The NBA features some great halftime entertainment. There’s the legend, Red Panda, who while clearly on the back half of her career is still amazing to watch as she flips bowls onto her head. The Beale Street Flippers are vastly underrated, and then there are classics like Quick Change, The Amazing Sladek, the Simon Says guy and more.
However, nothing can quite top how the Philadelphia 76ers used to get down in the 1970s. The Sixers History Twitter account posted a video on Thanksgiving morning of Victor the Bear, who used to fight people on the court at halftime of games in 1976.
Victor the Bear defeating all human challengers at the Spectrum in the @sixers 1976 season. pic.twitter.com/nfeN4XfG7h
— Sixers History (@SixersHistory) November 23, 2017
Yes, apparently Semi-Pro is more documentary than it is fictional comedy film when it comes to wild in-game entertainment ideas from the 1970s. Will Ferrell wrestling Dewey the Bear isn’t just a hysterical scene, it’s based on a real thing.
It’s unfathomable to imagine this happening now, but my goodness this video brings me incredible joy, even if bear wrestling and the conditions Victor was in were probably extremely problematic.l
The best part of the video is when Victor almost DDTs a guy. Shoutout to Victor. I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving, which after watching bear wrestling seems assured.
