One of the most important things to happen to me early in my career was developing a strong friendship with the man who was
  truly one of the premier workers of the day, the late, great Ray "The Crippler" Stevens.  When this photo was taken at the Cow Palace in 1971, I was experiencing one of my very first runs as a main eventer, challenging for Ray's NWA United States Heavyweight title in Roy Shire's San Francisco-based promotion.