Wrestling

During my high school days I wasn't much good in any sport.  I went out for basketball but never learned how to dribble (sounds like a STD condition doesn't it?) and move the ball down the court at the same time.  Uncoordinated I was. Plus, I didn't like that jab to the ribs I usually got from players on the opposing team when I tried to hang a basket.  Even though I was tall (6'4") for my age (12), Ron wasn't going to be a basketball star.

Next up was football. First of all I throw a football like a girl (my gay gene in full bloom).  Secondly, have you even been on the bottom of a pile up?  All that mud and bodies laying on top of you?  What really freaked me out was the seeing the cleats of the shoes at eye level whilst the side of my face was squashed in the mud.  Ron wasn't going to be a football star, even though I was a tight end (gay gene again).

Next up, track.  I tried the high hurdles but almost always knocked every one down, much to the amusement of my friend Stuart in the stands who would let out a low guffaw that could be heard for miles.  Then I tried long distance running, the mile.  That's four times around the track folks.  First time I ran the mile I noticed that some of my fellow sportsters had ran completely around the track once and were passing me.  I was told that I was "lapped."  I stuck with long distance running for longer than any other sport but after one season decided to give it up after having finished last in all my races save one, in which I finished next to last.  Ron wasn't going to be a track star.

That's me, first row kneeling on the right - 1959

Next up baseball.  Well, since I threw a football like a girl, how do you think I threw a baseball?  That's right, Priscilla Mae throws a long one!  Baseball out, even when I played the outfield.  You should have seen me dancing around the outfield trying to catch a long fly only to have it fall behind me, in front of me, and even one time right on my noggin.  Ron wasn't going to be the next Joe Dimaggio.

Now we come (no pun intended) to a sport that I liked and did well in, wrestling.  I don't know why but I was very agile in wrestling.  I didn't have the weight (I was skinny all through high school, never weighing more than 160 for my 6'4" inches of height) but I was able to outthink most of my opponents. However, I had one BIG problem.  As you know in wrestling, the outfits are tight and some of the holds are...um....awkward.  Now this is where my gay gene comes into play again.  Because I was young with my hormones just starting to kick in, wrestling was out of the question for me.  Oh sure, I tried it but invariably I became aroused (or halfway aroused-my lady readers might not understand this but I'm sure most of my male readers understand) and I would have to throw the match to end it quickly before I became the butt (no pun intended, well maybe) of jokes.  "Hey look!  Tipton has a hard on! What are you?  A fairy?"  Oh sure, I wanted to GO THERE.  

So last night while I was perusing the local newspaper I came across these wrestling photos that brought back fond (and erotic) memories of the one high school sport I enjoyed - wrestling.  

So what was your favorite high school sport?

Ming the Merciless

Ming the Merciless, Emperor of the planet Mongo

You say you don't know who "Ming the Merciless" is?  Then you are showing your age.  You're showing how young you are.  

"Ming the Merciless" was the ruler of the planet Mongo.  You say you never heard of Mongo?  Where have you been?

Seriously folks, Ming the Merciless is a fictional character who first appeared in the Flash Gordon comic strip (ah ha!) in 1934.  Played by the actor Charles B. Middleton, he then appeared in the Flash Gordon serials of the late 1930's era.  No folks, I'm not THAT old but I do remember seeing those 30's era serials on my 12 inch (don't go there) black and white Philco TV in the Fifties when I was just a young whipper snapper with my adolescent hormones beginning to kick in. Lock and load as they say.

Flash restrained - check out those nifty shorts and Ming's look - works for me.

Oh my, was I ever transfixed by Flash Gordon, played by Buster Crabbe.  Funny thing, I look at the serial now on You Tube and see how fake it is.  In fact, it is so bad it is good.  Real good!  This morning talking to my friend Lar on FaceTime we were both watching the first serial and getting a real hoot out of it.  But oh how different it was when I was just an 11 year old back in the Fifties, wondering why my body was having this strange reaction to seeing Flash Gordon in THOSE shorts.  And what really puzzled me was (for lack of a better word) bondage cum S & M undercurrent between Ming the Merciless and the (sometimes) tied up Flash Gordon.  Every time one of those scenes came about I noticed a strange reaction in my nether regions that I had never experienced before.  A good strange reaction.

Me and my cat "Bobby" and the old black and white Philco TV where I used to get turned on to Flash Gordon - I think "Bobby" knew but no one else knew my "secret."

My straight friend Lar said he used to have the same reaction when he saw pictures of  pirate ladies. I too had that reaction to pirates but I got that reaction when one of the deck hands was tied up and given a few lashes for disobedience.  Oh my, what WAS that feeling Ron?

My friend Lar can have his pirate ladies anytime.  For me, I'll take Flash and his big....um gun.  Lock and load.