2011 NWA Wrestling Legends Fanfest Weekend, Aug 4th thru 7th, in Atlanta, GA
- from NWA Legends Fanfest
That's right, folks! This August in Atlanta, NWA and Georgia wrestling legend "Rowdy" Roddy Piper will be making a rare appearance and his first-ever at our NWA Wrestling Legends Fanfest Weekend!
Piper will be appearing on both Friday, August 5 and Saturday, August 6, courtesy of vendor Toploaders & More. The WWE Hall-of-Famer will be taking part in two very special photo opportunities.
Truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity -- Piper will join former foe Greg "The Hammer" Valentine in a special "Dog Collar" photo op where you'll be able to use as props the actual dog collars and chain from their classic Starcade '83 war!
Also, we'll have on hand the authentic original United States championship belt (silver) that Piper and Valentine fought over in the Mid-Atlantic area in the early 1980's and, if you'd like, you'll be able to use it as a prop in your photo op as well.
Piper will be also be doing photo ops in his famous attire (Hot Rod shirt and Scottish kilt,) in a replica of his famous "Piper's Pit" set! How cool is that?
Both photo ops will be available on both Friday, August 5 and Saturday, August 6. Piper will be signing autographs on other items on Saturday, August 6 only.
But that's not all. While he's in Atlanta, Piper will be inducting his former broadcast partner Gordon Solie into the Hall of Heroes on Friday night, August 5, and will also perform a special late-night standup -- "All My Rowdy Friends!" -- on Saturday, August 6, featuring several of the NWA legends in attendance!
You'll be able to purchase individual autographs and photo ops at the event, or you can pre-purchase now the "Roddy Piper SuperFan Package" and save 40 bucks!
Buy your Roddy Piper SuperFan Package now!
Each Roddy Piper SuperFan Package includes:
• 1 "Piper's Pit" Photo Op with You and Roddy Piper, taken by our professional photographer on the "set" of Piper's Pit. We will print and return to you a beautiful
8" x 10" full color photo and, as an added bonus, it will be hand-signed by Piper when you receive it! ($50 if purchased separately.)
• 1 "Dog Collar" Photo Op with You, Roddy Piper, Greg Valentine and the original dog collars and chain used in their famous Starcade '83 battle, taken by our professional photographer. We will print and return to you a beautiful 8" x 10" full color photo and, as an added bonus, it will be hand-signed by both Piper and Valentine when you receive it! ($50 if purchased separately.)
• 2 of Your Personal items, hand-signed by Piper ($40 if purchased separately. $20 per.)
Roddy Piper SuperFan Package $100. -- Save $40
Complete details available now at http://www.NWALegends.com/
Tully Blanchard, "Perfect 10" Baby Doll, Greg Valentine
Confirm Appearances At This Summer's Atlanta Fanfest!
Both grew up in Texas, and both from wrestling families. Tully Blanchard and his "Perfect 10" Baby Doll made their way to the Carolinas in early-1984 and, as they say, "the rest is history!"
A couple of years feuding with the likes of Ricky Steamboat and Dusty Rhodes over the NWA Television title, and later a main event feud with Magnum T.A. over the United States championship, Blanchard was at the top of his game in 1986 when he and partners Ole and Arn Anderson, and Ric Flair joined to form what would quickly become the most dominant faction in pro wrestling history, the Four Horsemen.
In the mid-1980's, Baby Doll was the most hated female in wrestling. Tully's perfect female, so we were told, she aligned with Blanchard and the Horsemen and created a legacy as one of wrestling's most successful valets.
Greg "The Hammer" Valentine is another second generation wrestler, and another legendary performer whose resume reads like an encyclopedia of pro wrestling history.
A nasty, brutal series of matches with Roddy Piper in 1983, culminating with the famous "Dog Collar Match" at the first Starcade, was about as hardcore as it gets!
Both Greg and his father Johnny Valentine were inducted into our Hall of Heroes just last year in Charlotte.
Tully Blanchard, Baby Doll, and Greg Valentine have confirmed their appearances at this summer's NWA Wrestling Legends Fanfest Weekend August 4-7. They will join previously-announced featured guests Ole Anderson, The Assassin, Mr. Wrestling II, former AWA Rookie of the Year and NWA National champion Steve O, Killer Karl Kox, "Million Dollar Man" Ted Dibiase, "Doctor D" David Schultz, "Mr. USA" Tony Atlas, Killer Tim Brooks, The Masked Superstar, Dory Funk Jr., Terry Funk, "Continental Lover" Eddie Mansfield, "Wildfire" Tommy Rich, Nick Bockwinkel, Harley Race, Joyce Grable, Judy Martin, Leilani Kai, Thunderbolt Patterson, Ron Simmons, Gypsy Joe, Stan Hansen, Teddy Long, Ron Garvin, Ron Bass, Buddy Colt, Scrappy McGowan and Moondog Rex signing autographs and taking photos with fans over the course of the three-day, four night event at Atlanta's Airport Marriott hotel.
Each featured guest will be scheduled to take photos with fans at least once (sometimes more,) during the weekend. For a nominal fee, we'll take your photo, process it -- even get it autographed for free! -- and return to you a beautiful, one-of-a-kind 8" x 10" autographed photo of you and your favorite wrestling heroes! An incredible keepsake that will last a lifetime! There will be individual photo ops with each of the featured guests, as well as some rare, group photo ops available.
Each featured guest will also be scheduled to sign autographs for fans at least once during the weekend. Those with VIP "All Access" Passes are allowed to get two free autographs from each featured guest at our Autograph Stage.
Please check the schedule in late-May for exact times.
Over the next few weeks, we will be announcing our final guest confirmations for this year's Atlanta fanfest.
Rob Van Dam To Make First-ever Fanfest Appearance!
Vendor Toploaders & More has confirmed their first booth guest for this year's NWA Wrestling Legends Fanfest Weekend in Atlanta -- current TNA superstar, "The Whole F'n Show" Rob Van Dam!
The only man to ever hold the ECW, WWE and TNA World heavyweight championships, Van Dam will be signing autographs and taking photos with fans on Friday, August 5. Time and pricing details will be forthcoming.
More vendor guests will be announced over the next few months. For more information on our fanfest vendors and their booth guests, please visithttp://www.nwalegends.com/2011/vendor.htm
Ted Turner, Gordon Solie Among 8 Tapped For Hall of Heroes!
Media mogul, philanthropist, and former WTBS SuperStation owner Ted Turner and legendary TV announcer Gordon Solie are among eight iconic figures being inducted into our Hall of Heroes this August in Atlanta.
Turner will be recognized for seeking out wrestling programming in the early days of cable TV and, for more than two decades, providing a broadcast home for matches sanctioned by the once-mighty National Wrestling Alliance.
The exposure gained from being on Turner's quickly-expanding SuperStation broadcasts, and the station’s jump to satellite transmission in 1976, brought Georgia Championship Wrestling and the NWA to a new level of national popularity.
In short order, it made household names of "Nature Boy" Ric Flair, "Wildfire" Tommy Rich, and Mr. Wrestling II. Another is Atlanta wrestling legend Thunderbolt Patterson.
A 2007 Hall of Heroes inductee himself, Patterson arrived in Georgia in the early 1970’s and experienced first-hand the added popularity of being seen on one of cable television’s first wrestling shows. "Ted Turner provided us a lot of opportunities in the early days," said Patterson, who will be inducting Turner during a dinner banquet and awards ceremony Friday night, August 5, at Atlanta’s Airport Marriott hotel. "Suddenly, our TV wrestling show was not just seen in Atlanta each week, but in far-away places like Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia. Without Ted Turner, Atlanta wrestling would still be 'Atlanta wrestling.' Thanks to his vision, it became World Championship Wrestling!"
The Hall of Heroes inductions are part of Atlanta's first-ever NWA Wrestling Legends Fanfest Weekend August 4-7. The tenth annual event offers fans and followers of all ages an exciting three-day forum to reconnect with some of TV wrestling's notable heroes and villains. Autograph sessions, photo opportunities, and question-and-answer sessions fill the weekend, and tons of wrestling memorabilia will be on display.
Turner will be joined by seven other Class of 2011 Hall of Heroes inductees, including legendary TV wrestling announcer Gordon Solie, affectionately known as "The Dean" of all wrestling announcers.
Recognized by fans for his monotone, stoic interview style, Solie arrived in Atlanta in 1974 at the urging of Turner and played a vital role in Turner’s broadcast expansion and ultimate media empire.
He became the voice of the weekend studio wrestling shows -- filmed on location at Tuner's 1050 Techwood Drive studio -- that quickly became the most-watched programming on cable television at the time.
"He was the man," said wrestling icon Dusty Rhodes, "the absolute best to ever call a match!"
Others being honored will include wrestling legends The Assassins (Joe Hamilton and Tom Renesto,) "Hands of Stone" Ron Garvin, Sir Oliver Humperdink, Ray "The Crippler" Stevens, and the Masked Superstar.
Former PWI Editor Returning To Atlanta!
Wrestling fans from everywhere remember Bill Apter, Editor of Pro Wrestling Illustrated and it's family of wrestling magazines, including The Wrestler and Inside Wrestling.
Georgia-area fans also remember him for the PWI Scouting Report, a segment he hosted on the Best of World Championship Wrestling, broadcast weekly on Ted Turner's WTBS Superstation.
Apter returns to the Peach State this August as part of the NWA Wrestling Legends Fanfest Weekend, hosting "Apter's Antics!" -- a live show each day, featuring offbeat interviews, comedy, karaoke and more!
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