Ray Apollo: In His Own Words...

I guess my story in pro wrestling is very similar to so many of the boys. Yet, as much as it is the same, it is very different.

I grew up in New Jersey close to New York City and as a kid I loved wrestling. In the 60's and 70's I got to see just about every big star because of where I lived, it was one of the largest territories for wrestling. Yet, as I later found out, there where so many stars I never saw because they never left their hometown. I would read the wrestling magazines and a few times a year my dad would take me to M.S.G. I would tell him someday I will be down there in the middle of the Garden, in that ring where Bruno, Pedro, Billy Graham, and so many more and he would just say "ok" to me.

As a young man I met Terry Manton and Jim Powers. They were training with a guy called Mike Masters. He had been to several territories and was now back in Jersey. So I started training with them. We all made it onto T.V for Vince McMahon, Sr. and did our job there. I went to Grand Prix in Montréal for Gino Brito, Dino Bravo. I later went to Puerto Rico. By then the territories were being put out of business and it didn't look good for me. When I was in Montréal I was Ray Apollo. In Puerto Rico, Ray Shane then one day Afa Anoia, one of the wild Samoans, called me and asked if I wanted to go to Egypt, I said "sure," and after that Afa started running his own show and he tagged teamed me with Jim Powers as the boys from New York City. I learned a lot from Afa and Sika. I also worked a lot with Johany Rodz, a real master and to this day, all those guys are good friends of mine.

One of the benefits of New Jersey was I knew Scott Bigelow, and what a good friend he was. When he got his break in New Japan and became the champ, he got me a job. I learned a lot over there, and from there it was Germany to Otto Wantz's catch wrestling. Then the late Ted Petty called me and asked me if I would team up with him in the WCW as the South Africans as Sgt. Kruger and Ted as Col. Declerk. So I did and we went onto starcade and clash of the champions. After all this with no more territories I figured it was over. One day Vince McMahon called me and asked if I wanted to take over the "Doink the Clown" job... and here we are. - Ray Apollo


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