Wrestling champ Honky Tonk Man visits Brewers, puts Carlos Gomez in a headlock

Wrestling champ Honky Tonk Man visits Brewers

By Adam McCalvy/MLB.com

March 14, 2015

Brewers center fielder Carlos Gomez found himself seeking a tag-out when Greatest Intercontinental Champion of All Time visited Maryvale Baseball Park on Saturday.

.@WWE Legend @OfficialHTM visits the #CactusCrew prior to today's game. Honky Tonk Man vs @C_Gomez27 at Wrestlemania? pic.twitter.com/SpIXoIAn8V
- Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) March 14, 2015

The Honky Tonk Man, a.k.a. Roy Wayne Farris, a.k.a. professional wrestling's longest-tenured champ, made his semi-annual visit to Brewers camp on Saturday and regaled players and the press corps alike with stories of his days in the ring. Farris is a friend of Brewers public relations director Mike Vassallo, a huge wrestling fan who met Farris years ago.

The semi-annual visit from @OfficialHTM takes place tomorrow in Maryvale, a tradition unlike any other. #Brewers pic.twitter.com/4fiCkQKECH
- Mike Vassallo (@MikeVassallo13) March 14, 2015

.@C_Gomez27 (right) and @WWE Legend @OfficialHTM square off in the #Brewers clubhouse for the Intercontinental title! pic.twitter.com/OhfqXj7aZA
- Mike Vassallo (@MikeVassallo13) March 14, 2015

Vassallo shared the story with the website OnMilwaukee.com two years ago:

"When I was with the Yankees, it must have been a boring day, because I e-mailed the PR guy for the WWF, as it was called then, and I asked him if he could get me Honky Tonk Man's theme song on a CD. A couple of weeks go by, and my phone rings at Yankee Stadium. The PR guy from the WWF says, 'Hey, it's Jay. I'm here with the Honky Tonk Man,' and then Honky says hello. I thought it was one of my friends pranking me. I didn't believe it at first, but after a while they convinced me that it was really them, and I got to talking to him. I did my impersonation of him, and he said I did it better than he does. He lives in Arizona and told me, 'If you're ever out here, look me up.'

"A year or so passed, and I was with the Reds. I made the trip to Arizona with the team, so just for the heck of it, I emailed him and reminded him of that call with the Yankees. Sure enough, he sent me back a message, and we ended up going out for lunch that day at California Pizza Kitchen. We've been friends ever since. I have him to Spring Training pretty much every year."

After signing autographs in the clubhouse for players, including wrestling fans Chris Perez and Matt Clark, Farris spent the Cubs-Brewers game in the press box with Vassallo and the team's beat reporters.

Folded easier than my press pass against @OfficialHTM. Where was @CarrieMuskat when I needed to tag out? pic.twitter.com/6qYtADWFtL
- Adam McCalvy (@AdamMcCalvy) March 14, 2015