Thoughts on the closing of The Elks Lodge
11/30/03
I was getting ready to leave my palatial estate in the Bayside Gables to go to The Elks Lodge last night when I realized, I may hold the record for the most times in that building by someone that's "in the biz". I was there for every single ECW show save for one in 1998 when my cousin passed away. I was at every Jac Sabboth U/ICW show save for the one with Eddie Guerrero the month after I had quit the company in 2001. I was at Ring Of Honor, ACW and a few others that have run there. And I have been to every show Frank Goodman and USAPW has put on in the building since December of 2000. Yup, the record for the most times in that asbestos laden, rat infested building. (It would explain why I cough up blood and why my piss is purple.) I told this to Frank Goodman last night and he said, "I feel sorry for you." When I told Mikey Whipwreck about the possiblity of holding that record, he looked at me for a moment and asked: "Is that really something you want to admit to?"
Yes, we joke about that building. But it's a place that will forever be ensconced in wrestling history. For me, the memories I have, both good and bad, are some I will treasure until they close the lid and drop me six feet down. Some random 'campfire stories' that come to mind are:
The Dudley Boyz and Taz return to ECW.
Low Ki' vs. Xavier Ladder match in the first “Last” Elks show in 2001.
Rob Van Dam and Sabu vs. The Eliminaters. Van Dam and Kronus knocking a few doors of their hinges.
Jimmy Snuka's frogsplash on the late Big Dick Dudley, putting him through a table.
Da Baldies vs. Da Hit Squad. Monsta Mack goes through a wall.
Atlas Security chief Ronnie Lang's hair turning gray every time Buh Buh Ray Dudley picked up a microphone.
The Dudley Boys causing near riots and a fan jumping off the balcony to get to them.
Sneaking Mustafa into the building.
Sneaking Psycho Sid Vicious into the building. (Try that sometime...)
Danny Drake diving out the window to escape the Hit Squad.
Matt Striker's debut match against Lowrida.
Mikey Whipwreck's return from his self imposed exile.
Boogalou & Lowrida destroying Danny DeManto.
Matt Striker and Eddie Guapo debuting "StrikerVision"
The wedding of Becky Bayless and Mike Kruel.
Rick Rude and Bam Bam Bigelow turning on the Triple Threat and taking the ECW World title from Shane Douglas in 1997.
The Triple Threat reunion in USAPW in 2003. (Now that was heat!)
Paul Heyman making a very disrespectful woman cry.
The Dudleys and Heyman throwing that same woman out when she disrespected the late Rick Rude's 10 bell salute.
Getting to know and becoming friends with the late Rick Rude.
There are hundreds of other memories and hundreds of people I had the pleasure of working with, and/or becoming friends with at The Elks Lodge. But if I had to pick my personal favorite memory, it would have to be The Boogie Knights. Everything they did.
In my opinion, The Boogie Knights, Danny Drake and Mike Tobin are and always will be the Tag-Team of the Elks lodge. Above The Dudleys, The Solution, The Eliminators, The CSC, The Gangstas, The SAT and all others. Now I'm not saying they were the best team, just "The Greatest". By their own admission, they may not have been as technically sound as the teams I have mentioned, as well as others that have wrestled in the Elks Lodge like Doring & Roadkill, The Briscoes, Mikey & Tajiri, Da Hit Squad, Simon Diamond & Swinger, Simon Diamond & Striker... well, you get the picture. They played heels in I/UCW while they were USAPW's biggest babyfaces in 2001. They reversed it in 2003 taking on the babyface role in ICW while running wild in USAPW as the leaders of the heel stable "Knightlife." They managed to keep the fans interested and wanting to know what they were going to do next. The same fans that spit on them in U/ICW cheered them a week later in USAPW. As time progressed, so did their in ring skills. By the time they wrestled The SAT this year, Drake and Tobin could hang with any of the teams I mentioned and many I failed to. Danny Drake has since retired and Mike Tobin has moved on to a budding singles career, but for me, The Elks Lodge will always be synonymous with The Boogie Knights.
Now that The Elks Lodge may finally be closed, I have to take a moment to remember some good friends that worked in there that are no longer with us. To Louie Spicoli, Rick Rude, Anthony Durante, Bobby Duncum Jr. and Big Dick Dudley, I raise my glass and toast your memory.
And to the Elks Lodge itself, I must say, Thank you.
Regards to all,
Harry Slash