Graphic Endings is a Minutes to Bell Time project. This is Chapter 3 of Graphic Endings – Two Weeks to Bell Time. New chapters come out each Tuesday. Follow the Minutes to Bell Time Instagram to get an announcement each Tuesday.  

Previous Chapters: 

• 1 – Eight Weeks to Bell Time
• 2 – Four Weeks to Bell Time
• 4 – One Week After
• 5 – One Week After Part 2
• 6 – Minute’s Peril
• 7 – The Comeback
• 8 – The Referee’s Vantage Point
• 9 – And New
• 10 – What Now

Graphic Endings Chapter 3: Two Weeks to Bell Time

The below excerpt comes from the November 10, 1983 issue of the Dropkick Journal.

Mayhem in Mississippi

The following is an account from a Dropkick Journal writer that wishes to remain anonymous:

Covering Minute’s journey to Graphic Endings, I accompanied him to a weekend show in Biloxi, MS. Minute knows the promoter of Mississippi Pro, so he got booked in a non-competitive match against one of the younger wrestlers. I expected a short match.

To the surprise of everyone, Bell Time came through the Biloxi crowd, hopped in the ring, and viciously attacked Minute from behind with a steel chair. While many people saw Bell Time approach the ring, Minute’s focus was on his opponent. He never saw Bell Time coming.

I had to look away when Bell Time initially swung the chair. He lifted the chair over his own head and brought it crashing down over the top of Minute’s skull. Keep in mind that Minute is considerably shorter than Bell Time, so the force of the chair had to be incredible.

After the impact from that chair shot, Minute collapsed with a thud. Nobody saw him move again for the rest of the evening. In blatant violation of the no-contact clause, Bell Time had already knocked Minute out cold. Apparently, that wasn’t enough.

Even though Minute was motionless in the middle of the ring, Bell Time continued his attack with two more chair shots across Minute’s back. All of this happened over the span of about 30 seconds, but it felt like five minutes.

I began to feel some relief when Bell Time seemingly put the chair down, but I didn’t realize he was draping the chair across Minute’s ankle. Leaping into the air, Bell Time put all his weight behind one final stomp on the chair. Minute’s ankle was no doubt crushed.

Before being escorted away by arena security, Bell Time tossed his world championship aside. A clear signal that he knew he broke contract, and he didn’t care.

Bell Time never said a word.

What Does this Mean for Graphic Endings?

Minute regained consciousness at the hospital. While dizzy from the chair shot, Minute had no serious injuries. The doctors anticipate a certain amount of soreness for the next several weeks. As we sat in the hospital, the Dropkick Journal requested a meeting with the commission of national wrestling promoters.

In accordance with the Graphic Endings contract, the commission decided to suspend Bell Time and strip him of his World Championship. Due to the seriousness of Bell Time’s contractual breach, these penalties went into immediate effect. Further, the commission decided to cancel the World Championship match at Graphic Endings with the intent of announcing a future tournament to crown a new champion.

A Last “Minute” Appeal

Minute sat on his hospital bed absorbed by his own thoughts and oblivious to our conversation. As our call was wrapping up, the lead promoter Danny Dodge spoke up to say “I’m sorry about your match Minute. We’ll try to get you booked in the tournament as a way of paying you back.” Only in this moment did Minute realize what the commission had decided. Unhappy, he finally spoke up.

“Look, I don’t mind you stripping Bell Time of his championship belt, but the match must go on. You can’t keep him suspended forever, and the longer we wait for someone to put Bell Time in his place, the more power and fear he’ll accumulate. This needs to end now! In my 15 years as a wrestler, I haven’t asked this commission for anything. Meanwhile, you permitted Bell Time to commit atrocities against the sport and you’re only now trying to stop him. I want his suspension lifted and I want the match to go on as planned.”

Plans Change Again

Surprisingly, the commission revised their previous decision with little discussion. The World Heavyweight Championship remains vacant. Bell Time’s suspension remains in effect, but the commission agreed to temporarily reinstate Bell Time for a period of one hour on November 24th (just long enough for the match). While Bell Time’s suspension prevents him from leaving Graphic Endings as champion, the commission has decided that if Minute wins, then he will become the Undisputed World Heavyweight Champion.

We are two weeks away from Graphic Endings.