Flashback

It was during the winter of 1983 and I was managing the Holiday Spa at Cherry Hill Mall. Our facility was what we called an “Alternate Facility” which means that men used the gym on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; and women used it on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

The day in question was a Tuesday – Women’s Day.

And that’s when this hulk of a man came barging through the door, rushed past the desk, and stepped into the gym. I, of course, then had to go corral him.

I’d never seen him before. But he was big, a touch shorter than me, but – pardon my French – built like your proverbial brick shithouse. He was Polynesian of some sort and thanks to my height advantage I had an excellent view of the multiple scars across his forehead. I didn’t know who he was, but I knew at once that he was a wrestler.

He said he wanted to see the gym.

I told him he couldn’t because it was Womens’ Day.

“Who’s going to stop me?”

I pantomimed looking in one direction and then the other. I shrugged my shoulders and said, “Well, I don’t see anybody else, so I guess it’s me.”

Scott Donnelly was working the front desk, sitting behind the desk, watching what was going down. He was still in high school back then. I always called him “Young Man” – still do, in fact.

“Young Man,” I said. “Do me a favor. Open the front doors and hold them open so he doesn’t hit his head when I throw him out – and then call 911.”

I like to say that I grabbed the Polynesian by the scruff of the neck and seat of the pants and threw his ass out into the parking lot. But that never happened.

The Polynesian gentleman walked calmly out the door.

My Friend

A few minutes later, another one of my employees came back from lunch. His name’s Mike Tartaglia, but I always called him “My Friend” – still do, in fact.

When I told My Friend what happened, he unbuttoned his shirt and said, “Is this the guy?”

My Friend was wearing a Superfly Snuka tee-shirt underneath his dress shirt.

It was the guy.

My Friend eventually became a professional wrestler and today is – or was – “The Boss” at ECWA (East Coast Wrestling Association.) I’m not sure.

Young Man

Young Man is now a big-time sales manager at Oracle – whatever that is.

Superfly Charged

Joe Giglo – one of my favorite on-air hosts at WIP – just posted an interview with Adam Clark, who I believe broke the story of the recent arrest of Jimmy Snuka for the murder of former girlfriend Nancy Argentino way back in 1983 in a hotel room in Whitehall, Pennsylvania.

Nancy Argentino

As I understand it, Snuka has been charged with murder in the third degree – commonly referred to as manslaughter.

I remember hearing about the incident back when it happened. In fact, there were several incidents back then in the Allentown area involving wrestlers and assaults in motel rooms. But nothing of any consequence came down – until now.

The Superfly is now 72 years old and has been diagnosed with stomach cancer.

Don’t Sue Me

Thanks Joe – and I hope you don’t sue me for using the video.

The video of the interview between Joe Giglio and Adam Clark is below.

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Barry Bowe is also the author of:

• Born to Be Wild
• 1964 – The Year the Phillies Blew the Pennant
• 12 Best Eagles QBs
• Soon-to-be-published sexy, police procedural Caribbean Queen
• Soon-to-be-published novel Stosh Wadzinski
• Soon-to-be-published novel Polish Widow