A trio of WWE legends will join other sports stars for a special appearance this weekend for the Pittsburgh Card Show at the Washington Crown Center Mall. The card show, which runs events a few times a year, brings with it hundreds of vendors of sports merchandise, as extended rows of tables line the interior of the mall with everything from casual stacks of current card packs to rare graded cards that are sought after by the most diehard collectors. The once struggling retail space in the mall sees an uptick in business as hundreds of sports fans browse the selection of cards, jerseys, and other memorabilia.
Of course, Pittsburgh is a city that is known for its wrestling almost as much as the steel it once produced so its fitting that a few WWE Hall of Famers will be hosted that weekend, with their specific vendors thrilled to be able to bring them to the event to meet with the incredibly loyal wrestling fan base of the region.
In this case, ATD Promotions, a group that represents stars for appearances around Pittsburgh and throughout the mid west, the Pittsburgh Card show became a regular stop for them on their busy calendar in recent years, with rare appearances from Koko B. Ware and One Man Gang at the trade show in the past. This time, ATD secured another rare appearence for steel city fans, as former WWF Women’s Champion, Wendi Richter will be their guest on Saturday August 17th from 10 AM-3 PM at Washington Crown Center.
Anthony D’Alfonso, a Pittsburgh native, launched ATD Promotions with his longtime friend and business partner, Mike Rickard, who owns a vintage toy and collectible shop, Wild Card Video Games, in Niles, Ohio. I had a chance to talk with Anthony last Friday when his crew brought Marty Jannetty, Tatanka, and Gillberg to the D&E Collectibles store just outside of Pittsburgh. Anthony cited a busy weekend ahead of him, but expressed excitement for the Pittsburgh Card Show, as it has become somewhat of a trademark of his promotional group to bring in stars for rare appearances that usually don’t visit the northeast.
As we know, Wendi Richter, one of the original staples of the Rock N’ Wrestling era of the early-80s, has kept a relatively low profile since she retired from the ring, with only a few selection autograph signings.
Richter, who broke into the business under the tutelage of The Fabulous Moolah in the late-1970s, spent the formative years of her career zigzagging around the territories, or the regional system that had different organizations that were located in different parts of the country, to hone her craft. She made stops in Stu Hart’s Stampede Wrestling, Bill Watts’ Mid-South group, and Verne Gagne’s AWA promotion before she landed a major break, signing with the WWF in late-1983.
When Hulkamania propelled the concept of sports entertainment into the main stream, Wendi Richter was the female face of pro wrestling in pop culture, as pop icon Cyndi Lauper was her ringside manager. In a memorable highlight, Richter and Lauper celebrated her championship victory when she won the WWF Women’s title at the inaugural Wrestlemania. Their friendship led to Richter being included in one of Lauper’s music videos.
A contract dispute with management about fair compensation led to Wendi’s abrupt exit from the WWF, but she spent the rest of the late-80s wrestling internationally and then returned to Gagne’s AWA before the organization folded. Disenfranchised with how the women were compensated and promoted in the wrestling industry, Wendi stepped away from the sport for several years. Thankfully, she accepted a WWE Hall of Fame induction in 2010 and is celebrated today as one of the pioneers of the female division in professional wrestling.
Joining Wendi Richter at the Washington Crown Center this Saturday will be a pair of other legends, hosted by the Wilder Side of Sports group, an autograph and memorabilia company that works with major stars from many different sports for events throughout the country. Names like Dale Earnhardt Jr., Ja’Marr Chase, Tom Glavine, and many others are on their upcoming calendar for either private or public signings.
“My entry into the world of pro athletes began with planning and hosting sports card and memorabilia shows. This opened doors to organizing private signings with stars like Elly De La Cruz and Alex Rodriguez. I’ve also had the privilege of working with wrestling legends on signings, such as Torrie Wilson, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Jim Ross, and Ric Flair. One of my coolest experiences was having lunch with Bo Jackson,” said Jim Falbo, the Vice President of Wilder Side of Sports.
This weekend, the legendary Jake “The Snake” Roberts and the legendary “Mouth of The South” Jimmy Hart will be in attendance for Wilder Side of Sports at The Pittsburgh Card show on Saturday from 10 AM-5 PM and on Sunday from 9 AM-3 PM for autographs and photo-ops.
Roberts is a performer as mysterious and as controversial as he is legendary. He was one of the most popular stars of the 80s, with a level of ring psychology and interview style that very few had during that era. A rocky period in his life saw him exit the WWF in the early-90s before he landed in WCW for a brief stint, had a memorable run in AAA in Mexico, and event a few cameo appearances in ECW. Thankfully, with the help of his friend and fellow Hall of Famer, “Diamond” Dallas Page several years ago, Roberts reemerged in the public spotlight as healthy as he had ever been in his career. He went on to work as an advisor for Lance Archer in All Elite Wrestling in recent years.
“I enjoyed watching matches on TV when I was a kid, the characters were larger than life. As I got older, I drifted away from it, but my interest was reignited when I worked for Homage. While at Homage, I was given tickets from our partners to attend several WWE events in Pittsburgh. The matches were fun and the atmosphere was exciting. My daughter, Audrey, loved them too, and we had a blast playing wrestling together. She became a huge WWE fan, and now it’s our thing—we’re working our way through every Royal Rumble from the first one to the latest. Right now, we’re on 2001, and it’s been an amazing journey. She’s excited to meet Jake and Jimmy,” explained Falbo.
Jimmy Hart has spent nearly 50 years in the wrestling business, known as one of the greatest managers and most memorable characters in the history of the sport. He has shared a ring with the legendary comedian Andy Kaufman in Memphis, Hulk Hogan in both the WWE and WCW, The Giant before he went on to become The Big Show, and many others. With his trademark sunglasses and airbrushed jacket, Jimmy Hart still enthusiastic about all facets of the sports entertainment business.
“Get ready for an unforgettable experience with Jimmy and Jake at the card show! These two are known for their charisma and being incredibly fan-friendly. Jimmy and Jake thrive on fan interaction, sharing amazing stories from their careers, and ensuring every fan leaves with a memorable experience. Whether you’re a die-hard fan or just getting into the sport, their appearance will highlight an unforgettable wrestling era.” concluded Falbo.
For more information about Wendi Richter’s appearance, you can go to https://www.facebook.com/ATDPromotions1
For more information about Jake Roberts and Jimmy Hart’s appearence, you can go to www.wildersideofsports.com
For more information about The Pittsburgh Card Show, you can go to https://pittsburghcardshow.com
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Until next week
-Jim LaMotta
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