ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, March 5, 1997 TAG: 9703050059
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG
SOURCE: CHRIS LANG STAFF WRITER
Hordes of large, sweaty men will attempt to beat each other senseless Saturday evening at Christiansburg High School, all to benefit the Blue Demons' softball team.
Ultimate Championship Wrestling makes its return to the New River Valley, with seven matches and a battle royal 8 p.m. Saturday at CHS.
Proceeds will help pay expenses for the Blue Demons' softball team, which is in its third year of existence.
This is the second year pro wrestling has helped underwrite CHS softball. The event raised $1,450 for the team in 1996, according to CHS softball coach Kirk Litton. The money was spent on a pitching machine for the team.
"Bill Woody promotes for UCW," Litton said. "He sent a letter to the school trying to promote wrestling. We needed the money for the program and we took a chance. It ended up being a really good fund-raiser for us."
Approximately 375 spectators showed up for the event last spring. Because tickets are being sold at different locations for this year's event, it is hard to come up with an estimate to how many will show up for Saturday night's event.
Tickets are available at the main office at the high school and Rocco's Pizza in Christiansburg. Team members also are selling tickets.
There will be four marquee matches on the card. Jimmy "Boogie Woogie Man" Valiant, a 29-year veteran of the sport, will meet The Assassin in one match.
Ricky Morton meets "Ruthless" Roger Anderson in another match, while in a tag team tilt, Stars and Bars will face Big and Beautiful.
Christiansburg graduate Frank "The Tank" Parker returns to his alma mater and will face Showtime Swede Stone in still another match.
"Valiant and Frank Parker will be coming Friday to lunch to speak to some of the girls," Litton said. "Roger Anderson is also a local product."
This is the first of two fund-raisers upcoming in the next two weeks for the Demon softballers.
Christiansburg will take on Blacksburg High in a 100-inning game Mar. 15 to benefit both programs.
The 100-inning game has been a fund-raiser for baseball teams from the two schools for years, Blacksburg athletic director Warren Murphy said.
"It's a good fund-raiser and a good way for the teams to get out there and practice,'' Murphy said. ``Being a new program, they think this would be a good thing."
Blacksburg's program is in its first year of existence.
If you have an idea for a story or note about recreational sports, call Chris Lang at 381-1664 in Montgomery County or Radford or (800) 346-1234, extension 664 elsewhere or fax to 381-1656.
LENGTH: Medium: 54 linesby CNB