Where Wrestling's Regional History Lives!
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You are here: Home>KM Interviews...>Nickla "Baby Doll" Roberts
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Where Wrestling's Regional History Lives! |
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- Larry Stoy
LS: where were you born?
NR: I was born in Lubbock, Texas on February 13, 1962. My Dad had just started promoting in Lubbock and was on the road wrestling either in San Angelo or Odessa. When he got the news my Mom was in labor he rushed back to town.
LS: What was your childhood like?
NR: I had the perfect childhood. My Dad was on TV every Saturday promoting the next week's matches at The Fair Park Coliseum. With his schedule we (my brother and I) had lots of time to go fishing and hunting with him. I spent endless hours throwing claybirds and spending time with my folks. My Mom would sell tickets to the matches and during the summer we would do spot shows. My Dad promoted shows in Plainview, LaMesa, Brownfield , Snyder etc... The wrestlers would come into town for a few days and work the circuit. The Hart boys were friends with Terry Funk so they would come down for a few weeks during the summer so I made friends with Keith and Bruce. I would play racquetball with Kerry and Kevin Von Erich.
LS: When and how did you decide to get into the pro wrestling business?
NR: I always wanted to be in the business. I remember writing papers for school about the business and how angles were presented and how they worked to get the crowd coming back week after week. With both of my parents being in the business it was only natural I would want to follow in their footsteps. I always loved the business and always will.. How could I not, when I was a baby, my crib was in the back room of Fair Park where the boys would gather and talk over that night's finishes.
LS: Did you aspire to eventually be a woman wrestler, or just work outside of the ring?
NR: Yes, I wanted to actually wrestle but was always so tall and larger than the other girls that it would not have been very feasible and I didn't want to look really stupid by putting over some little girl.
LS: Who was the first wrestler you managed?
NR: The first wrestler I managed was Gino Hernandez. The first show was at The Joe-Harry Coliseum in San Antonio. I had a big crush on Gino for years so it was truly a dream come true. Too bad he had a really young girl friend , who's family had a lot of money. I remember the first time they gave me a finish I thought in my head "that is how they do it". I had told the Dallas office that I was smart when I asked for the position to be with Gino, but I had no idea how detailed the finishes could be.
LS: How did you end up working for Jim Crockett Promotions?
NR:
I loved it. I
was lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time.
I had only 2 shots left with the Dallas office and had gone to Florida
for shows in Tampa and Miami. I had been told that my friend
Michael Hayes was booking in Florida.
LS: What was the first meeting between you and Tully Blanchard like?
NR:
Tully and I had met back in Lubbock when
I was 13 or 14. He was going to school at West Texas State and
staying at Terry Funk's house. He would come to Lubbock
and do shows often when his Dad was helping my Dad. And I
remember one time he had on a beautiful leather jacket that had blood
stains on it. I told him of some leather cleaner that would help
remove the stains or that he should restain the whole jacket. He
liked the battle wounds better. When
we met up again in Charlotte, he was the perfect gentleman. Tully
always looked out for my best interest. I lived with him for a
few months before I got tired of all the girls in and out of his
apartment on Fairview. More... |
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