[RETRO] Dory Funk Jr - Gunslinger Rap - Route 66 and the Beat Goes On
Evad Seltzer
Gunslinger Rap
Cadallic Ranch Just West of Amarillo on Old Route 66
And the Beat Goes On
Benny Truesdale and Dory Funk Sr. were best friends. In the old days
of the territories when my father was new in the wrestling business,
many of the wrestlers traveled in house trailers. They would stay in
each territory about three months and then it would be time to move on
to another territory. Our family made the trip west from our home in
Hammond, Indiana along Route 66 to promoter, Dory Detton's Amarillo
Territory. We pulled a forty foot trailer with what we called our 1946
Oldswobile. It was really an Oldsmobile but at the factory someone had
attached the "M" in Oldsmobile upside down on the rear end. We left it
that way and called it our Oldswobile.
In Amarillo, Texas we met up with long time friends Benny Truesdale,
his wife Lil, and three children, Paul, Toni, and Jackie. For the time
being the old Trollinger Trailer Park on NE 8th street (Route 66) in
Amarillo, Texas was our home.
Benny and his family had been at our trailer for lunch in the morning.
It was typical of a visit from the Truesdale family. Mother welcomed
everyone into the trailer and hugged Benny's wife Lil and the kids,
she offered coffee. Benny looked around and said, "Where is little
Mary." He was referring to my little brother, Terry. That was all it
took. Terry would come out swinging with both fists. Benny would put
one hand on Terry's head holding him back saying "Well hello Mary, how
are you today." Tears would burst forth from Terry's eyes and he would
shout, "My name is not Mary, It is Terry." Then Dad would say, "Stop
crying Terry and leg dive him." Terry dove for Benny's leg, wrapping
both his arms and legs around Benny's right ankle. For the next
fifteen minutes, Benny Truesdale had to wear Terry Funk around his
right leg.
Toni was the oldest of the Truesdale kids at 13 and was just starting
to blossom into a young lady. Dad gave here a nickel and told her to
give him a call when she turned eighteen. Benny would laugh and mother
would hit dad in the head with a folded newspaper.
Life in the trailer parks was fun. Mother put glow in the dark stars
on the ceiling of our small bedroom and we could see the
constellations when we went to bed at night. I remember One night Paul
and I were rough housing at the park laundry. I accidently broke out a
window pane. Mother made me take my piggy bank full of pennies and pay
the park owner Mr. Trollinger for the damage done. He tried not to
take the money, but mother would only have it one way. I broke it so I
had to pay for the window.
Mother and Lil used to love to sit over a cup of coffee and talk about
people they had met in the wrestling business, The Herb Parks family,
the Gordon Hessle family, the Johnny Demchuck family, the Balk Estes
Family, The Frank Murdoch Family and many others who traveled the
trailer park circuit. Benny and Dad traveled the Amarillo Territory
taking turns between Dad's Oldswobile and Benny Truesdale's old Kaiser
Frazer.
***
(3:00pm somewhere between Amarillo and Albuquerque Traveling on old
Route 66)
Dory Funk Sr. slammed on the breaks of the 1946 Oldswobile, pulled to
the side of Route 66 and waved to the two hitch hikers to come and get
into the car for the ride west. The Oldswobile had been traveling fast
and by the time it came to a stop the two hitch hikers were about 30
yards from the car. They both broke into a run. Just as they got even
with the rear end of the car, Dory Funk Sr. hit the accelerator and
the hitch hikers had a face full of New Mexico sand and gravel.
Funk slammed on the brakes again and pulled off on the shoulder of
Route 66. This time, The hitch hikers were a good fifty yards behind
the car. Dory and Benny got out of the car and waved at the two hitch
hikers to come on. They yelled at them, "Forgive us for a little
joking around. Lets go. Come on, we promise we won't do that again.
We'll wait for you this time." The hitch hikers walked at first, then
as they got near the car, they broke into a run. Dory and Benny jumped
into the car and took off again, laughing like Hell. They were playing
their favorite game as they traveled on the long trips of the West
Texas Territory, See how many times we can make the hitch hikers run.
Dory and Benny were having a ball with the two hitch hikers. They had
made them run for the car four times and were going to try for a
record fifth. They slammed on the brakes again. The hitch hikers
wouldn't come. They were tired of eating dust and gravel.
Dory Funk said to Benny, "I have an idea. We will get them for the
fifth time. Benny, I want you to drop your drawers and stick your fat
ass out the window. They will be so pissed we will get them again.
Just before they get here, we will take off for the last time. We'll
have the last laugh on them. Benny turned red in the face because he
was laughing so hard at this one.
Benny dropped his drawers and stuck his ass out the window. Sure
enough the two hitch hikers came running to the car, cursing like
sailors. As the hitch hikers got close, Benny said, "Okay let's go
Dory." Instead of hitting the accelerator and taking off, Dory Funk
crammed his shoulder up against Benny in the front seat forcing his
ass even further out the window. Benny was trapped with his ass stuck
out the window. He couldn't move. The hitch hikers were coming closer,
cursing louder and when they reached the car, all they could see was
Benny's big ass sticking out the window. Benny was screaming at Dory
Funk, "My God Dory, Let's go. Now!!!"
Both hitch hikers were infuriated. There was a fat ass staring them in
the face. They both began punching Benny Truesdale in the ass. Benny
was cursing and Dory Funk was laughing so hard he was crying. The two
hitch hikers got their revenge.
Fifty one years later on Monday Night Raw, Shawn Michaels mooned the
audience.
And the beat goes on.
Gunslinger.