By Frank Dusek

In 1983 or thereabouts I was in Texas managing Will Bill Irwin. Bill had recently won the Texas Heavyweight Championship. We were hot everywhere.

One night we were working in the old fairgrounds building in Abilene, TX. I can't remember with whom Bill was working, but the finish called for me to slip a chair into the ring.

At the appropriate spot in the match, I got up from my chair, folded it and started to slip it under the bottom rope. Just at that moment I felt a solid thud on the top of my head as a metal folding chair came down flat with a crash.

While it wasn't supposed to be a part of the finish, the chair shot was so solid I just KNEW that it had come from either David or Kerry von Erich.

The shot had hurt like the devil. I turned around, mad as hell, like I said, expecting to see one of the von Erich's. Instead, there, before me stood a gray-haired, old man.

His eyes were as wide as saucers. I guess he couldn't believe that I was still standing. Lucky for me, he had hit me with the flat seat portion of the chair (just like he had seen the wrestlers do no doubt), not the sharp edge.

I guess he wasn't the only one surprised because the two of us stood there, face to face, for what seemed like an eternity. Then I felt the warm sensation on the side of my head of blood starting to flow down out of my hair.

The sight of my blood stirred my attacker as well and he took off running. He was an old man. It didn't take much to catch him.

The fans circled around us, several hollering for me to "get that coward." I had every intention of beating this guy to a pulp andI'm sure he realized it. As I moved toward him, he started backing up. When he hit a wall I knew I had him.

Just as I was about to make my move, the old man suddenly dropped to his knees and closed his eyes. I had my chance, but I couldn't take it.

Angrily I spun around. Will Bill was at my side by this time. Together we returned to the dressing room.

The worst part of the whole incident, other than another nasty scar on my scalp, was that I had to shave away some of the sparse hair that I had to bandage the cut!