Originally Posted by Spider  The "Coop Scoop," originally called the "Cooper Scooper," was named after Glen Cooper, who was a Div. II National Champion from Cal State Bakersfield in 1981. It was a spladle, but that name hadn't been created yet. I don't know if Cooper invented it or not, but it was his signature move. He would put out a leg inviting his opponent to grab it, then hit the Cooper Scooper.
Being a leg man, I was curious about this new move, and I was able to collar Perry Shea, Cooper's teammate (also a Div. II champ who placed third in Div. I), at the 1981 Div. I championships in Princeton, and he gave me demonstration. |
Brother Spider,
I am truely amazed with your knowlege of California wrestling lore, especially since you are an east coast man as I recall. You are 100% correct on the origins of the Cooper Scooper. Glenn Cooper was a 2x California state champ back in the 70's (coming out of my home town of Sacramento (San Juan H.S. I think)) a dream team member, USWF Jr. Nat. champ and was projected to be one of the top collegiate wrestlers ever out of the Central Valley when he signed with Cal Poly. I also think he beat a younger Dave Schultz in the State meet, but could be wrong on this. Anyway, Cooper never panned out at Cal Poly, injuries and tough guys in his weights at Poly deferred his potential. He transfered to Cal Bakersfield and, Joe Seay turned his career around, as he did with SO many other great Bakersfield transfers (Joe Gonzales, Azevedo, Adam and Dan Cuestas, Perry Shea, Kevin Dugan,etc. transfers all). I think Cooper was ranked in the top 4 in D1 after winning D2 but lost early and DNP. He and Shea were two of most exciting and offensive-minded middleweights of that era, IMO.
As for the move, I think that Wade Schalles invented, or at least popularized it, a little while before Cooper made it his signature move. I heard it called "the Schalles" when I went to my first midwest training camp in the early 80's.