The Best Of Chikara Pro Wrestling At The Reading Phillies’ FirstEnergy Stadium

Written by Brandon Stroud / 09.10.12


Reading Phillies Chikara

Professional wrestling at a Minor League Baseball ballpark, right as the Minor League season is ending and wrestling enters that weird lull period between the summer and WrestleMania? This is relevant to my interests.

In an event I probably care about more than anybody in the world, Pennsylvania-based promotion Chikara pro wrestling took a trip to FirstEnergy Stadium, home of the Double-A Reading Phillies, for a charity event benefitting Baseballtown Charities. The R-Phills are no stranger to wacky happenstance at the park, and this is no exception. It happened last month, but indescribably-talented Zia Hiltey shared pictures from the event on her page Zia Shoots Wrestling and I felt compelled to pass them along. Two major reasons:

1. I get way sadder for the Minor League season ending than the Major Leagues, because the MLB off-season is full of speculations and winter talks and more or less the same amount of baseball news. When the Minor League season ends, the Screwball costume just sits in a shed somewhere until summer comes around again.

2. Chikara’s biggest event of the year, King Of Trios, is happening this weekend. I’ll be there along with Destiny and over 20 With Leather commenters for a loosely-organized picnic thing before the Sunday show, so if you’re anywhere near the Easton, PA, area, get down to these shows and have some three bean salad with us, or whatever.

If you don’t like wrestling at all, trust me, you’ll still love the ridiculousness of these photos. Wrestling ants! Guys dressed like ice cream! With Spandex podcast guest Icarus getting a swirlie! MARTY JANNETTY!

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With Spandex Episode 3: Icarus

Written by Brandon Stroud / 05.18.12

With Spandex wrestling podcast episode 3, Icarus of CHIKARA Pro Wrestling

Photo credit to the amazing Zia Hiltey. the best and coolest person taking pictures of wrestling in the world. Visit her website and like her on Facebook. It’s a decision you won’t regret.

The Internet’s greatest sports entertainment podcast that is mostly about cartoons and bullsh*t returns this week with very special guest Icarus, 1/3 of pro wrestling’s most dangerous trio and (nearly) 10-year veteran of CHIKARA.

On the show we discuss CHIKARA’s upcoming ‘Aniversario’ events (including his opinion on imposter ants the Gekido and tagging with his fellow Wrestle Factory first termers), his ladder match with former tag team partner Gran Akuma at the ‘Chikarasaurus Rex: How To Hatch A Dinosaur’ iPPV, who he thought was the best character on ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ and whether or not a three-year old could fully appreciate that awesome rooftop rain fight between Raphael and Leonardo in TMNT. What are you waiting for? This is sh*t you need to know, especially if you have no idea what CHIKARA is.

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For more on one of the most fun pro wrestling promotions in existence, check out their website at ChikaraPro.com. Then head over to GoFightLive and order Chikarasaurus Rex!

You can donate to save Babi the dog’s eye at this link: Save Babi’s Eye

Subscribe to With Spandex on iTunes (finally) here: With Spandex on iTunes

Direct download of the episode here: With Spandex Episode 3: Icarus

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