St. Patrick’s Church morphed into a benefit bump ring for grappling gladiators from East Coast Professional Wrestling, who staged a match to help local kids raise money for a trip to the Land Down Under.
Superfly Jimmy Snuka, Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake and Dementia shared the spotlight with the Masked Superstar, Red Hot Russ and Johnny Thundar, who headlined alongside a stellar card of tacklers, packing the house of worship, 9511 4th Avenue, with tussling fans, young and old.
Proceeds will aid the efforts of area youth to travel in the summer to World Youth Day in Sydney, Australia.
World Youth Day was established by Pope John Paul II in 1984, and is celebrated each year on a diocesan level.
The week-long international level – held every few years at different locations – draws hundreds of thousands of youth from almost every country around the globe.
The St. Patrick’s wrestling show was the idea of Rev. John Maduri and wrestler Tony Biella, a former altar boy at Bensonhurst’s Regina Pacis Church, who also participated in the fundraiser.
