There is a reason our sports heroes eventually decide to call it a day. The home run becomes a double for the baseball player. The jump shot hits the front rim for the basketball player. The running back can’t turn the corner in the NFL. Sports fans appreciate the greatness of professional athletes, but it is father time that is the unbeatable opponent.

News of the impending retirement of the legendary John Cena has saddened followers of professional wrestling. The 17-time WWE world champion is hanging up his tights. His retirement tour has been extraordinarily successful. He recently captured the Inter-continental championship with a decisive victory over “Dirty” Dominic Mysterio. His final match takes place on Dec. 13 against Gunther, “The Ring General.”

Ken Goldberg takes a picture with wrestler King Kong Bundy.

Courtesy Ken Goldberg

Ken Goldberg takes a picture with wrestler King Kong Bundy.

Courtesy Ken Goldberg

Do not scoff! For this writer and other local intelligentsia, John Cena’s retirement is a big deal. Professional wrestling instills passion in the hearts of many Island fans. And it was not so long ago that professional wrestling came to the Vineyard. In the late ‘90s, the Martha’s Vineyard Touchdown Club thought professional wrestling would be a popular fundraiser for the high school football team. The Yankee Pro Wrestling organization provided the talent. Soon everyone realized that this night would be like no other wrestling event.

A noisy crowd filled the old regional high school gym on a steamy July 9 evening in 1999. Former Vineyard football coach Donald Herman succinctly recalled: “It was hot in the gym.”  

Mikey Waters, whose metal detecting skills are well-known Islandwide remembered: “My Mom went to this. She was into wrestling big time.”

Denise and Rick Lambos were very involved. Denise served as executive secretary of the Touchdown Club for more than 20 years. They had two sons who played on the football team. 

“The Touchdown Club put this together, in fact our phone number is on the poster,” Rick said.

Rick especially remembered the first match. 

“The wrestler entered the ring wearing a Nantucket football jersey and carried a Vineyard jersey that he stomped on when he got to the ring. He was immediately deemed the villain by the loyal Vineyard Fans.” 

The bout drove the crowd wild. Good eventually prevailed over evil. The Nantucket villain got thrashed. 

Wrestlers’ grunts and groans continued throughout the night. At the time, I was broadcasting sports on local cable TV and was invited to be the ring announcer for one of the matches. I recall entering the ring to a chorus of boos. My job was to introduce the Yankee Professional champion. He was allegedly from Samoa, but I later discovered he grew up in Fall River. 

Entering the ring at a svelte 300 pounds, the champ glared at me as I made the introductions. He then took a step towards me. I took a step back. He took another step forward. I took another step back. We both picked up the pace and eventually he chased me around the ring. I finally took the opportunity to slide under the ring ropes and escape his wrath. I looked at him one more time. He winked at me. He knew that I knew. The champ went on to pulverize his poor opponent.

Flyer for the event.

Courtesy Ken Goldberg

Flyer for the event.

Courtesy Ken Goldberg

Soon it was time for the co-main event. The crowd roared at the entrance of Tatanka. I later learned that Tatanka meant Big Bull or Big Buffalo in Lakota. He was a member of the Lumbee Tribe from North Carolina. The popular Tatanka had a few rough moments before vanquishing the bad guy.

The night’s activities concluded when the 6 feet 4 inches tall, 450-pound “King Kong” Bundy entered the ring to a cascade of hoots and jeers. But there were even a few cheers. Certain fans always liked the heels. Mr. Bundy’s match did not last long. His opponent lasted about five minutes; he was flattened by Mr. Bundy’s signature move, the big splash. 

When the matches were over, the wrestlers did a meet and greet with the crowd in the ring, signing autographs and posing for photographs. Mr. Bundy and Tatanka were very approachable and friendly. My son Simon got to meet both of the grapplers. 

The Touchdown Club raised a lot of funds for the football program that night, and Island wrestling fans left the high school gym with souvenirs and happy memories. I can still see so clearly King Kong Bundy towering over me as we talked at the end of the night. His real name was Christopher Alan Pallies, just a regular a guy from Jersey, whose “big splash” took him to the heights of the wrestling world. He died in 2019 at the age of 61. 

While he may have been a scowling giant in the ring, Mr. Bundy was very personable outside of the ring. During our brief chat, I asked him, “Do I call you Mr. Bundy or King or King Kong?” 

I’ll always remember the wry smile on his face as he replied, ‘Mr. Bundy works for me.” 

He then signed a photograph of himself, which hangs proudly on my sports wall. 

Ken Goldberg is a regular contributor to the Vineyard Gazette. He lives in Edgartown.