Wrestling with History featuring Bill Apter and Ken Resnick - Ep 24 - When Champions Mattered Pt 1: Verne Gagne and Nick Bockwinkle

Wrestling with History covers different periods in the history of pro wrestling with behind the scenes looks at the stars, the events, and the promoters. Former WWE and AWA Broadcaster Ken Resnick joins forces with Legendary Pro Wrestling Journalist Bill Apter and former Philadelphia Radio Personality Bruce Wirt for a trip down memory lane. This week, When Champions Mattered Pt 1: A spotlight on Verne Gagne and Nick Bockwinkle 05 – Ken Resnick on his time in the AWF in the 90s; thoughts on Paul Alperstein 11 – Ken’s memories of working with Nick Bockwinkle 14 – Apter on bockwinkle being the second coming of Buddy Rogers 16 – Apter on a funny experience during dinner with Bockwinkle and Heenan 19 – Bockwinkle vs Ric Flair in Winnipeg, the intense ring psychology and crowd engagement 26 – Bockwinkle never jumping to WWE during his prime, being very loyal to Verne and Wally. 31 – Bockwinkle preferring more of a serious wrestling product 33 - Break  36 – Bockwinkle being part of a legends battle royal in WWF in 1987 38 – Verne Gagne wrestling into his 60s 43 – Verne being drafted by the Chicago Bears 45 – Verne always being protective of the business 48 – Verne not being universally loved by talent. Story about Sheik Adnan breaking Verne’s ribs in a match and being a hero to the locker room 49 – the Rumor that Verne offered a payoff for the Iron Sheik to hurt Hogan and not drop the belt 53 – Verne wanting to stretch Ken Resnick to show him how real the business was; Hogan stepping in 58 – Verne coming in and out of retirement 62 – Verne, stricken by Alzheimers, killing a fellow nursing home patient in Minnesota VOC Nation takes you behind the scenes of your favorite moments in pro wrestling history. Notable show hosts include legendary pro wrestling journalist Bill Apter, former WWE/TNA star Shelly Martinez, former WWE and AWA broadcaster Ken Resnick, former WCW performer The Maestro, former TNA Impact talent Wes Brisco, Pro Wrestling Illustrated’s Brady Hicks, independent pro wrestling and Fireball Run star Sassy Stephie, and more! Since 2010, VOC Nation has brought listeners into the minds of the biggest stars in pro wrestling and entertainment. Subscribe to the podcasts for free on most major directories, and visit vocnation.com for live programming. Subscribe on YouTube for the video highlights of the show: https://www.youtube.com/vocnationradionetwork Visit vocnation.com for archives and free content Premium levels coming soon, including full video podcasts of select shows, Patreon only spotlight shows, commercial free podcasts, and more! Including the opportunity to participate in a live Q and A session with our hosts every quarter. Follow vocnation on twitter and learn more about the launch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices