Scanned from an old wrestling magazine, here is the list of pro wrestling rules that were in effect in 1973. I had to laugh because I wasn’t sure anyone had ever bothered to write down the “rules” of wrestling.
The commentators sometimes mention the rule book, especially when the Heels are cheating, but is there really a text in existence that says you can’t bite or pull hair?? Apparently so.
The reason I didn’t believe they had ever written down the rules is because nobody (except the clueless innocent Baby Faces) ever follows the rules. I suppose the ref needs to have some list of things to fuss about, but nobody listens to his bitching and moaning anyway (except for the honest Tag Team partner who obediently scurries out of the ring when the ref tells him he is not permitted to rescue his helpless partner.)
Here are some examples of dirty cheaters breaking, literally, every rule in the book, in spectacular, blatant fashion:
The following killer moves are meant to result in “AUTOMATIC DISQUALIFICATION” (written in all Caps to show they really, really mean it). Very rarely has any ref ever enforced these rules and actually disqualified a cheater (thankfully, because cheating is HOT…)
So why did they bother writing all these rules down if the dirty Heels can just cheat and get away with it? The world of pro wrestling needed to establish some boundaries for the villains to cross, so these strict-sounding prohibilitions were invented.
The heroic Baby Faces live within conformity of the rules just as we are encouraged to live in conformity to the laws, rules, and customs of our society even if we get cheated along the way. But the cheating villains, with a cruel sneer on their lips, blatantly break one rule after another, as if they get off on being naughty. “HEY, that’s NOT FAIR!” we think to ourselves in outraged and horny frustration. And the next week we come back to see more of it and get even more worked up.
