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Taking Liberty: Hulk Hogan and the boys

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5 months ago

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By Bruce Sayler
It stood probably 3 feet tall and the boys tossed it around their room when they were young.
They called it an action figure while the girls, for the sake of sibling conflict, insisted on calling it a doll. Whatever description defines accuracy, it was a Hulk Hogan likeness made of cloth and stuffed similar to the creation of teddy bears.
Imitating the pro wrestling moves and bravado in the Hulk Hogan realm, the boys flung it, punched it and kicked it – not of anger, just in performances. Almost spookily representative of the Hulk, himself, the action figure (or doll) never showed a tear, hole in its fabric or cut.
Hulk Hogan, live or a modeled toy, was tough.
Last I heard of the version in our house and after the five kids all grew, the Hulk Hogan toy left, too, fully intact and in the arms of a grandson several years ago and hasn’t yet returned. It is probably still in one piece.
The scenes were what flashed through my mind last week when I read that the real Hulk Hogan had passed away, likely of a heart attack, at home at age 71. Though a performer in a business of constant suspect for reality or substance – or substances – violence, real or feigned, the man was a giant. And, if kids liked him and it seemed he tried to deliver them good, positive messages, I didn’t mind.
We even bought his action figure.
Still, though, Hulk’s death also carried to me my own first live experience with attending a pro wrestling event.
My Grandfather Bagley (my mom’s dad) and my dad both watched pro wrestling shows regularly and in the exciting moments and clinches, you didn’t want to be in the way of an occasional punch flung out of reflex toward the living room’s center.
I loved watching with them.
Grandpa had cable, so he got two shows a week. One was out of Chicago and featured some of the bigger names of the “sport” then: Crusher Lisowski, Lou Thesz, Verne Gagne, Dick The Bruiser, Haystacks Calhoun, etc.
The other was piped in on a Spokane station to Missoula cable customers, but emanated from The Masonic Temple in Seattle and headlined the terrifying Maurice “Mad Dog” Vashon, “The Mad Russian” Soldat Gorky, Japanese villain Haru Sasaki and unbeatable good guy Shag Thomas. I was very dismayed later to learn that all these supposedly enemy foreigners were actually Americans costumed up to play on the emotions and prejudices of the time.
In 1963, we took a family vacation to Seattle where my dad had three brothers now living and my mom had an aunt. We spent a week. We all had sights we wanted to see and events to witness. No. 1 on my list was the Thursday night pro wrestling card at the Masonic Temple because, gosh, it was a big deal. It was on TV.
Uncle Don and Aunt Ruth made the arrangements.
They, my parents and I loaded into the car (can’t remember if it was ours or theirs) and headed for the arena. My brother, then only 7, stayed back with a babysitter. He was not to be allowed to witness the live violence or stay up that late.
The place was old and it was packed. It was noisy. I was astonished by how many women and girls were in attendance. Pro wrestling just didn’t seem like a girly thing to this age 11 boy growing up in the ‘60s.
Cigarette smoke dangled thick in the air over the rows of rising wooden backless bleachers that sufficed for seating. There were drinks, but I honestly don’t remember whether alcohol was served.
I got to see them.
Sasaki karate-chopped an opponent I don’t remember, but I think the shot paralyzed him, at least long enough for a pin. Vachon went berserk in the ring, rendered his opponent unconscious and decked a referee who was trying to force him to play by the rules. I think, after security forces “failed,” a contingent from the “good guys” dressing room dragged him off the helpless opponent sprawled on the canvas.
Thomas did not perform, to the chagrin of the crowd. I think I recall that the ring announcer informed that an injury prevented the popular wrestler from appearing. However, I think “Pretty Pat” Patterson used a flying dropkick and then a full nelson to render Gorky helpless and register the pin.
It was a long show, seemed like close to a dozen bouts. I was so wide-eyed I’m surprised I wasn’t permanently blinded by the overhead lights. Dad apparently stayed calm enough to not shoot a straight right into the back of my head in the heat of action, or maybe Mom had him under control.
Then, it got scary.
A young blond-haired man named Bobby Schoen, hyped to be a Lou Thesz protégé, was matched against famed Portland bad guy “Tough Tony” Borne. It was brutal. No such beating has ever been recorded in the history of man. Borne slammed him, punched him, kicked him, gouged him. I had a dislike for Borne from watching his matches on TV and knew him to be a dirty so-and-so.
Schoen was a mess. He couldn’t seem to keep his feet and seemed completely neutralized by the “illegal” tactics Borne used. The referee was completely ineffective.
I thought they should call the cops, maybe the Marines.
The horror, though, was when Borne threw Schoen into the ropes and twisted the ropes around the young guys neck, leaving him hanging like a caught gunslinger in an Eastwood spaghetti western. And then, he shook the ropes and, I swear, Schoen’s white face sped right through red, to purple, to blue. His eyes shut.
Omigod? I knew he was dying. Maybe it was too late. I was sick to my stomach, fear overcame my whole being and I might have been shaking. My folks my shoulder and arm and promised me the “suffering” wrestler would be all right.
An army of refs, other wrestlers and security got into the ring and corralled Borne, then freed Schoen from the ropes crossed in front and behind his throat. Guys looking like medical staff rushed to the ring with a stretcher. They loaded him on it and whisked him away to the back of the building where the locker rooms were located.
I never saw Borne leave the ring. I don’t know if he walked out alone or if it was like he had a security escort. I thought he should’ve been on his way to jail.’
I was so surprised at how the crowd was. It screamed plenty when Schoen was absorbing his beating, but returned to normalcy once the next bout started. Geez. A guy was almost murdered (and maybe he was) here and nobody cares? C’mon.
I was anxious for word on Bobby Schoen. Was he fighting for his life? Was he still alive? If so, what hospital did they take him to? Can we send flowers? A get well card? Is “Tough Tony” Borne in prison?
My aunt tapped me on my shoulder a half hour or so later while the pro bouts continued, ones that now didn’t holm my attention. She pointed to the end of the aisle on the floor separating two sets of bleachers.
Two attractive teenage girls stood on either side of a big, young blonde guy and giggled and google-eyed at him. He was freshly showered, dressed in a collared sport shirt and slacks. His hair was neatly combed.
It was Bobby Schoen. There wasn’t a mark on him, not even a rope burn.
Omigosh! What happened?!!
God or Oral Roberts must’ve been sitting ringside.
Aunt Ruth handed me a white envelope she dug out of a purse and a pen. She smiled at me.
As we made our way to the exit after the show, I glanced to my right and spotted a large bearded man wearing a suit and tie standing in a small group of well-to-do-looking men. They laughed over a shared joke, I presume.
“So, what do you think, Bruce?” Uncle Don, probably grinning, asked me on the car ride back to his house. “Was it real or was it fake?”
I don’t remember what I replied. I don’t think I had an answer and the events of the night swirled through my head like a pool in a whitewater run.
I’m sure, though, that somewhere in my two-story house in Butte there is a cabinet or dresser drawer or box in the basement that contains a crumpled up old white envelope with Bobby Schoen’s autograph on it.



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Guardian caps, new helmets aim to improve safety for young football players

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1 hour ago

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December 22, 2025

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WCHS) — New and improved helmet technology was approved by the National Operating Committee on the Standards for Athletic Equipment.

The helmet is lighter and more suitable for youth. While this lighter helmet won’t be available until 2027 and won’t be mandatory, youth leagues around the area will be more than willing to adopt this new equipment to protect the youth.

“I don’t see how you can’t,” former college and NFL football cornerback Carl Lee said. “For the youth kids to play.”

Since retiring from playing and coaching, Lee deals directly with fitting youth for their helmet sizes in South Charleston. Lee does everything he possibly can to make sure the helmet is a perfect fit.

But that’s just part of the problem.

“You got a kid that’s about to your knees, and while the helmet may fit, it’s like two bricks,” Lee said. “He can’t even hold his head up. There has to be more attention paid to youth football and the gear that you’re providing for them.”

Efforts are underway to get guardian caps mandated for middle and high school players. (WCHS)

Efforts are underway to get guardian caps mandated for middle and high school players. (WCHS)

Everyone wants to be safe but having the ability to provide the newest and best equipment is another challenge that some leagues may struggle to provide. Lee said South Charleston is lucky enough to be one of the leagues that has a budget to provide the safest and best facilities for their kids.

Due to others teams’ and leagues’ budgets, the safety and equipment some kids may get, isn’t on par with what others may receive

“It doesn’t create safety across the league as a whole,” Lee said. “I think us being safe and doing the best we can to be safe, isn’t good for the league. What needs to happen is the league itself, we have to find ways to make every child that plays safe.”

That particular helmet is not available until 2027. Teams right now are doing what they can to provide an extra layer of safety to their kids though the use of newer helmets and mostly guardian caps – a decision that many coaches and league presidents didn’t take lightly.

“We made this decision last year after the tragedy that happened to the young man in Madison Middle,” youth league president David Hopper said. “We bought them the day or the week after that we heard about it on the news.”

The tragedy Hopper is talking about is that of Cohen Craddock in August of 2024. At just 13 years old, Craddock died after a collision at practice caused a brain bleed and swelling, leading to a lack of oxygen.

It sent shockwaves through communities across the state. Craddock’s father continues fighting in his son’s honor in an attempt to get mandatory guardian caps for all middle and high school practices.

Cohen Craddock died after a collision at practice at just 13 years old. (WCHS){ }{p}{/p}

Cohen Craddock died after a collision at practice at just 13 years old. (WCHS){ }

The extra protection eases the minds of parents who want to prevent future tragedies from happening to other young athletes.

“I’ve been in the league for about four years now,” Melissa Allen said. “We’ve seen some pretty nasty hits. It definitely eases your mind as a parent to know that there is a little bit more protection. This year, we have seen a lot less injuries. I definitely, think they’re a great addition.”

According to the National Football League, guardian caps absorb 11-12% of impact force and were made mandatory during practice as they try to crack down on concussions and head trauma at the professional level. These protective caps have contributed to a nearly 50% reduction in concussions.

The caps can run roughly $80 per player, which could be a burden for parents who may already be facing financial hardships. Luckily for Ripley Little League, local businesses stepped in and helped provide the caps, helping provide the youth football Vikings the all-important extra layer of protection

Safety equipment can be cost preventative for some families. (WCHS){p}{/p}

Safety equipment can be cost preventative for some families. (WCHS)

“This is our youth,” Allen said. “This is who grows up and takes care of your businesses, and these parents are going to support your business.”

Football is a core memory for millions growing up. Many wouldn’t trade the experiences and life lessons they learned, but parent’s minds are at ease knowing that safety continues to be at the forefront of every league.

“I let my kid play before there were guardian caps,” Allen said. “I do wish there were guardian caps back when he played, but I would let my kid play just because of what football teaches them. It does ease your mind as a parent that there’s some extra protection there now. I love football, I love what it teaches my kid. It teaches them how to be a team player, it teaches them that it’s not only you. You have to work together with people and it teaches you a lot about leadership.”

“I think there’s a danger with anything,” Hopper added. “Just walking down the sidewalk there’s a danger to it. Football builds character. Football builds young men. There’s a trend today to let your kids be safe, be coddled, but it’s important to let them do hard things and football I think is the epitome of that.”



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Monumental Sports & Entertainment Steps Up D.C. Students’ Access to Athletic Shoes with “District Kicks” Initiative

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December 21, 2025

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Year-long effort as part of company’s “District of Play” program will provide Under Armour footwear to nearly 6,500 students across DC Public Schools

WASHINGTON, D.C. (December 21, 2025) — Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE) today announced “District Kicks,” one of the year two marquee initiative of the District of Play platform, led by the Washington Wizards in partnership with Under Armour and DC Public Schools (DCPS).

Building on the success of last year’s inaugural effort, District Dribble, which placed nearly 30,000 basketballs into the hands of every DCPS student in PK3 through 5th grade, District Kicks shifts the focus to essential athletic gear—ensuring student-athletes can take part in sports safely and with pride.

The district-wide, multi-phase initiative will deliver Under Armour footwear to all DCPS high school athletes and celebrate milestone moments for sixth-grade students enrolled in DCPS 6th Grade Academies.

“When I got my first basketball as a kid in Brooklyn, that single piece of equipment unlocked everything that followed—confidence, belonging, and the belief that sports could shape my future,” said Ted Leonsis, founder, chairman, managing partner and CEO of Monumental Sports & Entertainment. “District Kicks is built on that same idea: when you give young people the right tools, you give them the ability to dream bigger. We are proud to partner with Under Armour and DCPS to ensure DC students can step onto the court or field ready to compete and believe in what’s possible.”

“We are the Sports Capital not only because of our professional teams, but also because of the opportunities we create for our children,” said Mayor Muriel Bowser. “This initiative is one more way we can make sports more accessible to more students, and we’re grateful for Monumental’s continued partnership and commitment to our city’s young people.”

About District Kicks

Throughout 2026, District Kicks will come to life through a full year of athletic shoe distribution and programming.

High School Sport-Specific Footwear: District Kicks will provide sport-specific Under Armour footwear to all high school student-athletes across roughly 22 DCPS schools, totaling approximately 5,200 students. Shoes will be delivered directly to school campuses and will be distributed in alignment with athletic seasons, beginning with spring sports in March 2026, followed by fall sports in August and winter sports in November.

High School Pep Rallies: Each seasonal distribution will be anchored by a flagship pep rally at a featured high school, creating moments of recognition and visibility for student athletes.

6th Grade Athletic Footwear: District Kicks will provide all DCPS 6th graders enrolled in 6th Grade Academies with Under Armour athletic sneakers, reaching more than 1,200 students across 11 DCPS campuses. Available in multiple styles and colorways, the footwear is designed to help students feel comfortable, confident, and ready to move, play, and take part in school sports and activities.

6th Grade Kick Off Event: MSE will distribute the footwear as part of a celebration for 6th graders enrolled in 6th Grade Academies on March 3, 2026, at CareFirst Arena. The event will gather students for a high-energy, pep rally-style celebration, complete with interactive sports experiences and career-based learning opportunities. MSE will cover transportation and logistics for all participating schools, ensuring every student can be part of the day.

“Engaging our scholars throughout their transition into middle school takes commitment and creativity,” said DCPS Chancellor, Dr. Lewis D. Ferebee. “In our 6th Grade Academies, students are given the tools to excel inside and outside of the classroom. DCPS is grateful to partner with Monumental Sports and Under Armour to provide resources to young people so they can thrive in programming that deepens their connection to school.”

About Under Armour’s Project Rampart

Project Rampart is an initiative by Under Armour to elevate the student-athlete experience and improve academic outcomes through the power of sport. Beginning in Baltimore in 2017 and having since expanded to Oakland and Washington DC, Project Rampart is a blueprint that ensures student-athletes have access to upgraded facilities, best-in-class apparel, leadership development, and coach training through specialized programming.

To learn more, visit about.underarmour.com/Purpose/impact/project-rampart.

About District of Play

Launched in 2024 as part of the Capital One Arena reimagination, “District of Play” is MSE’s commitment to expanding access to youth sports and wellness across DC. “District of Play” invests in youth sports infrastructure, creates new opportunities for underserved youth, and drives community impact through the Capitals, Wizards, Mystics, Capital City Go-Go, Monumental Sports Network, and the MSE Foundation.

In its first year, the initiative reached more than 200,000 residents, earning recognition from Fight for Children and a nomination for a 2025 ESPY Sports Humanitarian Award. Learn more about “District of Play”’s momentous first year of impact in the 2024-25 annual report here.

About Monumental Sports & Entertainment

Monumental Sports & Entertainment is America’s leading integrated sports and entertainment company and is ranked as one of the most valuable globally. Our people, players, teams, and events bring excitement and joy to millions. We invest and innovate to consistently raise the game so we can deliver extraordinary experiences that will inspire and unite our community, our fans, and our people. To learn more, please visit monumentalsports.com.

About Under Armour, Inc.

Under Armour, Inc., headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland, is a leading inventor, marketer, and distributor of branded athletic performance apparel, footwear, and accessories. Designed to empower human performance, Under Armour’s innovative products and experiences are engineered to make athletes better. For further information, please visit http://about.underarmour.com.



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Suns, Mercury pros join youth for hoops to celebrate World Basketball Day

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December 21, 2025

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PHOENIX (AZFamily) — The Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury marked World Basketball Day with a basketball clinic that brought kids face-to-face with two pro players on Tuesday.

The Suns/Mercury Foundation hosted the event, which brought the Suns’ Nick Richards and the Mercury’s Natasha Mack to answer questions from children in a Q&A.

Richards, who grew up in Jamaica, and Mack, a dual citizen of Montenegro, shared stories about playing overseas and how basketball connects people everywhere.

The Suns/Mercury Foundation hosted a basketball clinic for World Basketball Day on Dec. 16.
The Suns/Mercury Foundation hosted a basketball clinic for World Basketball Day on Dec. 16.(Suns/Mercury Foundation)

After the chat, the pros and kids rolled up their sleeves and shot hoops alongside the mascots.

World Basketball Day, now in its third year, rallies the NBA family and the global basketball community.

Partners like the YMCA, FIBA, USA Basketball, the NCAA, and the Naismith Hall of Fame joined in with clinics, social campaigns, and activities worldwide.

See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it.

Do you have a photo or video of a breaking news story? Send it to us here with a brief description.

Copyright 2025 KTVK/KPHO. All rights reserved.



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3 kids steal and crash car into home after watching YouTube tutorials, police say

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6 hours ago

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December 21, 2025

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NEWBURGH HEIGHTS, Ohio (WOIO/Gray News) – Three children, ages 8, 11 and 12, stole a car and crashed it into a home after watching how-to videos on YouTube, according to police.

On Saturday, officers were in pursuit of a stolen car in Ohio when it crashed into a men’s recovery home, causing minor damage.

Officers caught the three children who tried to run away after crashing the car.

Thankfully, no one was injured.

Newburgh Heights police told WOIO the 11-year-old was driving the car.

The children allegedly told police that they watched YouTube videos on how to steal cars.

Police said the children were later released to their parents and charges will be filed in juvenile court.

Copyright 2025 WOIO via Gray Local Media, Inc. All rights reserved.



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Binghamton mayor talks housing, public safety

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7 hours ago

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December 21, 2025

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This week, JoDee Kenney sits down with Binghamton Mayor Jared Kraham.

Binghamton Mayor Jared Kraham takes the Spectrum News team on a walk-and-talk to various projects around the city. Mayor Kraham talks about the overseeing of significant developments in Dickinson, including the largest housing construction project, Town and Country apartments, with 256 units of affordable housing. He shares how the project is valued in tens of millions and features modern, energy-efficient units, and addresses past issues of crime and poor housing conditions. Mayor Kraham highlights how the city is also developing a new Recreation Center, repurposed from a local church, to serve as a hub for youth sports and community activities. He shares how the recreation center includes a full-size gym, classroom space, and a commercial kitchen. Mayor Kraham explains that these initiatives aim to enhance community life and provide permanent, affordable housing options.

Mayor Kraham also talks about community policing and emphasizes the need for increased staffing to allow officers to engage with the community effectively. He highlights the city’s low crime rate, attributing it to community policing, gun violence reduction initiatives funded by $1 million from the American Rescue Plan Act, and the use of advanced technology like license plate readers and street cameras. Mayor Kraham also details the revitalization of Clinton Street, a historic downtown area, through a $10 million state initiative to create a walkable, eclectic district that supports housing and regional tourism.

And finally, Mayor Kraham talks about being inspired by his father’s government service and his own interest in public communications. He discusses being a Syracuse University dual major in political science and broadcast journalism and emphasizes the importance of local politics and student engagement. He highlights his efforts to support small businesses, influenced by his experience working at his parents’ furniture store. Mayor Kraham also talks about his passion for local music, dining, and sports, and outlined his 2026 goals: revitalizing Clinton Street, enhancing public safety, and addressing affordable housing to foster neighborhood development.

You can watch the full interviews above. And be sure to tune in for a look inside the biggest issues impacting upstate New York, on In Focus with JoDee Kenney — every Sunday on Spectrum News 1.



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Power of basketball to connect people around the globe celebrated with World Basketball Day

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December 21, 2025

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Can basketball be a force that helps bring a divided nation, a divided world together?

That’s the dream of World Basketball Day. A day — designated by the United Nations to be commemorated every Dec. 21 — where we celebrate the power of basketball to unite communities and connect people around the world.

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“There’s increasingly few spaces left where we humanize each other, where we actually spend time face-to-face, eye contact, wordlessly negotiating and sharing and creating space with and between each other — doing the kinds of intimate, continuous, fluid communication that the space of a basketball court fosters,” said David Hollander, an NYU professor who helped create World Basketball Day. “The game itself is an empathy lab. And so, yes, I believe it is one of the greatest exercises that people can engage in to begin to knit back together the social fabric.”

It’s a dream shared by the NBA and people who love basketball around the globe — and it’s a chance to give back to the community through the game.

“World Basketball Day is a chance to celebrate the game and impact it has on people everywhere,” the Celtics’ Jayson Tatum said. “Basketball has had such a positive influence on my life, and I hope I can pass along the joy and skills I’ve learned, both on- and-off the court, to the next generation.”

The NBA is doing this in part by announcing the extension of its longstanding relationship with the YMCA, collaborating on year-long youth basketball and community-focused programming that will reach 6 million youth in the next year. World Basketball Day also means events to connect with youth around the nation and around the globe.

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“World Basketball Day takes on a special meaning this year as we commemorate the 175th anniversary of the YMCA, where the sport was first invented 134 years ago,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. “We are thrilled to join our many friends in the basketball community to celebrate the game’s impact and influence around the world.”

What is World Basketball Day?

World Basketball Day is the brainchild of Hollander, an NYU professor with the Preston Robert Tisch Institute for Global Sport. Holland teaches a course at NYU called “How Basketball Can Save the World.”

“It’s a very popular elective that treats basketball like a philosophy,” Hollander said. “I created principles that I believe basketball stands for — the way you play basketball can be understood as a really good guide for how we can behave with each other. The way the game was intended to be structured can tell us a lot about how we ought to structure a society, and it’s a game intrinsically of hope.”

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He eventually turned that course into a book, in which he drafted a UN resolution for World Basketball Day. That idea took off in a way he did not fully expect.

“Basketball was always intended to be stateless, borderless, global right from the very start,” Hollander said. “And as the world tries to solve the problems that only a whole world can solve, I suggested that we ought to start somewhere where the whole world is happy and the whole world comes together, and the whole world agrees. And, I said, that place is basketball, and it should have a day.

“That’s how it began.”

World Basketball Day was established in 2023 by the United Nations. Not coincidentally, World Basketball Day is observed each year on Dec. 21, the date in 1891 that Dr. James Naismith hung up the peach baskets and first introduced the game of basketball at the YMCA in Springfield, Mass.

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Part of what World Basketball Day has become is a focus on the future and connecting people. For example, last week marked the third annual United Nations diplomats basketball game, in which more than 60 diplomats from 30 countries played pickup at the local YMCA.

“In other words, these peacemakers are actually doing the thing that I hope basketball on a grand scale achieves,” Hollander said.

It’s not just the NBA and the United States celebrating this, it is FIBA — the international governing body of basketball — and its coaching clinics and camps in Africa on this day. It’s local hoopers and content creators from Australia, Indonesia, Japan and the Philippines featuring World Basketball Day content across the NBA’s localized channels in those countries.

“Basketball has always been global,” Hollander said. “Dr James Naismith sent emissaries to teach basketball in 1895, as soon as he could right after he invented the game, to Europe to Australia, to China to South America. So it is no surprise to me that coming from all corners of the world are some of the most eloquent speakers of the language of basketball.”

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That language of basketball and how it can be a unifying force deserves to be celebrated. And, much like Christmas, we could use more of that force and spirit all year-round.



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