|
Main
Features
Extras
|
Brody
The Triumph and Tragedy of Wrestling's Rebel
Brody: The Triumph and Tragedy of Wrestling's Rebel
Reviewed October 8, 2007 by Brad Dykens (OnlineWorldofWrestling.com)
Authors: Larry Matysik and Barbara Goodish
Publish Date: 2007
Publisher: ECW Press
Pages: n/a
Rating 9/10
Description:
The legend of Bruiser Brody has finally been documented on paper by the
people who knew him by both his personas; First there was Frank Goodish
- the gentle giant, caring human being, loyal friend, loving husband,
and proud father; And then there was Bruiser Brody - the wild and often
controversial wrestler that most of us are familiar with. This
combination of distinct characteristics bundled together to create
complex and entertaining MAN who was loved by those who knew him
personally and admired by fans who knew him professionally - although
many greedy promoters knew him as a seven foot tall walking talking
headache. Larry Matysik (the voice of St. Louis wrestling, announcer for
the famed "Wrestling at the Chase," and author of a wonderful book by
the same name) joined forces with Barbara Goodish, the widow of Frank
and mother of his only child, Geoff, to boldly present the life and
times of Frank "Bruiser" Brody.
With the exception of the big two, WWF and WCW, Bruiser Brody literally
worked everywhere on the wrestling planet. He developed one of the most
unbalanced reputations in the history of the wrestling industry.
Starting out in Texas, then making a name for himself in St. Louis under
the guidance of promoter Sam Muchnick, hitting virtually every territory
in the country, dominating the wrestling circuit in Japan, and taking
advantage of the national exposure by appearing in Verne Gagne's AWA.
The road-map of Brody's career literally circled the globe and he did it
all with an iron fist and a steadfast commitment to preserving his own
character as well as the integrity of the sport. His insistence on
getting every penny he earned often left a bad taste in the mouths of
unscrupulous promoters, who would inevitably book him again due to one
unavoidable principle - Brody could "draw" the fans like no other.
Personally, I have always been very much intrigued by Bruiser Brody. My
limited exposure to his matches, and fuzzy low-quality compilation tape
left me terribly curious about this mysterious figure that seemingly has
the entire wrestling world in the palm of his hand. Very few wrestlers
could attract the attention of his audience as well as Bruiser Brody,
and perhaps (no I'm pretty sure it is) that's the reason he was able to
make so much money in so many territories. Bruiser Brody, sometimes
known as "King Kong" Brody (as not to infringe on Dick The Bruiser's
notoriety), will go down in history as one of the most all-around
fan-friendly professional wrestlers ever - despite what role, heel or
face, he was playing.
Thanks to the courage of his widow, Barbara, fans of the legendary
Bruiser Brody have been formally introduced to the man behind the wild
persona known as Mr. Frank Goodish. This is a book about Frank's early
life, football career, pro-wrestling career, his famously firm
philosophies, becoming a LEGEND in Japan, and of course the tragic
events leading up to his murder in Puerto Rico at the hands of another
wrestler who never spent a single day in jail. Also included in this
book are touching stories of Goodish meeting his wife while touring New
Zealand, and the effect their first child had on his life. Both writers
theorize on what the wrestling landscape would be like were it not for
Brody's untimely death in 1988.
"BRODY" is a truly fascinating look at a man that captured the
imagination of every person fortunate enough to experience a Bruiser
Brody match and/or wrestling interview while Brody was still with us on
this earth.
To order, please click below:
Brody: The Triumph and Tragedy of Wrestling's Rebel
|
|