Is Wrestling Fixed? I Didn’t Know It Was Broken!: From Photo Shoots and Sensational Stories to the WWE Network ― My Incredible Pro Wrestling Journey! and Beyond ...
The anticipated memoir from a sports entertainment fandom legend
As a kid growing up in New York in the late ’50s, Bill Apter fell in love with professional wrestling, and it wasn’t long before he was rubbing shoulders with the greats as a young reporter and photographer. He’s since become the world’s best-known wrestling magazine personality, and he’s had professional and personal relationships with a who’s-who of the business, like Triple H, Hulk Hogan, The Rock, Sting, and Ric Flair.
In his fun-loving memoir, Bill Apter takes us from the dressing rooms of the Bruno Sammartino era and the last days of the territories, to the birth of WrestleMania, the emergence of “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and the “Attitude Era,” to today’s WWE Superstars like John Cena, Daniel Bryan, and Roman Reigns. He also shares stories of his days photographing boxing stars like Muhammad Ali and other champions, and he documents his appearances on the WWE Network and his work as editor of 1wrestling.com.
Find out which wrestler threatened him, learn about the dead wrestler who was really alive, and discover how hanging out with Andy Kaufman led to the comic’s notorious feud with Jerry “The King” Lawler. Still intimately involved in the wrestling business, the award-winning Apter has a story on everybody.
From his days as a magazine writer, photographer, broadcaster, wrestling convention host, and special guest on hundreds of wrestling TV programs, Bill Apter has become a legend in his chosen field. His career spans an amazing 50 years and is still going strong. Bill is a native of New York City, currently living with his family in the ’burbs of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Is Wrestling Fixed is the autobiography of Bill Apter.
I got this from Netgalley.
When I was a fresh-faced young lad between the ages of 7 and 32, I was a big fan of pro-wrestling. Back in the pre-internet days, when you wanted something more, you bought wrestling magazines. The photographer on most of those magazines was Bill Apter.
Apter covers quite a bit of his life and all of it has to do with wrestling and the wrestling business, from his days wrestling his brother or the neighborhood kids, to taking photographs for wrestling magazines, and various points in between.
Apter tells some hilarious stories, like defending the Championship Office Wrestling belt at work against co-workers, and some not so hilarious, like Randy Savage being mad enough to threaten to kill him.
All in all, it's an above average wrestling book. Apter's writing is engaging and he knows how to tell a story. However, a couple things lessened the experience for me. For one thing, the stories aren't in chronological order so the book winds up feeling like a collection of blog posts. My other main gripe is that it feels like he's barely scratched the surface. 4 decades in the wrestling business should have yielded more material than this.
At the final bell, I'm giving this a 3. What's there is really good but it could have used some organization and more content.
Thank you ECW Press for the advance reading copy of this book. The official release date is October 15th 2015.
For those of you not familiar with Bill Apter, he is probably the single most legendary writer/photographer in pro wrestling history. Over the years, Mr.Apter has contributed to Pro wrestling illustrated, Inside Wrestling, The Wrestler, World of Wrestling among many other wrestling and boxing magazines.
IS WRESTLING FIXED takes you through Bill's career; the highs, the lows and several candid stories about those he has rubbed elbows with in the wrestling world over the years...which is pretty much everybody.
One of the funniest stories in the book involves Bill talking about him and fellow writer Randy Gordon's staged office wrestling matches that fooled everyone. Even one time having a "match" in front of horrified strangers where Bill used fake blood on himself, making them think he had been busted open. This all turned into Bill's faux wrestling organization, C.O.W (Championship Office Wrestling) and there are many funny stories about it, throughout the book.
There's also some very interesting stories throughout the book that I had no clue about, like the one about how he helped Taz and Tommy Dreamer break into the business. A story about Curt Hennig getting him into a George Strait show just before he passed away. Also, there are some revealing personal stories about Randy Savage, Hulk Hogan and how Apter is the reason why Andy Kaufman and Jerry Lawler met and began their legendary feud!
The book doesn't follow any set timeline; it will jump around from chapter to chapter. From Bill's early days, to something modern, to something in the mid-eighties and Bill explains the reasoning for that, early in the book. Also, the book doesn't really get too deep into any one subject, but rather offers snapshots of Bill's legendary career.
I think most wrestling fans will really enjoy this book, especially those like me who grew up reading Mr. Apter's article and looking at all of his awesome pictures. Bill's humble nature makes you realize he's ultimately just a fan like us, that just happened to get lucky. I give this one 4/5!
Review: If you have ever watched a professional wrestling show and noticed photographers that seemed to be part of the entertainment because they are so close to the ring, then you have may have seen the author of this book, Bill Apter. He has been shooting pictures of wrestlers for various publications and websites for over 40 years. He is as well-known in the business as many wrestlers and executives. Therefore, it is safe to say that he has pretty much seen it all when it comes to wrestling and he shares many of his experiences in this book.
There isn’t a true format to this book, such as a timeline or concentration on certain subjects. It is simply a collection of stories told by Apter about all things wrestling. These take place mostly out of the arenas and ring, but that doesn’t make the book any less entertaining or informative. If the reader has any interest in professional wrestling, he or she is certain to learn something new here.
Some of the stories will also bring memories back to the reader if he or she followed wrestling in past decades. While most of Apter’s work experience was with the World Wide Wrestling Federation (now the WWE), there are also stories about wrestlers and personnel from other associations. As a kid, I followed the American Wrestling Association and reading about names like Vern Gagne and Nick Bockwinkle brought a smile to my face. This is sure to be the effect on other long-time fans as well.
Apter does include bits and pieces of his personal life, including a touching story about his parents. The vast majority of the book, however, is about his interaction with people in the wrestling business, whether for work or pleasure. No matter who Apter is talking about, the reader will be entertained and informed. An excellent book on the form of entertainment we know as professional wrestling.
I wish to thank ECW Press for providing an advance review copy of the book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Pace of the book: This was a very fast read, as it took me less than two hours. The format of shorter stories, along with plenty of pictures, made this book very easy to read. The light-hearted mood of the book helps in this area as well
Do I recommend? Any reader who has interest in professional wrestling, from the 1970’s to the present, will be entertained by Apter’s stories of his long career covering the sport.
A fun, short overview of Apter’s career, told via slice of life vignettes that don’t follow any chronological sequence (they’re intended, he tells us, to be quick toilet reads — exactly what I used Apter’s writing for in the 80s and early 90s). The most important stuff concerns how Apter began working for Weston magazines, the heat he had with some promoters over those partially made-up stories, and how he pivoted after his long run with PWI and his short run with WOW came to an end (he became a gig hustler, freelancing for various places, managing 1Wrestling, and working as a full-time career advisor for folks with physical and mental disabilities). Apter seems like a genuinely nice guy, a “well liked” Willy Loman of the wrestling set, who made a few decisions related to his career that kept him from moving further up the economic ladder (not that he didn’t have a decent run, far from it)
I grew up in the Mid-Atlantic Jim Crockett area in the late 70's through the 90's. Stories from that era really peak my interest. Bill Apter's book is an excellent view into the wacky world of professional wrestling. His stories are varied across the landscape of the sport and they are always engaging. The book is not in chronological order. Instead, Bill takes us on a trip through his memories of working with some the most color characters ever to lace up a pair of wrestling boots. I wouldn't call this an historical book about pro wrestling since we see only Bill's POV, but I would say that Bill takes us on a meaning trip to the past to help us understand the inner workings of the wrestling business. Highly recommended! Visit my blog at www.mrjthelibrarian.com for more great books!
This book brought back many wonderful memories of my hero’s that I grew up watching as a kid perform in the squared circle. His stories from his childhood up to and thru his career are entertaining and admirable as he worked his was to becoming the BEST at what he did. Lots of funny stories in here too! Well written and very hard to put down. And he never once said a negative word about anyone! I grew up reading articles and stories by Bill Apter in the wrestling magazines. I was and still am a fan of Mr. Apter and his works. I had to purchase this book because I’ve been wanting it since it was published. I bought it from Bill Apter himself and it is autographed. Thank you Mr. Apter!!!
This is my uncle's book! This collection of personal stories and anecdotes is a fun read if you're a huge pro wrestling fan or if you're a big Bill Apter fan. I am the latter. :) My previous wrestling knowledge outside the most famous events and household names was mostly gleaned from playing with my cousin (Royal Rumble on SNES, his wrestling action figures, etc), so while a good 2/3 of the names mentioned are new to me, it was neat to learn about my uncle's life and times documenting pro wrestling. Also, this is the best title for a sports memoir ever.
This book contains the best stories I have heard/read about professional wrestling, and Apter is a brilliant writer. Although I wish that the stories flowed a bit more chronologically as it was hard to keep up, it is easy to see why Apter has chosen to split them up this way. I feel like there are so many more stories Apter has to tell, after so long in the wrestling business. I found the book enjoyable even though it was difficult to picture as a life-story due to the lack of chronological order.
Highly recommend for any fans of the product, past or present.
I admit that, in my younger days, I was a fan of pro wrestling and its colorful characters and story lines, before it all got to overblown and stupid. I watched it on TV and read the magazines, most of which featured the writing and photos of Bill Apter. Even though I am no longer interested in wrestling, this book was a fun trip down memory lane -- stories of how Mr. Apter got started in the business, anecdotes (many funny, some sad and a few scary) about wrestlers and his interactions with them, etc.
Pure entertaining brain candy. Loved it! Bill was THE wrestling journalist/photographer from the early and mid 70's - the time a 12 year old fell in love with Pro Wrestling. I eagerly scooped up The Wrestler and Inside Wrestling any time I had some extra money. His performance on the audiobook is extremely entertaining. I highly recommend to Pro Wrestling fans.
As a lifelong fan of Professional Wrestling and as someone that has often read the "Apter Mags,*" this book was fun to read.
It was slow at times, but the stories were good. I definitely recommend it.
* = I know that Mr. Apter refers to them as "Weston Mags," but I simply can't do it. Bill Apter is synonymous with them, more than anyone else ever will be.
The author has some great stories. I wish he was more discerning on personalities as he only ever said good things about everyone which damaged my respect for his assessment. But great stories if you follow wrestling.
Very fun book . If you like old school wrestling stories and want"dirt" stories about some wrestlers and back in the day promotions this is a fun read.
Bill Apter presents an entertaining series of anecdotes covering his career in wrestling journalism. He could probably fill a second book without missing a beat.
There's only one Bill Apter so there's only one book that could capture his experiences and his stories. Very enjoyable read about many unique characters.
A Trip Through Time In The Professional Wrestling World...
IS WRESTLING FIXED? I DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS BROKEN by Bill Apter was a trip through time in the wrestling world through the eyes of the author. It could also be viewed as the author's autobiography as his entire life has revolved around the world of the fictionized, highly exaggerated portrayal of the pseudo combat sport called professional wrestling. I was attracted to this book as my son is a fan of professional wrestling, and I confess that, in my teenage years, I was too.
Bill Apter is a legendary writer/photographer in the history of professional wrestling.. Over the years, the author has contributed to many wrestling magazines including, but not limited to, Pro Wrestling Illustrated, Inside Wrestling, The Wrestler and World of Wrestling. In this book, he shares many tidbits - some hilarious, some that left me aghast - about famous wrestlers including Randy Savage, Hulk Hogan, Jerry Lawler, Andy Kaufman, Dusty Rhodes, Jackie Fargo, Shawn Michaels, Andre the Giant, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, Don Muraco, 'Macho Man' Randy Savage, Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Sting, Ric Flair, Brock Lesnar, John Cena, Randy Orton, Adrian Neville, Daniel Bryan, C.M. Punk, Bam Bam Bigelow, the Tasmaniac and many more. The Divas aren't ignored either with blurbs about Paige, the Bellas and more. There's plenty of stories, too, about all the McMahons, including Vince, Vinny, Linda, Stephanie, Triple H...
The book's forward was written by Jerry "The King" Lawler. Talking about the author, Lawler said "If you were endorsed by Apter, you were something special, and you usually wound up somewhere in the magazines. He was the right guy to know." Lawler ended his introduction by saying about Apter: I guess it's now time to crown you "King" of the wrestling magazine glory days..."
Before reading this, I did not know that Bill Apter was the catalyst responsible for Andy Kaufman's and Jerry Lawler's famous feud. He shared how he helped Taz and Tommy Dreamer get their start in pro wrestling. The author claimed that he never accepted any monies from any wrestler to get on a cover. He also said that, through his years, only one person actively dodged being on a cover - that person was Vince McMahon. Vince said: "While I appreciate the offer, the magazines are something for the wrestlers as far as I am concerned...I really don't want to be on the cover or inside the magazines, and I would appreciate it if you would respect my wishes."
While I'm glad that I read the book and found it to be interesting, it wasn't organized very well. It's not told in chronological order, nor in any other order that I could decipher. It's more like a compendium of snap shots and blog posts from various times and places. It also could have used a good editor. On a good note, I liked how the author relayed his stories like a fan who just got lucky at being in the right places at the right times. I would recommend this book to long-time pro-wrestling fans who would enjoy back stories on many of their favorite stars.
When I first started watching Pro Wrestling, there was no greater magazine than Pro Wrestling Illustrated. The magazine would always strive to feel like Sports Illustrated in that it was "serious reporting" on, of all things, Pro Wrestling. Bill Apter was a key contributor to the magazine and had seen (and photographed) an incredible amount of wrestling history. So, with all that in mind, I expected a fun read with lots of great stories recounting some behinds the scenes dealings and anecdotes about some of the more unique personalities in wrestling. Sadly, the whole book reads extremely safe. Bill Apter comes across nicely, but the only individuals that you receive info about that you didn't know are those that passed on decades ago. In fact, multiple times in the book, Apter suggests that there is more to say on a subject, but never does and simply moves on. Much like Ric Flair's book, stories feel sanitized so as to not jeopardize working relations with the WWE, which is a shame as you would think that if anyone could have pulled back the veil, it's Bill Apter. So, I'm glad to have read it (and still like Bill Apter), but there are MANY better wrestling books that will provide you much more interesting information.
Absolute love the book. love it, love it, love it. I know of Bill Apter since since a child in the 1980's and 1990's I used to buy his wrestling magazines he was part of. My favorite was Pro Wrestling Illustrated Magazine. Mr. Apter will use the top ten title holder for singles, tag team, most hated, most popular, Awa, WWF, NWA and etc. I used to be a big fan. In his Book he rekindles his memories now back in the locker room interviews. He mentions so many wrestlers used to complain that Dusty Rhodes is always the Most popular and always the Front of the Magazine which was not the case. He mention is was a joy to work with Mils Mascaras and when it was time for Ric Flair to do a photo shoot, Flairs usually line was give me a second to freshen up and after 10 minutes of waiting, Flair will tell Apter to hurry up for being so slow. Apter had behind the scenes knowledge and access and was a joy to hear who his favorites were and who is the ones to distant himself from. Great great Book. Love it. Make a part 2 Willie, Make a part two Willie, Please do so.
This is one of the best books I've read that gives an honest insight to the world of professional wrestling. Bill Apter has been in the industry for many years and he's a living history of past and present superstars. He also tells how he got started in photography (he's got some awesome photos in here) and journalism. Funny and, at times, poignant, Bill Apter is a wonderful story teller and an incredibly smart person. You don't even have to like pro wrestling. The stories he tells are worth getting this book.
Apter's peaks behind the curtain are interesting and provide fascinating insight into how airtight kayfabe was kept back in the day. Some of the extraneous bio stuff that gets away from wrestling seems like filler, but he does tie some of into a greater, touching life story that reveals Apter still searching for constant work today. Strays a bit but a pleasant read from a legend who genuinely loves the biz.
I enjoyed the book, I really did. Apter is a good writer. However, I was disappointed because I feel like it could have been so much more. Too often he would mention how he couldn't divulge into certain stories. It seemed he was too often trying not to make anyone upset since he did not want to lose his access to WWE or strain any relationships. Totally understandable, but definitely takes away from what the book could have been.
I was lucky to have an advanced copy of this book and have to say this may be one of the best wrestling books ever written. For an in depth review, visit the site at Slam Sports Wrestling. http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/...
If you're an old school wrestling fan you're going to blow through this book in no time. Great stories from a man who has seen it all. I was a goodreads winner of this book.
Is Wrestling Fixed? I Didn't Know It Was Broken Being a Wrestling Fan from the 60's I loved this book which took me down Memory Lane. I received this book through GOODREADS First Reads Giveaway