Editor's note - If you haven't already please check out part one of this piece here before continuing onward for important context.
The author with Eddie Kingston
We couldn't shake how inspired we felt from the Wild Cards interview and that spark was the last push needed towards trying wrestling for ourselves.
So we decided to train at Chikara and I'd keep a journal of it and post columns of the experiences for the website.
As with most plans I made at the time, circumstances ultimately prevented the publishing of those columns as the trainer made it clear that he didn't want me talking about anything that happened in training.
Even offering to redact names and give final editorial control was rejected. However, after all this time, I'm the editor of this story, and I'm going to tell it on my terms.
One month into our training we were running a tag team exercise. Two people in the ring, two random teams on the outside. You'd tag in, do your bit then tag out.
As the exercise unfolded I watched sheepishly from the apron, studying as each move was performed flawlessly by Hallowicked, Ultra Mantis, Gran Akuma, and more. A sense of terror building within.
I don't even think I felt comfortable taking a back bump (jumping up and falling on your back to displace your weight safely) and I couldn't imagine taking something as complex as a routine hip toss.
Jack Marciano must've noticed my trepidation as I melted into a pile of soup on the apron because he leaned and told me to relax and then said "go in with Eddie he'll take care of you".
So I awaited my moment and hopped in when I saw an opening. I remember doing a lockup and Eddie whispering "go off the ropes and call a move".
As Eddie gave me the hammer throw I remember half speaking and half mumbling "Ax Bomber" the overly elaborate clothesline/lariat finishing manuever of Hulk Hogan from his time in Japan.
I remember nervously bouncing back from the ropes with all my force and crashing into a confused and bemused Kingston. "Ax bomber?!?" He exclaimed. "Partnah just call it a clothesline!".
The perfectly timed quip reverberated off the cramped training space and everyone erupted in uproarious laughter.
The moment of levity cut the tension and more importantly relaxed me to the point where I was able to participate in the exercise without being self conscious.
A lesser veteran and person would have made an example out of a trainee for being so ridiculous as to call out ax bomber instead of just saying clothesline.
In an industry where taking advantage and physically abusing trainees was practically a requirement Eddie never did. Despite his wild in-ring character Eddie always practiced and preached taking care of your opponent inside and outside the ring.
Training ultimately didn't work out for me. Without the incentive of publishing the columns I didn't have much reason to continue.
Shane however showed tenacity and perseverance never giving up on his passion.
Not possessing a traditionally athletic body meant having to work twice as hard as others to make it work.
He kept at it though and earned his spot on the Chikara roster; newly rechristened as "The Unionized Traffic Regulator" Shane Storm.
Sometime after Gerry made his own debut as masked sensation Equinox; having completed his own training in the class after ours.
In the span of a year I lost my best show-going friend and my webmaster. Without the key pieces of the operation NEPAwrestling shuttered soon after.
Though our website was no longer online, Equinox and Shane Storm quickly made waves in Chikara.
Fast forward two years, and all that hard work paid off at Chikara's Young Lions Cup 3 events, where enroute to making the finals, Shane Storm wrestled Claudio Castagnoli and secured the first pinfall victory ever against "The Swiss Superman" in North America.
Two years earlier we were sitting in my bedroom playing Fire Pro Wrestling D on my Sega Dreamcast. Now I sat in the audience while my friend walked out in the main event, poised to take his place alongside all my other wrestling heroes.
In a long and exciting match Shane Storm and Icarus tore the house down, built it back up and tore it down again.
When future AEW referee Bryce Remsburg made the call for the one, two, three after a Last Shaven Unicorn Drop and Shining Wizard combo the crowd erupted in pent-up excitement when hometime boy Shane Storm became the champion.
When it was time to present the trophy, it was Eddie Kingston who came out to give the speech; duties of an undisputed locker room leader who never asked to be one.
Starting a great legacy of me crying while Eddie Kingston gives a speech, he focused on never giving up and on how hard Shane Storm worked to get to that point.
Eddie never stopped noticing the hard work of his peers then, and despite a twenty year career that took him to the top of the professional wrestling world that attitude hasn't changed.
I wasn't going to miss Eddie's meet and greet at the LVAC show for anything. Mostly I just wanted to have him sign an action figure so I could remind him how improbable it was that I interviewed him all those years ago and now he had made it to the top.
I slid the figure over and before I could finish my story Eddie looked and said "I remember, you trained with us a little while after that too right?".
All these years later and Eddie remembered just about every dedicated fan from those early days doing the Pennsylvania loop. Never taking any of our support for granted.
In his post-match speech Eddie got on the mic to praise his tag team partners and opponents, once again shining the spotlight on others.
I felt and witnessed a sea of people, over one thousand strong, openly weeping as Eddie spoke heartfelt words about the late Alex Whybrow (beloved independent wrestler and manager "Sweet and Sour" Larry Sweeney).
Eddie called attention to the familiar faces he saw in the crowd that night, and how he felt that meant that Alex was with all of us. A proper honoring for the spirit that still looms so large in the hearts of many of us.
Nearly twenty years ago I stood by while Eddie Kingston's words inspired my friends and I, forever changing the trajectory of our lives, and the original plans for NEPAwrestling.com .
Now once again I sat witness while Eddie's words inspired me. This time determined to give back more than I take.
September is Suicide Prevention Month, if you or someone you know needs help please reach out to The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention at AFSP.ORG or call 988 talk to someone right now.
Editor's note - Click here for our in-depth feature On LVAC'S Steelstacks Smackdown (stream now on IWTV.LIVE use code "NEPA") show featuring photos, insights from the stars of the show, and details on the charity donation made by LVAC and Eddie Kingston to the Hispanic Center of Lehigh Valley!
