mike "the HIPPY" boyette

  
FEATURED WRESTLERS

MIKE "HIPPY" BOYETTE
FRANK DALTON
MIKE GEORGE

 

FEATURED TAG TEAMS

 

FEATURED MASKED GUYS
 

WEB STORES
LIL AL, COLUMBUS Ga.
        (click here)

PHOTO LISTS: LIL AL, COLUMBUS Ga, SCOTT TEAL (Tenn, Fla, Ga)
       (click here)

 Bio provided by Gulf Coast historian Mike Norris

   Mike Bowyer was a judo champion while serving in the US Marine Corps. He had been competing in judo and freestyle wrestling since the age of nine. He was chosen to represent the US in Judo for the 1968 Olympics, but broke his leg during a practice session and was forced to give up his spot. When his leg healed he headed to Minnesota to try and break into pro wrestling. He managed to make the acquantenance of Verne Gagne who agreed to train him for the business. Gagne and Eddie Sharkey trained Bowyer and he made he initial appearances in Minnesota before heading to his native California for some appearances.

His big break came when he entered the Gulf Coast territory for promoter Lee Fields. Booker Bob Kelly initially made him a heel and he was dubbed "The Angry Man" Mike Boyette. The Boyette was an adaption of his real name because Bob Boyer was already in the area. Bowyer also bore a strong resemblance to long time Gulf Coast veteran Mario Galento whose true name was Butch Boyette. So he was dubbed "Boyette". His first gimmick as the Angry Man was constantly getting himself disqualified. He finally worked his way up to main event status with a feud with Cowboy Bob Kelly.

FROM NOV 1969 & JAN 1970
WRESTLING AS MIKE BOWYER & THE "ANGRY MAN" BOYETTE

    
523 7                     531 1                      531 3a

    
523 8a     531 2a

As his hair was growing longer he began calling himself "The California Hippie" to further agravate the conservative Southern crowds. But the younger fans were beginning to take to him so he had his fair share of fans as well. The Boyette / Kelly feud culminated in a cage match with the loser to have his hair cut. Kelly won the match and managed to cut some of the Hippie's hair off before he escaped.

WRESTLING AS "HIPPY" BOYETTE WOTH VALET the LOVELY LINDA

     
1081 8a                  1081 7a                      1081 9a
TAKEN IN JULY 1974

   
1139 4a                    1139 7a                     1139 9a
TAKEN IN JAN 1975


    Boyette then left the area and headed to Florida for a few months. His return to the Gulf Coast saw him brought in as Kelly's partner to face the Wrestling Pro and the Blue Yankee. From that point on Boyette was a popular favorite for the remainder of his career in the Gulf Coast. His popularity rivalled that of Kelly's and Ken Lucas. For a peiod of two years Boyette teamed with Mickey Doyle to form the California Hippies tag team. They held the United States tag team title twice and had tours of Tennesse and the Central States before going their separate ways. Boyette also held the Gulf Coast tag team title with Ken Lucas and as a single held the Gulf Coast Heavyweight title 3 times, the Mississippi State title, the city titles of Mobile and Pensacola numerous times.

     
1139 10                    1139 1a                    1139 2a
TAKEN IN JAN 1975

 

     
1141 3                       1143 6a                    1141 6a
TAKEN IN JAN 1975

Although he still travelled to othe areas, such as Tennessee, Oklahoma and California (where he worked as "The Beastman")he was most successful in the Gulf Coast area.
    After the GC territory closed down in early 1978 he moved on to Tennesse where he formed a moderately successful team with Cowboy Frankie Laine. He also worked in St. Louis, Atlanta and famously the Mid-South territory where he was regulated to doing TV jobs. He returned to the Gulf Coast when Bob Kelly tried to revive the promotion in 1985, in opposition to Ron Fuller's Southeastern territory. Boyette also worked for Rip Tyler's WOW promotion based in the Gulf Coast territory in 1987-1988.

IN THE LATER PART OF HIS CAREER AROUND JUNE 1979


1453 7                         1453 6a                       1453 9

                             
                  1453 10                             1453 8a

                             
               1445 11a                                1445 12a

ALL PHOTOS ARE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE