King of the Ring: The Harley Race Story
by Harley Race
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Book Summary Information
Author: Harley RaceContributor: Gerry Tritz
Edition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2004-11-19
ISBN: 1582618186
Number of pages: 178
Publisher: Sports Publishing LLC
Book Reviews of King of the Ring: The Harley Race Story
Book Review: Race books details decline of National Wrestling Alliance
Summary: 5 Stars
I started going to wrestling matches in Topeka, KS, in 1963. This was the home territory for "Handsome" Harley Race as they called him. The wrestling promotion here was called All-Star Wrestling, which was a major portion of the National Wrestling Alliance Central States division. Even though Harley's home town area was Kansas City, we really didn't see him in the ring around here nearly as much as the other All-Star wrestlers like "Bulldog" Bob Brown, "Texas" Bob Geigel, Mike George, and Rufus R. Jones. The reason seemed to be because Harley was forever traveling as one of the most famous wrestlers in the world. So when we did see him here he was always just back from some distant place where he accepted challenges from other wrestlers. Even then we realized Harley was a major star in the sport, too big to just wrestle in the Central States region.
Harley's book details all this: his rise to fame in our area, his world travels, and his frequent homecomings. It is very well written and nicely illustrated.
I am particularly interested in the reproduction of the cover of the program booklet for the first "Starcade" event which really was the first ever wrestling televised pay-per-view.
Harley's book also details the decline of the National Wrestling Alliance during the 1980s as the umbrella organization for locally owned and operated wrestling organizations around the U. S. and other countries. All these years later Harley writes as though he still cannot believe how massive the World Wrestling Federation became during that decade, and quickly, too, causing numerous local wrestling promotions, including our beloved All-Star Wrestling, to go out of business.
Earlier this year, I read Ric Flair's autobiography. In that book, too, I read an awful lot about the decline of the NWA as well as World Championship Wrestling in the wake of the WWF. I recommend that you read both Flair and Race's autobiographies in order to understand how drastically professional wrestling has changed since the 1980s. It is quite a story!
Summary of King of the Ring: The Harley Race Story
A true legend, Harley Race has enjoyed almost unparalleled success in the world of professional wrestling. Having turned pro in 1959 at the age of 15, his work ethic and innovative style allowed him to become one of the three biggest names in wrestling during the 1970s and early Â?80s. He won the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) championship on eight occasions and was dubbed World Wrestling EntertainmentÂ?s first "King of the Ring" in 1986. In the autobiography King of the Ring, Harley Race tells his incredible life story for the first time.In addition to his legendary ring career, Harley Race also became a successful promoter in the Midwest during the mid Â?80s with a wrestling organization seen on 13 television stations covering five states. Although injuries and a car accident in 1995 effectively ended his wrestling career, he decided to give back to the sport he loved. Race opened the World League Wrestling (WLW) organization in 1999, which serves both as a training camp and as a touring organization for young wrestlers.
King of the Ring explores RaceÂ?s life and career, both in and out of the ring, detailing everything from the grind of traveling 300 days a year to the glory of being a world champion. From the pitfalls and vices associated with professional wrestling to overcoming career-threatening injuries and the death of his first wife, the Harley Race readers will meet in King of the Ring is as candid as he is successful.
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