Friend Encounters: Leva Bates and Jim

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends meeting celebrities.

This is entitled Blue Pants meets black pants, although it looks more like black shorts and black pants, but I digress.

Blue Pants is the nickname of pro wrestler Leva Bates. A longtime fixture on the women's wrestling scene, Bates doesn't appear to be as active as she once was. At 42, that doesn't seem unusual.

Bates is known for great cosplay, in and out of the ring. She might not be the first to do so, but she is one of the first to make it popular. Now, we see others doing so.

My pal Jim met her at a convention in Indianapolis last year. While I did meet Bates several years ago when she appeared at Resistance Pro when I was doing videos there, I still would have liked to see her again, even if it meant seeing Jim. (You take the good with the bad.)

Jim is actually a nice guy and a huge wrestling fan. He goes to more and farther shows than I do. He meets more wrestlers, too, although you might think that's hard to do. Still, Jim manages to meet a lot. This is one I really envy though. Jim has one up on me here, but I'll get even.

Leva Bates and Jim in Indianapolis, IN-April 2025.

Friend Encounters: Ted Simmons and Dennis

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends meeting celebrities.

My Wisconsin friend Dennis is back. That probably means he is with a Wisconsin athlete.

This time, it is Ted Simmons, one of my all-time favorites. A recent Hall of Fame inductee, Simba started with the St. Louis Cardinals, but had several solid years with the Brewers in the middle of his career. He finished with the Atlanta Braves.

One of my first book reports in grade school was on Ted Simmons. It wasn't really a book. My friend Tommy and I skirted the system and reviewed Baseball Digest. It was really just so we could draw the covers. Yes, we actually made covers for our book reports for our own amusement.

Any back to Dennis. He is another of my convention pals. I really only see him a couple times a year. It's always good though.

Unfortunately, I did not see him at this convention. I am envious of him meeting Simmons. I met him once years ago, but it was an over the table deal. I did get a full photo with his statue in St. Louis, but that's not the same.

Ted Simmons and Dennis in Milwaukee, WI-May 2025.

Friend Encounters: Angie Reinhart and Tony

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends meeting celebrities.

I claim a bit of responsibility on two levels for this picture. Of course, that takes nothing away from my pal Tony's effort.

I turned Tony onto singer Haley Reinhart a few years ago. Then I told him about Haley's sister Angie and he started liking her music, too. That's my first part.

At the first full show where we have seen her and The Alright Maybes, we met Angie at intermission. Tony approached Angie for the photo. That is my second part.

I am sure Tony will admit a few years back, we would have been too shy to ask first. I'm not taking full credit though. Other friends have encouraged him and he has had enough great encounters to feel more comfortable asking for pictures.

As expected, Angie was great. She is very engaging and grateful for us following her and the band. Chalk up another great meeting and Tony couldn't have been happier.

The lesson here is to ask. It can't hurt. If the celeb declines for whatever reason, at least you tried. I have had very few refusals and even fewer rude ones.

Angie Reinhart and Tony in Highwood, IL-April 2025.

Friend Encounters: Joel Gertner and Brian Heffron

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends meeting celebrities.

Today, I feature a reunion of Extreme Championship Wrestling stars. Wrestler The Blue Meanie (aka Brian Heffron) and broadcaster Joel Gertner were two of the most popular and well-known ECW stars.

Part of the fun of Squared Circle Expo is seeing old company mates having mini-reunions. As long as they don't interfere with fans meeting them, they are cool to witness. SCX and the wrestlers themselves always make sure to be present for fans. The reunions do not get in the way of the fun. They add to it.

SCX is a huge wrestling convention. Held on Friday and Saturday in Indianapolis, it features 60+ wrestlers for the meet-and-greets, Q&As, panels, photo ops and a full wrestling card. It is so much fun. Next year it has been announced for March 27-28.

For more info, go to squaredcirclex.com. Also, check here for my recurring coverage.

Joel Gertner and Brian Heffron in Indianapolis, IN-April 2025.

Friend Encounters: Lou Ferrigno and Jack

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends meeting celebrities.

FanExpo returns to Chicago (Rosemont) this weekend. Since taking over Wizard World, FanExpo has not missed a beat.

Back in the day though, Wizard World was a lot of fun. They usually held a special press reception prior to the weekend of fun. One of those events featured Lou Ferrigno. My interview with him there is at On the Beat with Lou Ferrigno. Among other topics, I asked him about his role on King of Queens. The next day at Wizard World, we thanked him again for the interview. He was kind enough to take a picture with my photo friend Jack and me again. 

I must also stress how nice Ferrigno has always been to me over many conventions. Ferrigno sometimes gets criticized for not-so-pleasant interactions, but I have never experienced anything less than great ones, even when I wasn't part of the press. Maybe I am just lucky or maybe others are unlucky.

It just goes to prove you never know. Regardless of reputation, if you want to meet the celeb, I highly encourage you to do so. I have met hundreds of celebs and athletes and have had very few bad encounters, despite hearing many stories of problems others have had.

Check fanexpohq.com for more info on their events. Check here for my recurring coverage.

Lou Ferrigno and Jack in Rosemont, IL-August 2016.

Friend Encounters: Layla El and John

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends meeting celebrities.

Today, I feature my pal JD and a seldom-seen wrestling star at a great wrestling convention. JD met Layla El at Squared Circle Expo in Indianapolis.

SCX has held five great conventions in Indy. SCX VI has been announced for March 27-28, 2026. If you are a wrestling fan, this is the convention for you. Every year, it gets bigger and better. Earlier this year, it had about 75 wrestling legends and current stars.

Layla El was one of those stars. Mostly out of the limelight, Layla El was part of LayCool, a solid tagteam with Michelle McCool several years back. Also a former model, Layla El didn't stay in wrestling for a long run, but she mad her mark. McCool is in the WWE Hall of Fame, but unfortunately Layla El is not. No disrespect to McCool (aka Mrs. Undertaker), but they should have gone in together as LayCool. 

My pal JD met Layla El and reported she was very nice. JD is one of my favorite convention pals. Although we rarely connect outside of conventions, JD and I always have a good time catching up and comparing convention notes.

Go to squaredcirclex.com for more info. Check here for my recurring coverage.

Layla El and John in Indianapolis, IN-April 2025.

Celebrity Jersey Cards #752: Samuel Alito & Opal Lee

Celebrity Jersey Cards is a weekly series in which I create virtual trading cards for celebrities wearing pro jerseys. I continue my season-long march through all MLB teams.

Born in NJ, Samuel Alito grew up to be an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. His career started as a court clerk in the mid-70s. He joined the Supreme Court in 2006. Alito was on the field to toss a ceremonial pitch in jersey and cap at a Texas Rangers game in 2016 to earn his Celebrity Jersey Card. Can anyone identify the Texas Ranger in the pic? It does not appear to be manager Jeff Banister.

Born in Texas, Opal Lee is regarded as the Godmother of Juneteenth after leading the movement to make it a holiday. I had the pleasure of interviewing Lee, which can be found at On the Beat with Opal Lee. What a delight she was. Despite being in her 90s, she was bright, positive and full of energy. Having the opportunity to speak with Lee was truly one of the highlights of my interview career. She was honored by the Rangers to earn her Celebrity Jersey Card.

Friend Encounters: Dory Funk Jr. and Herb Simmons

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends meeting celebrities.

I have featured a few Friend Encounters from Southern Illinois Championship Wrestling's FanFest. None of that happens without promoter Herb Simmons.

A longtime promoter, Simmons started SICS with the goal of keeping St. Louis wrestling memories alive. He certainly has achieved his goal and continues doing so.

At SICW 2025, Simmons had more than 25 wrestling legends, a Bill Apter Q&A and a full wrestling card. The FanFest drew a huge crowd. Part of the fun was recalling wrestling memories with other fans. It was a fantastic two days.

Simmons is on site making sure all goes smoothly, which isn't an easy task. Wuth that many guests and fans, stuff is bound to go wrong. Additionally, a tornado ripped through the St. Louis area on the day of the convention, causing flight delays and cancellations. Still, most wrestlers made it.

I am featuring a pic of Simmons with Hall of Famer Dory Funk, Jr. Part of the legendary Funk family, Dory, Jr. is a former NWA champ and one of the greatest, oldest living wrestlers.

Go to sicw.org for more info on their events. Check here for my recurring coverage.

Dory Funk Jr. and Herb Simmons in St. Louis, MO-May 2025.

Friend Encounters: Denis Savard and Tammy Williams

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends meeting celebrities.

Today, I feature two Chicago legends. I have met both, but am lucky enough to be friends with one of them.

NHL Hall of Famer Denis Savard started and finished his career with the Chicago Blackhawks. He should have played his whole career here, but then he wouldn't have won a Stanley Cup. Also, Chris Chelios wouldn't have played here. Those two actually became teammates upon Savard's return to the Hawks.

Northwestern Hall of Famer Tammy Williams was a star softball player. She played her entire pro softball career with the Chicago Bandits. Tammy was a joy on and off the field. I always enjoyed watching her field or bat and any conversation, whether for interviews or fun, was always a good time.

Tammy and Savard appeared at a function in Chicago in June. I bet these two are excellent golfers. Both are just great athletes, but more importantly, they are awesome people.

Tammy Williams and Denis Savard in Chicago, IL-June 2025.

Friend Encounters: Nikita Koloff and Tony

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends meeting celebrities.

Once again, I have a feature from the Southern Illinois Championship Wrestling FanFest. Held in St. Louis, it is a weekend of fun with wrestling legends.

This year, one of the legends was Nikita Koloff, making a rare appearance. There were about 25 wrestling legends there, but Koloff alone would have been enough to get Tony and me there. Koloff was a rising bad guy wrestler in the NWA. When he turned into a good guy, his fandom exploded. At the height of his popularity, Koloff stepped away to care for his wife who was battling cancer. Since then, he made a few random returns, but never for real stints. Koloff is a devout Christian, who changed his name legally from Scott Simpson to Nikita Koloff.

I am pretty sure Tony was a bit giddy meeeting Koloff at the SICW FanFest and I can't blame him. Koloff was about as big as it got during our early years of following wrestling. Fortunately, Koloff was extremely nice to us, talking for several minutes. Tony helped the situation by bringing up some specific matches, which impressed Koloff.

Go to sicw.org for more info. Check here for my recurring coverage.

Nikita Koloff and Tony n St. Louis, MO-May 2025.

Friend Encounters: Ricky Morton, Robert Gibson and John

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends meeting celebrities.

With the goal of keeping St. Louis wrestling memories alive, Herb Simmons is the promoter of Southern Illinois Championship Wrestling. One of the highlights of the year is the SICW FanFest.

My schedule finally alowed me to attend the FanFest earlier this year. It started with a Bill Apter Q&A on Friday night. Saturday morning and afternoon had a meet and greet with about 25 wrestling legends. A full wrestling card on Saturday night fnished the event with a bang.

My pal JD is a regular attendee at the FanFest. JD is another of my convention pals. Although our connection is usually limited to conventions, it is always fun seeing him. We catch up and compare notes about whatever convention we're attending and future ones.

At SICW, JD met the Rock and Roll Express. Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson were one of the best tagteams ever. Although they didn't wrestle much in the biggest companies, they were still one of the most well-known and popular teams. 

Go to sicw.org for more info on the company and FenFest. I hope to see you there next year.

Ricky Morton, John and Robert Gibson in St. Louis, MO-May 2025.

Friend Encounters: Ken Anderson and Jim

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends meeting celebrities.

This is entitled Misterrrrrrrr Anderson and Misterrrrrrrr Strong. Actually, with his recent workout regimen, Jim should be called Misterrrr Stronger!

Perhaps inspired by his wrestling friend Ken Anderson, my pal Jim has been working out big time. Results are starting to show, as seen in this picture. Results aren't easy for old guys like Jim and me. At least he is trying. 

Anderson has had an interesting career. A while ago, he was involved in big storylines in the WWE. He seemed to have a bright future there, but it didn't work out. He went on to have an excellent run in Impact Wrestling and remains a presence in the world of wrestling. He's a funnyguy, along with being a solid wrestler.

Jim is a longtime wrestling fan and photographer. Why it took so long for the workouts to come his way is unknown, but he dove into it big time in recent months.

Striking the double biceps pose, these two could be a tag team. Anderstrong?

Ken Anderson and Jim in Indianapolis, IN-April 2025.

Friend Encounters: Dennis and Jack Morris

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring my friends meeting celebrities.

My buddy Dennis is one of my convention pals. I never see Dennis away from conventions, but we always catch up a bit at those events. 

Dennis ventures out to some conventions I don't attend. One such is the Sports Convention in Rosemont. While it is  a great convention, which bringsin a lot of famous athletes, I find it too crowded. That's a great thing for them. It's just not for me.

Dennis, however, braves the crowd and scores a lot of athletes. One such athlete recently was Hall of Fame pitcher Jack Morris. Pitching for four teams over his 18 years career, Morris went 254-186. He was a three-time World Series champ, a World Series MVP, a five-time All-Star and he also pitched a no-hitter.

I haven't met Morris yet. Dennis has that one on me. I did meet him in the pressbox at Target Field, but I did not ask for a picture, because it was my first time there and I wasn't going to risk rocking the boat.

Dennis and Jack Morris in Rosemont, IL-March 2025.

Friend Encounters: Missy Hyatt and Brian Heffron

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends meeting celebrities.

This is one of those times that I feature a friend who is also a celebrity. Really, this is two celebrities.

Brian Heffron rose to fame as the Blue Meanie in Extreme Championship Wrestling. Heffron made that character very popular and successful. He eventually had a run with WWE, too. Since then, he has made appearances on the indy scene and doing comic cons, too. 

Missy Hyatt is one of the first modern day valets. With her Gucci purse, Hyatt became one of the best-known valets. Hyatt had stints in several companies, including a brief stay in the WWE.

Heffron reconnected with Hyatt at a comic con earlier this year. The two worked together in ECW. It's cool seeing them together and looking good after so many years.

Heffron is one of those celebrities I consider a friend. While we don't chat on the phone or hang out, I have seen him enough times that we became friends through familiarity. He is one of the great guys in wrestling and anywhere. He is a huge Philly sports fan, too. He is a knowledgeable fan, too, as our interviews prove.

Brian Heffron and Missy Hyatt in Indianapolis, IN-April 2025.

Friend Encounters: Jacqueline Moore and Heather

 Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends meeting celebrities.

Here are two of my favorite women wrestlers. Pioneer Jacqueline Moore is partially responsible for paving the path for Hardcore Heather Owens.

Moore is an underrated wrestling personality. Whether a wrestler of manager/valet, Moore was one of the generation who bridged the gap from the old time women wrestlers who were lucky to get one match on any card to the new generation who can main event a card. While Heather has never told me directly Moore is one of her role models, I know her well enough to say this is the case.

I have known Heather from our time with Resistance Pro Wrestling. I believe she was vastly underappreciated there, but she was a good soldier and did what was asked. I would have liked to see her get a real run to and with the title.

Since then, Heather is mostly retired. She runs a yearly wrestling show in the Cincinnati area as well as being one of the promoters of Squared Circle Expo, where she met Moore.

I love this picture. It is two generations of women wrestlers. I would bet there is pride on both ends. No doubt Moore is proud of the women who have followed her and Heather is proud to meet the legend.

Go to squaredcirclex.com for more info on the awesome wrestling convention. Also, check Heather on social media or the Cincinnati Patch for info on Power. Pride. Pro Wrestling!

Jackie Moore and Heather Owens in Indianapolis, IN-April 2025.

Friend Encounters: Jim Brunzell, B Brian Blair and Ty Wasilk

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends meeting celebrities.

This is a sad one. Today, I feature my recently deceased convention pal Ty Wasilk.

I met Ty many years ago at some comic con or wrestling event. Over the years, we ran into each other many times at such events. It was always great to see Ty. He always seemed to be in a good mood. I could always count on a smile or laugh from Ty.

Last week, I received news Ty had passed. Way too young at 50, Ty suffered from pancreatic cancer, ultimately succumbing to a stroke. The only bright spot is he didn't suffer too long with the cancer. Even with it, he battled like a true warrior and remained positive. It's a small relief in a tragic tale.

Below is a picture from Ty meeting the legendary Killer Bees (aka B Brian Blair and Jumping Jim Brunzell. It's fitting this picture shows Ty with legends. I know how excited Ty was to meet them or any wrestler. He was just as excited to meet independent wrestlers at VFW Halls. That was just who Ty was.

I don't claim to have known Ty too well. We only chatted when we crossed paths at events. Still, he was part of my convention circle.

RIP Ty. You are missed, but won't be forgotten.

B Brain Blair, Ty and Jim Brunzell in Waterloo, IA-June 2024.

Friend Encounters: Jade Hewitt and Tony

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends meeting celebrities.

Today I feature two softball staples, who happen to be my friends. While AU Sports Director of Photography Jade Hewitt is a professional in the softball world, Tony has been a dedicated fan for more than 20 years.

I met both at a Chicago Bandits game. Jade was a photog for another team, while Tony established himself as one of the most-consistent Bandits fans.

Tony and I both are big fans of Jade's work and her in general. Jade is talented and always looking to grow the game. Her work for AU has been used on Topps sports trading cards, which Jade hands out to young fans at games. It's really heartwarming to see the excitement of the young fans. It's also cool seeing Jade hand out her work. For non-sports or memorabilia fans, having your pictures used for Topps cards is a big deal. Nobody has earned it more than Jade.

I have interviewed Jade a few times. My last is at Talking Travel with Jade Hewitt. She talks about the challenges of photographing AU, the many travels she takes and much more.

Go to jadehewittmedia.com for more info on Jade. Also check auprosports.com for more info on this great sports league.

Jade Hewitt and Tony in Rosemont, IL0August 2024.

Friend Encounters: Kevin Rahm and Troy G.

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends meeting celebrities.

Today is a royal Friend Encounters. Actually, it is a Royals Friend Encounter.

My media pal Troy is a co-host on The Geary, Stein & Stevens Show. Obviously ensconced in the world of entertainment, sports and celebrities, Troy has taken it off the airwaves into real outside life.

Last year, Troy was involved in the Big Slick softball weekend at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City. It's a huge charity event which has raised a huge amount of money for charity. Several Kansas City celebrities are involved, but many others join the cause. One such celebrity is Kevin Rahm. 

A native of Texas, Rahm has been in the entertainment industry for more than 30 years. He co-starred on such tv hits as Desperate Housewives, Mad Men and Judging Amy. I don't know if Rahm got a hit in the game or even if he played. I do know he was a hit though.

This is such a fun event. Some day I hope to make it out. Dare I dream to even be involved in the game?

Check out BigSlickKC.org for ore info. Also follow Troy on The Geary Stein & Stevens Show.

Troy and Kevin Rahm in Kansas City, MO-May 2024.

Friend Encounters: Bucky and Jean

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends meeting celebrities.

Buc-ee's, is an American chain of country stores and gas stations founded in 1982 in Texas. It is known for its size, selection, cleanliness and mascot. That last part is what always catches my attention. In this case, it also caught the eye of my sister Jean.   

On a recent trip from Florida, Jean and Scott stopped at a Buc-ee's near Atlanta, Georgia. Jean said she stopped for a chicken Caesar salad, which she described as delicious, but I think she really stopped for Bucky, Buc-ee's mascot. The name Buc-ee's and the beaver mascot were inspired by the founder's nickname "Beaver" and his dog Buck.

Whether Jean is catching my fascination for mascots or she did it out of love is unknown, but either way, I appreciate it. I always love a good mascot.

On a side note, Scott opted not to get their famous brisket and pork sandwiches because the place was so busy.

Jean and Bucky in Fort Valey, GA-May 2025.

Friend Encounters: Adrienne Barbeau and Jack

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends meeting celebrities.

I am not the only one who recognized the talents and work my pal Jack has contributed to Johngy's Beat. At Wizard World several years ago, actress Adrienne Barbeau gave him props.

Jack has been my photog on and off for many years. During our interaction with Barbeau, I took a picture as I always do. Then Barbeau surprised us by asking if my camera man wanted a picture, too. Actually, it was more of a suggestion than a question. Who are we to deny Barbeau. 

Barbeau might be best-known for her role as the daughter on television's Maude. Of course, she also has a lengthy resume of other work. Perhaps a bit of a surprise, Barbeau has a great singing voice. I was very impressed when I found some songs she performed.

Our Barbeau encounter is just one of the many fun moments we've had at Wizard World and many other conventions. Every celeb isn't as engaging as Barbeau, but many have given special moments to me over the years.

Wizard World was bought by Fan Expo. Now it is basically the same show with a different name. For more info on the great convention, go to fanexpohq.com.

Adrienne Barbeau and Jack in Rosemont, IL-August 2015.