CHAVO GUERRERO Sr.

　　MAGAZINE　ARTICLES　3　　

Chavo's New York Debut : What Price Victory ?

( from March 1977 issue of VSS "The Wrestler" magazine )

A young man is driven by ambition and obligation to grab a prize beyond his reach

and is destoroyed in the hopeless attempt.　Is this going to be the fate of Chavo

Guerrero ?　Is the dream come true now a nightmare ?　　

　Though a young man,　Chavo Guerrero's eyes burn with a veteran's intensity.　He never relaxes.　At times,

　his hand trembles uncontrollably.　In the last year,　he's aged a decade.

　Many people find the tension of New York City unbearable.　Yet many New Yorkers found themselves

　uncomfortable in Chavo's presence - he made them nervous.　Sitting is an ordeal for this young man.

　All remember his trip to New York as a marathon of pacing.　New York promoters joked they got stiff necks

　trying to look at the continually moving young man as they talked to him.

　The only time he wasn't pacing was during the matchs.　He tore into his opponent,　Rocky Tamayo,　like a lion

　killing its prey. One almost imagined him enraged at Tamayo for daring to wrestle him. Fans were awestruck by

　Chavo's explosive power and intensity.　Guerrero's victory was the conquest of a demon over a human being.

　The only time Guerrero appeared relaxed was for a few moments after the match.　He sat down on a bench

　in the dressing room,　leaned back against the locker,　and allowed his body to go limp.　For the only time

　anyone can remember,　Chavo smiled without looking poised for attack.　It was a short respite.

　The young man went back into his tension shell as soon as reporters started asking him questions.

　"I came to New York," Chavo stated in staccato speech, "to add to my reputation.　The world has to know

　how good I am.　I have to become champion soon.　People are depending on me.　They are awaiting the day

　I get to the top.　I don't have time to sit back.　There is no time.　People depend on me.　They're getting

　restless, my backers, the men who invested money in my future.　They're getting restless.　They need a

　championship.　A million dollars was placed in trust for me, put there by Mexico's wealthiest men.

　That's a lot of faith.　I owe them results.　No time to sit around or build slowly.　Next time I came to New

　York,　I won't be more than one match away from title."

　"Do you find yourself under any pressure from these people ? " a reporter asked,　more worried than

　inquisitive.　It's hard to be unaffected by the sight of a young man consuming himself.

　"No pressure at all," Chavo stated quickly, "they've been great. But they have a right to results. The people

　of Mexico have a right to a world wrestling champion.　I am their hope, the hope of my people.　Remember

　that.　I'm wrestling for more than myself.　Much more than myself."

　The reporters didn't question the young man further.　They knew all they needed to know ; more than they

　wanted to know.　A wrestling career is pressure enough for any young man to handle.　To carry the hopes of

　a nation besides is an intolerable burden.　Whether the motivation comes from the country or only his own

　mind,　a man could easily be destroyed by this enormous responsibility.

　Chavo Guerrero could be crushed beneath the weight of his mission.　All young grapplers must grow slowly

　in the profession.　A man brought along too quickly sees his career destroyed.

　So far,　Chavo Guerrero has managed to survive.　Someday, he can be one of the great ones.

　He can also be one of those described as "a hell of a prospect who burned himself out.　Too bad."