Literary Squared Circle #37 – GORDON SOLIE… SOMETHING LEFT BEHIND
The “Dean of Wrestling Announcers” Gordon Solie was born 93 years ago yesterday (January 26th). This week the Literary Squared Circle blog takes a look back at his life and legendary career by reviewing the 2005 book Gordon Solie… Something Left Behind by Gordon Solie, Robert Allyn, and Pamela Allyn (Florida Media, Inc., 2005).
Gordon Solie… Something Left Behind was published 5 years after Solie’s death. It is a collection of previously unpublished writings and photographs from his personal collection. Co-author Pam Allyn is Solie’s daughter. Together with her husband, Robert, they gathered Solie’s personal effects and organized for publication in this book. It was done as a tribute to Gordon Solie’s memory and a gift to his legion of fans.
Something Left Behind begins like a traditional biography. Solie’s childhood is described and there a many great photos which accompany the text. However, after his early days in radio are covered, the book departs from convention. Poems penned by Solie are shared, as are some prose, namely a few short stories. There are also a few drawings done by Solie.
His career in wrestling is covered in great detail with even more fantastic photos of some of the biggest stars of that era: Slave Girl Moolah, The Sheik, Eddie Graham, Buddy Colt, Jack Brisco, Ray Stevens, just to name a few. Solie also shares some great stories, including one about Ted the Wrestling Bear. The book concludes with a poem dedicated to Gordon Solie written by his grandson. The poem is titled “Something Left Behind”, which gave the book its title.
Gordon Solie was a unique voice in professional wrestling. Something Left Behind is a unique book dedicated to his memory. While his poetry and short stories are interesting, they feel somewhat out of place in a wrestling book. The photos and Solie’s wrestling tales are amazing. Overall, the book was a hodgepodge that was very hit-or-miss.
Fans of Solie, or of Championship Wrestling from Florida, will enjoy the trip down memory lane. Those too young to remember him calling matches may be confused by some of the non-traditional elements found in Something Left Behind. The book is a unique one and worth checking out for the photos alone.
3 Stars out of 5
Gordon Solie… Something Left Behind was published 5 years after Solie’s death. It is a collection of previously unpublished writings and photographs from his personal collection. Co-author Pam Allyn is Solie’s daughter. Together with her husband, Robert, they gathered Solie’s personal effects and organized for publication in this book. It was done as a tribute to Gordon Solie’s memory and a gift to his legion of fans.
Something Left Behind begins like a traditional biography. Solie’s childhood is described and there a many great photos which accompany the text. However, after his early days in radio are covered, the book departs from convention. Poems penned by Solie are shared, as are some prose, namely a few short stories. There are also a few drawings done by Solie.
His career in wrestling is covered in great detail with even more fantastic photos of some of the biggest stars of that era: Slave Girl Moolah, The Sheik, Eddie Graham, Buddy Colt, Jack Brisco, Ray Stevens, just to name a few. Solie also shares some great stories, including one about Ted the Wrestling Bear. The book concludes with a poem dedicated to Gordon Solie written by his grandson. The poem is titled “Something Left Behind”, which gave the book its title.
Gordon Solie was a unique voice in professional wrestling. Something Left Behind is a unique book dedicated to his memory. While his poetry and short stories are interesting, they feel somewhat out of place in a wrestling book. The photos and Solie’s wrestling tales are amazing. Overall, the book was a hodgepodge that was very hit-or-miss.
Fans of Solie, or of Championship Wrestling from Florida, will enjoy the trip down memory lane. Those too young to remember him calling matches may be confused by some of the non-traditional elements found in Something Left Behind. The book is a unique one and worth checking out for the photos alone.
3 Stars out of 5
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