Thank you for the future

By: Lekisha Oliver

Inside wrestling, there are people that you consider friends, or acquaintances, but there are a very few people that you can consider family.  Those people are the ones that take you into their home at face value and make you one of their own.  Those people are the most precious ones that are in wrestling.

I know that some of the articles I have written over the past few weeks have dealt with more interviews and looks towards the future, but the ones that I really treasure have personal experience behind them.  This is one of those articles. 

I have been a valet for some of the best wrestlers that I could ever hope to meet.  These wrestlers have taken me by the hand, while I lead them to the ring, and made me a part of their family, but one family has taken my husband and I and made us one of their own.  This family and I have had many problems with each other at ringside, but when the show is over, the curtains are drawn, and the fun begins.  Whether it be the mother and the father of these individuals cheering or jeering us at ringside, to the daughters which made us feel like part of the family to the next generation making their way to ringside and into the future, this family has always been there. 

Over the past couple of weeks, the patriarch of this family passed away and the matriarch was left with a hole inside her life, and with only memories to fill that missing piece.  But the love that was shown to this wonderful woman by the extended family that had been formed hopefully helped to ease some of the pain that she has been dealt.  The family that this wonderful person has now has extended over several companies and several states to grow into one of the strongest relationships that has been seen inside the wrestling business.   Now that the benefit has completed for this wonderful family, I would like to express too all the fans who attended, thank you to each and every one of you.  Each person who showed up displayed that the love that this family has created inside of wrestling has grown to ringside as well. 

But all the family that has grown has taken in everything and every kind of personality imaginable and has made them stronger with the love that they displayed.  To each member of this family, I know that your love has made this writer stronger, as well as the relationships towards each one of you, but the love that you have shown to everyone else by example shows stronger than any Hallmark card or any amount of money can be spent.  To everyone in this family, thank you for the memories and thank you for the joy, the tears and the love that you have shared with each and every one of us. 

Thank you once again for everything to the readers and to the fans that joined at ringside to pay respect to this family and to show that the love that was shown was not shown in vain. 

To all the fans, the wrestlers and the businesses who helped during the benefit over the past couple of weeks, a special thank you goes out to each person who gave from their heart.

Thomason Benefit A Family Event

By: Lekisha Oliver

Wrestling Correspondent

May 1^st at Grand Slam USA will not only be a benefit for a fallen colleague, but a true family affair.  Steve Thomason, also known as “Little Hercules” and the former Spring Hill police chief, left behind a family of wrestling history. 

The Thomason family started a legacy in Columbia wrestling with Steve’s father Jack stepping into the ring with his sons Steve and Kevin starting the next generation.  From Steve’s legacy, an entirely new generation of wrestling spread from his jump into the squared circle.  His children, Angela and Jonathan brave ringside each Saturday night at CWA, while his son-in-law, “Chaos” Chris Oliver, and his grandson Richard Ezell, hit the ring each Saturday night to continue with the legacy that he started and he and his wife of thirty-seven years, Gail, created. 

“Through our thirty-seven years of marriage, Steve and I had our ups and downs, but our love held us together and we stayed strong,” said Gail Thomason. “We held on and raised our children, we have grandchildren and Steve and I enjoyed all the family.  He was a good man and I’ll miss him dearly and he was always there and will always be with me.” 

“ I have so many memories to find a specific one to list other than my father always had an open ear and you could always talk to him even if he didn’t always understand, he was still there through thick and thin,” said Thomason’s daughter Angela.  “He would bend over backwards to help anyone especially his family.  He loved Chinese food, I didn’t too much cared for it, but I always heard about EGG ROP ROOP, well that’s what Daddy called it, but I have heard it’s Egg Drop Soup.”

While Thomason’s memories flood the family with thoughts of strength, his will and his love helped his family.

 “I once had some bad ways,” Steve’s only son, Jonathan, “and now I turned out a good man.  Thanks Dad.  And I can only thank my father for his strong will and his willingness to help everyone.” 

But the legacy doesn’t only stop with Thomason’s children and grandchildren, the love and the respect that his family has brought to the fans of Columbia inspire the rest of the locker room, including former CWA Heavyweight Champion Void.

“Steve and Gail were among only a handful of people that I thought to be genuine toward me,” Void said.  “They never judged me about anything.  Steve was a very imposing figure with a very gentle heart and still loved wrestling as long as I knew him.”

The legacy of stories also follow the Thomason family. 

“My brother told me a story a long time ago that goes something like this,” said Steve’s brother and former CWA Promoter, Kevin Thomason. “He was in a match with Eddie Marlin as his partner. He said he used a move and Eddie told him it was the first time he had saw that move. He said it looked good and to keep using it. That move today is known as the fireman’s carry takeover and some oldtimers such as Eddie credit my brother as one of the first to EVER use that move.” 

The love that the family showed didn’t always stay inside the ring.  Thomason’s wife Gail also stood beside her family at ringside each week. 

“Gail is just one of a kind, and that's the only way to describe her,” Void said.  “She took me in from day one, and never changed. She's so outgoing…I truly love her as a person and adore her as a fan. She has always made things fun, even when it was more than just a labor to get back and forth to and from the shows.”

While Void will be making his return to Columbia and to Grand Slam, USA Sunday afternoon, many other superstars will also be making their reappearance at 707 Lion Parkway.

NWA Total Nonstop Action will have their representatives in attendance when “The Tennessee Cowboy” James Storm will take to the ring to face off against “Mean” Matt Dillenger with Wolfie “D” making his return to Columbia to be special guest referee for this main event.  Other matches signed include The Devil’s Disciples (Dante and Damien) with Chris Danger at ringside to take on the Hott Boyz (Kid Thrilla and “Hot Chocolate” Kory Williams).  Representatives from Columbia Wrestling Alliance, NWA Main Event, USA Championship Wrestling, The SWF, the ASW, and as a special treat wrestling legends Lavone Stone, Jerry Morton and William Stone will also be in attendance.  The final card will be announced on Sunday afternoon.  Bell time is 2 p.m. at 707 Lion Parkway in Columbia, Tennessee. 

With the Thomason family always looking for new ways to surprise the Columbia wrestling fans, Thomason’s daughter Angela displayed that intuitiveness with the single wrestlers of the federations to put themselves on the auction block.  So ladies, make sure to bring plenty of money, because the wrestlers that all have seen will finally be available for a dinner date.  On the auction block include CWA’s Arrick Andrews, Richard Ezell, Big T, Eric Robertson, Mikey Dunn, Kyle the Butler, Devious G and TNA’s “The Tennessee Cowboy” James Storm.

Along with the wrestlers, a one-year membership to Harvey’s Gym, a $350 tattoo from Creative Ink by artist Matt “Philp” Bartlett, and many gift certificates and much more.  For any more information, check out CWA’s site at http://cwacolumbiawrestling.tripod.com

Please make it out to Grand Slam, USA this Sunday at 2 p.m. to honor the Gentle Giant of the Columbia wrestling world.