Bumps & Thumps

Ken Patera is considered to be the first man in pro wrestling named "The Worlds Strongest Man". Ken excelled in athletics at BYU and won four gold medals at the 1971 PAN AM Games. He competed in the 1972 Olympics in Munich, West Germany and was part of Vern Gagne's wrestling training class of 1972 with future stars Ric Flair, Greg Gagne, Jim Brunzell and the Iron Sheik. Ken has won may titles in the territories he worked in to include the WWF Intercontinental Title, AWA World Tag Team Titles and the NWA Mid Atlantic Heavyweight title just to name a few. In this podcast, Ken talks about how he grew up in Oregon, going to college at BYU and competing in college athletics, competing in the Pan AM Games and the Olympics. I hope you enjoy part 1 of this two part episode. I would enjoy hearing your feedback! You can follow Ken Patera on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ken.patera.12 Help support the podcast! You can make contributions or purchase items at: Contribution: www.anchor.fm/brian-ferguson3 and click the support button Teespring Store: https://bumps-thumps-2.creator-spring.com/ You can follow Bumps & Thumps on the following social media platforms: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnQG8G8GE0eTHmzIzTBnZ8Q Rumble: https://rumble.com/user/Brianferguson Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BumpsThumps Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumps_n_thumps/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/bumps_thumps Parler: https://parler.com/brinshe2003

In Part 2 of our podcast with George Schire, we continue our discussion about his interaction with managers, big wrestling cards he attended, challenges and difficulties in collecting pro wrestling results from events pre-internet, difference in pro wrestling today and being awarded the James C Melby Wrestling Historian Award from the Cauliflower Alley Club in 2013. You can follow George Schire on the following social media platforms: Facebook: George Schire’s WRESTLING TIME MACHINE: https://www.facebook.com/groups/304074923575221 AMERICAN WRESTLING ASSOCIATION: https://www.facebook.com/groups/352959044854870 AWA Unleashed Podcast Audio: https://open.spotify.com/show/7bvksF5UOuPk8k6jyAQsWu?si=e3a130d9806b4f12or where ever you get your podcast. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfxTfHooG8cwoHnOg325tPA/featured Help support the podcast! You can make contributions or purchase items at: Contribution: www.anchor.fm/brian-ferguson3 and click the support button Teespring Store: https://bumps-thumps-2.creator-spring.com/ You can follow Bumps & Thumps on the following social media platforms: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnQG8G8GE0eTHmzIzTBnZ8Q Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BumpsThumps Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumps_n_thumps/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/bumps_thumps

In part 1 of a two part podcast, I talk to well known Pro Wrestling Historian George Shire. In part 1, George talks about how he grew up in Minnesota and how pro wrestling influenced his life. He also discusses his interactions with pro wrestlers and how he promoted his first pro wrestling at his hometown High School Gymnasium. You can follow George Schire on the following social media platforms: Facebook: George Schire’s WRESTLING TIME MACHINE: https://www.facebook.com/groups/304074923575221 AMERICAN WRESTLING ASSOCIATION: https://www.facebook.com/groups/352959044854870 AWA Unleashed Podcast Audio: https://open.spotify.com/show/7bvksF5UOuPk8k6jyAQsWu?si=e3a130d9806b4f12or where ever you get your podcast. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfxTfHooG8cwoHnOg325tPA/featured Help support the podcast! You can make contributions or purchase items at: Contribution: www.anchor.fm/brian-ferguson3 and click the support button Teespring Store: https://bumps-thumps-2.creator-spring.com/ You can follow Bumps & Thumps on the following social media platforms: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnQG8G8GE0eTHmzIzTBnZ8Q Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BumpsThumps Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumps_n_thumps/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/bumps_thumps

Paul "The Butcher" Vachon is considered an icon in the tag team division. He started in pro wrestling in 1955 and went on to win with numerous singles and tag team titles with his brother, Maurice “Mad Dog” Vachon in all the major territories. He is best known for competing in the AWA, NWA and Stampede Wrestling promotions. He wrestled until his retirement in 1987. He is a member of the Cauliflower Alley Club, inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame (2004) and the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame (2010). He is also the author of the four books, the most recent titled: Wrestling in the Past; Life in and out of the ring. You can find Paul's book on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/Wrestling-Past-Life-Out-Ring/dp/1475070683/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1604101566&sr=8-4 You can also follow Paul "The Butcher" Vachon on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/paulthebutchervachon Help support the podcast! You can make contributions or purchase items at: Contribution: www.anchor.fm/brian-ferguson3 and click the support button Teespring Store: https://bumps-thumps-2.creator-spring.com/ You can follow Bumps & Thumps on the following social media platforms: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnQG8G8GE0eTHmzIzTBnZ8Q Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BumpsThumps Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumps_n_thumps/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/bumps_thumps

Bill Apter is a legend in the Pro Wrestling Magazine world. Bill started as a writer in 1970 working for Mr. Stanley Weston (who he considers his mentor). He also worked as a photographer and reporter. Bill worked his way up and eventually became the senior editor for Mr. Weston's publications. Bill is best known for writing, photographing and publishing for Pro Wrestling Illustrated. We discuss how he got started in the business of pro wrestling, stories about Buddy Rogers, promotions he covered, the COW belt, leaving PWI (Pro Wrestling Illustrated), his induction into the Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame (2012) and what Bill is doing now. His book "Is Wrestling Fixed? I Didn't Know It Was Broken!" is on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Is-Wrestling-Fixed-Bill-Apter-audiobook/dp/B01COQ6FSS/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Is+Wrestling+Fixed+I+didnt+know+it+was+Broken&qid=1601601119&s=books&sr=1-1 You can follow Bill on Twitter: @apter1wrestling Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bill.apter Website: 1wrestling.com If you would like to support Bumps & Thumps podcast: Website: https://anchor.fm/brian-ferguson3/ and click the support button Teespring Store: https://bumps-thumps-2.creator-spring.com/ Follow & Subscribe to Bumps & Thumps on the following social media platforms: Website: https://anchor.fm/brian-ferguson3 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BumpsThumps Twitter: @bumps_thumps https://twitter.com/bumps_thumps Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumps_n_thumps/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnQG8G8GE0eTHmzIzTBnZ8Q Teespring Store: https://bumps-thumps-2.creator-spring.com/

In this episode, we talk with one of the legends of tag team wrestling Jumpin Jim Brunzell. Jim is a two time AWA World Tag Team Champion as one half of the High Flyers with Greg Gagne, a two time Mid Atlantic Heavyweight Champion and was one half the WWF tag team know as the Killer Bees with B Brian Blair. Jim talks about how he grew up in a military family and how he played for the Minnesota Gophers as a walk on athlete. He also discusses about Vern Gagne's Wrestling camp and the famous class of 1972 which he was a part of. Jim also talks about wrestlers he worked with and promotions he worked for like the AWA and WWF. We also discuss managers and broadcasters Jim enjoyed working with. Finally, we talk about the difference in pro wrestling today versus when he started, his book Matlands, his induction into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, Class of 2013 Frank Gotch Award and what Jim is doing now. I encourage you to read Jim's book titled MatLands. Click on this link if you are interested in purchasing the book: https://www.blurb.com/b/6298514-matlands. If you would like to support Bumps & Thumps podcast: Website: https://anchor.fm/brian-ferguson3/ and click the support button Teespring Store: https://bumps-thumps-2.creator-spring.com/ Follow & Subscribe to Bumps & Thumps on the following social media platforms: Website: https://anchor.fm/brian-ferguson3 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BumpsThumps Twitter: @bumps_thumps https://twitter.com/bumps_thumps Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumps_n_thumps/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnQG8G8GE0eTHmzIzTBnZ8Q Teespring Store: https://bumps-thumps-2.creator-spring.com/

In this episode, we continue our conversation with the "High Flyer" Greg Gagne. Greg talks about the jobbers he worked with, working with up and coming talent the AWA in the late 1980s (Wayne Bloom, Mike Enos, The Nasty Boys and Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty), managers, broadcasters, other promotions he worked for, real heat with anyone outside the ring, his other jobs in pro wrestling, differences in the presentation from when he started in the business compared to today, how wrestlers were paid, Big Card events he was involved in and what Greg is doing now. Help support the podcast! You can make contributions or purchase items at: Contribution: www.anchor.fm/brian-ferguson3 and click the support button Teespring Store: https://bumps-thumps-2.creator-spring.com/ You can follow Bumps & Thumps on the following social media platforms: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnQG8G8GE0eTHmzIzTBnZ8Q Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BumpsThumps Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumps_n_thumps/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/bumps_thumps

During the first ever episode, I will be talking to Greg Gagne. Greg is a two time AWA International Television Champion and one half of the two time AWA World Tag Team Championship Team the High Flyers. I will be discussing with Greg about what it was like growing up in a wrestling family, his experience going through his fathers pro wrestling camp, travelling experiences with other wrestlers and chemistry with other wrestlers. Help support the podcast! You can make contributions or purchase items at: Contribution: www.anchor.fm/brian-ferguson3 and click the support button Teespring Store: https://bumps-thumps-2.creator-spring.com/ You can follow Bumps & Thumps on the following social media platforms: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnQG8G8GE0eTHmzIzTBnZ8Q Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BumpsThumps Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumps_n_thumps/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/bumps_thumps