Last month I said I would tell you how I became a referee.  It was very easy, really.  One day, in the office, Lia said, “Doug, here is a referee shirt and NWA Pro Wrestling patch.  Sew it on the shirt, and start working the matches.”  So, like the time during the conflict in Vietnam, someone got drafted.     

I was looking forward to working, because I had met most of the workers, as they visited the wrestling office, during the week.  I had also gone around with Lars and Ritchie, as they showed me the inside workings of pro wrestling, like shooting promo’s ,  editing the tapes for TV ,  talking with our sponsor’s ,  cutting commercials for some sponsor’s, etc.     

I started taking the posters, for our next show at the Palama Settlement Gym, around to the various military installations on Oahu.  I also called the newspaper offices of each installation I went to, about doing stories about pro wrestling in Hawaii, for their weekly papers.  Part of my job was to try to get more military personnel, and their families to our monthly shows.  

I visited the Kaneohe Naval Air Station, where Clint Terrell, one of our future trainee’s was stationed, in the Marine Corps.  Then I would visit Schofield Barracks, home of the 25^th Infantry Division and Wheeler Air Force Base, in the center of Oahu.  Then back to Honolulu, and Ft. Shafter, Tripler Army Hospital, Hickam Air Force Base, and Pearl Harbor.  There were a couple smaller bases too, but their names don’t come to mind, right now.    

My favorite was Pearl Harbor Naval Base.  I had no problems getting through the gates, at the other installations, being ex-military.  BUT, Pearl Harbor was HARD!!  I would be stopped by, the Marine Corps MP’s as soon as I got to the gate.  I had to go into the Military Police office, and explain my business.  I could tell, by the way the Marine guards talked to me, that they didn’t want me to come on post.  More...