European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 5, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                A amps photos by Ken Clauson by Ken Clauson Bremerhaven Bureau face squeezing and Chest beating body slamming and toe Jammin a a Bruiser a Buffalo and a barbarian. The Fine Art of american style professional wrestling with a slight european twist is drawing crowds in Bremen Germany. Catch cup 91 is a loud sweaty roadshow featuring nightly matches from an International lineup of bellowing behemoths that has six americans including the 320-Pound i Quot Bruiser Quot Mastino the Ever glowering Larry the barbarian wearing chains and warpaint is ready to rumble. 12 stripes Magazine december 5, 1991 Quot the Harlem destroyer Quot Cameron and Quot Buffalo Quot Petterson a lumbering giant whose nose ring is connected to his earring by a Metal Chain. The Bremen Stop on the catch cup circuit features matches nightly in Halle in of the Bremen Sta Thalle. Most nights feature individual and tag team matches and sunday nights finish with a Battle Royal. The grand finale is dec. 21 and is to feature americans Ken Patera self billed As the Quot world s strongest Man Quot Bull Power and Greg Quot the Hammer Quot Valentin in addition to middleweight and tag team  professional wrestling is still fairly new to Europe and the catch cup is formatted a bit differently from stateside events. The official program even lists the  Eye poking Finger breaking and punching with closed fists Are specifically verboten and the wrestlers Are levied fines by the officials for infractions. An indignant ringside announcer informs the crowd when a naughty fighter has been slapped with a Fine ranging from 20 to 50 Marks. Of course when the ref in t looking which is conveniently often anything can and does happen. Quot wrestling has one Rule for us As far As we re concerned Quot said Buffalo on behalf of the american wrestlers. Quot if the ref does t see it it s Legal. Whatever it . A Buffalo noted a difference in style Between the american and european grapplers. The europeans usually have a background in olympic style Greco roman and freestyle wrestling he said. Quot they use More technical holds than what we re used to but they re not really used to our barroom brawling Quot he said. Bruiser agreed saying Quot Here you can get disqualified easily a for using chairs or throwing people Over the top rope and out of the ring a just minor things but that s our style. That s what we re used to and we re not going to change just because we re Over  but the europeans have also mastered the finer moves of pro wrestling a like3the head butt the foot twist and the belly Flop. Even though these wrestlers Are not big name celebrities like Hulk Hogan the fans know whom to cheer and whom to jeer. For the Uncertain the program helpfully lists the most popular and most hated Ana most of the americans Are in the latter list. The audience Boos Kib a preening mincing Sissy wearing makeup Pink boots and shorts that look like underwear. They cheer for Eddy Steinblock their Homeboy from Bremen. And the irishman fit Finlay is on both lists but Drew Boos recently for whacking his opponent with a chair and on another night Drew blood White fighting a foe in the stands. Their physiques and athletic abilities vary As much As their styles. The acrobatic Steve Wright is billed As a Quot european Champion Quot the Harlem destroyer and the barbarian both claim former jobs in professional football in the states and look like they work out in the gym. Bruiser Mastino looks like he works out at the Buffet table. The moans and groans Are melodramatic and the body slams bombastic but the audience does t seem to care. Quot it s a lot like watching television sitcoms Quot said sgt. Tom Daniecki a Cook for 1st in 41st inf regt in Karlstedt Germany. Quot we just come Here to loosen up and fantasize. It s Good for our morale especially in our  Daniecki travelled the 15 Miles from Karlstedt with two fellow Cooks in his unit pfc. Eric Brown and pfc. Brian Claywell and Claywell s wife Christina. Quot i be seen this stuff in the states Quot Claywell said. Quot it s really a lot of fun. I think it gets your anger out when you come and see people  to the inevitable question of is it real or is it fake Buffalo would Only respond Quot it s whatever you see it As. The reality for us is that it s  catch cup �?T91 s nightly three hour shows be Girt at 7 on sundays and at 8 All other nights. Doors open 90 minutes earlier. Tickets for sunday through thursday Cost 20 Marks about $12.75 for Friday and saturday 23 Marks and Tor the finale 24 Marks. Children must be at least 14 to attend. The promoters Are offering discounts to the american military Community for groups of 60 persons. For ticket and group Price information Call 0421-3505-302. The season ends with the Bremen finale. The 1992 season will begin in Austria in the Spring and then continue in several cities in Germany. Fit Finlay gets in a few cheap shots on an incapacitated foe. Such naughty behaviour often draws a Fine from the ref a if he sees it Franz Schumann rides Larry Quot the Harlem destroyer Quot Cameron under the watchful Eye of the ref. December 5, 1991 stripes Magazine 13