Review Fix chats with author Lizzy Flanagan about her Upcoming book, ““I am your champion” The Life and Death of Wrestler Gino Hernandez.”
About Lizzy Flanagan:
Lizzy Flanagan is a writer from Philadelphia. She graduated from St. Joseph’s University with a BA in history and linguistics, and currently studies the art form of professional wrestling.
Review Fix: How did you get interested in Gino Hernandez?
Flanagan: My dad showed me some of Gino’s matches against the Von Erichs when I was very young and told me stories about their rivalry. When I got into wrestling myself as a teenager, I watched them again and became fascinated with his style and personality.
Review Fix: How familiar were you with his work before you started the book?
Flanagan: Pretty familiar! Though there were some gaps in my knowledge before I started researching. Particularly, I didn’t know much about what Gino did outside of his runs in Houston and Dallas. But he wrestled all over the country, and even a few times in Japan and Mexico.
Review Fix: What was the research process like?
Flanagan: Much of it involved asking around for old footage of Gino’s matches, which can be hard to come by. I was also able to find some information in old wrestling magazines, though the stories contained in them are often sensationalized. I was also lucky enough to speak with friends of Gino, including Nickla Roberts (better known as Baby Doll) and Tom Prichard.
Review Fix: What did you learn that you weren’t expecting?
Flanagan: I learned a lot about Gino’s relationships with his mentors, including Paul Boesch and Gary Hart. Gino’s biological father abandoned him when he was an infant, but Gino was fortunate enough to have father figures in his life (including his stepfather, from whom he takes his surname “Hernandez!”)
Review Fix: What was the difference between Gino the wrestler and Gino the person?
Flanagan: This is a tough question, especially in regards to Gino. People who knew him say that he “lived his gimmick.” In other words, the cocky, high-rolling womanizer you saw in the ring was also the guy you’d see outside of it. Marc Lowrance had some interesting insight on Gino, however. He suspected there was a quieter, lonelier side to Gino that no one ever got to see.
Review Fix: If Gino wrestled today- do you think he’d be a star?
Flanagan: I think the current wrestling scene could use some guys like Gino! Right after his passing, wrestling started to favor those big, muscle-headed tough guys. Gino wouldn’t fit in there. But nowadays, fans are starting to gravitate toward that more classic style of storytelling, and there’s not as much judgment surrounding wrestlers’ bodies. I think Gino could be doing some great stuff!
Review Fix: His feud with Chris Adams is one of the most underrated ever. They were also a great duo. What do you think Gino thought of his time in the ring with Chris?
Flanagan: Gino and Chris Adams were great friends, which I think helped make them an even better tag team. Their feud was shaping up to be one of the most intense rivalries that WCCW had seen in a long time, but Gino’s sudden passing obviously put an end to it. I think Gino and Chris had a lot of fun together while they could, though.
Review Fix: What’s your favorite story in the book?
Flanagan: There are some stories about Gino butting heads backstage with the Von Erichs that are pretty silly. Usually they were just a result of a misunderstanding between Gino and the brothers, and they were able to make amends pretty quickly.
Review Fix: What’s the tone of the book?
Flanagan: Throughout the book, I try to keep the tone formal and respectful, especially since I believe wrestling is an art form that often gets belittled and disrespected.
Towards the end, things unfortunately get a little bleak. One of my friends who helped edit the book said that the last part had a true crime feel, which makes sense considering the circumstances of Gino’s death.
Review Fix: Who will enjoy it the most?
Flanagan: While obviously all are welcomed to read and learn about Gino, the people I most had in mind were wrestling fans who’d perhaps heard of Gino once or twice, but never understood the full context of his career. A lot of wrestling fans my age (I’m 24 at the moment) don’t know too much about the political landscape of the business back in the 70s and 80s, so I tried to make the book accessible to them.
Fans who watched A24’s The Iron Claw and are now intrigued by 80s Texas wrestling might enjoy “I am your champion” very much as well!
Review Fix: What’s next?
Flanagan: Hopefully this will be the first of many projects in wrestling for me! I’ve been toying with the idea of writing a historical fiction novel about the early days of the American wrestling business. There are also some wrestlers I’ve been researching, so perhaps one of those rabbit holes will grow into another biography.
Review Fix: Anything else you’d like to add?
Flanagan: Thank you so much for having me! “I am your champion:” the Life and Death of Gino Hernandez is currently available for pre-order now!
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