In early 1980, the St. Louis Wrestling Club held two significant events at the Keel Auditorium. The January 25th supercard drew over 11,000 fans with star-studded matches including Andre the Giant and Jack Brisco. The February 8th follow-up show saw attendance drop to 6,465 due to a less star-studded lineup, illustrating the importance of marquee attractions in drawing crowds.
In early 1980, the St. Louis Wrestling Club hosted two notable wrestling events at the Keel Auditorium that showcased the dynamics of wrestling promotions and fan engagement in the city. These events, held on January 25th and February 8th, provide a fascinating look into how star power and match lineups influenced attendance and fan interest.
The first event of the year was a massive card that drew an impressive crowd of exactly 11,053 fans, filling the Keel Auditorium to capacity. This event featured one of the strongest lineups the city had seen in months, packed with top-tier talent and marquee matches.
The night kicked off with a two out of three falls match where Eddie Gilbert and Tommy Sharp faced off against Ron McFarland and Billy Howard. After a grueling 21 minutes and 35 seconds, Gilbert and Sharp emerged victorious, winning two falls to one.
Following this, Akihisa Tachichiho secured a quick and decisive victory over Carrie Brown in just three minutes and 44 seconds.
Pat O’Connor, a respected former NWA World Heavyweight Champion, made a return to St. Louis and delivered a classic display of technical wrestling by defeating Ed Wiskowski in 13 minutes and 28 seconds.
David Von Eric teamed up with Sailor Art Thomas to defeat the duo of Lord Alfred Hayes and Bulldog Bob Brown, adding to the evening's excitement.
One of the night's highlights was the Missouri Heavyweight Championship defense by Kevin Von Eric against Jack Brisco. In a significant win for the young star, Kevin retained his title by defeating Brisco.
The card featured a powerhouse tag team match where King Kong Brody and Dick Murdoch defeated the legendary team of Dick the Bruiser and Andre the Giant.
The main event was a thrilling 16-man battle royal that included nearly the entire roster. After intense competition, Andre the Giant and Dick the Bruiser stood tall as the winners, outlasting notable names such as Brody, Murdoch, O'Connor, Hayes, Wiskowski, Gilbert, and David Von Eric.
This supercard was notable for featuring Andre the Giant and Dick the Bruiser in two matches each, a Missouri title match with Jack Brisco, and multiple marquee attractions, which contributed to the massive turnout.
Two weeks later, the St. Louis Wrestling Club returned to the Keel Auditorium for another event. However, this time the attendance dropped sharply to 6,465 fans.
The show opened with another two out of three falls match where Pat O'Connor, Eddie Gilbert, and Carrie Brown defeated Akihisa Tachichiho, Ron McFarland, and Carlos Rodriguez in 14 minutes and 59 seconds.
Tiny Tom won a five-minute midget match against Billy the Kid.
Ed Wiskowski and Sailor Art Thomas battled to a full 20-minute time limit draw.
Wendy Richter and Tom Andrews defeated The Fabulous Mula and Bulldog Bob Brown in 13 minutes and 7 seconds.
David Von Eric and King Kong Brody faced off, but the match ended in a double disqualification with no winner.
Kevin Von Eric once again defended the Missouri Heavyweight Championship, this time against Dick Murdoch. After 26 minutes and 24 seconds, Kevin retained the title by winning two falls to one.
The stark contrast in attendance between the two events can be attributed primarily to the difference in star power and match lineups.
January 25th Card: Featured major stars such as Andre the Giant, Dick the Bruiser, King Kong Brody, Dick Murdoch, Jack Brisco, Kevin and David Von Eric, and Pat O'Connor. The card included a battle royal, a major title match, and multiple marquee attractions, making it a supercard that met the high expectations of St. Louis wrestling fans.
February 8th Card: Lacked the big names from the previous event. Andre the Giant, Dick the Bruiser, and Jack Brisco were absent. The mid-card attractions like the mixed tag and midget matches did not have the drawing power of the previous supercard. Additionally, fans had recently seen Kevin Von Eric defend the Missouri title, reducing the novelty of the main event.
Weather conditions were not a factor in the attendance drop, as historical data shows no adverse weather on February 8th, 1980.
These two events exemplify the classic St. Louis wrestling promotion strategy:
Load the gun with a supercard: The January 25th event was designed to spike attendance with a star-studded lineup and high-profile matches.
Reload with a lighter card: The February 8th event served to maintain continuity but did not feature the same level of star power, resulting in a normal attendance figure.
St. Louis wrestling fans were discerning and willing to pay premium prices for big cards but were selective about attending mid-level shows.
The opening of 1980 for the St. Louis Wrestling Club thus tells a story of strategic event planning, fan expectations, and the undeniable impact of marquee talent on drawing crowds.
