Photo Courtesy of Joel Perlish Photography

Total Wrestling Magazine senior editor Bill Apter poses with the C.O.W. (Championship Office Wrestling) belt -- a gem made for him by Reggie Parks. Apter cherishes the belt as his most valuable possession (but don't let his wife, daughter, son, or dog know)!

C.O.W. (Championship Office Wrestling) began nearly 20 years ago in a publishing office where wrestling magazine editor Bill Apter worked on Long Island, New York.  When wrestlers would come up to have their photos taken, Apter would playfully challenge them to matches. Those wrestlers usually let themselves be pinned by Bill.

One day Bill made himself a cardboard belt and began to call himself champion of the office due to all the "victories" he had chalked up with willing wrestlers.  Word got out that Apter had championship cardboard and wrestlers began challenging him for the belt. The list of Apter's C.O.W. opponents were very impressive to say the least -- Dan Severn (a series of 4 matches and even on in an office in North Carolina), Rob Van Dam, "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka, "Boogie Woogie Man" Jimmy Valiant (who gave Apter the name "Wonderful Willie), Tazz, and dozens of others.

With Apter's championship streak growing and defenses now in new magazine headquarters in Pennsylvania and then Chicago, after 17 years of cardboard belt defenses, Apter yearned for more.  He wanted gold. His next step was a telephone call to the world's foremost belt maker, Mr. Reggie Parks.

"This won't be an easy job," Parks told Apter during the phone call. "I know how demanding you are as a champion so you must be really demanding in what you want in a belt. Give me some time and I'll come up with something you will be proud of."

  Weeks later, Parks delivered the gold to Apter.

  "It was breathtaking and it still is," Apter said. "I have now defended the gold in many places in the United States and also in England. I am so proud to have Reggie Parks as the official C.O.W belt maker.  One of these days I'll get around to paying him for it!"

The defenses continue and the gold -- by Parks -- is one of the most sought after unique treasures in the industry!