b"El Santo, masks, spandex suits... all were yet to be conceived when Salvador Lutteroth Gonz\\xe1lez launched Mexico's first ever national pro wrestling promotion, on 21st September 1933.\\n\\u2018Lucha Libre\\u2019 - basically translated as \\u2018freestyle wrestling\\u2019 - has its roots in folklore, carnival sideshows and Greco-Roman traditions; but it was only after matches began to be televised in the 1950s that the events truly took flight.\\xa0\\nIn this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly consider the authenticity of this scripted sport; reveal the surprising source of production finances that enabled the expansion of the promotion; and discuss the luchador who doesn\\u2019t even fight, except in union disputes\\u2026\\nFurther Reading:\\n\\u2022 \\u2018The Marvel of Mexican Wrestling: A Brief History\\u2019 (The Daily Iowan, 2021): https://dailyiowan.com/2021/07/27/the-marvel-of-mexican-wrestling-a-brief-history/\\n\\u2022 \\u2018Lucha libre \\u2013 an introduction to Mexican wrestling\\u2019 (Lonely Planet, 2015): https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/lucha-libre-an-introduction-to-mexican-wrestling\\n\\u2022 \\u2018El Santo vs. las Mujeres Vampiro\\u2019 (1962): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bS7VDneMcM&t=60s\\nLove the show? Join \\U0001f334 CLUB RETROSPECTORS \\U0001f334 to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode every SUNDAY! \\nPlus, get weekly bonus bits, unlock over 70 bits of extra content and support our independent podcast.\\nJoin now via Apple Podcasts or Patreon. Thanks!\\nWe'll be back tomorrow! Follow us wherever you get your podcasts:\\xa0podfollow.com/Retrospectors\\nThe Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.\\nTheme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Sophie King.\\nCopyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2022.\\n Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.\\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices"