J.R.'s Family Bar-B-Q

 Dr. Mike Lano provided this photo from a past Cauliflower Alley Club Convention featuring, left, Cowboy Bill Watts and Red Bastien. I can only imagine the stories these two were telling. It’s like being around a bunch of fishermen when wrestlers congregate as the first liar doesn’t have a chance. I do remember a story that happened in the 60s when Watts and Red were tag team partners in the AWA and Bastien was standing on the apron waiting for a tag from Watts who had been the ring for quite some time when Red actually fell asleep and then proceeded to fall off the ring apron. Many of Watts peers have said that Watts in ring work could people to sleep but this story was taking that a step farther. In all seriousness these two men were great in ring story tellers which are a fading art form in wrestling these days. The in ring psychology used by previous generations of wrestlers was obtained thru working in a variety of wrestling territories managed by a gambit of unique personalities/teachers and now that the territory system is dead tomorrow’s stars are going to be harder to locate. Watts and Red were lucky to get in the business when they did as they both took advantage of wrestling in numerous territories. With their skills, these two men would be huge stars if they were in their prime today.

Photo provided by Dr. Mike Lano.