Jamie Jones: Wrestling for his life

In the newspaper business, you hear rumors almost every day.

Some are so preposterous you forget them as quickly as you hear them. Some have a hint of truth that can often lead to a provocative story. Some are completely accurate.

An email arrived in my inbox one nondescript morning earlier this year with the weekly professional wrestling results from the Tri-Star Wrestling Association. Go ahead and laugh. Yes, I’m the newspaper’s intrepid wrasslin’ reporter.

I scanned the results, coming across the usual good guys triumphing over the usual bad guys. There were a few sentences at the bottom of the message — usually a few remarks about upcoming matches.

Not this time.

This was actual real life news.

“Doug has been in the hospital,” the emailer wrote. “I heard the doctors say he has stage 4 prostate cancer.”

My eyes halted at the last word.

Cancer.

Then flew back to the first word.

Doug.

This rumor couldn’t be true.

For those of you who don’t know Doug Watkins, he’s the founder of TWA, the pro wrestling organization which has been in Northwest Georgia for more than 20 years. You might recognize his name from his family’s pool cleaning business.

Doug is a friend.

He’s a bit gruff at times. He’s definitely opinionated. He’s the straightest shooting person I’ve ever met.

We met shortly after I started at the newspaper in the summer of 1999. The entertainment section editor asked me to write a feature about the local pro wrestling scene. At the time, I was a rabid wrestling fan. It was the assignment of my lifetime.

Doug was hesitant when I approached him about the story. Perhaps he thought I would poke fun at the wrestlers. Disrespect their profession. Make a mockery of their hard work.

After I assuaged his concerns, Doug offered me access to any wrestler I wanted to interview. He allowed me into the wrestlers’ dressing room. He let me sit at the announcer’s table.

Through the years, our friendship grew. My participation at TWA grew as well.

Doug asked if I wanted to referee a match.

Sure.

Doug asked if I wanted to be a manager.

Of course.

Doug asked if I wanted to wrestle.

Me? Wrestle?

And wrestle I did. In all, about 10 matches. Each match fulfilled a childhood dream.

So the time came for the phone call to ask Doug how he was, if the rumor was true. Rolling around in my head was exactly how to broach the subject. Remembering Doug was to the point, I jumped in.

“Doug,” I said. “This is Jamie. What are you up to?”

“Oh, about 6-foot-2,” Doug deadpanned.

“Well, I heard some rumors about you having cancer,” I meekly said. “I’m sorry to hear about your diagnosis.”

“Not as sorry as I am!” Watkins interjected, followed by a disarming laugh.

We chatted for about 15 more minutes before another call came in.

“I’ve got to take this, Doug,” I said.

“OK,” Doug replied. “Get back to your rat killing.”

Vintage Doug.

Through the years, Doug has hosted scores of wrestling benefit shows. Now, the local wrestling community is coming together to help him.

There will be a benefit today at the TWA Arena off Reed Road to help pay Doug’s medical bills and other expenses. Doors open at 12:30 p.m. with several events scheduled before the 3 p.m. bell time for the wrestling action. Admission is free, but donations will be accepted.

Often, wrestling organizations are territorial. If an upstart organization comes into town with a Friday night show, the established rival organization might be miffed. Not this time.

Dixie Championship Wrestling — which runs Sunday afternoons — has canceled its show today and will instead send many of its performers to the benefit. A group of wrestlers based in Ellijay plan to attend. The main event of the afternoon features Ricky Morton of the tag team The Rock ’n’ Roll Express, a well-known wrestler from the 1980s and 1990s.

Don’t like wrestling? There will be a R&B band, an Elvis Presley impersonator, face painting for kids, a cake walk and concessions.

“Doug has helped out a lot of people over the past 21 years,” said Big Will, a wrestler who is helping organize the show. “We’re just asking the community to come out and help him.”

I couldn’t have said it better.

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Jamie Jones: Wrestling for his life

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