Downtown Windsor to celebrate city's pro wrestling history with weekend block party

Downtown Windsor will transform into a wrestling fan's paradise, celebrating the launch of a new book and featuring a free Border City Wrestling show at the end of this month.

Jamie Greer is the author of "Killer, Butchers, Cry-Babys and Canadian Destroyers: The History of Professional Wrestling in Windsor, Ontario, Canada."

On July 27 and 28, a block party titled "Jamie Greer's Rock N' Wrestling Weekend" will see the portion of University Avenue West in front of Phog Lounge closed for an outdoor Border City Wrestling event, live music performances, and a book launch Q&A.

Greer, 51, has been writing for pro wrestling magazines and digital publications for the past eight years.

In December 2021, Greer decided to write a single article about Windsor's wrestling history.

"It was originally based around Scott D'Amore, his involvement with TNA Wrestling, and the fact that Windsor has two members in the WWE Hall of Fame: Killer Kowalski and Abdullah the Butcher."

As he continued writing, he realized the final publication would not fit into a single article. The result ended up being a book of more than 700 pages.

An advertisement for a pro wrestling show at the Windsor Arena from 1952 is seen in Jamie Greer's book titled "Killer, Butchers, Cry-Babys and Canadian Destroyers: The History of Professional Wrestling in Windsor, Ontario, Canada." (Sanjay Maru/CTV News Windsor)

"I didn't think it was going to be this in-depth. I didn't realize it would go as far back as it did. It turned into 100 years of history and almost three years of research," said Greer.

The history detailed in this book is extensive, from the first "proper pro wrestling exhibition in Windsor" in 1906 to an appearance by Andre the Giant at the Windsor Arena in 1975.

Greer has interviewed more than 80 individuals for this book, from wrestling legends who have performed in Windsor to their children.

"There are wrestlers from the 1930s and 1940s that I'm talking to. In some cases, I've talked to their kids who are now 70 and 80 years old," said Greer.

"A lot of these kids or grandkids didn't realize their importance. They just know, 'Oh yeah, my dad was a wrestler.'"

Border City Wrestling (BCW) is featured prominently in Greer's book, which comes as no surprise to fans of Windsor's wrestling scene.

BCW hosted its first show at the LaSalle Arena in 1993 and has been holding shows ever since.

Dan Pizzano, known as Windsor-based professional wrestler El Reverso, has been performing for Border City Wrestling for more than 20 years.

Dan Pizzano, shown inside the Can-Am Wrestling School in Windsor, has been performing for BCW for more than 20 years. (Sanjay Maru/CTV News Windsor)

"BCW is the pinnacle of entertainment in Windsor, considering we've been around for so long," said Pizzano.

From Bret "The Hitman" Hart to Kurt Angle, Border City Wrestling has brought professional wrestling's biggest stars to Windsor.

In 1998, BCW brought in Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson for a match. It's believed to be Johnson's only appearance in a wrestling ring for someone other than longtime WWE figurehead Vince McMahon.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, right, performed at a Border City Wrestling event in 1998. (Source: X/ScottDAmore)

But, according to Pizzano, BCW has become more than just a wrestling organization for Windsor.

"We try and do as much with the community as possible. We raise money for the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Windsor-Essex and for the Honourable Ninjas to come and see the shows," he said.

Border City Wrestling celebrated its 30th anniversary on Oct. 7, 2023.

As part of "Jamie Greer's Rock N' Wrestling Weekend" in downtown Windsor, BCW will host a free outdoor event called "BCW Downtown Showdown" on July 27 at 4 p.m.

"I think there's this camaraderie that comes with being a fan of Border City Wrestling," said Pizzano.

As for Greer, he said one of the most important themes of the book is how racial segregation played a role in shaping the local wrestling scene in its early days.

One key example of this is Bobo Brazil, considered one of the first Black professional wrestlers.

During the 1940s and 1950s, segregation norms in the U.S. South restricted African-American wrestlers to competing against each other. However, Bobo Brazil’s popularity transcended racial divides.

Promoters put aside prejudices because he was such a draw, allowing him to wrestle against white opponents.

"You read all these things about how Bobo Brazil and names like that broke the segregation barriers. But, Windsor never had any segregation," said Greer.

"In Windsor, we had African-descent wrestlers in the main event against white wrestlers right off the bat from the 1930s."

Greer, whose parents are Scottish, credits the personality of late WWE Hall of Famer "Rowdy" Roddy Piper for drawing him into the world of professional wrestling. His first glimpse of Piper on television came when he was around nine years old.

The man who portrayed Roddy Piper (Roderick Toombs, who died in 2015) was born in Canada but portrayed a Scottish character on television.

"I've always liked the bad guys more. I was never a Hulkamaniac," said Greer, referencing the popular nickname for Hulk Hogan fans.

"I was cheering for Piper at the first WrestleMania. Ever since, I've just been fascinated by every aspect of pro wrestling: watching it on TV but also following the stories of how these guys chose this profession."