The Ringpost: Sabatino's & Wrestling
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Indy Wrestling
On 2/18, DCW will be in action in Marydel, DE with The Ripper’s Gambit.
Also on 2/18, Flying V Fights: Grapplemania will take place in Silver Spring, MD.
On Sunday 2/19, Pro Wrestling Vibe presents their final show, Braumatica, at DC Brau Brewery in Washington, DC.
This past Saturday, WDWA was in action in Martinsburg, WV. Ty Awesome retained his Light Heavyweight Championship, but I have not seen other results.
VCW was also in action Saturday in Norfolk, VA.
Wrestlers
Mark Briscoe appeared on AEW Rampage Friday night and he will be wrestling in AEW this week.
D-Von Dudley was announced as the first guest for Baltimore Celebfest in May.
MCW Women’s Champion B3CCA appeared on WWE Smackdown Friday night. The show was at Mohegan Sun in Connecticut and she was billed as a local named Carmen Haress. Lacey Evans made her tap out in the match.
Saturday, Lio Rush participated in the Jersey J-Cup in Jersey City, NJ. He defeated Tony Deppen in the first round and then was eliminated by Joey Janela in the 2nd round. Jordan Oliver won the tournament.
Saturday night, Action Andretti wrestled Matt Macintosh at WrestlePro Violencetines Day in Rahway, NJ.
Episode 2 of Miasma: The Series featuring Zakk Ramses premiered.
Site News
Episode 3 of Belts, Bumps, & Barbed Wire should be recorded later this week. Our guest is Phil Stamper, The President of Wrestling.
Sabatino’s is at 109 Fawn Street in Baltimore’s Little Italy. It has been open since 1955, and The Baltimore Arena opened in 1962. While most wrestlers venture to Holabird Avenue in South Baltimore now to go to Jimmy’s Famous Seafood, Sabatino’s was the destination after wrestling shows for years.
In a 2009 Q&A with Kevin Eck at The Baltimore Sun, Jim Cornette told Eck his favorite Baltimore memory :
Watching Ric Flair spend more money at Sabatino's in one night than most people make in a month.
In his book Battleground Baltimore: How One Arena Changed Wrestling History , Graham Cawthon talks to wrestlers and fans about Sabatino’s and it being a destination for after wrestling shows at the arena.
Jeff Amdur told Cawthon that:
Sabatino’s was the place in Baltimore where the bulk of the guys would like to go afterwards because the people there would take good care of them and liked them.
Jim Cornette told Cawthon that when he managed The Midnight Express the only place they went was Sabatino’s. They’d fly in on the day of the show, check in to what was then the Days Inn next door to the arena, go to the wrestling show, and get out at 1 a.m. “starving” and head to Sabatino’s.
Jack Vineberg told Cawthon about going to Sabatino’s to see wrestlers and talk to them. He noted that some of them wouldn’t want to break kayfabe.
Cawthon also quoted Jim Cornette about the press conference announcing seeds for The Crockett Cup in 1987 when it was held in Baltimore. He also quotes Tony Schiavone from the television coverage. Cornette stormed out of the press conference as you can see below.
Andy Vineberg talked to Cawthon about going to The Crockett Cup on April 10-11 in 1987 and going to Sabatino’s both nights to see wrestlers and get autographs. He talked about seeing Rick Rude, Manny Fernandez, and Ric Flair there and that they were all “getting hammered”. Vineberg also talks about how nice Hector Guerrero and Nikita Koloff were when he met them there and also seeing the Road Warriors there. He noted that he was confused about the heels and babyfaces getting along.
Cornette also talks to Cawthon about not being able to spend the night in Baltimore anymore after Jim Crockett bought a plane. They still got Sabatino’s after Ric Flair would slip some money to the pilot so they could bring the food on the airplane.
Jeff Jones, who worked for ECW and ROH, talked to Cawthon about Flair cutting a promo on an opponent and saying that after he won the match, he’d go to Sabatino’s in Little Italy. That was what made him as a fan want to go there.
Dennis Brent, a photographer for WCW and WWE, talked about going to Sabatino’s and told Cawthon that Flair would take over the second floor, and would end up paying for everyone sometimes.
Little Italy’s decline over the years has had the most to do with wrestlers not going there after shows. Sabatino’s website shows they don’t stay open nearly that late anymore. John Mindanakis of Jimmy’s Famous Seafood has given wrestling podcast interviews where he talks about their late hours being why wrestlers come there after shows. I would add that the Amdur quote above rings true for Jimmy’s - that wrestlers like to go where people like them and take care of them.
Thanks for reading this whole piece. I have two more things to say:
Buy Graham Cawthorne’s Battleground Baltimore.
Go have dinner or lunch at Sabatino’s.