Fun, nostalgic Legends of Wrestling Night at Marlins Park
Louis “Uncle Louie” Gregory, president of Legends of Wrestling, brought his Legends of Wrestling Night to Marlins Park on Friday, July 31 as part of the Miami Marlins/San Diego Padres game in Miami.
Uncle Louie also presented a special surprise gift for birthday boy and Marlins ace Jose Fernandez. A custom-made pro wrestling style championship belt, created by Rey Rey Championship Belts, lit up Fernandez’s eyes as he received the belt from Uncle Louie and Rey Rey on the field, just before the National Anthem. Very happy with the gift, Fernandez flipped it over his shoulder and then showed it to impressed teammates in the dugout.
Check out www.worldchampionbelts.com
Speaking of the National Anthem, former WWE ‘Total Divas’ on E! star JoJo, a current WWE NXT diva, sang a beautiful rendition of it. Her mom, Alexie, traveled across country from California to be with her along with more family and friends who live in Atlanta and Miami.
Fun fact. JoJo’s father, Jose Offerman, was the lead-off batter in the Florida Marlins inaugural baseball game in 1993 at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami Gardens. Offerman played shortstop for the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers. The Florida Marlins are now the Miami Marlins, competing at Marlins Park in Hialeah/Miami.
@ItsJoseann
JoJo, Brodus Clay/Tyrus along with legends Mick Foley, Kevin Nash, The Nasty Boys (Knobbs & Sags), and Bushwhacker Luke participated in the festivities before, during and after the game. Gregory, Knobbs and the Marlins hosted the event which benefited Up2Us Sports.
JoJo, Clay and the legends received authentic Marlins jerseys with their respective name on the back. Some Marlins staff reciprocated by wearing wrestling related jerseys. Juan Leonel Garciga, Manager, Community Outreach & Player Relations for the Marlins, sported his Hart Dynasty jersey, and Kelly Saco, the Marlins in-game host, wore a Macho Man Randy Savage jersey.
After Foley threw out the first pitch to Billy the Marlin (I can hear WWE Hall of Famer Bob Uecker saying, ‘Just a bit outside’), the wrestlers participated in meet-n-greets throughout the game. Long lines, they signed plenty of autographs and posed for many photos. A social media highlight for sure.
Sports broadcaster/interviewer Craig Minervini, formerly WWF interviewer Craig DeGeorge, interviewed Mick Foley for Fox Sports Florida, which televised the game.
Nash booted Julio the Octopus, one of the sea creatures, during the sixth inning Sea Creature Race.
When each Marlins player batted, the jumbotron/scoreboard displayed a personalized WrestleMania themed photo of the player.
In honor of Nash and the innovative nWo, VIP ticket holders received a cool mWo (marlins World order) T-shirt.
Former WCW ring announcer Davd Penzer, a (South Florida) Taravella High School alum, assisted with the event.
Former University of Miami receiver Randal Thrill Hill, a big pro wrestling fan, joined the legends on the field, pre-game.
Fans who dressed as their favorite wrestler entered a post-game costume contest for a special Marlins wrestling style championship belt, created by Rey Rey Championship Belts. A young fan dressed like Y2J Chris Jericho won the belt, and there were two runners-up, including a cute fan, who dressed like her favorite wrestler, Rowdy Roddy Piper. She, other fans, Foley, Nash, The Nasty Boys, Bushwhacker Luke, Brodus Clay/Tyrus and JoJo were sad to learn that day of the death of Piper. Some legends sang 'Take Me Out to the Ball Game' during the seventh inning stretch with Knobbs dedicating it to Piper. They all paid tribute to him in their own way.
- Visit http://www.uncle-louie.com/legendsofwrestling/
http://www.thelegendsofwrestling.com/
- Twitter @LGNDSofWRSTLNG
@UncleLouie
@RealMickFoley
@RealKevinNash
@BushwhackerLuke
@BrodusClay
- Up2Us Sports is an official charity partner of the Miami Marlins.
- Pro Wrestling On the Web
http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/fighting
@jimmyv3
This story was originally published August 4, 2015 at 12:39 AM with the headline "Fun, nostalgic Legends of Wrestling Night at Marlins Park."