Jimmy "The Pool-Shark" Hustler
RIP
1973-2006

This is very difficult to write, nor do I know where to start. I don't want to bore everyone either, but Jimmy does deserve a proper write-up.

Jimmy Hustler was a good friend of mine. In the wrestling business, you encounter all different types of people, especially a ton of fake and me-first people. Jimmy was neither. Jimmy was always straight up with you and didn't play the stupid games that alot of people play.

Alot of Jimmy's friends loved to goof on and with him, and it's because Jimmy led such an active and interesting life. Jimmy would tell all his friends the grossest and most disturbing stories ever about himself, just to pop us. These stories I can't repeat here, in respect to his family, and his cousin, but trust me, there was more to Jimmy Hustler than just the "Drunken Stupor Guy" or as a wrestling promoter.

Aside from the wrestling business, Jimmy Hustler was a good friend to many people. Even looking at it now, I can't even think of too many people in wrestling who would even have heat with the guy. Through his ABC Wrestling Promotion, Jimmy gave a lot of chances to people who weren't getting them. Just recently, Jimmy started giving bookings to his friends at Gleasons, such as Mack Daddy Flexxx, Joe So Delicious & Don Tito. Sure being friends with Jimmy helped them get in ABC, but it was Jimmy's eye that realized that all three had talent. As you read this, all three guys are starting to get bigger on the indy scene and getting more bookings, and that's because Jimmy gave them a break.

Two guys who recently returned to the northeast area, Slyck Wagner Brown & Billy Reil made their returns through Jimmy Hustler. Nick Berk, a perennial mid-carder for alot of places, was given the ball as the top dog in ABC. Eddie Guapo also got one of his biggest matches of his career through Jimmy Hustler, as he got to wrestle Tito Santana at his return show. Through it all, Jimmy gave a bunch of indy guys breaks, starts and chances. Jimmy truly was for the boys and if he saw a way to get somebody different over or give someone who never had a shot a chance, he went out and did it.

I got to know Jimmy very well over the last three years. Like Ref Hanson said, he wasn't just some ticket seller as some thought. I even made that mistake when I first saw him wrestle, as when you see a guy stuck in a million-man gauntlet match during the USA Pro Elks Lodge era days, you are quick to assume it's only ticket sellers. Jimmy did understand the wrestling business, and while he wasn't the best wrestler, he certainly was entertaining and always did what was best for the sport. Recently, in his last match, he wrestled El Shoes at WUW and despite having more experience, he let El Shoes call the match and took most of the beating, as he put El Shoes over.

As much as people liked Jimmy in wrestling, he was even more likeable away from the game. Every afternoon for the past year or so, I'd get a call from a just awakened Jimmy Hustler, as he'd describe his crazy night from the day before. Jimmy's calls usually were formulaic, as they'd usually go like this:

Jimmy: "Yo, last night was crazy. I went to work at the club. I then got into a fight at the club and knocked them out with one punch. Then I got drunk off of rum and cokes. Then these underage kids tried sneaking in and I kicked them out and ripped up their fake IDs. Then I picked up this hot (insert European nationality here, usually Russian) chick. Then Dana the rat came by and started dancing. Then I went to the after hour spot and I was so drunk. Then I got into a fight with some 6'2" guy there. Then me and this chick hooked up, and I finally got home at 7AM." While not every call went like that, most of them did. And you might read this and think it's bullshit, but it was all true. Jimmy definitely lived up to his nick name of the "One Hitter Quitter", because when he was riled up, one shot was all it would take to drop some of these Brooklyn club goers. Alot of people in Brooklyn have walked around with black eyes because of Jimmy Hustler. Jimmy definitely lived a good life. He had alot of fun at his jobs and was a great storyteller.

Recently, Jimmy left one of his jobs, as he wanted to better himself, as he went back to school to get a degree. Away from school and wrestling, Jimmy was also starting to work out again, as he even commented to me that he felt in great shape, which makes this death harder to take. I will always wonder why the doctor let him go at the hospital after complaining about chest pains. Why the ambulance took forever to get to his house. These two foul-ups have caused alot of pain and questions for not only the people in Jimmy's circle but for Jimmy's family.

The last time I talked to Jimmy was on Monday afternoon. We chatted briefly on the phone, then on the computer where he submitted his column. The column originally was going to be a two parter, and eerily enough, Jimmy was going to talk about his recent hospital visit. It pains me so much that he mentioned his hospital visit to me and that the doctors just let him go.

We also discussed the next ABC Pro Wrestling show and how he was very happy with everyone on the current roster. Unlike other indy wrestling locker rooms, ABC has a great mix of talent with no egos. All three ABC shows this year went down locker room wise, problem free. We discussed flyering this next show big time and hoped that we didn't make the same mistake as the time we flyered for the July show, where when we got to a bar to flyer, we wound up staying for 3 hours. Aside from our love for wrestling, another bond me and Jimmy had was partying & drinking. People wouldn't guess it, but Jimmy was also into the same music I was, especially the southern rock stuff like Skynyrd. Jimmy also liked other types of music, but I'll never forget one day in the bar when he started belting out a few verses of "Gimmie Three Steps". It just came out of left field. The same day, Jimmy also translated Oye Como Va for me, and then proceeded to hit on the bartender, in classic Jimmy Hustler style.

The last subject we discussed before his passing was his Shoot Interview. We talked a week ago about actually doing this and yesterday we talked to confirm the date. We were scheduled to film his shoot interview the day before Thanksgiving, which was a day before he died. Myself, Jac Sabboth, Danny Demanto and Jimmy all knew it would be a shot in the dark that it would be profitable, but we all knew we would have fun doing it. People in the wrestling world would be exposed to a side that all his friends knew. It would've been a funny shoot as Jimmy was going to tell all his real life stories which are just hilarious. While I regret the doctor & the ambulance fucking up the most, I also regret not getting this shoot done sooner, so everyone could see what a great guy Jimmy was and that we'd have something to memorialize and remember him by. At least we'll always have his matches.

Before I conclude this, as active as Jimmy was in wrestling, Jimmy was also active in the Brooklyn club scene, as many could tell by his columns. There was another side of Jimmy Hustler in the club scene as he made many friends during his time working at various clubs. He was famously known at Adams Bar & Lounge, where most of his one-hitting went down. People loved Jimmy there, and he was well liked, just like he was in wrestling. No matter where Jimmy went, he was always liked, and always trying to be "respected". (A word Jimmy loved the most.)

In closing, I have gotten many emails/IMs/calls about a future benefit show from Jimmy. I also got a call from a benefactor who wants to help Jimmy out and his family. I can't guarantee anything, but I know all of Jimmy's friends in wrestling want to give him one final ABC show and raise money for Jimmy's family.

As I mentioned in an earlier writing, Jimmy's parents were in and out of hospitals all year, and a funeral is the last thing this family needs, financially and emotionally. Right now, a wrestling show is not the most important thing, as a friend, brother, uncle, son and loyal person is gone. For everyone who wants to support Jimmy's family, it would be great for anyone who feels obligated or who's been helped by Jimmy over the last several years to show up to his funeral, so his family can see how many people's lives were affected by him. People in the wrestling business make tons of sacrifices, and I'd love to see Jimmy sell out his funeral, and show his family how many people appreciated & respected his hard work.

RIP Jimmy. You will be missed. Even today, when the hours crept later into the day and I didn't get my call, it all started to sink in. It probably won't truly sink in until Friday. I can't believe you're gone. Thank you for the memories.

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey
BULLSMC@aol.com