Dory Funk Jr. – Returning to St. Louis – Wrestling Legends on Tour ( Reunion of Wrestlers on JAL Flight 001 )
Performing at St. Charles Convention Center
Friday May 7th, 2010: Doors open at 5pm. Event starts at 6pm and runs till…
Saturday May 8, 2010: 8am – 10pm (VIP entry at 8am)
Sunday May 9, 2010: 10am – 4pm.
More information at http://www.wrestlingligendsontour.com
Meet and greet all of the characters in the following story at wrestling legends on tour.
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Terry Funk was standing on top of the seats in the front row of the Japan Airlines 747 cursing and swinging with both fists at Buck Robely. Some punches were landing and some were missing, but one thing for sure there was a fight going on and 300 plus Japanese people on JAL Flight 001 (Tokyo to Los Angeles) had a ring-side seat.
At Narita Airport Tokyo, Terry and Buck Robely, who were best friends from their early days in the Amarillo territory, were in the bar having, “more than a few drinks” before boarding JAL 001.
Buck Robely learned the wrestling business in Amarillo. Two towns ran on Sunday nights, Albuquerque which was a great town and Clovis New Mexico, a small town ninety miles west of Amarillo. The wrestlers all wanted to work Albuquerque. Buck came in the office and volunteered to book Clovis and go there every week. He wanted the opportunity to prove himself as a booker. Buck made a great town out of Clovis even though it ran opposite of Albuquerque, one of the best towns in the country.
By the time we boarded the plane, Terry and Buck had put down quite a bit of alcohol. They were sitting together, but an argument was building. Buck had become the new booker in the Louisiana territory working for Bill Watts and Leroy McQuirk. His comment to Terry was, “To get over in Japan, you have to get over the Funks and he and his boy, Bruiser Brody were going to do just that.”
After take off, more drinks were ordered and the argument became louder. As the booker in Louisiana, Buck informed Terry that he was going to put a wrestling video tape in Odessa, a long-time Amarillo territory town. Terry told him not to cross that line and furthermore not to cross the line he drew between the two seats they occupied. Later in the flight Buck must have crossed the line.
***
One of Terry’s punches landed just above Buck Robely’s eye and blood splattered everywhere. Ted Dibiase and I were sitting about six rows back. I couldn’t believe my eyes. I told Ted, “We had better do something or we are all going to jail and this one maybe for a long time.”
We got there as quick as we could and pulled Terry and Buck apart. There was foul language and an attempt by both of them to continue the fight even though Buck was in horrible shape to continue. Buck’s pride was at stake and he would fight to the end, even if it meant getting the shit kicked out of himself. Terry was in a rage and fought me to get back at Buck Robely. Somehow Buck escaped from Teddy for one last charge at Terry with me in between. I can remember flailing arms, the smell of gin and vodka, and blood spurting out of the cut over Buck’s eye.
I kept waiting for someone to take control but that was not going to happen. The Japanese people on JAL 001 were being treated to professional wrestling at it’s best in the front row of the 747 Jumbo Jet.
No one came from the cabin, especially not the Captain. He must have known what was going on in the main cabin of the plane. There was no law enforcement and no control thousands of miles out over the Pacific Ocean.
It was up to Teddy Dibiase and myself to keep these two apart for the last four hours of the flight and it was not easy. I had Terry at the back of the plane and Teddy kept Buck in the front. I tried to tell him that if he didn’t knock it off the police would be waiting when we landed in Los Angeles. I told him we would never make it through customs.
***
As we approached Los Angeles, Teddy and I were exhausted from physically restraining these two for the last half of the trip across the Pacific. When we touched down, Buck looked a mess. He had on a white T shirt with blood spattered all over it. His hair was a mess and his clothes were torn. He looked like a terrorist.
As we lined up to disembark the plane, Buck reached into his pocket and pulled out a big wad of hundred dollar bills, his pay for the last four weeks. He said in a graveled voice, “Well if they see me in this kind of shape coming through immigration, they will surly confiscate my cash.” I guess I had better give this to somebody to carry through to the other side.” Buck stood there with cash in hand and looked as we were leaving JAL 001.
Who did Buck Robely pick to carry his cash through U. S. Customs and Immigration????
Dory Funk Jr.
Ted Dibiase
Captain of JAL 001 Mr. Tanaka
The head stewardess Ms. Suzuki
A stranger
An Idiot
Terry Funk
For the answer, visit our website at http://www.dory-funk.com.
Dory Funk Jr. – Coach of the Funking Conservatory Wrestling School and trainer of WWE, TNA and Japanese Wrestling Talent.
Now on !BANG! TV – Dory Funk Jr. vs Terry Funk – Dory Funk Jr. vs Rob Van Dam – Dory Funk Jr. vs Jeff Jarrett
For training schedules and tickets to !BANG! TV, Call 352-895-4658 or visit http://www.dory-funk.com