The Mid Atlantic Championship

In 1970, Jim Crockett Promotions introduced the Eastern Heavyweight title to their fans. Four years later they changed the name of the title to the Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship. Within these pages you will find a complete history of that title, including a detailed account of every title change from the establishment of the title until it was retired at the end of 1986. Plus great photos of the legendary champions.Featured also is a breakdown of all four championship belts that represented the title, broken down into the five distinct periods the belts were worn. Featuring Danny Miller, Jerry Brisco, Rip Hawk, Ole Anderson, Johnny Valentine, Wahoo McDaniel, Ric Flair, Greg Valentine, Ken Patera, Tony Atlas, Jim Brunzell, Ray Stevens, Ricky Steamboat, Ivan Koloff, The Iron Sheik, Roddy Piper, Jack Brisco, Paul Jones, Dory Funk, Jr., Dick Slater, Ron Bass, Sam Houston, Ronnie Garvin, and many others!

This Revised & Expanded Second Edition of the 2009 book contains 70 additional pages of photographs, memorabilia, and historical information, plus a new title history chapter with behind the scenes details, and an expanded chapter on the night the belt was first presented and defended. Plus all the material in the original book including champion profiles, detailed and close-up photos of the belt itself and a detailed history of how it was made. In October of 2008, Dick Bourne and Dave Millican had the rare opportunity to inspect and photograph the genuine NWA world heavyweight championship belt worn and defended in the 1970s and 1980s by Ric Flair, Terry Funk, Harley Race, and others. Not long afterwards, Bourne decided to put together a book about the history and construction of the NWA belt, a chance to share with others the opportunity they had been fortunate enough to have. The result was "Ten Pounds of Gold". Drawing from their interest, experience, and research, Bourne and Millican proudly present the NWA belt as you've never seen it before. A belt enthusiast's dream come true. As one of their customers once wrote, "The only thing that could be better would be to hold the actual belt. This book is that good." This is the COLOR version of the Ten Pounds of Gold (2nd Edition.) An inexpensive Special Black & White Edition is available as well. Visit www.tenpoundsofgold.com for details. PLEASE NOTE: This is the COLOR version of the Ten Pounds of Gold (2nd Edition.) An inexpensive Special Black & White Edition is available as well. Visit www.tenpoundsofgold.com for details.

Throughout the years, there may have been equally charismatic performers, comparable athletes, and even better interviews, but none were blessed with the same combination of talents to manage to stay on top for over three decades. To wrestling fans, the Nature Boy is a platinum-blond deity, a sixteen-time world champion who accurately boasted that he could have a five-star match with a broom. No matter how limited the opponent, Flair had the skill and determination to bounce all over the mat, transforming his rival into a star. When the camera light went on, "Slick Ric" could convince viewers that, if they missed an upcoming match, a momentous life experience would pass them by. Flair's opponents were challenged with this simple taunt: "To be the man, you have to beat the man." Away from the arena, Richard Morgan Fliehr spent years struggling with his own concept of what it meant to be a man. He suffered periods of crushing self-doubt, marital strife and—in a profession where there was room for only one Ric Flair—broken friendships. Ric Flair: To Be the Man, cowritten with Keith Elliot Greenberg, chronicles the anguish and exhilaration of Flair's life and career—in painfully honest detail. In addition to his own words, Flair's story is enriched by anecdotes from ring greats like Superstar Billy Graham, Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat, Harley Race, Sgt. Slaughter, David Crockett, Arn Anderson, Bobby "The Brain" Heenan, "Mean" Gene Okerlund, Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Undertaker and Brock Lesnar. To Be the Man traces the rise of one of wrestling's most enduring superstars to the pinnacle of the sports entertainment universe, and is a must-read for every wrestling fan.

This is the long awaited follow-up to "Ten Pounds of Gold" and "Big Gold." Like them, this book is FULL COLOR and features beautiful photography of the belts, both original and replica.In 1975, Jim Crockett, Jr. and George Scott created the United States Heavyweight Championship for the Mid-Atlantic Wrestling territory. For the next 13 years, the greatest names in professional wrestling, including 13 future WWE Hall-of-Famers, proudly wore one of five different title belts that represented that championship.Jim Crockett Promotions' United States Championship explores these five classic title belts, and tells all the stories of the angles, feuds, and controversies throughout the title's history.There were other regional U.S. championships during the territory era, but this was the biggest and the most widely recognized of them all, and it served as the historical foundation for the United States Championship recognized by the WWE today. The book includes:* An exhaustive title history of the championship from its inception in 1975 until the sale of Jim Crockett Promotions to Ted Turner in 1988. All the angles, storylines, feuds, and big matches.* A detailed look at the design of all five Crockett U.S. championship belts and how they were made, with expert input from belt-maker "Ace of Belts" Dave Millican.* Historical photographs of all the champions wearing all of the different versions of the belts they held. * Brackets and results for all five U.S. title tournaments during the Crockett years. * A look at where the title belts are today.* A brief look at other U.S. championships in other territories during the NWA territorial years.* A brief look at later U.S. championships that traced their title history to the Crockett U.S. title.* Trivia and statistics.* Heritage and legacy.* Over 100 photographs of both the champions and the belts, most in full color!"Dick Bourne is the Indiana Jones of title belt archeology." - Mike Johnson, PWInsider.com

In 1957, the National Wrestling Alliance found itself in an unusual situation. Dick Hutton, the man who had just beat Lou Thesz for the World Heavyweight Championship, was suddenly a champion without a belt. It took the NWA two years to have a new belt made, but in late 1959, Sam Muchnick finally presented a beautiful new title belt -- the crown belt - - to then champion Pat O'Connor.This is the story of the events that led up to that long period without a championship trophy, and the developments during that time that resulted in a new NWA belt. For the first time ever, the belt itself gets a close look, including its origins, its construction, as well as the story of the promoter and the craftsman that put it all together.And of course the main event is the detailed title history of the championship during the golden era of the crown belt, and a look at the six champions who wore and defended it. Featuring dozens of photographs, some never published before, as well as over fifty pages of exhibits and memorabilia including program covers, newspaper accounts, and rare documents from the NWA archives. It's the crown jewel of the wrestling world as you've never seen it before.

Black and white version of the previously released color version. This is the long awaited follow-up to "Ten Pounds of Gold" and "Big Gold." Like those books, this book is FULL COLOR and features beautiful photography of the belts, both original and replica. Mike Mooneyham of the Charleston Post and Courier writes "Bourne strikes gold with new book on U.S. wrestling title." In 1975, Jim Crockett, Jr. and George Scott created the United States Heavyweight Championship for the Mid-Atlantic Wrestling territory. For the next 13 years, 21 of the the greatest names in professional wrestling, including 13 future WWE Hall-of-Famers, proudly wore one of five different title belts that represented that championship. The list of names that held this title reads like a Who's Who: Harley Race, Johnny Valentine, Terry Funk, Paul Jones, Blackjack Mulligan, Bobo Brazil, Ric Flair, Ricky Steamboat, Wahoo McDaniel, Magnum T.A., Tully Blanchard, Lex Luger, Dusty Rhodes, Barry Windham and many others. Jim Crockett Promotions' United States Championship explores these five classic title belts, and tells all the stories of the angles, feuds, and controversies throughout the title's history. There were other regional U.S. championships during the territory era, but this was the biggest and the most widely recognized of them all, and it served as the historical foundation for the United States Championship recognized by the WWE today. The book includes: - An exhaustive title history of the championship from its inception in 1975 until the sale of Jim Crockett Promotions to Ted Turner in 1988. All the angles, storylines, feuds, and big matches. - A detailed look at the design of all five Crockett U.S. championship belts and how they were made, with expert input from belt-maker "Ace of Belts" Dave Millican. - Historical photographs of all the champions wearing all of the different versions of the belts they held. - Brackets and results for all five U.S. title tournaments during the Crockett years. - A look at where the title belts are today. - A brief look at other U.S. championships in other territories during the NWA territorial years. - A brief look at later U.S. championships that traced their title history to the Crockett U.S. title. - Trivia and statistics. - Heritage and legacy. - Over 100 photographs of both the champions and the belts, most in full color! "Dick Bourne is the Indiana Jones of title belt archeology." - Mike Johnson, PWInsider.com

In 1977, precisely 20 years after the last unforgettable high speed Mille Miglia in 1957, the great race came back to relive its history all over again with the commemorative Mille Miglia, attracting once more to Brescia?s Piazza della Vittoria the cars of the greatest, most prestigious race in the world that took place between the end of the?20s and the second half of the?50s. Since then, the Mille Miglia has gone back to being an event not to be missed, first every two years and then yearly for all motoring and motor racing enthusiasts. A book tells the story of this great sporting and cultural event, the 2014 edition of which opens with a historical section that recalls the 1934 race, won by Achille Varzi, and the 1954, with the magnificent victory of Alberto Ascari. After that, the book concentrates on the race that took place last May and its protagonists? competitors, crew after crew, car after car, in a long and fully-illustrated section. 2014 Mille Miglia starting grid was full of exceptional protagonists too: actors Luke Evans, Adrien Brody and Jeremy Irons, American Tv personality Jay Leno, French stylist Paloma Picasso and industrial designer Mark Newson. Many musicians were also there: Brian Johnson, AC/DC frontman, British rapper Example, Scottish singer Amy Macdonald and Belgian singer Milow. Many racing drivers took the start, first and foremost Eros Crivellari, the only one with an original Mille Miglia to his credit, Andy Wallace, Jochen Mass, Teo Fabi, Bernd Schneider, Jacky Ickx, Martin Brundle e Bruno Senna, with the very evocative helmet of his late uncle Ayrton. This is indispensible publication for all those who were there, and for all vintage car enthusiasts.

In 1978 as the Toronto territory was taking off with the young stars of Mid-Atlantic wrestling, promoter Frank Tunney introduced a local championship. That title, the first true local title in many years, was called the Canadian Heavyweight Title to be defended by the top star in Maple Leaf Wrestling. The title drew from the earlier days of wrestling when the top Canadian wrestler would defend his laurels across the country and occasionally -the world. From 1978 to 1984 the Canadian title would be defended in Toronto and the circuit towns- and around North America on occasion. During those years locally known as 'the Mid-Atlantic era', the area was one of the most exciting and important territories in the wrestling world. Frank was a long-time member of the NWA and was close to many of the major promoters including Vince McMahon Sr. (WWWF/WWF), Verne Gagne (AWA) and Jim Crockett Jr. (JCP). Those relationships would ensure a steady diet of World champions and champions of different territories defending their titles in Toronto. Our Canadian championship would share the stage with those titles, our champions displaying their skills against the best in the world., p>In this book we take a look back at the emergence of the Canadian Title in Toronto. We will feature the champions and challengers. Dino Bravo, Greg Valentine, Dewey Robertson, Hossein the Arab, Angelo Mosca Sr. and Jr. Big John Studd, and more. Join us as we go down memory lane and revisit the big cards, the tournaments, the beautiful title belt, and many other memorable slices of Maple Leaf Wrestling from 1978-1984. WHAT THEY ARE SAYING The Canadian Heavyweight Title: The Complete History 1978-1984, published in co-operation with the Mid-Atlantic Gateway website, is a remarkable, compelling, and long-overdue tale about a championship belt that shared the stage with some of the most respected titles in professional wrestling history.- Marshall Ward -Slam! Wrestling Excellent book that covers the exciting period of wrestling in Toronto from 1978-1984. The book has a great cover design, and is very well laid out, with very crisp, and sharp index's and acknowledgments. The record of title matches that took place in Toronto really caught my interest. The book is very well compiled, and it certainly should garner interest from wrestling fans who attended the Toronto matches during the period of The Canadian Heavyweight Title. Roger Baker -MLG Photog & Writer My two cents worth .... Short but oh so sweet! In-depth coverage of a short lived but absolutely loved belt here in the Toronto Maple Leaf Wrestling area. Recommend Wes Maidment -Toronto Wrestling Historian Toronto has a great history of wrestling drawing big names and huge crowds to Maple Leaf Gardens. This book is for those who remember and a great read for those that are keeping the sport alive today. Really enjoyed it. Perry Gray -On The Ropes Wrestling