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The weekend activities concluded with the annual All-Star Show, which was emceed by Lee Fields. Cornel Bryant gave his testimony and sang The Lighthouse. Lip synch routines were performed to Coal Miner's Daughter (Florence Fields), Slow Hand (Anne Bowman, Florence and Ida Fields), Can't Run from Yourself (Kim Fields), It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels (The Alabama Angels), Does He Love You? (Ida and Florence Fields), and A Better Place To Be (Dick Steinborn).
Scott Teal asked Bill Bowman and Dick Steinborn to each hold six old wrestling photos, and let members of the audience move photos from the top to the bottom of either pile. Regardless of which pile they chose, each time the top photo of each pile was turned over, the photos matched. Scott followed that by tearing a newspaper into shreds, while talking about renewing old friendships. Unexpectedly, he visibly and instantly restored the pieces into a full- sized newspaper.
Billy Wicks played a medley of tunes on the harmonica. When he finished, he demonstrated how years of taking bumps had affected him. Holding his nose and building up the air pressure in his head, he played his harmonica through his ear, a feat that left emcee Lee Fields speechless.
Randy Tyler followed with the song The Old Man's Dead, after which The Great Carnack returned by popular demand with another series of hysterical questions and answers.
Throughout the show, the Fields boys (Randy, Shane and Bobby) presented their own lip synch routines to songs made popular by Ray Stevens (the singer), each done in their own unique, hilarious style. Their new act this year was The Pirates. By popular demand, they gave encore performances of two of their most well-liked routines from last year, It's Me Again, Margaret and The Blue Cyclone. For the second year in a row, The Blue Cyclone was pinned, but everyone seemed to think Speedy Hatfield gave him a fast count. Great material and a superb job of acting by the Fields boys.
The grand finale was led by Dick Dunn, Curtis "Smitty" Smith, and Randy Tyler as everyone joined hands and gathered on stage, singing Will the Circle Be Unbroken. As the song concluded, everyone began saying "goodbye" (until next year), and very few eyes in the building were dry.
Others who attended and have not been mentioned in the above include: Jack Adkins, Bruce Austin, Cora and Debbie Combs, Tom Drake, Jack Donovan, Don Fargo, Buster Fay, Don Fields, Ricky Gibson, Tony Gonzales, Gorgeous George Grant, Tom Henderson, Vennie LaRue, Theo McIrwin, Bubba Monroe, Frank Morrell, Charlie Platt, Joe Powell, Marcel Pringle, Carl Roach, Jay Sannizzaro, Charlie Smith, Earl Smith, Joe Turner, Gladys Wall, Buddy Wayne, Jack Welch, Mae Westen, Jim White, Mack York, and Mae Young.
The attendance record has been broken every year, and this year was no exception. There were 111 wrestlers, referees, and promoters in attendance, bringing the total (counting spouses and friends) to 159.
Thanks to so many people for their help ... Bill and Anne Bowman, Dick Dunn (transportation specialist), Bobby and Evelyn Fields, Don and Florence Fields, Bob and Chris Kelly, Terry and Joy Lathan, Rip and Ann Tyler, Ida Fields, Ricky Fields -- for their leadership, telephone calls, organizational skills, planning, and hours of manual labor.
A special word of appreciation goes to Lee Fields, who spends a great deal of his own time and money to make the Gulf Coast Reunion the biggest gathering of wrestlers anywhere in the world. Lee's efforts are truly a work of love and appreciation for the boys.
If you haven't been to the "reunion" yet, join us in Mobile, Alabama ... "Where Grudges are Forgotten and Friendships are Renewed!" |
