Professional wrestling fans have always been just as interesting as the muscle-guys in the ring. In the ’80s, they usually didn’t have signs ready for TV. But as a new post from the Maryland Historical Society shows, Baltimoreans who came out to see the body slams before didn’t escape the camera.
The collection harkens back to the 1980s, when Sgt. Slaughter was still in the ring and the Baltimore Civic Center (now RoFo Arena) played host to the events. In those days, the pro wrestling orgs hosted “house shows” without TV to make all of their money. They looked raucous.
And it looks like the fans had their own culture. Someone needs to track down The Little Old Lady at Ringside. And we’re especially intrigued by the final photo in the set of “Pom-Pom Man,” who would dance in the aisles. It’s good to know that the Michael Jackson protester has a direct lineage in the efforts to dance amid mayhem.
Check out the full collection.
