War Games: Champions

This program is brought to you in part by a grant from Nebraska's for public television. Is this to be taken seriously? Absolutely. I don't see anything comic about it. It's a serious avant -garde piece of music that happens to a company, a piece of wrestling. It's like a ballet. And I've brought together two exceedingly vital, contemporary, dynamic forms of performance that nobody has ever put together before. What's going to happen tonight is that you've got the number one box -offent attraction and all professional wrestling here tonight. That's right, the Hustle Rip Rogers, the legend of professional wrestling, is here tonight with one purpose, with one thing in mind, and that's to take the up -and -coming newcomer. That's right, Bart Batten, he's trying to make a name for himself, but he's not going up against anybody. He's going up against me, Hustle Rip Rogers, the man with 29 -inch biceps, the man that's done everything in the world of professional wrestling. So I'm telling you, Don, I'm telling everybody in TV

land. Tonight's the night, Bart Batten, come on down prepared, baby, because tonight, that's right tonight, I've given you the professional wrestling lesson of your life. The faction speaks as loud as words, I guess he'd be the world's greatest athlete. And let me tell you one thing right now, Rip Rogers. I'll give you a little bit of credit. I'm not taking you lightly. You're a tremendous athlete. You've got a reputation that stretches across the world of professional wrestling. But let me tell you one thing right now. I didn't come to Lincoln, Nebraska, to do this, to wrestle you in this match, just to make you a stepping stone brother. So I'm going to go out there, I'm going to give it everything I got. Go ahead and bring your walking and your talking into the ring, brother, because when the bell rings. Good evening and welcome to a special public television

event. Tonight's performance is a blend of three very unusual elements. Professional wrestling, contemporary percussion music. And enthusiastic fans. The composer of war games, Walter Mays, when the prestigious Numbord Prize in 1980, last year was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. Are you a violent man? In music, I'm a violent man. I think most people who hear the performance would agree with that. You know, they're acceptable outlets for violence and they're unacceptable outlets for violence. I think wrestling is a very acceptable outlet. And I think pounding on a drum is unacceptable. Now that's for violence. I think it's violent. No question. The first time I conducted it was terrifying. I had never been that close to a wrestling ring before. And the piece itself I had rehearsed and rehearsed. And all of a sudden, he was an ingredient that I

couldn't relate to. I had no frame of reference for this. And this, it seemed incredibly violent. Do they go together? Music and wrestling? I think they go together more obviously. I'm going to hear the trumpet's playing, baby. I'm going to hear the flute's flute and baby. I'm going to hear I'm a connoisseur of music, baby. And I'm going to make everybody a connoisseur of wrestling because when I hear the music, that's what I got the music in me. And I've got the beat in me. And beat is what you're going to be, Bart Baton. One, two, three. When I get done with you. We need an outlet for violence, but a healthy outlet for violence. And I think that from the very earliest times of Greek and Roman wrestling that

violence has here been ritualized, sometimes even in religion violence has played a part. And I believe the reason is that these outlets were controlled and the whole community could participate in them, even if vicariously. And as a result, it forms a kind of safety valve. Let me tell you, when the music starts playing, and the people are out there cheering, and the drums are rolling, and the flutes are like you say, and fluting along. That's when I'm going to get my energy. Regardless of what you're doing at that time, Rip Rodgers. The energy is coming right here to Bart Baton. The energy from the music, the energy from the people. The energy right from inside, by the way, is going to be all tuned in to you. And keeping these guys in line is the referee for tonight's match, Bob Geigel of

Kansas City, Missouri. Bob is president of the International Wrestling Alliance, and a wrestling promoter in the Central States. It should be a tremendous contest. Bart Baton has a great amateur background in wrestling. He's been a great professional wrestler. Rip Rodgers is a super wrestler. He's really gone to the top and professional wrestling. They're not really friends. I really look for an all -out struggle in a real battle between these two. Thank you very much. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to a very special evening, war games for all -star wrestlers. And extended percussion by Walter Mays. We're delighted that you're here this evening. It is a very, very special evening. Before we get on with the music, I want to introduce a very special guest this evening, the International, former international wrestling fan of the year, Bruce Grummerd. Let's hear it for Bruce and our

audience this evening. This is a musical event, and so we have musicians. And our musicians this evening are from Wichita, Kansas, and from Lincoln, and Omaha, Nebraska. And we want to introduce them. Starting in this corner, Paul Reed, Rich Guests, Phil Black, and Todd Smith. And in this corner, John Prope, Paul Anderson, Garrett Ward, and Dwight Thomas. And directly in front of me on drums below the ring, Kevin Finley. And in this corner, Carol Doverd and John Scofield. And in this corner, Al Romero, Rich Jones, and Craig Fuller.

And behind me on drums below the ring, Todd Ankstad. And now, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to introduce the conductor for War Games this evening, J .C. Combs. Thank you. Music. Music.

Music. Music. Music. Music.

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Music.