005_03-8
013_06-xx
Walter "Killer" Kowalski was semi-retired at the time but would still take on the persona of "The Executioner" when wrestling came to Boston.
024_11-X
056_31-33
081_55-14B
"Midget" tagteam match
051_27
014_6A
048_25-28
047_25-27
The Animal was George Steele, known to wander the ring and act dangerously imbalanced...
080_48-31
082_48-32
Ken Patera was a US Olympic weightlifter who held the US record in "Clean & Jerk".
086-53-27
066-38-30
060_36-10
010_53-29
053_27
Tony Garea is on the ropes in this tagteam match against Mr. Fuji and Professor Tanaka.
052_27A-1
077_47-35
078_49-11
091-42-17
055_31-29
075_42
073_42-23A
074_42-29
021_09-27A
019_09-24
020_09-26
015_7-7A
061_38-2
038-18-15
Perhaps one of the most famous “Faces” of the era, Bruno is in a match with Nikolai Volkoff, one of the most famous “Heels”. Sadly both Bruno and Nikolai passed away in 2018. Their obituaries were well written in the NY Times.
059-34-36
039_20-23
050_25
040_21
004_02-9
012_06-36
069-41-26
070-41-28
Haystacks was billed as 620 lbs.
017-8-2
062-38-5
054-29-X
025-11-H
072-42-18
046-25-22
009-05-4
007-05-2
027-13-8A
068-40-10A
Mil Máscaras is a Mexican "Luchador.", one of the original "Big Three" of the lucha libre tradition in Mexico.
016-7
057-33-21
058-33-27
090-33-31
002-1A
034-17-0A
076-44-26
064-38-13
Pete Doherty was famous as "The Duke of Dorchester", a Boston wrestling legend.
087-05-11A
085-53-15
011-2A
Before a "Battle Royale".
This was one of the most difficult matches to photograph at ringside, the number of bodies flying around was fast and furious, normal film photography in available light just could not keep up with the action. Added to the probability of getting a wrestler thrown off the ring on top of me was also a good reason to stay back.
023-9
063-38-8
065-38-19
Although wrestlers never looked at the camera while in the ring, and never spoke to me even when at times I'd have the camera inside the ropes.
Stan did seem to be enjoying the moment here with a quick smile though
043-24-21
042-23-22
008-55-14
078-49-X
006-03-34
067-38-31
026-12-12
When a "hero" like Bruno is taken down during a match, I learned to duck and cover inside the glass partition fast as there could likely be things thrown at the ring by irate fans. The worst thing would be a large soft drink cup....getting hit with one on the camera was not good.
28-14-4
029-14-13
030-15-1
031-16-25B
032-16-27
003-02-8
033-16-32
036-17-22
035-17-20A
037-17-23A
083-50-10
089-30-3A
088-30-1
Harry Masayoshi Fujiwara, "Mr. Fuji", was known for throwing salt in the eyes of opponents.
084-50-34
041-22
022-09-30
One of the greats. Maybe one of the most famous names in wrestling. Walter was semi-retired as "Killer" when I knew him during my time photographing at the Garden, but he did get into the ring as "The Executioner".
Walter was an enthusiastic amateur photographer. I made this posed photo for a gallery exhibit poster of his wrestler photos that was at the "Photoworks" gallery in Boston.
There are other frames of Walter holding his Hasselblad camera....but the "Claw Hold" shot was the best.
001-KK