Jack Brisco vs. Harley Race

Houston TX

July 20, 1973

Houston TX program from 7/13/73 - one week prior to the title change

News Items from the program above:

Jack Brisco Gets His Long Sought Title Match!

After months of mounting mat action, disappointments and the most intense drive in the history of Texas wrestling, Oklahoma's Jack Brisco gets his chance at the National Wrestling Alliance belt here in the Coliseum next Friday night when he face champion Harley Race.  It promises to be as great a title match as we have ever had and it rates the country's spotlight as the featured match of the month!  Brisco has never been beaten here and was tied just once after a sensational one hour draw with Dory Funk Jr. last week.  The Championship committee of the NWA awarded the title test to Brisco on the basis of his great record here over the past four months and his constant competition.

Race faces the battle of his life and he is well aware of it.  He would rather not have faced Brisco but the NWA was adamant and he finally concurred.  Houston, which had been promised the first title defense Funk made upon recovery and was maneuvered out of it finally is able to fulfill its commitment to Brisco.  It will be an all time classic, the clash of styles, the aggressive spirit of both men and the size of the prize makes it certain.  There will be no television of any of Friday's matches, the equipment is being used elsewhere.  There will be a commemorative autographed picture of Race and Brisco given to all youngsters under 12 and to all adults who ask when they buy their tickets.

NWA President To Be Here To Give Race New NWA Belt!

Sam Muchnick, long time president of the National Wrestling Alliance, will be in Houston for next week's all important title match between Jack Brisco and Harley Race.  He will give Race the brand new, especially crafted,  NWA heavyweight championship belt, a beautiful gold creation worth $10,000.  It will be presented to Race in the ring before the title match and Muchnick and other officials will be on hand to certify the verdict and guarantee it as official.

From the July 15, 1973 Houston Chronicle:

Race to Risk World Title Against Brisco

Oklahoma's Jack Brisco, the nation's No. 1 challenger for the world's pro-wrestling heavyweight title, gets his long awaited crack at the title Friday.  He meets champion Harley Race in the final event at the Sam Houston Coliseum.

Brisco has been campaigning since the first of the year and lost a title opportunity when Dory Funk Jr., who held the title, had to cancel out of a March match due to an injury.  Race subsequently beat Funk and took the belt.

From the July 15, 1973 Houston Post:

Race, Brisco battle for title

Harley Race, heavyweight champion of the pro-wrestling world, meets the nation's No. 1 challenger when he faces Oklahoma's Jack Brisco in the final event of a power-packed bill at the Sam Houston Coliseum Friday night.

Brisco, ready to unleash all the frustration of six months of waiting for a promised crack at the title, is primed for an all-out effort.  In his climb toward Friday's important tilt he has beaten Johnny Valentine, Wahoo McDaniel, Fritz Von Erich, The Missouri Mauler and turned in a sensational one hour draw with ex-champion Dory Funk.

Race beat Funk for the title in Kansas City and has won over Jose Lothario and Ivan Putski here since that May 24 victory.  But Brisco's efforts have not been rewarding until promoter Paul Boesch was able to get the backing of the National Wrestling Alliance to force Race to give Brisco the title chance he had signed for last March.

Brisco lost his chance to take the belt when Funk had an accident on his ranch.

From the July 17 Houston Post:

Race to get gold belt

With the national spotlight of pro-wrestling focused on Sam Houston Coliseum Friday night, National Wrestling Alliance president Sam Muchnick has decided to use the occasion to come here and present world's champion Harley Race with the new title belt that has been created by a group of artists working in gold.

Race will be given the belt before he faces the country's No. 1 challenger, Jack Brisco and Muchnick has made it plain the from the moment he presents the buckle it will be up for grabs.

"The championship committes considers this to be the most important title match of the year and they decided on my presence here," said the veteran Muchnick who was a newspaperman before he became a wrestling promoter in St. Louis.

Brisco is delighted at the fact that the belt is given to Race before the match.

"He'll be the only champion in history who never had a chance to wear his belt," said the young Oklahoman who is in fine condition for Friday's title effort.

From the July 19, 1973 Houston Post:

Race not worried about Brisco

World pro wrestling champion Harley Race, expects to make short work of the challenge of Jack Brisco when they tangle in the final event at Sam Houston Coliseum Friday night.

Race is incensed because Brisco has claimed to have goaded Funk into returning to the ring too soon after his injury in an accident.

"Funk was in top shape when I beat him; he never was tougher or in better health," said Race.  "I beat a real champion and Brisco will find out that I can beat any challenger too."

Brisco had been waiting for Friday's title shot all year.  "I have so much pent up inside of me that is going to explode against Race that I am confident I will win," said the Oklahoman.

Results from the July 20 card:

Johnny Fargo (Greg Valentine) lost to George Scott by DQ

Raul Mata drew with Blackie Gordman

Billy Red Lyons lost to  El Gran Goliath

Paul Boesch defeated Gary Hart

Ivan Putski & Jose Lothario defeated Black Jack Mulligan & The Missouri Mauler to retain the Texas Tag titles

Harley Race lost the NWA World Title to Jack Brisco

From July 21, 1973 Houston Post:

Brisco wins world wrestling title

Oklahoma's Jack Brisco became the first man to win the world's heavyweight wrestling title in a Houston ring since 1942 when he scored a sensational three fall victory over Harley Race in Sam Houston Coliseum Friday night.

The last time the title changed hands here Bobby Managoff beat Canada's Yvon Robert in November of 1942.  Before that, Bronko Nagurski defeated Louis Thesz here June, 1939.

Race had won the title from Dory Funk, Jr., in Kansas City on May 24, ending Funk's four-year reign.  Before Friday's match, Race was given a new $10,000 gold belt by National Wrestling Alliance president Sam Muchnick, but Brisco's win took the belt from Race before he had a chance to wear it.

Brisco was born in Oklahoma and went to high school in Blackwell, Oklahoma.  He was all-state fullback, but also top wrestler in the state and when he went to Oklahoma State, he passed up football to become National Intercollegiate champion, with an undefeated record.

Brisco led during the majority of the first fall.  But the wily Race survived to slam Brisco to the mat and take in opening fall in just over 12 minutes.

Brisco threw everything he had into evening the score.  He caught Race in his leg breaker, forcing the man who held the belt to submit.

When they came out for the final fall, Brisco set the pace.  When Race threw Brisco into the ropes, expecting to toss his into the air for a back drop, they hit, with Brisco coming high.  The move knocked Race down with Brisco on top and the fall was scored to the new National Wrestling Alliance champion.

The Houston Chronicle article from the same date is mostly the same, but with the following description of the match:

Race took the first fall but not until he had absorbed punishment from Brisco's repeated arm locks.  Race bounced the Oklahoman into the canvas with a body slam to earn the head start.

But Brisco caught Race in his figure-four leg lock, winning the second canto and leaving the champ limping for the start of the decisive fall.

From July 27, 1973 Houston wrestling program:

Wrestling World Stunned! Delighted! Excited! Elated! With Jack Brisco's Capture of NWA Heavyweight Belt

Words can never recapture the tremendous excitement that exploded in the Sam Houston Coliseum last Friday night when referee Bronko Lubich slammed his hand down on the mat for the third time in the deciding fall of the battle between Jack Brisco and Harley Race!  The moment the hand hit a roar erupted that has seldom been equaled in any athletic arena any place in the world.  The building is still shaking!

The enthusiasm of the fans was marvelous!  They leaped and shouted and ran and jumped! They screamed!  They slammed each other on the back, they danced!  And up in the ring a happy Jack Brisco, his long frustration ended, was doing the same thing!  Photographers filled the ring, police had to forcibly keep fans out of the ring, NWA prexy Sam Muchnick was pushed shoved, ignored!  It was a beautiful and memorable time! 

The verdict ended a tremendous match.  Brisco forced the pace all the way but Race was rugged enough to bounce back and meet him half way.  The end came when Race thought he could catch Brisco in a back bodydrop but was a trifle slow in bending.  Brisco hit him hard and high, they went backward and Brisco used a jackknife for the pin.  Then pandemonium took over and few cared how, just the fact that it happened was enough!

The reverberations were heard around the world!  Australia was "bloody happy!"  Japan was shocked, Race was to have defended the title there next week!  Canada was excited!  Blackwell, Oklahoma, the hometown of Brisco, was elated at the news!  And Houston, for the first time since 1942, was able to point to the fact that a world's heavyweight champion had been crowned here.  Race, uncrowned, arguing for a return match immediately!

From "Crowning A Champion" booklet:

The Story Behind the Headlines - Brisco Battled Frustration, Disappointment and Letdown As Well As Tough Opponents to Win the World's Title

On February 9, 1973 Jack Brisco returned to the Texas mat wars the hard way, he met Johnny Valentine in a two-three fall main event in Houston, Texas and convinced a close to capacity crowd, and Valentine, that he deserved a crack at Dory Funk, Jr. and the National Wrestling Alliance title.  It was a great win for Brisco and a truly triumphant return to the scene of some of his earliest matches as a pro.

Houston promoter Paul Boesch went to work promptly and was backed to the limit by the NWA when he insisted that Funk sign for a title match with Brisco immediately.  The champion wanted a non-title test and his father, Dory Funk, Senior insisted on it.  But the match was signed with the title at stake and the date was set; the long awaited match would take place on March 2nd.

But on February 28th word came from Canyon, Texas that Dory, Jr. was in the hospital there suffering from shoulder injuries received when a truck he was driving in an effort to round up some cattle on the Flying Mare Ranch had overturned.  Brisco's title chances were evaporated in that single freak mishap.

Fritz Von Erich consented to take Funk's place on that March 2nd match and Brisco, despite the letdown, won a close one from the man who made the "Iron Claw" famous.  Later Fritz praised Brisco's spirit and his ability but that was poor consolation for the man who wanted the title.

Brisco was inconsolable.  He felt that Dory, Junior was evading him.  He accepted other matches in Houston, he whipped the Missouri Mauler and then went on to win a single fall in a two-three fall, hour long, battle from Wahoo McDaniel.  But still no title and each time Brisco wrestled his standing as the leading challenger was in jeopardy.

He continued to refuse the long distance explanation of the Funk family that Junior's shoulder had not healed and although Jack was joined by pressure from the National Wrestling Alliance there was little, and often no, word from the Panhandle on the future of the champion.

Suddenly, late in May, word came over the wires that promoter Gust Karras had signed the champion to meet tough Harley Race in Kansas City.  Dory Funk, Senior, angered by Brisco's repeated accusations had refused to carry out the NWA edict to give Jack the first crack at the belt when Dory recovered full use of his shoulder.

Race, the man on the spot when history was to be made, beat Funk, Junior for the title in Kansas City on May 24th.  And Brisco, the man who had made a crusade out of forcing Funk to meet him, was suddenly left nursing his wounds, and his challenges, with little consolation from either.

Although Brisco was the logical challenger and was backed by the NWA and the State of Texas, Race insisted that it was a brand new ball game and that he would rate the challengers as he saw them.  Brisco did not rate an immediate shot in Race's estimation.

Funk's efforts for a return match were thrown into a turmoil when his father, who had backed him through every inch of his career, died suddenly.  This sad event took the sting out of many accusations and he will be remembered best for his long participation in the game and his great contributions to its advancement.

Finally, after concentrated effort, Brisco got his chance at the title and at Harley Race.  They were signed to meet in the Sam Houston Coliseum on Friday night July 20th.

When the bell rang for that match to begin the story behind the headlines was of little importance.  The headline of the hour became part of sports history, part of wrestling's lengthening legend.

The king was beaten.

Long live the king!