

00:32:19he

00:32:20just

00:32:20wanted

00:32:20to make

00:32:21you

00:32:21laugh

00:32:22Kerry

00:32:23was

00:32:23pleasant

00:32:24all

00:32:24the

00:32:24time

00:32:25laughing

00:32:25and

00:32:25joking

00:32:27playing

00:32:28ribs

00:32:28constantly

00:32:29but

00:32:30also

00:32:31Kerry

00:32:31was

00:32:32really

00:32:33an elite

00:32:34athlete

00:32:35the

00:32:36Von Ericks

00:32:37were all

00:32:37athletes

00:32:38but

00:32:39my brother

00:32:40Kerry

00:32:41was gifted

00:32:42in fact

00:32:43Kerry

00:32:44was offered

00:32:45a full

00:32:46rod

00:32:46scholarship

00:32:47at University

00:32:47Texas

00:32:48to play

00:32:49football

00:32:49and Kerry

00:32:51I heard

00:32:51him

00:32:52say

00:32:52it

00:32:52I was

00:32:52sitting

00:32:52right

00:32:53there

00:32:53I said

00:32:53I don't

00:32:54want

00:32:54I don't

00:32:55really

00:32:55like

00:32:55football

00:32:56coach

00:32:56I don't

00:32:56think

00:32:57I want

00:32:57to do

00:32:57that

00:32:57I'll

00:32:58throw

00:32:58the

00:32:58discus

00:33:00he was

00:33:01number

00:33:01one

00:33:01in the

00:33:02nation

00:33:02when we

00:33:03were

00:33:03seniors

00:33:03in the

00:33:04discus

00:33:05I'll

00:33:06tell you

00:33:06what

00:33:06folks

00:33:06every

00:33:07day

00:33:07my

00:33:07mother

00:33:08was

00:33:08out

00:33:08there

00:33:09lugging

00:33:10four

00:33:10or

00:33:10five

00:33:10discus

00:33:11that

00:33:11weighed

00:33:12four

00:33:12pounds

00:33:12a piece

00:33:13throwing

00:33:14them

00:33:14back

00:33:14to me

00:33:14every

00:33:15day

00:33:15and

00:33:15she

00:33:15couldn't

00:33:16thought

00:33:16that

00:33:16far

00:33:16she

00:33:17had

00:33:17run

00:33:17it

00:33:17in

00:33:17that

00:33:18far

00:33:18but

00:33:18my

00:33:18mother

00:33:18was

00:33:19there

00:33:19every

00:33:20every

00:33:20workout

00:33:21and he

00:33:22wound up

00:33:22throwing

00:33:22the

00:33:23discus

00:33:23but

00:33:23for

00:33:23the

00:33:23University

00:33:24of

00:33:24Houston

00:33:25Tom

00:33:26Tellez

00:33:27was the

00:33:27University

00:33:28of

00:33:28Houston

00:33:28coach

00:33:28he was

00:33:29the

00:33:29Olympic

00:33:30coach

00:33:30so

00:33:30that's

00:33:31another

00:33:31reason

00:33:31Kerry

00:33:32went

00:33:32to

00:33:32Houston

00:33:32he

00:33:33was

00:33:33really

00:33:33wanting

00:33:34to

00:33:34go

00:33:34to

00:33:34the

00:33:34try

00:33:35out

00:33:35for

00:33:35the

00:33:351980

00:33:36Olympics

00:33:36and

00:33:37then

00:33:37they

00:33:38boycotted

00:33:38it

00:33:40Kerry

00:33:40said

00:33:41I

00:33:41don't

00:33:41wait

00:33:41till

00:33:411984

00:33:42that's

00:33:43four

00:33:43five

00:33:44years

00:33:44away

00:33:44basically

00:33:45nearly

00:33:45and

00:33:45he

00:33:46wanted

00:33:47to

00:33:47leave

00:33:47college

00:33:49so

00:33:50that's

00:33:50when

00:33:50Kerry

00:33:50came

00:33:51back

00:33:51home

00:33:52and

00:33:53I

00:33:53knew

00:33:53Kerry

00:33:54from

00:33:55his

00:33:55younger

00:33:56brother

00:33:56Mike

00:33:57because

00:33:58Mike

00:33:58and I

00:33:59were

00:33:59in

00:33:59class

00:34:00together

00:34:00since

00:34:01third

00:34:01grade

00:34:02and

00:34:03so

00:34:03Mike

00:34:03was

00:34:04the

00:34:04strongest

00:34:05male

00:34:06athlete

00:34:06in

00:34:06school

00:34:07and

00:34:07I

00:34:07was

00:34:08the

00:34:08strongest

00:34:08female

00:34:09athlete

00:34:10in

00:34:11school

00:34:11so

00:34:12we

00:34:12used

00:34:12to

00:34:12get

00:34:12all

00:34:12the

00:34:12awards

00:34:13together

00:34:13and

00:34:14things

00:34:14like

00:34:14that

00:34:14so

00:34:15Mike

00:34:15and I

00:34:16were

00:34:16best

00:34:16friends

00:34:17one

00:34:18day

00:34:18Mike

00:34:19said

00:34:19to

00:34:20Kerry

00:34:20can

00:34:21I

00:34:21have

00:34:21a

00:34:21party

00:34:21and

00:34:23Kerry

00:34:23said

00:34:23only

00:34:24if

00:34:24you

00:34:25invite

00:34:25Kathy

00:34:26Murray

00:34:26Kerry

00:34:27and I

00:34:27got

00:34:27to

00:34:28talking

00:34:28and

00:34:28the

00:34:29rest

00:34:29is

00:34:29history

00:34:29we

00:34:30just

00:34:30stayed

00:34:31together

00:34:31after

00:34:31that

00:34:32you

00:34:33know

00:34:33that

00:34:33young

00:34:33love

00:34:34that's

00:34:35so

00:34:35raw

00:34:35and

00:34:35so

00:34:36real

00:34:37and

00:34:37you're

00:34:37so

00:34:37young

00:34:38and

00:34:38it's

00:34:38your

00:34:38first

00:34:39and

00:34:40so

00:34:40that

00:34:40was

00:34:41really

00:34:42powerful

00:34:42for me

00:34:49my

00:34:50dad

00:34:51and

00:34:52my

00:34:52mom

00:34:52what a

00:34:53beautiful

00:34:53love story

00:34:54they have

00:34:55my mom

00:34:56adores

00:34:57my dad

00:34:57and my

00:34:58dad

00:34:58loves

00:34:59and treasures

00:34:59my mom

00:35:00I

00:35:01got

00:35:01married

00:35:01in

00:35:021980

00:35:02my

00:35:03sweet

00:35:04Pam

00:35:04I

00:35:05been

00:35:05so

00:35:05happy

00:35:05with

00:35:06her

00:35:06we've

00:35:06been

00:35:06married

00:35:0645

00:35:07years

00:35:11I

00:35:11mean

00:35:11yes

00:35:12it

00:35:12probably

00:35:12was

00:35:13scary

00:35:13to her

00:35:13to see

00:35:14this

00:35:14is a

00:35:15semi

00:35:15famous

00:35:16family

00:35:16they're

00:35:17all

00:35:17wrestlers

00:35:18but I

00:35:19think

00:35:19when she

00:35:20saw

00:35:20what a

00:35:20beautiful

00:35:21family

00:35:21they

00:35:21were

00:35:21behind

00:35:22closed

00:35:22doors

00:35:23and

00:35:23she

00:35:24wanted

00:35:24to be

00:35:24a

00:35:24part

00:35:24of

00:35:25that

00:35:25and

00:35:25they

00:35:25cherished

00:35:26her

00:35:26and

00:35:27she

00:35:28said

00:35:28she

00:35:28had

00:35:28always

00:35:28prayed

00:35:29I

00:35:29want to

00:35:29a

00:35:30godly

00:35:30man

00:35:30that's

00:35:31who

00:35:31my

00:35:31dad

00:35:32was

00:35:32and

00:35:33on

00:35:33the

00:35:33outside

00:35:33that's

00:35:34not

00:35:34what

00:35:34my

00:35:34dad

00:35:34looked

00:35:34like

00:35:35he

00:35:35just

00:35:35looked

00:35:36like

00:35:36this

00:35:36handsome

00:35:37jock

00:35:38you know

00:35:40here's

00:35:41what they're

00:35:41waiting for

00:35:42Kevin

00:35:42Von Erich

00:35:43David

00:35:43Von Erich

00:35:44Kevin and

00:35:45Dave

00:35:45I mean

00:35:46the story

00:35:47was already

00:35:47of the

00:35:48Von Erichs

00:35:48they were

00:35:49drawing

00:35:49everywhere

00:35:50they go

00:35:50and look

00:35:51at this

00:35:52pandemonium

00:35:53but the

00:35:54other thing

00:35:54was it

00:35:55was

00:35:56it was

00:35:56eaten

00:35:57on

00:35:57Carrie

00:35:58Carrie

00:35:59saw that

00:36:00and was

00:36:01just

00:36:01thinking

00:36:01wow

00:36:02this is

00:36:03a really

00:36:03big deal

00:36:04Carrie

00:36:05wanted to

00:36:05wrestle

00:36:06but

00:36:06Fritz

00:36:06wanted him

00:36:07to finish

00:36:07college

00:36:07Carrie

00:36:08was adamant

00:36:09matter of fact

00:36:10Carrie

00:36:11literally

00:36:12had a meeting

00:36:13with Fritz

00:36:13he said

00:36:14I want a meeting

00:36:14with my dad

00:36:15and he told

00:36:16Fritz

00:36:16either I start

00:36:17working here

00:36:18or I'll go

00:36:19somewhere else

00:36:21you are

00:36:22looking at the

00:36:22spotlight

00:36:23on Carrie

00:36:24Von Erich

00:36:24as he makes

00:36:25his way

00:36:26to the ring

00:36:26after the

00:36:27Olympics

00:36:28I don't

00:36:29really know

00:36:30that he ever

00:36:31thought of

00:36:31doing anything

00:36:32else

00:36:35Carrie

00:36:35just had

00:36:36this innate

00:36:36ability

00:36:37of this

00:36:38charisma

00:36:38some guys

00:36:39just walk

00:36:40into a room

00:36:40and have

00:36:41this light

00:36:42come on

00:36:42Carrie

00:36:43Von Erich

00:36:43listen to

00:36:44the crowd

00:36:47now you got

00:36:48Kevin

00:36:48Dave

00:36:49and Carrie

00:36:49so three

00:36:50Von Erichs

00:36:51on the

00:36:51crowd

00:36:51they had

00:36:52the look

00:36:52they had

00:36:53the feel

00:36:53and they

00:36:53could work

00:36:54Dave was

00:36:55the best

00:36:55worker

00:36:56of all

00:36:56of them

00:36:57Carrie

00:36:58had the

00:36:58good looks

00:36:59and the

00:36:59charisma

00:37:00look at

00:37:01Carrie

00:37:01up top

00:37:02Kevin

00:37:03had kind

00:37:04of a

00:37:04little

00:37:04mix

00:37:05of all

00:37:06of them

00:37:07all these

00:37:08boys

00:37:08who just

00:37:10dominated

00:37:11every aspect

00:37:12of Texas

00:37:13wrestling

00:37:14there was

00:37:14a short

00:37:15time

00:37:15where Carrie

00:37:16me and

00:37:16Dave

00:37:16could all

00:37:17be in

00:37:17the same

00:37:18town

00:37:21eventually

00:37:21after about

00:37:22a year

00:37:23we'd

00:37:24one town

00:37:24have

00:37:25Carrie

00:37:25one town

00:37:25have

00:37:26me

00:37:26one

00:37:26have

00:37:26Dave

00:37:27and

00:37:27the

00:37:28houses

00:37:28were all

00:37:28good

00:37:29you know

00:37:29they're all

00:37:29sellouts

00:37:30they were

00:37:31great

00:37:31listen to

00:37:32this crowd

00:37:33roar

00:37:33they're on

00:37:34their feet

00:37:34it was like

00:37:35a fairy tale

00:37:36for two

00:37:37three years

00:37:37a good

00:37:43right sir

00:37:43is one

00:37:44that you

00:37:45know

00:37:45a natural

00:37:46athlete

00:37:47first of

00:37:47all

00:37:47like my

00:37:48sons

00:37:48and his

00:37:49kids like

00:37:49this

00:37:50that make

00:37:50wrestling

00:37:50what it

00:37:50is today

00:37:52Carrie

00:37:52Bonner

00:37:52as his

00:37:53brother

00:37:53David

00:37:54and Kevin

00:37:54have almost

00:37:55a religious

00:37:57responsibility

00:37:57to learn

00:37:59the art of

00:37:59wrestling

00:38:00from their

00:38:00father

00:38:01since they

00:38:01were small

00:38:02children

00:38:02winning

00:38:03something

00:38:03our dad

00:38:03instilled

00:38:04in us

00:38:04a long

00:38:04time ago

00:38:05and we

00:38:05do it as

00:38:06fairly as

00:38:06we can

00:38:06but number

00:38:07one

00:38:07goal is

00:38:08to win

00:38:18there's

00:38:18a misconception

00:38:20that Fritz

00:38:21sort of

00:38:21dragged all

00:38:22his sons

00:38:22into the

00:38:23ring

00:38:23kicking and

00:38:24screaming

00:38:24but I

00:38:25think for

00:38:26Kevin and

00:38:27then David

00:38:27and then

00:38:27Carrie

00:38:28it was hard

00:38:28to turn

00:38:29down

00:38:29the allure

00:38:30of the

00:38:30pro wrestling

00:38:31ring

00:38:31and once

00:38:31they got

00:38:32in there

00:38:32and the

00:38:32crowd

00:38:33started reacting

00:38:34to them

00:38:34Fritz

00:38:35basically

00:38:35said

00:38:35well if

00:38:36they're

00:38:36all in

00:38:37let's

00:38:37make

00:38:37the

00:38:37most

00:38:38of

00:38:38it

00:38:41fantastic

00:38:42what

00:38:43excitement

00:38:43they're

00:38:43just

00:38:44nothing

00:38:45like it

00:38:45in the

00:38:46whole

00:38:46world

00:38:48they would

00:38:48come out

00:38:49through

00:38:49the

00:38:49crowd

00:38:50to

00:38:51different

00:38:52songs

00:38:52it would

00:38:52look range

00:38:53by ZZ Top

00:39:04we wanted

00:39:05to put

00:39:06the kind

00:39:06of wrestling

00:39:07out there

00:39:07that we

00:39:08got

00:39:09so rock

00:39:10was a

00:39:11big part

00:39:11of our

00:39:12presentation

00:39:16all of a

00:39:16sudden you

00:39:17have something

00:39:17that becomes

00:39:18this rock

00:39:18show

00:39:18and it

00:39:19was a

00:39:19rock

00:39:20show

00:39:20you watch

00:39:21the other

00:39:21matches

00:39:22they're all

00:39:22good

00:39:22but when

00:39:23they came

00:39:24out

00:39:24that was

00:39:24the show

00:39:26it was

00:39:26just

00:39:27pure

00:39:28energy

00:39:29the guys

00:39:30wanted to

00:39:31be like

00:39:31them

00:39:31the girls

00:39:32wanted to

00:39:32be with

00:39:33them

00:39:38it was

00:39:39just a

00:39:39spectacle

00:39:40anytime

00:39:40that they

00:39:41would come

00:39:41to the

00:39:41ring

00:39:42every match

00:39:43that you'll

00:39:43see tonight

00:39:44is not

00:39:44from a

00:39:45studio

00:39:45it's from

00:39:46a live

00:39:46arena

00:39:47one of

00:39:47the oldest

00:39:48most well

00:39:48known arenas

00:39:49certainly in

00:39:49Texas

00:39:50probably in

00:39:51the world

00:39:51itself

00:39:51the world

00:39:52famous

00:39:52sportatorium

00:39:53if it's

00:39:53there

00:39:54it's the

00:39:54best

00:39:55in professional

00:39:55wrestling

00:39:56the home

00:39:56of the

00:39:56Von Eriks

00:39:57the sportatorium

00:39:58is the greatest

00:39:59building the world

00:39:59atmosphere

00:40:00personified

00:40:01this crowd

00:40:02is going wild

00:40:05one of the wildest

00:40:07nights in the history

00:40:08of Texas wrestling

00:40:10I only was able

00:40:12to go once

00:40:12at the sportatorium

00:40:14I bragged

00:40:15to my friends

00:40:17for weeks

00:40:18bro

00:40:19I saw

00:40:20the Von

00:40:21Eriks

00:40:21live

00:40:21watch this

00:40:25it wasn't

00:40:26your daddy's

00:40:27wrestling

00:40:27anymore

00:40:28they changed

00:40:29the demographic

00:40:30and I think

00:40:31also

00:40:31the show

00:40:32on TV

00:40:33was completely

00:40:34different

00:40:35hi

00:40:36I'm

00:40:36Kerry

00:40:36Von

00:40:36Eric

00:40:37and this

00:40:37is my

00:40:37dog

00:40:38Shay

00:40:39for several

00:40:39weeks

00:40:40now

00:40:40we've been

00:40:40telling you

00:40:40about the

00:40:41changes

00:40:41in the new

00:40:41world-class

00:40:42wrestling show

00:40:43and this is

00:40:44just some of

00:40:44the improvements

00:40:45we've made

00:40:45we want to put

00:40:47boom mics

00:40:47in the ring

00:40:48cameras

00:40:49not just by the

00:40:50ring

00:40:50they climb up

00:40:51on the ring

00:40:53I'll never forget

00:40:54it Fritz

00:40:54sat Kerry and I

00:40:56down in his

00:40:56office and he

00:40:57said I'm getting

00:40:58ready to do

00:40:59this thing called

00:41:00syndication

00:41:00that we're going

00:41:01to go all over

00:41:02the country

00:41:02and all over

00:41:03the world

00:41:03it's cable TV

00:41:05and we're like

00:41:05what is that

00:41:06you know when we

00:41:07first started

00:41:07syndication we had

00:41:0810 or 12 markets

00:41:10then we got 20

00:41:11pretty soon we were

00:41:11in 47 markets

00:41:12when cable

00:41:14started coming around

00:41:15we finally got

00:41:16world-class

00:41:17wrestling out of

00:41:18Dallas and that's

00:41:19when I was exposed

00:41:19to the Von Erics

00:41:20and how important

00:41:22the Von Erics

00:41:23were to the

00:41:23state of Texas

00:41:24you know I would

00:41:25watch KTTV

00:41:27channel 11

00:41:28in my dorm

00:41:29it was absolutely

00:41:30amazing

00:41:30the rock concert

00:41:35atmosphere

00:41:35the sportatorium

00:41:37craze

00:41:38the way they

00:41:39looked on TV

00:41:40all of this

00:41:41combined to make

00:41:42the Von Erics

00:41:43like the hottest

00:41:44thing

00:41:45in all of Texas

00:41:46the Von Erics

00:41:48in Texas

00:41:48was almost

00:41:49religion

00:41:50it was a family

00:41:51of superheroes

00:41:53here obviously

00:41:54the Dallas Cowboys

00:41:54how popular they

00:41:55were

00:41:55if there's anything

00:41:56a Texan loves

00:41:57more than Chile

00:41:58it would have to

00:41:58be the sport

00:41:59of football

00:42:00if you saw

00:42:00a Dallas Cowboy

00:42:01at the local

00:42:03sports store

00:42:03you didn't know

00:42:04who he was

00:42:04because he didn't

00:42:05have the helmet

00:42:05the number on

00:42:06to where with

00:42:07wrestling you know

00:42:08there they were

00:42:08right there in

00:42:09your living room

00:42:09every Saturday

00:42:10night doing an

00:42:11interview right

00:42:11in your face

00:42:13yeah baby

00:42:13we told you Bill

00:42:15there's something

00:42:16magic with Kevin

00:42:16and I in that ring

00:42:17together

00:42:18we would get tickets

00:42:19to go watch him

00:42:20wrestle and so

00:42:21they were pretty

00:42:22popular in terms of

00:42:23what we would talk

00:42:24about in the locker

00:42:24room

00:42:25there was two things

00:42:26that were big in

00:42:27Texas

00:42:27it was football

00:42:27and the Von Erics

00:42:28it wasn't football

00:42:29and wrestling

00:42:29it was football

00:42:30and the Von Erics

00:42:32I think what really

00:42:33made the Von Erics

00:42:35more popular

00:42:36than a lot of

00:42:37other great

00:42:37baby faces

00:42:38around the country

00:42:39was you saw

00:42:40them grow up

00:42:41and everybody

00:42:42felt like

00:42:43almost like

00:42:44they're part

00:42:44of the life

00:42:45they're part

00:42:46of what's

00:42:46happening to them

00:42:47they really come

00:42:48behind us

00:42:48they were like

00:42:49their kids

00:42:49and they're like

00:42:50all parents

00:42:50and all the young

00:42:51kids around

00:42:51and everything else

00:42:52they're really

00:42:53nice to us here

00:42:53so we love it

00:42:54they're part of us

00:42:56we took an

00:42:56ownership

00:42:57of the Von Erics

00:42:58boys

00:42:58these were salt

00:42:59of the earth

00:43:00guys

00:43:01tell us a little

00:43:01bit about Kevin

00:43:02I've been getting

00:43:03into some cliff diving

00:43:04I went to cliff diving

00:43:05on Acapulco

00:43:06a couple weeks ago

00:43:07and I like to

00:43:08write poems

00:43:09I like to ride horses

00:43:10I like to

00:43:11like to fish

00:43:12and Kevin and I

00:43:13have just gotten

00:43:14into a little bit

00:43:14of sky diving

00:43:16we've been doing

00:43:17that for about

00:43:17two months now

00:43:18we weren't big shots

00:43:20we acted like

00:43:21we were your

00:43:22big brother

00:43:22your son

00:43:23your grandson

00:43:24your uncle

00:43:25your cousin

00:43:27Von Erics

00:43:28was the name

00:43:28dad gave me

00:43:29and I'm proud to have it

00:43:30it was so important

00:43:31to be a good role model

00:43:33be respectful

00:43:34my dad was like that

00:43:36I didn't think

00:43:37any of them

00:43:38were presumptuous

00:43:39about who they were

00:43:41or ever even said

00:43:42hey do you know

00:43:43who I am

00:43:43or hey

00:43:44I'm this

00:43:45I'm that

00:43:45now

00:43:46now

00:43:46I think that's Fritz

00:43:48teaching them

00:43:49hey

00:43:49you're somebody

00:43:50but you're nobody

00:43:51the people make you

00:43:53who you are

00:43:54with my brothers

00:43:55and I

00:43:55if we lose

00:43:56the fight

00:43:57the people

00:43:58are right there

00:43:58they're cheering

00:43:59for us

00:43:59just as loud

00:44:00as if we lose

00:44:01because they want us

00:44:02to know

00:44:03that they're behind

00:44:03us all the way

00:44:05it was just

00:44:06a great life

00:44:07you know

00:44:08I can remember

00:44:09the three of us

00:44:10just being young

00:44:11and getting in the car

00:44:12and head up

00:44:13to Oklahoma

00:44:14for spot shows

00:44:15or down

00:44:15in the middle

00:44:16of Texas

00:44:17for spot shows

00:44:17and we were kids

00:44:18everything was fun

00:44:20everybody was our friend

00:44:21the police all knew us

00:44:23we all liked each other

00:44:25it just kind of spoils you

00:44:27because you can get

00:44:27in your car

00:44:28all you gotta do

00:44:29is take your boots

00:44:30and your trunks

00:44:31and go to another town

00:44:32and make a living

00:44:34and swim in the rivers

00:44:35all the way up

00:44:36and all the way back

00:44:38and just laugh

00:44:39the whole time

00:44:41man that was fun

00:44:43just me and my brothers

00:44:46the greatest name

00:44:47in professional wrestling

00:44:48today

00:44:48the Von Erichs

00:44:49have been for years

00:44:50today the allegiance

00:44:52of a lot of wrestling fans

00:44:53belongs to the Von Erichs

00:44:55to father Fritz

00:44:56and his three wrestling sons

00:44:57and there are still

00:44:59two more Von Erichs

00:45:00waiting to jump

00:45:01into the ring

00:45:02Mike

00:45:02and Chris

00:45:03right now

00:45:05the Von Erichs

00:45:06are a prime attraction

00:45:07a guaranteed draw

00:45:08at dozens

00:45:09of wrestling arenas

00:45:10but as successful

00:45:12as they are

00:45:12they've never forgotten

00:45:13that the most important

00:45:15ingredient

00:45:15in any family business

00:45:17is the family

00:45:18you talk about Fritz

00:45:20family man

00:45:21business man

00:45:22his business

00:45:23is his family

00:45:24they're your meal ticket

00:45:26right now

00:45:26the dramatic arrival

00:45:28of the Von Erichs

00:45:29as hundreds of youngsters

00:45:30come to the ring

00:45:31seeking autographs

00:45:32their pictures

00:45:34but there's this just constant demand

00:45:37the feeling that like

00:45:38if we let anything slip

00:45:39then this could all

00:45:40come crashing down

00:45:41it was just a ton

00:45:42of pressure on them

00:45:43to keep it going

00:45:48we would have a weekly

00:45:50family reunion

00:45:51in there

00:45:51you know

00:45:52on Friday nights

00:45:53good evening

00:45:54and welcome to the

00:45:55world famous

00:45:56sportatorium

00:45:57the home of

00:45:57world class

00:45:58championship wrestling

00:46:00I'd come down

00:46:01right here

00:46:02always be people

00:46:03here you know

00:46:03hanging their arms

00:46:05out

00:46:06I've got scars

00:46:07all over my shoulder

00:46:08for the girls

00:46:09scratching like this

00:46:10you should see my shoulders

00:46:11Kevin Von Erich

00:46:12what a beautiful specimen

00:46:15well I grew up in here

00:46:16you know

00:46:17it's like my little playground

00:46:19oh off the rock

00:46:23yeah

00:46:24that's some good memories

00:46:27that's where it all started

00:46:29Kevin was

00:46:29he was an entertainer

00:46:31but as a person

00:46:32he was a pretty simple guy

00:46:33you know

00:46:33like he just wanted

00:46:34to have that sort of isolation

00:46:37that sort of getting away

00:46:38from everything else

00:46:39you're working nearly every night

00:46:41this must be a great way

00:46:42to just to take some edge off

00:46:45oh man you're right

00:46:46I'd probably crack up

00:46:48if I didn't have the country

00:46:49to come out to

00:46:50I don't get off on disco dancing

00:46:52and this is really where I'm at

00:46:54this is where my head is

00:46:55wait for your daughter

00:46:56to get old enough to come out

00:46:58we'll have to see about that

00:47:01once I had my first baby

00:47:03once Pam had Kristen

00:47:05well my priorities changed

00:47:08and wrestling became work

00:47:10I don't think wrestling

00:47:13was the number one priority

00:47:15for Kevin anymore

00:47:16he's obligated to do the wrestling

00:47:18he wanted to do the family thing

00:47:20he would show up at the matches

00:47:22he would leave immediately

00:47:23you know he didn't hang around

00:47:25and go home and be dad

00:47:26and then also

00:47:27my life went from

00:47:29loving my dog

00:47:30and my 22

00:47:31to that baby

00:47:33and Pam

00:47:34my queen

00:47:35that gave me that baby

00:47:36I had somebody to protect

00:47:39Kristen

00:47:40give me your

00:47:41get alone

00:47:43you pretty girl

00:47:44my father

00:47:46big mean tough fritz

00:47:48he loved being a grandfather

00:47:51Kristen and him

00:47:53were like that

00:47:59my granddad

00:48:02was one of

00:48:03the best men

00:48:04that I've ever

00:48:05met

00:48:06my baby girl

00:48:07he

00:48:08was

00:48:09just the epitome

00:48:11of

00:48:11safety

00:48:12for us

00:48:14now that's what I call

00:48:15pretty

00:48:16pretty

00:48:18now me

00:48:19always have one of your pretty

00:48:20pretty

00:48:21Mimi

00:48:22was also

00:48:24so loving

00:48:25and my grandparents

00:48:26did a really good job

00:48:27of making us feel like

00:48:29we were all

00:48:31a community

00:48:32and we had each other

00:48:33look at me question

00:48:34I love you

00:48:35good daddy

00:48:36I love you

00:48:36good daddy

00:48:37the first time

00:48:39I realized that there was

00:48:40something maybe different

00:48:41about our family

00:48:42we were going to have

00:48:44a Six Flags day

00:48:44as a family

00:48:45and when we

00:48:47arrived at the park

00:48:48there were police

00:48:49everywhere

00:48:50and they put us

00:48:51right on a golf cart

00:48:52and we had a couple hours

00:48:53of the park

00:48:55exclusively

00:48:56but they opened the gate

00:48:57and I just have this

00:48:58image in my mind

00:48:59of I was sitting

00:49:00on the back of this

00:49:01golf cart

00:49:01and these people

00:49:02chasing us

00:49:03and screaming

00:49:04and this one lady

00:49:05had mascara

00:49:07running down her face

00:49:08and I remember thinking

00:49:09you know

00:49:10they're not chasing

00:49:11anybody else

00:49:11and don't they know

00:49:12how boring

00:49:13my dad is

00:49:15and how boring

00:49:16my uncles are

00:49:16like why do they think

00:49:17it's so cool

00:49:18you never realized

00:49:20what kind of rock stars

00:49:23these kids

00:49:24had become

00:49:25and here they come

00:49:27the trio

00:49:28of wrestling

00:49:29personified

00:49:30everybody wanted to see

00:49:32the Von Erics

00:49:32but they needed

00:49:33a nemesis

00:49:34you know

00:49:34and when the Freebirds

00:49:35came in

00:49:36that's when wrestling

00:49:38just blew up

00:49:39Michael Hayes

00:49:41and Terry Gordy

00:49:42Buddy Roberts

00:49:43the Freebirds

00:49:44you finally had somebody

00:49:46that could go against

00:49:47the Von Erick boys

00:49:48and that was the perfect

00:49:49antithesis in the Freebirds

00:49:51hey man we're running

00:49:52these Von Ericks

00:49:53out of Texas

00:49:53when it comes to

00:49:55notorious

00:49:57bad

00:49:58that you love to hate

00:50:01that'd be us

00:50:02if we gotta run over

00:50:04the Von Ericks

00:50:05we'll do it

00:50:06with pleasure

00:50:07oh my goodness

00:50:08well the Freebirds

00:50:10were just

00:50:10so easy

00:50:12to hate

00:50:12the Freebirds

00:50:14brought their own flags

00:50:15from Georgia

00:50:16into Texas

00:50:16which is something

00:50:17you don't know

00:50:17it kind of became

00:50:19like a college

00:50:20football rivalry

00:50:21in a sense

00:50:22Georgia versus Texas

00:50:23this war is not

00:50:25between Texas

00:50:25and Georgia

00:50:26it's between decency

00:50:27and filth

00:50:31it was like

00:50:32setting a nuclear bomb

00:50:33off in the state

00:50:34of Texas

00:50:35I've never seen

00:50:36anything like it

00:50:37we're gonna say

00:50:37thanks to people

00:50:38of Dallas Texas

00:50:39because it's the biggest

00:50:40crowd ever to be

00:50:40in this fortatorium

00:50:41shows that used to

00:50:43on a Saturday night

00:50:43do 500 people

00:50:45all of a sudden

00:50:46we were doing

00:50:468,000

00:50:48just packed

00:50:49to the walls

00:50:49and so this one

00:50:51is gonna start

00:50:52in a hurry

00:50:53the rivalry worked

00:50:55I think

00:50:56because when we

00:50:57would get in that ring

00:50:58you could tell

00:50:59that these guys

00:51:00really don't like

00:51:02each other

00:51:02it may take

00:51:03everybody in the arena

00:51:04to separate these two

00:51:05but there was a respect

00:51:07between us

00:51:09that really made it

00:51:10work too

00:51:13you're supposed

00:51:14to make a man

00:51:15that's your job

00:51:16and of course

00:51:17the fans ate it up

00:51:18the whole family

00:51:19sticks together

00:51:20that's been their motto

00:51:21and their creed

00:51:22for two hours

00:51:24or three hours

00:51:24they got to cheer

00:51:25for the good

00:51:26it's not just

00:51:27Arwen

00:51:27it's all of Arwen

00:51:28and boo the evil

00:51:30and that's what

00:51:31wrestling is

00:51:32I get so wrecked

00:51:33I just love it

00:51:34I really do

00:51:36this is one of the

00:51:37few places

00:51:37where you come

00:51:38and holler and scream

00:51:38and they don't

00:51:39take you to jail

00:51:40me and my buddies

00:51:41would ride down there

00:51:42every Friday night

00:51:43I was there

00:51:43watching the Von Erickson

00:51:44Freedom Birds

00:51:45go at it

00:51:47you could see

00:51:47those TV ratings

00:51:48shooting up

00:51:49and all we had

00:51:50to do was

00:51:50keep doing

00:51:51what we're doing

00:51:51just make it

00:51:52a little more dangerous

00:51:53and a little more reckless

00:51:54this looks like

00:51:56it's gonna be

00:51:56a wild plug fest

00:51:58whoop it over

00:52:00when you watch

00:52:01those guys

00:52:01you're like

00:52:01they're beating

00:52:02the shit out

00:52:03each other

00:52:03I mean this is

00:52:04incredible

00:52:05and that's what

00:52:06Texans love so much

00:52:07about it

00:52:07people love to fight

00:52:08I never wanted

00:52:10to be a fake

00:52:11I really enjoyed

00:52:13what I did

00:52:13I loved it

00:52:14and I felt real

00:52:15doing it

00:52:15I gave people

00:52:16real entertainment

00:52:18some of my brothers

00:52:20I mean they were

00:52:21really into it

00:52:22really really believed

00:52:24that what we were

00:52:26doing was real

00:52:27Kevin Von Erick

00:52:29is now covered

00:52:30in blood

00:52:31a lot of times

00:52:32after the matches

00:52:32I felt like

00:52:33it was real

00:52:34because it hurt

00:52:35and the free bird

00:52:36is a loose bird

00:52:37as he goes to the floor

00:52:38and says

00:52:39man alive

00:52:40what hit me

00:52:50when you're young

00:52:50you feel like

00:52:51you're bulletproof

00:52:52nothing can hurt you

00:52:54and now

00:52:55Kevin Von Erick

00:52:58struggling

00:52:59you can break a bone

00:53:01and keep going

00:53:02bones got a broken nose

00:53:05when you're right

00:53:06you win every time

00:53:07this doesn't hurt a bit

00:53:08there's plenty more

00:53:09you were pretty much

00:53:10always playing with pain

00:53:12you had to wrestle

00:53:14or you didn't get paid

00:53:15my nose has been broken

00:53:16dozens of times

00:53:17I got broken ribs

00:53:18my elbows have been

00:53:19both dislocated

00:53:20my shoulder

00:53:21my knee operations

00:53:23that tooth knocked out

00:53:24from Michael Hayes' boot

00:53:25we used to take

00:53:26injections

00:53:28xylocaine

00:53:28marcan

00:53:29and procaine

00:53:30but they're not drugs

00:53:31they just numb

00:53:33nerve endings

00:53:36and I didn't want to live

00:53:37like that anymore

00:53:39and so

00:53:39to deal with that pain

00:53:42I grew my own marijuana

00:53:45look what's brought it up here

00:53:46in the carpet

00:53:49I don't want to be a proponent

00:53:50for such a thing

00:53:51but I have to say

00:53:52that I took a healthy approach

00:53:54by growing it myself

00:53:55hey man

00:53:56where are we going to smoke

00:53:57one again

00:53:58Kevin

00:53:59if God makes it

00:54:01if it's a vegetable

00:54:01if it goes on a tree

00:54:02or in the ground

00:54:03I want it

00:54:04but I don't want

00:54:05anything made by man

00:54:08and here comes

00:54:09the modern day warrior

00:54:11Carrie Von Erich

00:54:12for Carrie

00:54:14the business

00:54:15was becoming

00:54:17very taxing

00:54:18on the body

00:54:19in general

00:54:20with

00:54:21the amount of time

00:54:23in the gym

00:54:23and pumping iron

00:54:25and then

00:54:25just getting hurt

00:54:26in the ring

00:54:27oh Carrie

00:54:29is pretty well shaken

00:54:30when you're getting hurt

00:54:32all the time

00:54:33and you

00:54:35start asking

00:54:36for prescription drugs

00:54:37right

00:54:38and then

00:54:39how much is enough

00:54:41and do I need something

00:54:42even harder

00:54:43stronger

00:54:45to relieve this pain

00:54:48you know

00:54:48you can just get caught up

00:54:49in that

00:54:52and there were

00:54:53there's doctors

00:54:54because of who they are

00:54:55they're famous

00:54:55who would just

00:54:57write a prescription

00:54:58and here you go

00:55:00and then you take it

00:55:02and you go

00:55:02well it does help me

00:55:03feel better

00:55:04well the doctor

00:55:05just prescribed it

00:55:06it's legal

00:55:08and I think a lot of people

00:55:09got fooled by that

00:55:11Carrie

00:55:12felt a big responsibility

00:55:13to the business

00:55:15he took care

00:55:16of his fans

00:55:17it's tough

00:55:18but we know

00:55:19it's a job

00:55:20it's a responsibility

00:55:21that we have to do

00:55:22and my father

00:55:23bred us

00:55:24to be winners

00:55:25not losers

00:55:26and to fight

00:55:27100% every night

00:55:28whenever

00:55:28we were in that ring

00:55:29so Carrie fought

00:55:32between

00:55:32his health

00:55:34and

00:55:34keeping up

00:55:37with

00:55:37the image

00:55:38that

00:55:39was so important

00:55:40to the Von Ericks

00:55:58Dave was the only one

00:56:00of all of us

00:56:00that liked

00:56:02strong

00:56:03liquor

00:56:03had a bottle

00:56:04of it in his bag

00:56:07and then he

00:56:09told us

00:56:10he had a really bad

00:56:11stomach ache

00:56:11and booze

00:56:12was helping him

00:56:14stomach pain

00:56:14must have

00:56:15something else

00:56:15I mean

00:56:16he said

00:56:16it was like

00:56:17a knife

00:56:19he had diarrhea

00:56:20for months

00:56:22at the time

00:56:23Dave was married

00:56:24to Trish

00:56:25I know she did think

00:56:26he had a virus

00:56:27or something

00:56:27because it

00:56:28had some symptoms

00:56:29but

00:56:30he didn't want her

00:56:31to worry

00:56:32you know

00:56:32so he wouldn't

00:56:33have said anything

00:56:36so Carrie and I

00:56:37made sure

00:56:38he went to the

00:56:39doctor about it

00:56:40a proctologist

00:56:42I guess it was

00:56:42they told Dave

00:56:44to lean against

00:56:45this little wall thing

00:56:46they put his

00:56:47elbows down

00:56:48strapped him in

00:56:49strapped his elbow

00:56:50here

00:56:50his knees

00:56:53and

00:56:54Dave got mad

00:56:55the doc

00:56:56hit a switch

00:56:57and Dave

00:56:57was

00:56:58butt up

00:56:59and he

00:57:00was

00:57:01furious

00:57:02he said

00:57:03absolutely

00:57:04not

00:57:05I'll tear

00:57:05this place

00:57:06down

00:57:06and he

00:57:07had to

00:57:07unstrapped

00:57:08Dave

00:57:08and let him

00:57:08go

00:57:09but

00:57:10if they

00:57:11would have

00:57:11done the

00:57:13examination

00:57:13I think

00:57:14they would

00:57:14have found

00:57:15something

00:57:19it's around

00:57:1983

00:57:20that

00:57:20David

00:57:21first starts

00:57:22complaining

00:57:22of stomach

00:57:23pain

00:57:23and

00:57:24also

00:57:24I think

00:57:25you know

00:57:25taking a lot

00:57:26of hard

00:57:26bumps

00:57:26in the

00:57:26ring

00:57:27and

00:57:27especially

00:57:28coming up

00:57:28in the

00:57:29Atkinson

00:57:29household

00:57:31maybe

00:57:31you're

00:57:32just

00:57:32taught

00:57:32to

00:57:32rub

00:57:33some

00:57:33dirt

00:57:33on

00:57:33it

00:57:33you

00:57:34know

00:57:35because

00:57:35he

00:57:35wasn't

00:57:36being

00:57:36treated

00:57:36for it

00:57:37he

00:57:37started

00:57:37turning

00:57:37to

00:57:38painkillers

00:57:40one

00:57:41time

00:57:41he

00:57:41showed

00:57:42up

00:57:42on

00:57:45quaaludes

00:57:46you know

00:57:47you know

00:57:48when you

00:57:48can't

00:57:48talk

00:57:48and you're

00:57:49slurring

00:57:50your word

00:57:50that's when

00:57:51it becomes

00:57:51bad

00:57:52I've

00:57:53seen

00:57:53I've seen

00:57:53him

00:57:53where

00:57:53he's

00:57:54a puddle

00:57:54in

00:57:54the

00:57:54middle

00:57:55of

00:57:55the

00:57:55floor

00:57:55and

00:57:55he's

00:57:55supposed

00:57:56to

00:57:56be

00:57:56going

00:57:56to

00:57:56the

00:57:56ring

00:57:58you know

00:57:59so

00:57:59you

00:57:59gotta

00:58:00try

00:58:00and

00:58:00get

00:58:01him

00:58:01up

00:58:01and

00:58:01get

00:58:01him

00:58:01going

00:58:03before

00:58:03long

00:58:04he

00:58:05almost

00:58:05couldn't

00:58:05overcome

00:58:05it

00:58:08looking

00:58:08at

00:58:08today's

00:58:09world

00:58:09I'd

00:58:09say

00:58:09they've

00:58:10had

00:58:10an

00:58:10opioid

00:58:10problem

00:58:11he

00:58:11was

00:58:11addicted

00:58:12to

00:58:12pills

00:58:13and

00:58:13boy

00:58:13I

00:58:14know

00:58:14Fritz

00:58:14was

00:58:14just

00:58:15irate

00:58:15about

00:58:16it

00:58:20you're

00:58:22they

00:58:22want

00:58:22to

00:58:22live

00:58:22up

00:58:22to

00:58:22and

00:58:23so

00:58:24many

00:58:24pro

00:58:24athletes

00:58:25you

00:58:25know

00:58:26what

00:58:26I'm

00:58:26talking

00:58:26about

00:58:26man

00:58:27they have no use for their fans

00:58:29their fans is what made them

00:58:30it's what made us

00:58:33and we need to always be aware of the responsibility that goes with them

00:58:38Image was really important to Granddad

00:58:42but Mimi was I think more concerned about family image and reputation

00:58:51than

00:58:51did Granddad was

00:58:53she wanted

00:58:55to

00:58:56have a perfect family that

00:58:58didn't fail

00:59:00and Mimi was really concerned about

00:59:02media

00:59:04Granddad maybe was to a point that it

00:59:07affected the business

00:59:08Fritz always said it's one thing what a man does on his own time

00:59:12but when you're on my time you need to be top shape

00:59:16they're under pressure

00:59:18they were pretty much on call 24 hours a day

00:59:21dealing with the public

00:59:23dealing with the news

00:59:24several thousand waiting in line for hours to see the famous wrestling

00:59:29Von Erich

00:59:30it was fun though

00:59:32everywhere you went

00:59:33you were treated like you were royalty

00:59:37we get endorsements through wrestling and so we get

00:59:40free cars from these dealerships

00:59:43they were top stars and Mike and Chris always looked up to them

00:59:48and they were like if they can do it I can do it

00:59:52Mike and Chris were super close

00:59:54they came to the matches every week

00:59:55right after high school Mike wanted to be a part of what his brothers were doing

01:00:00I've seen the debut of all these guys

01:00:02Kevin, David, Kerry and now

01:00:04they debut in just a few minutes of Mike Von Erich

01:00:08for Mike

01:00:09it was hard not being a Von Erich

01:00:12you know if he was anywhere with the brothers

01:00:14he was treated as if he was in the business

01:00:16and it was contagious

01:00:17little Mike I say is a big old stud

01:00:20but tonight I think he's going to show his colors

01:00:21he's a Von Erich right down to the wire

01:00:23Mike wanted to wrestle so bad

01:00:25he wanted to be like Dave

01:00:26Mike's been taught by the best

01:00:28because we were taught by the best

01:00:30do you lock your leg in here, Kev?

01:00:31oh just stiffer, yeah

01:00:32oh that's an excellent

01:00:33I got his leg

01:00:36oh yeah, I don't know that

01:00:39and here he comes

01:00:41Mike Von Erich

01:00:44he has not only his own career to think about

01:00:47but of course he's upholding

01:00:49the honor of the Von Erich families

01:00:51part of it for him was just being with his brothers

01:00:55like okay, they're not going out on the road and leaving me anymore

01:00:58I get to come along

01:00:59I'm the baby brother

01:01:00and we're going to have a good time together

01:01:01you know, and they did

01:01:02you know, a lot of people think that Von Erich is a bit off more than we can chew

01:01:05they think that Mike's too young to be getting in the ring with us

01:01:08this kid is not going to let me down

01:01:09we're going to take those free birds

01:01:11oh, look at that move

01:01:13at this point

01:01:14the Von Erichs and the free birds

01:01:17our story was so high

01:01:25that it was time to take it to a stadium

01:01:28which was unheard of back then

01:01:31we were doing the six-man tag team championship

01:01:34which at that time would have now been

01:01:35Kevin, Kerry, and Mike

01:01:38against the birds

01:01:40now if the free birds think they can beat us

01:01:42go ahead and come on with it

01:01:43all you got

01:01:44and then the main event was going to be

01:01:46Flair versus David

01:01:47for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship

01:01:51the nature boy Rick Flair

01:01:53arguably the greatest wrestler of all time

01:01:56I thrive

01:01:57I thrive

01:01:58I'm being called the greatest

01:02:00but it was already decided

01:02:03it was very hush-hush

01:02:04but David was going to beat Ric Flair

01:02:06for the title

01:02:10and then about five weeks before the show

01:02:13Dave goes to Japan

01:02:14to work over there

01:02:18for months

01:02:19before the Japan trip

01:02:21he didn't look right to me

01:02:24but it was the stomach

01:02:28Dave had that

01:02:30ashen look about him

01:02:31you know, white look

01:02:33his eyebrows would get white

01:02:38and so

01:02:39Marty had an idea

01:02:41something bad was going to happen

01:02:52this is December 24th

01:02:54Christmas Eve

01:02:551983

01:03:01it was so cold that day

01:03:03remember the pond froze over

01:03:04wow

01:03:04that never happens

01:03:08I'll lay some bats on it

01:03:10there's Kathy

01:03:11and Uncle Chris

01:03:12there's Chris

01:03:14Dad, thanks for the stereo

01:03:16oh yeah, babe

01:03:17wow

01:03:19thanks

01:03:22there's Uncle Mike and me

01:03:26all the kids love Mike

01:03:28don't they

01:03:29Full is right

01:03:30take him out of his hands

01:03:31Full is right

01:03:32cool

01:03:32wow

01:03:37dear Heavenly Father

01:03:38thank you for

01:03:39everything you've given us

01:03:40all the family being together

01:03:42the brothers

01:03:43that's great, Lord

01:03:44thank you for everything

01:03:45you've given us

01:03:47after that Christmas

01:03:50our lives

01:03:51would not be the same

01:03:54for months

01:03:56before the Japan trip

01:03:57Dave was white as a ghost

01:03:59he uh

01:04:01he didn't look right

01:04:02to me

01:04:05I was with him

01:04:05when he wrestled

01:04:06in Austin, Texas

01:04:07and after the matches

01:04:08he was throwing up

01:04:09he was sick

01:04:11and he kept saying

01:04:12ah, it's just some virus

01:04:12I got

01:04:14and everybody just thought

01:04:15he had the flu

01:04:16you know

01:04:16it was

01:04:18this dead winter

01:04:20you know

01:04:20early February

01:04:22we knew Debbie was sick

01:04:23but they had no idea

01:04:24how sick

01:04:25the boys had been raised

01:04:26to be there

01:04:27just thousands of people

01:04:28had paid their money

01:04:29to see those boys wrestle

01:04:30so the broken leg

01:04:31brought him

01:04:32we expect them to be there

01:04:33and he looked pale

01:04:35and I could just tell

01:04:35my mom's face

01:04:36he was worried about Dave

01:04:37they were talking

01:04:38and I looked at him

01:04:39I thought

01:04:40if I lost him

01:04:41you know

01:04:41I'd just put my hands on him

01:04:42don't you go over there

01:04:43and die

01:04:44I'd tell you

01:04:44and he said

01:04:45I won't give

01:04:45and I thought

01:04:47I kissed him

01:04:49now I get

01:04:50yeah

01:04:50can't happen

01:04:52no

01:05:02when you go to Japan

01:05:03it's always pretty much

01:05:05the same

01:05:07we would eat

01:05:08and we'd have

01:05:09drink beers

01:05:10and have fun

01:05:11and you know

01:05:11it was great

01:05:13I talked to Bill Irwin

01:05:15about it

01:05:15he said

01:05:16they got to that

01:05:17to Tokyo

01:05:18when they went

01:05:18about 6 o'clock

01:05:19and had a big steak

01:05:21and Dave wanted

01:05:22two steaks

01:05:23and Bill said

01:05:24he couldn't even finish his

01:05:25because Dave ate a lot

01:05:26you know

01:05:28but then Dave ordered

01:05:29a third steak

01:05:30and ate it

01:05:31we get out of there

01:05:32and go back

01:05:33to the hotel

01:05:34then we go into the hotel

01:05:35we go in and of course

01:05:36the bar is still open

01:05:37well shit

01:05:38we gotta go in there

01:05:40and David said

01:05:40hey I'll be right back

01:05:44I think he left

01:05:45and went upstairs

01:05:46and puked

01:05:47and then he came back down

01:05:49everybody that's there

01:05:50including myself

01:05:52we were kind of full

01:05:53but he ate

01:05:54and he ate some more

01:05:57David and I

01:05:57were in that

01:05:58in that bar

01:05:59last

01:06:00and David goes

01:06:01well come by the room

01:06:02come on by

01:06:03you know

01:06:03we'll have a drink

01:06:04or whatever

01:06:04last one

01:06:05went on into his room

01:06:06went in

01:06:07sat down

01:06:07I think we had

01:06:08a beer

01:06:09or something

01:06:10right there

01:06:10and you know

01:06:11after the beer

01:06:12it was

01:06:13it was the end

01:06:14of the night

01:06:14he goes

01:06:15yeah I'm just

01:06:16gonna call my wife

01:06:18okay

01:06:19see you tomorrow

01:06:25well tomorrow comes

01:06:26and everybody's

01:06:27on the bus

01:06:27at five o'clock

01:06:28like

01:06:29what the hell

01:06:30you know

01:06:31where's David

01:06:33and in the distance

01:06:34you hear sirens

01:06:38everybody's looking

01:06:38at each other

01:06:39everybody up

01:06:40we all went off

01:06:41the bus

01:06:42right into the hotel

01:06:43up the stairs

01:06:44right to the corner room

01:06:46and they were there

01:06:47with the key

01:06:48and unlocked his door

01:06:50and there was David

01:06:51in the same spot

01:06:53I left him

01:06:54just laid back

01:06:57still dressed

01:06:58in the same clothes

01:06:59everything

01:07:06to this day

01:07:07I cannot stand

01:07:09a phone call

01:07:10before daylight

01:07:12because that's what

01:07:13I got

01:07:14that morning

01:07:16that Trish called me

01:07:20and when that phone rang

01:07:22it was dark

01:07:24and I picked up the phone

01:07:25and she was crying

01:07:26and I knew

01:07:28and she said

01:07:29he's dead

01:07:29Kevin

01:07:30I just said

01:07:31I have to go

01:07:33I hung the phone up

01:07:37I went outside

01:07:38and I was just crushed

01:07:41you know

01:07:43I couldn't stand up

01:07:44and I just laid down

01:07:45in the forest

01:07:46and pushed the leaves back

01:07:47and put my face

01:07:49in that black dirt

01:07:50and I'll breathe

01:07:51that God

01:07:51let me die

01:08:00seeing my dad

01:08:02and knowing that

01:08:03he'd lost his son

01:08:04he'd lost Dave

01:08:06oh my gosh

01:08:07that was

01:08:08that was the worst part

01:08:12it was

01:08:15as bad as grief can get

01:08:20Fritz had already said

01:08:22whatever that autopsy says

01:08:23we gotta go with

01:08:24because the public's

01:08:25probably gonna get it

01:08:25sooner or later

01:08:28and everybody thought

01:08:29David died of an overdose

01:08:30but he didn't

01:08:31I heard all the stories

01:08:34around the industry

01:08:34that

01:08:36it was pills

01:08:37it was this

01:08:38I'm not saying

01:08:39there wasn't any pills involved

01:08:40because

01:08:41undoubtedly he was

01:08:42in excruciating pain

01:08:44and

01:08:44but did he do enough

01:08:46to OD

01:08:46no

01:08:48the autopsy said

01:08:50acute enteritis

01:08:52heart failure

01:08:53so basically

01:08:54what they were saying

01:08:55was

01:08:55because of the acute

01:08:56enteritis

01:08:57his intestines ruptured

01:08:58he filled up with blood

01:09:00and it caused heart failure

01:09:13some say that

01:09:14David Von Erich's death

01:09:16hit Dallas Fort Worth

01:09:17like Elvis Presley's death

01:09:19hit the nation

01:09:20David Von Erich

01:09:21died Friday of enteritis

01:09:23he was 25 years old

01:09:26I mean at the funeral

01:09:28that we're expecting

01:09:30500 to 800 people

01:09:32and we end up with

01:09:33almost 10,000

01:09:35fans from the area

01:09:37and foes from the ring

01:09:38turned out

01:09:39the 1800 seat church

01:09:41was soon filled to capacity

01:09:43and hundreds stood outside

01:09:44hoping to catch a few strains

01:09:46of the service

01:09:47from the loudspeaker system

01:09:49it was a quiet

01:09:50but unhappy group

01:09:51it hit everyone

01:09:53like a ton of bricks

01:09:56the schools let out

01:09:58I live and care for Davies

01:10:00and I wanted to be here

01:10:01the funeral procession

01:10:03stretched five miles

01:10:04across the Lone Star State

01:10:05it was a hero send off

01:10:07they shut down the highway

01:10:09all the way from

01:10:10Denton

01:10:11to Oak Grove Cemetery

01:10:12and Oak Cliff

01:10:13things all of a sudden

01:10:15and then everyone's like

01:10:15this is like a president died

01:10:19more fans waited at the cemetery

01:10:21for the procession

01:10:22of 150 cars to arrive

01:10:25I don't think that we realized

01:10:27how much we were loved

01:10:30until we saw that

01:10:33we're just overwhelmed

01:10:34today

01:10:35all of these people

01:10:36showing up for

01:10:37the last experience

01:10:38that he was ever going to make

01:10:40our bodies

01:10:40may be left here on earth

01:10:42but our souls go to heaven

01:10:44it's made us accept death

01:10:45a lot easier

01:10:46hey we know our brother Dave

01:10:48is in a lot better place

01:10:49than we are right now

01:10:51the loss of a brother

01:10:53was devastating for him

01:10:55he said

01:10:56you know

01:10:57I think I should just go

01:10:58and be with David

01:11:01there was always this

01:11:02thing

01:11:03with the brothers

01:11:04that

01:11:05maybe not so much Kevin

01:11:06because Kevin was the oldest

01:11:08trying to protect his brothers

01:11:09but beyond that

01:11:11they always wanted

01:11:11to be together

01:11:15after losing

01:11:17Uncle Dave

01:11:18Mimi

01:11:19was just filled with

01:11:22so much pain

01:11:23but

01:11:24she

01:11:25wanted to have

01:11:26a great image

01:11:27you say

01:11:28God help me through this

01:11:29you get off your death

01:11:31and you start moving again

01:11:33you start laughing again

01:11:35and you refuse

01:11:37to stay down

01:11:38you don't get over it

01:11:40but we do have to keep fighting

01:11:42we have to make it

01:11:43for the weak ones

01:11:44for our children

01:11:44for our women

01:11:45for those that love us

01:11:47and those that are hurting

01:11:48you know

01:11:49you know

01:11:54like Kerry and I

01:11:55were talking about

01:11:55earlier today

01:11:56Dave wanted that

01:11:58world championship

01:11:58more than anything in the world

01:12:00and that

01:12:01world championship

01:12:04is going to be

01:12:05around the Von Erich waist

01:12:06it has to be

01:12:07not only for our family

01:12:09but for Dave

01:12:11when David Von Erich died

01:12:14Fritz already has

01:12:15this giant stadium show

01:12:17booked at Cowboy Stadium

01:12:19and they have to go through

01:12:21with it

01:12:21and now

01:12:22as much as they might have

01:12:24wanted to

01:12:25just mourn him

01:12:27they have to keep

01:12:28the business going

01:12:31my dad was a businessman

01:12:34it's a family business

01:12:35this is what I do

01:12:37it's my job

01:12:38I'll never forget

01:12:39after Dave died

01:12:40there was talk about

01:12:42well

01:12:42we can't put the belt

01:12:43on the other two boys

01:12:44at that point

01:12:45and Fritz was like

01:12:46it's not an option

01:12:47it's a question now

01:12:48which of you two

01:12:49is going to be

01:12:50the next world champion

01:12:51so when you take that title

01:12:53there's no question

01:12:54anybody's man in the world

01:12:55that you are the best

01:12:56that there is

01:12:57and the best there ever was

01:12:58all in David's memory

01:13:01so Kerry and I

01:13:02had like a coin flip

01:13:03with my dad

01:13:05but

01:13:07the truth of it was

01:13:08that I was married

01:13:09and I did not want

01:13:11to travel

01:13:12like the world champion

01:13:13has to travel

01:13:13it's all over the place

01:13:15I had my children

01:13:16I didn't want to be

01:13:18the world champion

01:13:20and

01:13:21Kerry did

01:13:23and so as far as

01:13:24the coin flip's concerned

01:13:25it was more like

01:13:25you win

01:13:30there are no seatbelts

01:13:31on the chairs

01:13:32here at Texas Stadium

01:13:33but we almost need them

01:13:35my goodness

01:13:36I mean what an atmosphere

01:13:38what a huge match feeling

01:13:42and

01:13:42Kerry had the weight

01:13:44of the state

01:13:45on his back

01:13:46from Denton Texas

01:13:47weighing 259 pounds

01:13:49Mr. Kerry Lauder

01:13:52you know when I talk

01:13:54about the butterflies

01:13:54or something like this

01:13:55it's almost impossible

01:13:56to describe in words

01:13:58the way I felt

01:13:58but it was like

01:13:59all the Texas Stadium

01:14:00was electrified

01:14:01that title shot

01:14:02was supposed to be David's

01:14:04David passes away

01:14:06in Japan

01:14:07now his brother

01:14:08comes and steps in

01:14:10and who does he have to

01:14:11I mean Ric Flair

01:14:13prime Ric Flair

01:14:15Texas Stadium

01:14:16sold out

01:14:17the largest crowd

01:14:18ever

01:14:19to see wrestling

01:14:20anywhere in the world

01:14:21is on hand

01:14:22here at Texas Stadium

01:14:23a history making event

01:14:25Kerry Vaughner

01:14:27in the state of Texas

01:14:31I was pregnant with Holly

01:14:33and it was

01:14:35a great day for all of us

01:14:37Kerry Vaughner

01:14:39probably the most beautiful

01:14:40ring jacket I've ever seen

01:14:41he wanted to

01:14:43to make his dad proud

01:14:45and all the fans too

01:14:47right

01:14:47to make sure that

01:14:48that Vaughneric image

01:14:49was you know

01:14:51upheld

01:14:52this is it

01:14:54here we go

01:14:55watching that one

01:14:56Blair can't find

01:14:58the handle

01:14:58at my Papa Jody's house

01:15:01Kerry is rolling now

01:15:05it was like watching

01:15:06a Mike Tyson fight

01:15:09back to his feet

01:15:10there's a drive

01:15:11by Kerry

01:15:13and everybody

01:15:14had to go to the fight

01:15:17power slam

01:15:18you got

01:15:1940,000 grieving people

01:15:23we had to have the pop

01:15:25and it's a iron claw

01:15:31Kerry's got him

01:15:32here's the Nelson

01:15:3310

01:15:332

01:15:343

01:15:35the dream

01:15:37step 2

01:15:38yes

01:15:41it's happened

01:15:51man

01:15:51it gives you

01:15:52kind of

01:15:52it gives you goosebumps

01:15:53thinking about it

01:15:54how special

01:15:55that was

01:15:55for Kerry to

01:15:56win the title

01:15:57Kerry Vaughneric

01:15:58is the new world

01:16:00heavyweight champion

01:16:02to have

01:16:03our guy

01:16:03Kerry Vaughneric

01:16:05you know

01:16:06that iconic stadium

01:16:07with the holy roof

01:16:07so God can watch his team

01:16:10it was a day

01:16:11of celebration

01:16:11in the state

01:16:12for the Texas flag

01:16:13the big yellow rose

01:16:15and the heavyweight belt

01:16:16winning the ultimate prize

01:16:19in dedication

01:16:19to your brother

01:16:20who passed away

01:16:22Kerry Vaughneric

01:16:23was a god

01:16:24in the state of Texas

01:16:25Prince there

01:16:26to greet Kerry

01:16:27there's Mrs. Vaughneric

01:16:28Kerry's father

01:16:31you know

01:16:31today

01:16:32the world belongs

01:16:32to Texas

01:16:33because if it wasn't

01:16:34for the Texas people

01:16:35I wouldn't have nothing

01:16:36and you know

01:16:36what else

01:16:37my brother David

01:16:38tonight

01:16:39he had the best seat

01:16:40in the house

01:16:40right upstairs

01:16:41looking down

01:16:42and just

01:16:42God bless him

01:16:43man

01:16:43because he saw

01:16:44everything I did

01:16:45and we're just so happy

01:16:46it was

01:16:48just one of the greatest moments

01:16:50I think

01:16:50in his history

01:16:51of wrestling

01:16:56then

01:16:57Kerry had to take on

01:16:58the responsibility

01:16:59of being the champion

01:17:00and it's not fun

01:17:02here now comes

01:17:03world heavyweight champion

01:17:04Kerry Vaughneric

01:17:05that's a 360 day deal

01:17:09he goes from

01:17:10David's dead

01:17:13you're the main event

01:17:15promos

01:17:16promos

01:17:17promos

01:17:19and you can't just say

01:17:20oh we're taking a week off

01:17:23so between that

01:17:25and losing

01:17:26his brother David

01:17:27that's when

01:17:29I started seeing

01:17:30a little bit more

01:17:31of the drugs

01:17:32starting to come in

01:17:33oh Bill

01:17:33there's so much going on

01:17:34inside my head

01:17:35I feel like

01:17:37I'm ready now

01:17:38I believe with all my heart

01:17:39I can take it

01:17:40I think before

01:17:41David's death

01:17:42the drugs were

01:17:43under control

01:17:44where it wasn't

01:17:45causing any problems

01:17:47for him

01:17:47and then after

01:17:48David's death

01:17:49it just

01:17:53Kerry Vaughneric

01:17:54the new world

01:17:55heavyweight champion

01:17:55I guess that's

01:17:56something we've all

01:17:57dreamed about

01:17:59that was the right

01:18:00call for Kerry

01:18:01to be world champion

01:18:02for that night

01:18:03in that stadium

01:18:06regardless of how

01:18:07it turned out

01:18:07it was the right call

01:18:09Rick switches him

01:18:11pulls him back

01:18:11he's got him

01:18:12he's got him

01:18:13and that's it

01:18:14and Ric Flair

01:18:16the world

01:18:16heavyweight champion

01:18:18once again

01:18:18with an 18 day reign

01:18:21the N.W.A.

01:18:22was sort of doing

01:18:23a solid

01:18:23for the state of Texas

01:18:25you know

01:18:25for Dallas

01:18:26for the Von Erich family

01:18:27for all the tragedy

01:18:28that they were going through

01:18:29right in that moment

01:18:31and it wasn't meant

01:18:32to be a long term solution

01:18:34I think for Kerry

01:18:35it didn't matter

01:18:36that he lost it so quickly

01:18:37because you're on top

01:18:39right

01:18:39how much further

01:18:40can you go

01:18:41like I'm accepted now

01:18:42right

01:18:42my dad trusted me

01:18:44to be able to do this

01:18:45and I did it

01:18:46I tried to do this

01:18:47all my life

01:18:47a national wrestling

01:18:48last world champion

01:18:49and I was never able

01:18:50to take it

01:18:50but Kerry took it

01:18:52even after losing

01:18:53the title

01:18:54the Von Erichs

01:18:55they were still drawing

01:18:56in huge crowds

01:18:57and I think that just

01:18:58says something

01:18:59about their start

01:19:01listen to this crowd

01:19:02roar

01:19:03they're on their feet

01:19:06it's getting around

01:19:07that the Von Erichs

01:19:08and world class

01:19:09championship wrestling

01:19:10is the number one

01:19:12sport in the world

01:19:13today

01:19:14world class

01:19:15was just booming

01:19:18line drop kick

01:19:19and there goes

01:19:20Michael Hayes

01:19:21they would play the show

01:19:23I think it was

01:19:23at 11 a.m.

01:19:24Sunday mornings

01:19:25we would have a

01:19:26replay of that

01:19:28at 6 at night

01:19:30which was opposite

01:19:32of 60 minutes

01:19:33which was the number

01:19:35one show in the country

01:19:36and we would almost

01:19:37double the ratings

01:19:39with a replay

01:19:41at this point

01:19:42world class

01:19:43is so successful

01:19:45that

01:19:46you know

01:19:47Vince McMahon

01:19:48takes notice

01:19:48if there's one family

01:19:50that's dominant

01:19:51and reigns supreme

01:19:52somewhat

01:19:52in the entire

01:19:53wrestling world

01:19:54it would be

01:19:54the Von Erich family

01:19:55at the beginning

01:19:56there was a meeting

01:19:57that took place

01:19:57in Dallas

01:19:59you know

01:19:59Vince said

01:20:00join forces

01:20:01with the WWE

01:20:04we'll go everywhere

01:20:05and at that time

01:20:07they would even

01:20:08take 40%

01:20:08we would be 60%

01:20:11we didn't do the deal

01:20:12Rich was

01:20:14why do we need you

01:20:16we just did

01:20:1640 some thousand people

01:20:19the wrestling family

01:20:20which has made

01:20:21Dallas and Fort Worth

01:20:22one of the hottest

01:20:22spots in the sport

01:20:23is still growing strong

01:20:25the people love

01:20:26the Von Erichs

01:20:27it's amazing

01:20:28but wherever

01:20:28the Von Erichs go

01:20:29a crowd always follows

01:20:33Kerry he was

01:20:35extremely popular

01:20:36people just loved him

01:20:37he was actually

01:20:38an audition

01:20:39with Sylvester Stallone

01:20:40for Rocky 4

01:20:42and they picked

01:20:43Dolph Lundgren

01:20:44for it

01:20:45but becoming famous

01:20:47at a really young age

01:20:48can be difficult

01:20:52and that was pretty tough

01:20:55for me

01:20:56as a wife

01:20:57being with somebody

01:20:58that was so famous

01:21:00I love you too

01:21:01Kerry

01:21:01but you're married

01:21:02so

01:21:03I'm just worried

01:21:04about his health

01:21:04I'm worried

01:21:05that he's going

01:21:06to get an eye out

01:21:06or something

01:21:07I'm not really worried

01:21:08about the girls

01:21:09kissing on him

01:21:09or anything

01:21:10I know that goes

01:21:11I don't blame him

01:21:12I would too

01:21:13I'd be jumping

01:21:13all over him too

01:21:14I like Kerry's body

01:21:17all of it

01:21:18was really hard

01:21:19for he and I

01:21:20I kept seeing

01:21:22Kerry Atkinson

01:21:23getting buried

01:21:24underneath

01:21:25the Von Erich

01:21:26image

01:21:28I was losing

01:21:29a part of my husband

01:21:31that was

01:21:31very important to me

01:21:34because Kerry Von Erich

01:21:35belonged to everybody

01:21:39maybe taking the drugs

01:21:40helped him

01:21:41to escape from that

01:21:44at least he told me

01:21:46that one time

01:21:50that's a big responsibility

01:21:51being on top

01:21:52because you're responsible

01:21:54for feeding everybody

01:21:56and drinking

01:21:57and doing drugs

01:21:58don't help you

01:21:59balance that

01:21:59that well

01:22:01Kerry sometimes

01:22:02is he 100%

01:22:03is he 70%

01:22:04what do we got

01:22:05to work with

01:22:06and when we finally

01:22:07get him in the ring

01:22:08Michael Hayes

01:22:09or Terry Gordon

01:22:09I don't care which one

01:22:12but when we get you

01:22:13in the ring baby

01:22:13I ain't going out

01:22:15to hurt you

01:22:15I'm going out

01:22:16to cripple you

01:22:16and I guarantee you

01:22:18that

01:22:20it was hard

01:22:21to be in that

01:22:21position

01:22:22to where

01:22:23you go tell someone

01:22:24that their son's

01:22:25got a problem

01:22:27I mentioned it

01:22:28one time

01:22:28and I got heat

01:22:30for it

01:22:31not from Prince

01:22:32I'll just leave it

01:22:33at that

01:22:35my grandmother

01:22:37loved her boys

01:22:38so much

01:22:39and I love Mimi

01:22:42I love my grandmother

01:22:43but it's frustrating

01:22:46because it is just so easy

01:22:49to blame Grandad

01:22:50it's not always

01:22:51as it seems

01:22:53you know

01:22:54a lot of people

01:22:55want to make Fritz

01:22:57the bad guy

01:22:57there is a deep love

01:22:59and respect

01:22:59between the boys

01:23:00and Fritz

01:23:01and it went both ways

01:23:02I saw it first hand

01:23:04Mr. Epikenson

01:23:05absolutely wanted

01:23:07the best for his boys

01:23:08but he also wanted

01:23:10the best for his business

01:23:12Fritz was also

01:23:13very consumed

01:23:14with making sure

01:23:15that train

01:23:16kept running down

01:23:17that track

01:23:17and we are still

01:23:18breaking attendance records

01:23:20Harry Von Erich

01:23:21literally having to

01:23:21push his way through

01:23:22life was great

01:23:23everybody thought

01:23:25it was going to

01:23:25last forever

01:23:28wrong

01:23:30we have to deal

01:23:31with life as it comes

01:23:32don't cry about it

01:23:34the tragedy

01:23:35started coming around

01:23:38it had its effect

01:23:41suicides

01:23:41drugs

01:23:42alcohol

01:23:44you name it

01:23:45it all played a part

01:23:56it's so cool

01:23:57how you all

01:23:58got to wrestle together

01:23:59well just imagine

01:24:00you inside

01:24:01you know

01:24:01just playing outside

01:24:02but there's thousands

01:24:04of people watching

01:24:04so that's what's

01:24:05going to happen

01:24:06when they play

01:24:07with their brother

01:24:07in front of a bunch

01:24:09of people

01:24:11there was a time

01:24:12that we could all

01:24:13wrestle in any town

01:24:14and sell it out

01:24:15the Von Erichs

01:24:17have won the hearts

01:24:18of wrestling fans

01:24:19they're the most popular

01:24:20wrestling family

01:24:21in the world

01:24:24yeah

01:24:24it's not like people

01:24:26think

01:24:26it's a family business

01:24:28it wasn't fun

01:24:29it was work

01:24:31you're pressured

01:24:32to be on

01:24:33all of the time

01:24:34an image

01:24:35that they all

01:24:36want to uphold

01:24:37they're just good boys

01:24:39the world just needs

01:24:40heroes today

01:24:41that's all

01:24:41there's pressure

01:24:43to keep that name alive

01:24:44professional wrestler

01:24:45Mike Von Erich

01:24:46remains in critical condition

01:24:48if Mike Von Erich

01:24:49dies the whole world

01:24:50is going to hate you

01:24:51it's in the Lord's plan

01:24:52for these things to happen

01:24:53the Von Erichs are strong

01:24:55I saw a lot of depression

01:24:57in him

01:24:57I do remember times

01:24:59where he wasn't sober

01:25:01the doctor told him

01:25:03he just might never

01:25:04be able to go back

01:25:04into wrestling

01:25:05dozens of searchers

01:25:07had been scouring

01:25:07Lake Louisville

01:25:08by ground and air

01:25:09since Wednesday night

01:25:10when I got the call

01:25:11I need

01:25:12our world is crumbling

01:25:13investigators found

01:25:14a handwritten note

01:25:15mom and dad

01:25:16I'm in a better place

01:25:17I'd rather die

01:25:19than let you folks down

Biography: WWE Legends - Season 5 Episode 1 - The Curse of the Von Erichs, Part 1

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