BRODY

The Triumph and Tragedy of Wrestling's Rebel

by Larry Matysik & Barbara Goodish

Description: The legend of Bruiser Brody has finally been documented on paper by the people who knew him by both his personas; First there was Frank Goodish - the gentle giant, caring human being, loyal friend, loving husband, and proud father; And then there was Bruiser Brody - the wild and often controversial wrestler that most of us are familiar with. This combination of distinct characteristics bundled together to create complex and entertaining MAN who was loved by those who knew him personally and admired by fans who knew him professionally - although many greedy promoters knew him as a seven foot tall walking talking headache. Larry Matysik (the voice of St. Louis wrestling, announcer for the famed "Wrestling at the Chase," and author of a wonderful book by the same name) joined forces with Barbara Goodish, the widow of Frank and mother of his only child, Geoff, to boldly present the life and times of Frank "Bruiser" Brody.

With the exception of the big two, WWF and WCW, Bruiser Brody literally worked everywhere on the wrestling planet. He developed one of the most unbalanced reputations in the history of the wrestling industry. Starting out in Texas, then making a name for himself in St. Louis under the guidance of promoter Sam Muchnick, hitting virtually every territory in the country, dominating the wrestling circuit in Japan, and taking advantage of the national exposure by appearing in Verne Gagne's AWA. The road-map of Brody's career literally circled the globe and he did it all with an iron fist and a steadfast commitment to preserving his own character as well as the integrity of the sport. His insistence on getting every penny he earned often left a bad taste in the mouths of unscrupulous promoters, who would inevitably book him again due to one unavoidable principle - Brody could "draw" the fans like no other.

Personally, I have always been very much intrigued by Bruiser Brody. My limited exposure to his matches, and fuzzy low-quality compilation tape left me terribly curious about this mysterious figure that seemingly has the entire wrestling world in the palm of his hand. Very few wrestlers could attract the attention of his audience as well as Bruiser Brody, and perhaps (no I'm pretty sure it is) that's the reason he was able to make so much money in so many territories. Bruiser Brody, sometimes known as "King Kong" Brody (as not to infringe on Dick The Bruiser's notoriety), will go down in history as one of the most all-around fan-friendly professional wrestlers ever - despite what role, heel or face, he was playing.

Thanks to the courage of his widow, Barbara, fans of the legendary Bruiser Brody have been formally introduced to the man behind the wild persona known as Mr. Frank Goodish. This is a book about Frank's early life, football career, pro-wrestling career, his famously firm philosophies, becoming a LEGEND in Japan, and of course the tragic events leading up to his murder in Puerto Rico at the hands of another wrestler who never spent a single day in jail. Also included in this book are touching stories of Goodish meeting his wife while touring New Zealand, and the effect their first child had on his life. Both writers theorize on what the wrestling landscape would be like were it not for Brody's untimely death in 1988.

"BRODY" is a truly fascinating look at a man that captured the imagination of every person fortunate enough to experience a Bruiser Brody match and/or wrestling interview while Brody was still with us on this earth.

Rating: 9 / 10

For more information on "BRODY" and intructions on how to purchase the book, please visit www.ecwpress.com

Reviewed by Brad Dykens on October 5, 2007.