Thank You, Missa Kate!

It was billed as a "career vs. career" match as Missa Kate faced Steve Boz at Chicago Style Wrestling. Despite the stipulation, I figured down the line, there would be a return, no matter who won. That's just how wrestling works. In this case, I think I was wrong.

Missa battled Boz, but came up just short. The crowd booed. Then the crowd cheered in appreciation for Missa, as her career seemed to be over (for now). 

This was different though. Tears flowed from Missa's eyes as she waled to the back. These emotions didn't seem to be selling the result. This seemed legit.

Then the reality hit later, when Missa posted on social media. She was done. This was it. She was hanging up her bots. She even mentioned selling all of her gear on Ebay to further drive home the point. I am never quite sure in wrestling, because folks have come back after long absences, but this appears to actually be it for Missa.

I have written many times about my appreciation for Missa in and out of the ring. Her skills are among the best I have ever seen. She has no weakness. Her spin kick is perfection. She can take and give a beating. She works great as a good guy or heel. Her charisma is off the charts.

Outside of the ring, she is just as great. She is one of the sweetest, most genuine folks.

I don't know what the future holds for her. I know she is an intelligent, hard-working, passionate person. I am sure she will do great wherever the road takes her.

I thank Missa for all the great matches I have seen. I thank her more for her friendship over the years.

''

Missa Kate and me in Berwyn, IL-November 2922.

Talking Travel with Meena Thiruvengadam

Sometimes I search too far when a good source is much closer. Such was the case with fellow Chicagoan travel journalist Meena Thiruvengadam.

Many years ago, Meena combined her passions for writing and travel into a career into what I would call a travel entrepreneur. She is still a busy journalist, but she has built a travel platform along with it.

Through Travel with Meena, she shares her vast knowledge of all aspects of travel and she is not afraid to admit to learning from her followers, too. Meena said she wanted to give a voice to people of color and to make it easier for them. Without diminishing that goal, I think she has done that for everyone. Perhaps that is the key though. Perhaps by focusing a bit on people of color, she is also enlightening the rest of the world. Maybe this brings us all closer and makes travel that much better.

Whatever her original goals were, she is succeeding on a bigger stage. Meena is definitely making an impact in travel. I am happy to share her story with everyone.

Watch our interview at Talking Travel with Meena Thiruvengadam. While you're there, subscribe to the GT YouTube channel.

Baby Owen Is Home!

This is the best Christmas present for my pal Justin James and his family. Baby Owen is finally home. After about seven months in the NICU, Owen is home with his family.

After former pro wrestler and current teacher Justin James and his wife had baby Owen they got the bad news he had some major throat issues and would require several procedures and a lengthy hospital stay. #FightLikeOwen became a rallying cry for all who knew Justin and his family. Fundraisers were held and prayers were said.

Recently, Justin announced Owen is home. While hopefully Owen has overcome the worst, he still faces some battles. Hopefully, he wins each battle and starts to live like an average infant.

I have talked to Justin in interviews and off the record. I'm not telling any secrets when I say he is a man of great faith. Speaking from my experience in my youth, I assured him Owen will not remember any of this. Hopefully, he will get a clean bill of health before he is at the age of recall.

Last month, POWW Entertainment, where Justin used to wrestle and where he is still involved, held a special event to honor his late uncle and to raise money for Owen. The turnout was even greater than expected, as friends and fans filled the venue. It was a wonderful night, especially after Justin announced the projected going home date for Owen. It is all even better now that Owen is home!

Merry Christmas to all! Count your blessings today. I am sure Justin and his family are doing just that!

Justin James and me in Elk Grove, IL-November 2025.

Kiss Demon or Dale Torborg

Is the Kiss Demon from wrestling included in the Kiss universe? To most, the answer is an easy one, but to diehard Kiss fans, I'm not sure.

Wrestling's Kiss Demon was Dale Torborg, longtime Major League Baseball coach and son of former MLB player and manager Jeff. World Championship Wrestling partnered with Kiss to create a wrestler and have Kiss play a concert at a WCW show. It was a unique partnership, although it didn;t last long. Dale did continue using the gimmick for a while. That's why he appeared at Squared Circle Expo in 2023.

SCX is a fantastic wrestling convention featuring wrestling legends and current stars. It returns to Indianapolis March 27-28.

Back to the Kiss Demon, many fans will collect anything and everything Kiss-related. Obviously, the Kiss Demon appeals to those folks.

Kiss purists might argue he was not a member of Kiss and therefore outside of their collecting interests. Some really elite fans only want the four original Kiss members. Collectors can be a picky bunch.

Either way, Dale as the Demon was a popular guest at SCX. he appeared as himself and in makeup, pleasing all fans, including baseball fans like me.

For more info on SCX, to to squaredcircx.com. Also, check Dale's amazing documentary on his father, Jeff Torborg - A Wonderful Baseball Life.

Dale Torborg, Tony and me in Indianapolis, IN-April 2023.

Dale Torborg at Squared Circle Expo 2023

Dale Torborg is the perfect person to spotlight to promote both Global Traveler, the Squared Circle Expo and Jeff Torborg- A Wonderful Baseball Life, the documentary Dale produced about his father Jeff, a former Major League Baseball player and manager. I give rave reviews to all three.

I met Dale a couple years back at SCX. More known for his lengthy career as an MLB coach, Dale spent time in wrestling as the Kiss Demon. The character was an attempt by World Championship Wrestling to jump on the Kiss bandwagon.

SCX returns to Indianapolis March 27-28. SCX VI promises to be the best SCX yet, which is a high standard to meet. Knowing the promoters, I have no doubt SCX VI will surpass the rest. Each SCX seems to be bigger and better. It is a must on my yearly convention ciruit.

More recently, I interviewed Dale about his father for Global Traveler. The interview focused mostly on the documentary about Jeff. It was an amazing film about a wonderful man. It worked on several levels. Baseball fans will definitely love it, but it also makes a feelgood true life movie.

If you missed my interview, it is at Talking Travel with Dale Torborg. After that, check out Jeff Torborg - A Wonderful Baseball Life on YouTube.

Dale Torborg and me in Indianapolis, IN-April 2023.

Friend Encounters: B Brian Blair and Tony

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends meeting celebrities.

I witnessed and photographed today's Friend Encounter. I also helped plan it.

Since missing the SICW Fan Fest in 2024, Tony and I kept waiting for the announcement for this year. Once it came out and we saw the guest list, we knew were had to make the trip to St. Louis for it.

Herb Simmons runs a fantastic Fan Fest every year. It features about 20 wrestling legends. This year, B Brian Blair was one of our main targets.

Blair attained his biggest success with Jim Brunzell as The Killer Bees in the WWF. Blair wrestled in the WWF from 1981-88 without winning any titles. Keep in mind, titles did not change hands very quickly and the WWF had a lot of great tag teams at the time. Still, The Killer Bees made a name for themselves. Blair continued wrestling for many years after leaving the WWF.

In 2021, he released his autobiography, Truth Bee Told. Unfortunately, he also lost his son Brett to a murder.

As excited as I was to meet Blair, I think Tony was even more giddy. Blair is old school. No offense to more recent wrestlers, but Tony and I will always have a soft spot for the wrestlers from our youth.

We had a blast at the SICS Fan Fest and plan on returning next year. For more info, check sicw.org and look for updates here.

Tony and B Brian Blair in St. Louis, MO-May 2025.

Happy Birthday, Jim!

Today is the last special birthday of the year. Jim would say I saved the best for last.

Although I would laugh at that, Jim is really among the best. For the last 30 years, he has been the best friend I could ever want. We've traveled the country, had serious and silly debates, discussed religion and so much more. We've shared many great moments.

I won't be there to share this moment, but I wish Jim a happy birthday from here! Happy birthday, Jim and here's to more fun next year.

Jim, his siblings and his late mom in Chicago, IL-Spring 2025.

Celebrity Jersey Cards #773 Jenna Bandy & Melanie Iglesias

Celebrity Jersey Cards is a weekly series on which I create virtual trading cards for celebrities wearing jerseys.

Jenna Bandy is a sports content creator. She also holds the Guinness World Record for the farthest football thrown into a target (90 feet) by a woman. An excellent basketball player, her amateur career was derailed by a serious knee injury. Bandy continues producing fun content, usually involving sports and trickshots. For her Celebrity Jersey Card, Bandy is seen preparing to toss a football while wearing a Los Angeles Clippers Jersey. 

Actress and model Melanie Iglesias was born in Brooklyn. In 2010, she was voted the winner of Maxim's Hometown Hotties and the next year, she made the Maxim Hot 100 list. She showed her hometown pride by donning a New York Knicks jersey for her Celebrity Jersey Card, earning extra points for having a basketball. Her #7 was most notably worn by Carmelo Anthony.

2026 Bandits Morgan Zerkle

After adding two new teams and having the expansion draft, Athletes Unlimited Softball League looks forward to a successful second season. The rosters are not totally set, but we know several players who will play for the Bandits (presumably located in Rosemont (Chicago).

One such player is stud outfielder Morgan Zerkle. A four year letter-winner at Marshall University, Zerkle was a two-time Marshall Female Athlete of the Year. She also played in the 2016 and 2017 World Cup of Softball and the 2017 Japan Cup. Zerkle played professionally for the Scrap Yard Dawgs, before joining the old Chicago Bandits in National Pro Fastpitch.

Now, Zerkle will excite the Bandits fans again. Although it hasn't been made official, the prevailing thought is the Bandits will play in Rosemont. It's the only place that makes sense, given the name of the team.

I look forward to an exciting season and Zerkle will be a major part of it. She is equally excellent in the field and at bat.

Having Zerkle on the team is an excellent start. Go to the ausl.com for more information on the league. Check here for my recurring coverage.

Morgan Zerkle and me in Rosemont, IL- Summer 2024.

Happy Birthday, Dave!

A month and a half ago, I celebrated my niece's wedding with my family in Cancun. Today, I celebrate my brother-in-law Dave's birthday.

The weekend in Cancun was awesome, because we don't have the opportunity to spend much time together away from our homes. I appreciated Dave and Nancy allowing me to be a third wheel for some of the trip, as my other sister Jean and her family were busy with wedding preparations.

Since moving to Indiana, Dave has become quite the football fan. While some would call him a fair-weather fan for cheering for the now successful Indiana Hoosiers, I find his fandom amusing. He even attends Purdue football games. Maybe someday, I'll get him out to a Purdue softball game.

Besides that fun, I do really appreciate Dave. Sure I poke him about his love of Domino's pizza, but he pokes me back just as hard. Over the years, he has been a tremendous help and I am grateful for all of it.

He might be celebrating today with a Domino's pizza, although I hope he upgraded. Either way, I wish happy birthday to Dave!

Nancy, Dave and me in Cancun-November 2025.