Austin Wins WWF Belt Before Crowd At Fleet Center

BOSTON--The Real Man of the Year was nowhere to be seen, but that didn't stop 19,028 fans and a high-wheeling crowd of international wrestling/boxing media from packing into the Fleet Center last night for the World Wrestling Federation's (WWF) Wrestlemania XIV.

In what was Boston's highest grossing sports event ever, challenger Stone Cold Steve Austin stole the WWF belt from last year's champ, Shawn Michaels.

Professional wrestling snapped into Harvard culture this winter when the Lampoon bestowed their "Real Man of the Year Award" upon WWF wrestler Randy "Macho Man" Savage.

Last night's showdown was headlined by "Special Enforcer" Mike Tyson but also featured appearances by Major League Baseball's all-time hit leader, Pete Rose, and Clinton-accuser "Genny" Flowers.

Wrestlemania was a definite departure from the Fleet Center's normal black and gold or green and white fare, but even the pre-match announcer seemed to believe that history was being made.

"These men that shun tradition are destined to become a part of it," he thun- dered. "This is Wrestlemania."

Stone Cold finished Michaels off himself, butTyson--who recently split with his longtimemanager Don King--got the last licks innot-so-rehearsed blow that left Michaels"incapacitated" with ruptured disks--for real.

During his brief $25,000 stint as announcer,Rose drew the Boston crowd's ire, calling theBeantown, a "city of losers."

"I gave a ticket to Bill Buckner but hecouldn't bend down to pick it up," Rose said,referring to the former Red Sox first baseman whowatched a ground ball dribble between his legs ingame six of the 1986 World Series, which the NewYork Mets went on to win.

To the crowd's pleasure, it wasn't long beforethe smart-mouthed Rose was picked up, dropped onhis neck and wheeled off in stretcher.

Flowers' appearance in the ring didn't matchRose's, but she did star in a well-received videoclip that confused the words "oral" and "moral."

After the match a bevy of journalists washumored by the soft-spoken Tyson, who spoke abouthis split with King.

"I've been screwed over, but I guess I'vescrewed a little myself. So, I guess what goesaround comes around," the Special Enforcer said.

Most of last night's wrestlemaniaccs wereBoston-area 16-somethings sporting Stone ColdAustin T-shirts.

But among the teenage-terrors was a handful ofmore mature WWF groupies.

Thirty-something Wellesley residents DaveMorton and Tim McCoy said they show up at almostevery Bruins game, and had never really thoughtmuch about professional wrestling before lastnight.

But parked outside the women's bathroom withbeers in their hands "taking in the scenery," bothmen said they were having a ball.

"We sit here for the Bruins games, and it'snothing like this," Morton said

Stone Cold finished Michaels off himself, butTyson--who recently split with his longtimemanager Don King--got the last licks innot-so-rehearsed blow that left Michaels"incapacitated" with ruptured disks--for real.

During his brief $25,000 stint as announcer,Rose drew the Boston crowd's ire, calling theBeantown, a "city of losers."

"I gave a ticket to Bill Buckner but hecouldn't bend down to pick it up," Rose said,referring to the former Red Sox first baseman whowatched a ground ball dribble between his legs ingame six of the 1986 World Series, which the NewYork Mets went on to win.

To the crowd's pleasure, it wasn't long beforethe smart-mouthed Rose was picked up, dropped onhis neck and wheeled off in stretcher.

Flowers' appearance in the ring didn't matchRose's, but she did star in a well-received videoclip that confused the words "oral" and "moral."

After the match a bevy of journalists washumored by the soft-spoken Tyson, who spoke abouthis split with King.

"I've been screwed over, but I guess I'vescrewed a little myself. So, I guess what goesaround comes around," the Special Enforcer said.

Most of last night's wrestlemaniaccs wereBoston-area 16-somethings sporting Stone ColdAustin T-shirts.

But among the teenage-terrors was a handful ofmore mature WWF groupies.

Thirty-something Wellesley residents DaveMorton and Tim McCoy said they show up at almostevery Bruins game, and had never really thoughtmuch about professional wrestling before lastnight.

But parked outside the women's bathroom withbeers in their hands "taking in the scenery," bothmen said they were having a ball.

"We sit here for the Bruins games, and it'snothing like this," Morton said