Happy Black History Month, brehs...
- Thread starter Norrin Radd
- Start date
JuvenileHell
Veteran
Great thread
http://originalpeople.org/history-black-americans-sport-pro-wrestling/
In recognition of Black History Month, let’s pay homage to some of pro wrestling’s greatest black athletes and performers. This tribute started as a two-part special on WrestleLine.com in February 2000. In 2001, it became part of Circa, and expanded to a four-part series. This year, I’ve added several names to the tribute, and completely revised the ones that were already included. Watch for the next three installments throughout the month of February, right here on this web site.
The following is just a sample of the black wrestlers, managers, and valets who have entertained crowds in the sport of kings for over a century.
This tribute is not a complete list of every black performer in pro wrestling’s long and storied history. Exclusions are unintentional and were not done out of spite, but rather in the interest of keeping this already-large column to a respectable size. I apologize in advance for any omissions, and I welcome your feedback.
We kick things off with the men who helped put black wrestlers on the map for good – the pioneers. Those who emerged later are placed with the era in which they achieved their greatest notoriety. Links for each part of this edition of Circa can be found at the bottom of each section, as the sections are published. Enjoy the tribute!
THE PIONEERS
VIRO SMALL
Viro Small is one of the earliest black pro wrestlers on record – perhaps the very first, although that would be impossible to prove.
Because it was so long ago, some of the facts on Viro Small conflict. Most reliable information says that he was born into slavery in Buford, South Carolina, in 1854. It is believed Small made his debut in 1870 at the age of 16. It is also known that in April of1881, he wrestled a collar and elbow match in New York against Mike Horogan as a substitute for another wrestler. He reportedly lost the match, but so impressed Horogan that the man began training Viro Small soon afterward. Many sources point to that 1881 match as Small’s debut, despite the information that he debuted in 1870. A possible explanation for this conflict is that Viro Small was both a collar and elbow wrestler and a boxer, so he might have boxed primarily until the 1880s. Again, many sources have his wrestling debut in 1870, so where the exact truth lies is debatable.
But in 1881, Small’s wrestling career definitely took off. He wrestled out of St. Albans and Rutland, Vermont, under the name “Black Sam.” He won the Vermont Collar and Elbow Championship twice, becoming perhaps the first black pro wrestling champion in the United States.
Small also traveled on the county fair circuit in New England with Horogan and challenged members of the audience to keep up with him for a set time limit in a wrestling match. He wrestled a great deal in New York City, in some of the roughest areas of town. He trained by hauling sauerkraut and beer barrels around the city. His frequent opponents in New York included Captain James C. Daley, Harry Woodson, Joe Ryan, and Billy McCallum, who was so enraged by his match against Small on September 3, 1882, that he shot Small in the neck as he slept later that night. Small survived the gunshot wound.
Small wrestled in New York at a tavern called Bastille of the Bowery, owned by former boxer Owney Geoghegan. The bar contained two rings for boxing and wrestling contests, and was notorious for crooked management, rowdy patrons and an overall seedy atmosphere. Geoghegan reportedly won a decision over an opponent in the Bowery by having his henchmen aim a gun at the referee’s head post-fight. It was at this bar where Small’s match with McCallum ended in a no-contest after a major conflict broke out between the two, causing McCallum to attempt to murder Small later that evening.
REGINALD “REG” SIKI
Reginald “Reg” Siki was a pro wrestling superstar from the 1920s through the 1940s. He preceded future great “Sweet Daddy Siki,” who adopted Siki’s name and debuted in 1955.
The original Siki was famous from Winnipeg, Canada, to New York, to Los Angeles, and all points in between. His career spanned more than two decades. Siki was wrestling for the California Heavyweight title as late as the late-1940s, after becoming a popular star in the 20s. Legendary names such as Larry Moquin, Willy Davis, Jim “Black Panther” Mitchell, Vic Christy, Gino Garibaldi, Joe Savoldi, and Rudy Dusek shared billing with Siki through the years. Siki was a true pioneer not just for black pro wrestlers, but for pro wrestling as a whole.
LUTHER LINDSEY
No less an authority than the legendary Lou Thesz has proclaimed the greatness of Luther Lindsey (born Luther Jacob Goodall). In his book Hooker (available on Amazon.com), Lou says the following:
“[Lindsey was] without question, the best black wrestler ever. Luther had a fantastic body and limitless energy to compliment his skill. Like many other industries, wrestling was not open to African-American wrestlers during his career, so it was an amazing accomplishment for Luther to even learn his craft. His place in history is not because he was black; it is in spite of the fact he was black.”
Just like countless black baseball players of his era, Lindsey was relegated to wrestling black opponents, and competing for “Negro” championship titles in many areas. Lindsey once claimed to have known Shag Thomas better than any other competitor, because in many territories, the two men had to wrestle each other because they were both black.
But in the territories where Lindsey was allowed to compete on the same level as the main event white wrestlers – such as Stampede in Calgary, Hawaii, or the Pacific Northwest – he fast became a major star. Lindsey wrestled Thesz to time limit draws for the world championship many times.
Lindsey was a four-time Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Champion between 1961 and 1969, and held the tag team titles on eight different occasions – four with Shag Thomas, and once each with George Dussette, Bing Ki Lee, Herb Freeman and Pepper Martin. Lindsey also counts the Hawaiian Heavyweight and Tag Team Championship (with Bobby Bruns) among his prizes. On a tour of Japan in 1962, he scored the All Asia Tag Team Titles (with Ricky Waldo) with a win over Rikidozan and Toyonobori in Tokyo. Besides Thesz, Lindsey’s many opponents included fellow legends “Iron” Mike DiBiase, Bronko Nagurski, Kurt Von Poppenheim, Buddy Colt and Mad Dog Vachon.
Stu Hart shared Lou Thesz’ high opinion of Lindsey, who was one of the first black superstars for Hart’s Stampede. In 1967, a match between Luther Lindsey and future WWF Champion Stan Stasiak (with boxing great “Jersey” Joe Wolcott as special referee) drew the largest wrestling crowd in Calgary’s history up to that point.
Tragically, Luther Lindsey died after a match on February 21, 1972, due to heart failure. He was 48.
SHAG THOMAS
Also known as “King Toby,” Shag Thomas was a trailblazer from the same era as Luther Lindsey. The two men worked many of the same circuits, and often wrestled each other in segregated venues. Shag Thomas was a very prominent babyface in Don Owen’s Pacific Northwest territory in Oregon, winning the Heavyweight title twice (in 1960 defeating Ed Francis, and in 1966 defeating Tony Borne).
Thomas also held the Pacific Northwest Tag Team Titles a whopping 16 times, with partners Lindsey (four times), Pepper Martin (three times), Tony Borne (twice), Bearcat Wright (twice), Billy White Wolf, Danny Hodge, Dan Manoukian, Armand Hussein, and Rene Goulet.
Standing a mere 5’6″ and tipping the scales at 255 lbs., Shag Thomas was a former football standout for Ohio State. As a wrestler, he established himself as a likeable performer with a knack for entertaining matches and getting the crowd behind him. Like so many other black wrestlers through time, Shag Thomas counted the head butt as one of his trademark maneuvers.
As Luther Lindsey did, Thomas made a stand in NWA Hawaii, winning the Tag Team Titles with Robert Duranton in 1963. His dominance of tag team wrestling is further evidenced by his reign as NWA Canadian Tag Team Champion with Mighty Ursus in 1959.
James “Shag” Thomas died on July 25, 1982, following a heart attack.
JIM “BLACK PANTHER” MITCHELL
It’s not what you think: Jim Mitchell was famous as wrestling’s “Black Panther” long before the activist Black Panther Party gained fame.
In fact, it is believed that Mitchell made his official wrestling debut some time in the late 1930s, starting a lengthy career in which he sparred with stars like The Masked Marvel and Earl Wampler (in South Carolina), Gorgeous George (in California), and “Mr. America” Gene Stanlee. Because of prevailing racist attitudes of the time, he was limited to wrestling other minority opponents for a while. But Mitchell persevered, and today claims a place among pro wrestling’s early great performers.
WOODY STRODE
Step back, Rocky: Woody Strode was Hollywood’s favorite wrestler-turned-movie star years before The Rock was a twinkle in the People’s Eye.
In fact, Woody Strode also beat The Rock and Ron “Faarooq” Simmons to another honor: he was the first black professional wrestler to come from a sensational college football career. His days as an All-American superstar on the UCLA Bruins football squad earned him a 1992 induction into the UCLA Athletic Hall of Fame. Strode played professional football for the NFL’s Cleveland Rams and the Calgary Stampeders of the CFL before taking his celebrity status to wrestling rings in California. In the state of his first glory, Woody Strode was already a hometown hero, and had a far easier time earning the acceptance of the fans as a babyface.
Strode was 6’4″ and weighed just over 200 lbs. in his prime. He was part black and part Native American, and identified just as strongly with his roots to the Blackfoot tribe as he did to his African heritage. His great grandfather escaped slavery in the south, finding safety with a Creek tribe and marrying one of its squaws. His grandfather would one day marry a woman from the Blackfoot tribe.
Due to his athletic build, Strode would play the role of African warrior or Native American tribesman in many of his Hollywood ventures. Strode eventually earned prominent roles in movies such as The Outlaw Josey Wales, Spartacus (in a very famous scene as a warrior Kirk Douglas refuses to kill), The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The Ten Commandments (1956), The Cotton Club, Posse, and the lead role in the 1960 classic Sergeant Rutledge. In a film many have included among the “Blacksploitation” movies of the 60s and 70s, Strode played the lead role in 1971’s Black Jesus as well.
At the age of 76, Strode branched out into yet another successful career when his 1990 autobiography Goal Dust was praised by a host of critics.
Strode died of lung cancer in 1994 shortly after completing work on his last film, The Quick and the Dead. He was 80.
JACK CLAYBOURNE
From the 1930s through the 1950s, Jack Claybourne was famous worldwide for his wrestling skills. He was popular in England, Canada, Australia, Hawaii, the continental United States, and just about everywhere else there was a ring to wrestle in. Yet in many territories – especially in the early days of his career – he was subject to the same segregation tactics as his peers, and was often relegated to wrestling for Negro championships.
In fact, Claybourne won the Kentucky Negro Championship from Hallie Samara on September 2, 1941, in Louisville. He dropped that title the following year to King Kong Clayton.
As his star rose, Claybourne began wrestling for bigger titles, and wrestling a wider variety of opponents. He soon began popping up on cards with such names as Ed “Strangler” Lewis, Sandor Szabo, Yvon Robert, and Whipper Billy Watson. In 1954, he and Luther Lindsey won the Canadian Open Tag Team Titles from Great Togo and Tosh Togo (Harold Sakata, who played “Oddjob” in the James Bond movie Goldfinger).
DORY DIXON
Dory Dixon was one of the most impressive athletes in wrestling during the “Golden Age” of the 1950s and 1960s. It has been documented that Dixon so impressed a youthful Mil Mascaras with his aerial ability and exciting style that Mascaras decided to become a wrestler himself, just like Dixon.
Dixon made his mark in Mexico, most notably with a successful reign as EMLL Light Heavyweight Champion in 1959 (he defeated Al Kashey for the title in Mexico City). But he was also very popular in the United States for years, from Texas to California to New York. Dixon even had a shot at the world title in Dallas, wrestling Buddy Rogers to a 90-minute time limit draw in October 1962.
In November 1962, Dixon wrestled to a non-finish with World Champion Buddy Rogers when they pinned each other at the same time in Madison Square Garden. Six months later, on May 17, 1963, Dixon teamed with Bobo Brazil to wrestle to a time-limit draw with U.S. tag team champions Brute Bernard and Skull Murphy in Madison Square Garden on the same card where Bruno Sammartino defeated Buddy Rogers in 48 seconds for the WWWF World Title.
Besides Mexico and the WWWF, Dixon made his presence felt in areas such as World Class in Texas and various NWA territories. He notched two NWA America’s Tag Team titles with Earl Maynard and Raul Mata, respectively, in 1972.
Dixon’s style and ability influenced many wrestlers besides Mascaras as well. He opened doors for people like Elix Skipper to incorporate an aerial style into their performances.
SWEET DADDY SIKI
Reginald “Sweet Daddy” Siki, with his blonde hair, sunglasses and hand-held mirror, commanded the attention of every crowd he every wrestled in front of. Nicknamed “Mr. Irresistible,” Siki’s gimmick was similar to that of Gorgeous George, making Siki one of the first wrestlers to successfully use an arrogant, primadonna persona to rile fans up.
Making his wrestling debut in 1955, the Texas native was famous worldwide for his “Siki Strut” and his aggressive style. Siki teamed with “Sailor” Art Thomas, and feuded with men such as Leo Burke, Dave Ruhl and countless others. Today’s black superstars owe a debt of gratitude to the “Sweetest Man in the Whole Wide World,” who helped pave the way for future generations.
“SAILOR” ART THOMAS
“Sailor” Art Thomas was one of only a handful of big-name black stars in pro wrestling from the 50s through the early 70s. Known for his crushing power, foes feared his bearhug, which usually spelled defeat. Thomas was a beloved fan favorite, taking on such villains as Ox Baker and sometimes teaming with Sweet Daddy Siki.
Thomas’ gimmick was that of a merchant marine bodybuilder. In many territories, he wrestled as “Seaman” Art Thomas rather than “Sailor.” He held NWA Texas title on several occasions in 1962 and 1963. Thomas won the WWA title from Baron Von Raschke in Indianapolis in 1972, but that title was not officially recognized by the WWA during that period. Thomas lost to Raschke in a match that officially marked the recognition of the title by the WWA.
Sailor Art Thomas retired from wrestling in 1983 and settled in Madison, Wisconsin.
BOBO BRAZIL
Debuting in 1951, Bobo Brazil (Houston Harris) was a trailblazer for today’s black pro wrestling superstars. The most famous black competitor of his time, and easily one of the most popular stars overall from the 50s through the 80s, Brazil brought 6’6, 270 lbs. of power and ability to the ring. A gentleman outside the squared circle, Brazil feuded with the nastiest villains in the game, such as The Sheik, Fred Blassie, dikk the Bruiser, Brute Bernard, and Ernie Ladd. Fans delighted in watching the Benton Harbor, Michigan native stun opponents with his patented “coco-butt.”
Among the long list of titles on Brazil’s resume were several versions of the U.S. Title (mostly in Detroit) between the early 1960s and 1976, and two WWA championships between 1966 and 1968.
After concluding an amazing 40-plus year wrestling career in the early 1990s, Houston Harris passed away in 1998. He was 74.
EDWARD “BEARCAT” WRIGHT
In the early 1960s, a tall, trim wrestler named Edward “Bearcat” Wright came into prominence in the Northeast. Wright’s stature made it very easy to power out of many holds, or simply slide out of them due to his slender build. Bearcat Wright can lay claim to being the first black pro wrestler of his time to win a major heavyweight singles title, with Big Time Pro Wrestling in Massachusetts. He defeated Killer Kowalski for that title in 1961. He beat Fred Blassie for the WWA title two years later.
But perhaps Wright’s greatest achievement came when he was suspended by the Indiana State Athletic Commission in the early 1960s for announcing to a live crowd that he would never again wrestle in a segregated venue. Bearcat Wright took a stand against racism at the risk of losing his career. Nonetheless, Wright remained a popular figure all over the Western hemisphere, from California to New York, and from Texas to Hawaii.
Edward “Bearcat” Wright died in 1983 at the age of 50.
BEARCAT BROWN
Another famous Bearcat of wrestling lore is Bearcat Brown, a popular star in southern territories from the late 1950s through the 1970s. He gained initial fame working for promoter Nick Gulas in the burgeoning Tennessee territory. At that time, many southern fans were still not completely open to the idea of a black wrestler competing with white wrestlers. Brown defied racial prejudices by forming a tag team with white grappler Len Rossi, and legend has it that Brown and Rossi – along with promoter Gulas – were faced with extreme racist opposition and even death threats over the duo. But the team survived and became a big hit with fans in Alabama and surrounding areas over time.
Bearcat Brown remained a prominent figure in the south, particularly Memphis, for the next two decades. He won tag team gold with Johhny Walker (who was later known as The Grappler and Mr. Wrestling II) in 1969. As the 1970s ended, Brown played babyface to an imposing newcomer heel in Gulas’ promotion – a man who would gain fame as the Junkyard Dog. Bearcat Brown’s wrestling career truly helped bridge a generation gap for black stars in the business.
OTHER NOTABLE NAMES
Listed below is a sample of other pioneering black wrestlers. These men also contributed to pro wrestling’s rich history, and despite my space and time restraints within this column, all deserve to be recognized. Their efforts are appreciated.
DON KINDRED
SEELIE SAMARA
RICKY WALDO
DUKE NOBLE
KING KONG CLAYTON
With the foundation laid by men such as those profiled above, the wrestling scene would have an influx of even more talented performers through the 1960s and 1970s. In Part 2, we look at some of those performers.
http://www.oowrestling.com/columns/circa/200202bhm1.shtml
Pro Wrestling’s Black Stars, Part 2February 12, 2002
by Denny Burkholder
Exclusive to OnlineOnslaught.com
This is Part 2 (of 4) in Circa’s look at the history of black performers in pro wrestling, in recognition of Black History Month in the United States. If you missed the first installment highlighting the pioneering black pro wrestlers of the late1800s and the early twentieth century, just click the link at the bottom of this column.
While the men in Part 1 broke the barrier for black performers when racism and segregation were still major roadblocks to success, the following wrestlers stormed the gates and became superstars themselves in the 1960s and 1970s.
The 1960s & 1970s
ABDULLAH THE BUTCHER
One of the most bloodthirsty and sadistic wrestlers in the history of the business, Abby (Larry Shreeve) has been wowing crowds and inflicting brutality on opponents since 1958. With forks, pencils, chairs, and anything else he can grab, he has made mincemeat out of some of the biggest names in wrestling.
The mammoth “Madman from the Sudan” is legendary in the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico and Japan for his classic battles with the likes of Bruiser Brody, The Sheik, Dusty Rhodes, and Carlos Colon. A hardcore wrestling icon, Abby was what hardcore wrestling fans flocked to while guys like New Jack were still in elementary school.
After an amazing 44 years in the business, Abdullah the Butcher still wrestles occasionally. When he’s not tenderizing the scalps of his opponents with kitchen utensils, Abdullah enjoys digging into a hot meal at his restaurant in Georgia.
ERNIE LADD
Standing an imposing 6’9″ and weighing 325 lbs., “Big Cat” Ernie Ladd was a two-sport star, excelling in both pro football and wrestling. Ladd played professionally for the San Diego Chargers, Houston Oilers and Kansas City Chiefs in the 1960s before leaving football for the improved financial opportunity (believe it or not) of pro wrestling. In 1966, Ladd was the highest paid lineman in the NFL, at the same time he was making his mark as a main event wrestler.
Initially teaming with Bobo Brazil, Ladd soon turned on Brazil and began an impressive run as an arrogant, outspoken heel. With the size and athletic ability to back up his boasts, Ladd earned his first world title shot against NWA kingpin Lou Thesz in 1963 after only two years as a pro.
Though Ladd never won a major world title, he spent the 70s terrorizing the best of the NWA and WWF, including Bruno Sammartino, Gene Kiniski, Andre the Giant and Gorilla Monsoon. Many of the top babyfaces in wrestling felt the wrath of Ladd’s taped thumb to the throat – a gimmick he borrowed from “Crazy” Luke Graham.
“I had a great enjoyment for wrestling,” Ladd said in a Circa interview last February. “The people are matters of feet away from you. You can entertain people close-up. You can look at them, in people’s eyes. In a football stadium, the people sitting up in the crow’s nest, you can never see them up there. Let alone, you can’t see the people in the front row seats because you’re too focused on the football field. But as a wrestler, the people at ringside, you can look in their eyes and see the anger, and the frustration, and the joy. That’s everything. And as a wrestler, it’s your job to raise the level of intensity, to raise the level of joy, and it takes a rare professional to be able to do these things. And I was very good at it.”
Ladd retired from wrestling in 1984, and has recently helped out on the successful U.S. presidential campaign of George W. Bush.
THUNDERBOLT PATTERSON
Thunderbolt Patterson was a big star in southern wrestling promotions from the 1960s through the 70s and 80s, particularly the NWA and Georgia. Although Patterson held the Georgia TV title in 1979, he was much more accomplished in the tag ranks, winning multiple titles with partners such as Tony Atlas, Jerry (or “Gerald”) Brisco, and Tommy Rich.
Those familiar with the genesis of the original Four Horsemen group in the NWA in 1985 will recall that Thunderbolt Patterson was the first wrestler ever double-crossed by the Horsemen (which, in a way, is an honor in itself). Patterson and Ole Anderson were the NWA National tag team champs at the time, until Ole swerved T-Bolt by making Arn Anderson his new partner and joining Tully Blanchard and Ric Flair as the Horsemen.
Swerves aside, T-Bolt was not in the company of men like Flair, Anderson, and Brisco by accident. He was indeed a top-notch superstar, leaving behind scores of satisfied fans wherever he performed.
PORKCHOP CASH
Porkchop Cash made his presence felt in the 1970s and 1980s as a predominantly tag team wrestler in NWA territories. Cash broke out in 1974 and 1975 by winning the NWA America’s tag titles with Manny Soto and S.D. Jones, respectively. Cash also enjoyed tag title reigns with Jay Youngblood, King Parsons, Ken Timbs, Gorgeous George Jr. and Troy Graham (as Jimmy Hart’s original Bruise Brothers duo in Memphis in 1982). He also won the occasional singles title, including the NWA America’s title in 1974 and the Central States title in the 1980s. Cash is now retired.
ROCKY JOHNSON
Rocky Johnson, who has recently fallen into the shadow of his “electrifying” son, The Rock, was a phenomenal talent in his own right. With a killer physique and sharp-edged sideburns (sound familiar?), Johnson was a hit with female fans. But he was all business in the ring.
The elder “Rock” made his ring debut in 1964. In the mid-70s, Johnson was a top-ranked contender to the NWA world title, getting numerous title shots at champs such as Terry Funk and Harley Race. As Sweet Ebony Diamond (under a mask) in 1981, he held the NWA TV title. Johnson’s WWF tenure peaked with a tag team title reign with Tony Atlas in the early 1980s. Those who angered “Soul Man” Johnson, who was also a former boxer, usually caught a smackdown from one of the stiffest right hands in the business.
Today, Johnson is retired from wrestling and living in Davie, Florida.
KAMALA
Kamala stands 6’7″, and has reportedly weighed anywhere between 350 and 400 lbs. He debuted in 1974 and worked under the moniker “Sugarbear Harris” before finding his niche as Kamala. The Ugandan Giant has mixed it up with the biggest and best, including classic matches with Andre the Giant, Magnum T.A., The Von Erichs, Hulk Hogan and many others. Kamala was wild and unpredictable in his prime, making him a feared opponent for any babyface to grapple with.
Younger fans might remember Kamala most for his early-1990s stint in the WWF as a babyface managed by Slick, or from a brief 1995 WCW tenure as a heel adversary to Hulk Hogan. Kamala has wrestled sporadically in the past few years, including a return to the WWF for the Wrestlemania X-7 gimmick battle royal in 2001.
CHARLIE COOK
Charlie Cook was a top babyface in Florida Championship Wrestling in the late 1970s and the 1980s. He aligned himself with the likes of Mike Graham and Barry Windham against veterans like Dory Funk, and newcomers such as David Von Erich, Jake Roberts, and Roddy Piper. Florida was a hotbed for pro wrestling during this period, hosting a large number of soon-to-be-legends and promising rookies. Charlie Cook was an integral part of Florida wrestling during this exciting period.
SONNY KING
Sonny King was a babyface in the early-1970s WWWF. He tasted gold in May 1972 when he and Chief Jay Strongbow wrested the WWWF tag team titles away from Baron Scicluna and King Curtis.
King also made the NWA rounds, winning the Southern tag titles with Frank Morrell in 1980. Unfortunately, King would suffer a serious injury due to a stabbing incident outside the Charlotte Coliseum in North Carolina in early 1982. He was able to return to wrestling in Memphis later in the year, where he served as manager for The Samoans and Arn Anderson, among others.
Some of the wrestlers listed in the “Pioneers” section were active through the 1970s as well – in fact, some were active the whole decade, and some are still active to this day in some capacity. The latter half of the 1970s saw the ring debuts of a new crop of black wrestlers who would go on to become some of the biggest stars of the 1980s.
http://www.oowrestling.com/columns/circa/200202bhm2.shtml
Pro Wrestling’s Black Stars, Part 3February 21, 2002
by Denny Burkholder
Exclusive to OnlineOnslaught.com
This is Part 3 (of 4) in Circa’s look at the history of black performers in pro wrestling, in recognition of Black History Month in the United States. If you missed the first two installments highlighting the pioneering black wrestlers from the late 1800s through the 1970s, just click the links at the bottom of this column.
As the 1970s ended, there were still several pioneers in the game. But a new generation had emerged, including a sizeable crop of athletic and charismatic performers who would light up the business in the decade of Pac-Man, breakdancing, and – oh yeah – a certain boom in popularity for wrestling.
THE BIG 80s
RUFUS R. “FREIGHT TRAIN” JONES
Rufus R. Jones (Carey Lloyd) debuted in 1969. He competed in the AWA, NWA and Mid-Atlantic, among other regions, throughout the 70s and 80s. Active in both singles and tag ranks, Jones either teamed or locked horns with most of the stars of those promotions, including The Crusher, Ric Flair, and the Andersons. Jones was well known for his power and his head butt, not to mention his infamous (and highly amusing) quote: “My name is Rufus R. Jones, and the ‘R’ stands for ‘guts.'”
Jones died in 1993 at age 60.
S.D. “SPECIAL DELIVERY” JONES
S.D. Jones (Conrad Efraim) debuted in 1961. In light of the standard set by Bobo Brazil, Jones — who also wrestled as “Roosevelt Jones” for a time — would also adopt the head butt as a signature maneuver over the years. He is best known as an upper-level “jobber” in the WWF during its 1980s rise to national prominence, but believe it or not, Jones did have his share of success in the business prior to those days. In 1975, he teamed up with Porkchop Cash to win the NWA Americas Title in Los Angeles.
With a smile on his face, Hawaiian shirt and headband, S.D. gave his all in every match. While his win-loss record was not the greatest, fans all over the world cheered for S.D. every time he came to town, and entertaining fans at the expense of personal gain is the mark of a class act. S.D. Jones was a true professional his entire career.
Jones is now retired from wrestling.
“THE UNPREDICTABLE” JOHNNY RODZ
“The Unpredictable” Johnny Rodz (Johnny Rodriguez) saw work in high-profile rings starting in the late 1960s. Rodz is best known for his time in the WWF, which lasted into the 1980s. Rodz had more than his share of bouts in the famed Madison Square Garden in New York City, and was formally inducted into the WWF Hall of Fame in 1996.
Today, Rodz might be better known as a successful trainer. Among the names that emerged from Rodz’s wrestling school in Brooklyn are Tazz, D-Von Dudley, Tommy Dreamer, Hugh Morrus, Big Vito, and Angel (the former ECW “Baldie”).
“PISTOL” PEZ WHATLEY
“Pistol” Pez made his rounds through just about every major promotion in his active days. Most successful in southern-based promotions, Pistol Pez Whatley has absorbed the spotlight in both the NWA and WWF. Whatley teamed with Ray Candy to hold Mid-America tag title in 1977. As a singles competitor, he held the NWA Southern title in Fla. several times in 1984. Pistol Pez teamed with Tiger Conway as The Jive Tones in the late ’80s NWA.
Whatley also worked behind the scenes for Ted Turner’s WCW in that company’s later years.
TIGER CONWAY, SR. & JR.
Tiger Conway, Sr. was a well-known wrestler for territories such as the young WWWF, and for Paul Boesch. Today, his respect for the business makes him a frequent guest at gatherings such as the Cauliflower Alley Club banquet. His son was a proverbial chip off the old block.
Tiger Conway, Jr. made his mark in the Mid-Atlantic area, Texas, and other NWA territories. He collected titles while teaming with the likes of Steve Keirn, Dino Bravo, and King Parsons. He also teamed as the “Jive-Tones” with Pez Whatley in the late 1980s NWA.
JUNKYARD DOG
The JYD (Sylvester Ritter) debuted in the wrestling business in 1977 for promoter Jerry Jarrett. Trained by fellow black wrestling legend Sonny King in North Carolina, Ritter was physically impressive at 6’4″, 270 lbs. Ritter honed his skills in Tennessee and eventually began wrestling for promoter Nick Gulas as “Leroy Rochester.” Leroy Rochester was the real name of wrestler Leroy Brown, but sounded a bit more imposing than Sylvester Ritter did, so they went with it.
JYD was originally a heel of the Ernie Ladd ilk, but quickly found his place as a fan favorite. In 1978 JYD left the Tennessee area and worked briefly in Germany before settling in Stu Hart’s Calgary Stampede promotion in Canada. There, he worked as “Big Daddy Ritter” and won the Stampede North American title twice in the late-1970s before finally turning up in Bill Watts’ Mid-South territory as Junkyard Dog. JYD would become the most popular wrestler in Louisiana in the early 1980s against such heels as a young Ted DiBiase, The Freebirds, and Paul “Mr. Wonderful” Orndorff.
It wasn’t long before the WWF came calling, and JYD fast became one of the most popular babyfaces in the burgeoning fed. JYD often generated crowd pops second only to those of Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant, while running through foes like Terry Funk, Harley Race and Roddy Piper. When fans heard “Another One Bites the Dust” or “Grab Them Cakes” blare from the PA, they knew to expect Junkyard Dog to emerge growling from the locker room, grasping at the chain hooked to his collar. Stocky and powerful, JYD was famous for devastating head butts and his powerslam finisher.
While a solid marquee name, JYD never won a title in the WWF. He moved on to the NWA/WCW in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and from there, eased out of the spotlight.
Ritter died in 1998 after a fatal car accident. He was 45.
TONY ATLAS
With the physique of a world-class bodybuilder, Tony Atlas gained initial fame in the WWF by taking on the meanest heels, including a young, pre-Hulkamania Hulk Hogan, against whom Atlas scored clean victories. His WWF tenure peaked when he won the tag team titles with partner Rocky Johnson in 1983.
Since the mid-80s, Atlas has been highly involved with several independent companies all over the country. He still wrestles and promotes indie matches today.
KOKO B. WARE
Short in stature but high on charisma, “The Birdman” Koko B. Ware (James Ware) was one of the most popular WWF babyfaces in the 80s and early 90s. With sunglasses, brightly colored outfits, his trusty Macaw mascot Frankie, and the impressive ability to soulfully sing his promos, Koko was over with fans in a big way.
Koko debuted in 1978 and spent his early days in the sport in the Mid-South, Georgia and other NWA territories. It was here where Koko earned his reputation as a gifted mat wrestler and high-flyer. He portrayed the characters “Sweet Brown Sugar” and “Stagger Lee” at different times, and won tag titles with partners such as future Midnight Express member Bobby Eaton. Just before signing with the WWF, Koko was part of the PYT Express tag team with Norvell Austin in Florida and Memphis. Whether it was his dead-on dropkicks or his “ghostbuster” finisher, Koko’s foes had plenty to watch out for.
Koko never won a title in the WWF, but he always put on a great show for fans, and they returned the favor with loud cheers. Koko is still active today in Memphis Power Pro Wrestling.
BAD NEWS ALLEN/BROWN
Harlem native Bad News Allen (Allen Coage) is probably best known to today’s breed of wrestling fan as Bad News Brown, the moniker he used in the WWF in the late ’80s and early ’90s. Coage was a multi-sport star, winning a bronze medal in judo for the U.S. at the Montreal Olympics in 1976, as well as two gold medals at the Pan-American games. Trained in part by Japanese legend Antonio Inoki, Brown’s “Ghetto Blaster” enzuigiri kick finisher was one of the most feared in the sport.
Debuting in 1978, Coage was a tough-as-nails heel in numerous promotions, including Stu Hart’s Stampede promotion in Calgary, where he played villain to the likes of Owen Hart and The Dynamite Kid. In the WWF, Brown won the WrestleMania IV battle royal by last eliminating Bret Hart. During his stay with the WWF, “Bad News” had memorable feuds with Hart, Roddy Piper and Randy Savage, although he never won any gold (he would later claim in various interviews that Vince McMahon promised him a reign as heel WWF Champion, but reneged on his word). Because of his all-black ring wear, his nasty disposition, his beard and his bald head, “Bad News” could be considered a predecessor to today’s “Stone Cold” Steve Austin character.
Coage recently worked with the new Stampede in Calgary as a color commentator.
BUTCH REED
Call him “Hacksaw,” “The Natural,” or “Doom #1,” Butch Reed was a major contributor in many different promotions throughout the 80s and 90s. Debuting in 1978, Reed first gained recognition in the early 80s when he took NWA big shot Ric Flair to the limit in a televised match. The previously unheralded “Hacksaw” continued up the ladder of stardom throughout the rest of the decade.
In 1987, Reed emerged in the red-hot WWF with blonde hair and sunglasses a la Sweet Daddy Siki, calling himself “The Natural” and chumming around with wiry manager Slick. Reed wrestled the likes of Hulk Hogan, Koko B. Ware, Bam Bam Bigelow and Ken Patera while in the WWF, but never won any gold.
Reed returned to the NWA/WCW in 1989 as a member of masked tag team Doom with Ron Simmons. The duo won the tag team titles and competed against The Road Warriors and The Steiner Brothers before splitting up and feuding.
Reed is still active in certain indie promotions, such as Harley Race’s World League Wrestling. Reed was WLW Heavyweight Champion before losing the strap on January 25 of this year.
“ICEMAN” KING PARSONS
Southern wrestling fans — particularly those in Texas — may beg to differ with those who recognize Ron Simmons as the first black world champion of a major U.S. organization. “Iceman” King Parsons, adorned with neon green tights and braided hair, captured the WCCW Texas American Title in 1985. And in Texas in 1985, WCCW was a very major organization.
Parsons, a native of St. Louis, was a big star in the 80s and early 90s southern wrestling circuit. He wrestled in high profile matches with the likes of the Von Erichs, Chris Adams and Jerry Lawler. He also wrestled as the Blackbirds in WCCW in 1993 with Perry “Action” Jackson. Flashy and outgoing, Parsons was a favorite of many fans.
DARK JOURNEY
Dark Journey was one of a small number of black female stars in the game’s history. She competed and acted as a valet in southern promotions in the mid-80s, walking the aisle with men such as dikk Slater and (briefly) Ric Flair. She is most famous for her feud with fellow valet Missy Hyatt in the UWF. Dark Journey never made it to the big time, but she did capture many fans’ hearts.
LARRY CAMERON
Large and muscular, “Lethal” Larry Cameron dominated competition in Canada and Europe, while never really planting his flag in any U.S. promotion. A former champion in Stu Hart’s Stampede organization in the mid-80s, Cameron made his presence known worldwide. In fact, Cameron was a product of the fabled Hart family dungeon, and trained along side Chris Benoit, Brian Pillman and others.
Cameron’s life ended tragically when he died in the ring during a match in Bremen, Germany, in 1993, the result of a heart attack. He was 41.
ZEUS
Zeus was the big, evil enemy of Hulk Hogan’s “Rip” character (which was no far stretch from Hogan’s actual persona) in the 1989 movie No Holds Barred. In the long-standing tradition of WWF cross-promotion, actor Tom “Tiny” Lister, the man who played Zeus, was brought into the fed upon the movie’s premiere so he could work a post-movie angle with Hogan on WWF TV. The Zeus character was cross-eyed and nearly impervious to pain. WWF fans initially played along, but ultimately, the Hogan-Zeus feud was not as well received as Vince McMahon had hoped, nor was the movie a big success in the box office.
Lister, who is probably best remembered as Debo in the Friday movies or as the President of the United States in The Fifth Element, has continued acting. After the WWF, he wrestled a few times in Puerto Rico, and briefly resurfaced as “Z-Gangsta” in mid-90s WCW to once again confront Hogan.
SLICK
“The Doctor of Style” Slick (Kenneth Johnson) was introduced to WWF fans in 1986 by “Classy” Fred Blassie, who was preparing to retire from the business. “The Slickster,” as Gorilla Monsoon enjoyed calling him, took over Blassie’s managing duties. Slick was a skinny, jive-talking man with a jheri curl haircut and a tendency to perform a pre-match dance in the ring before his wrestlers competed. As with most managers of the day, Slick carried a weapon with him for interference in matches — his being a cane, just like Blassie before him.
But that is definitely where the comparison with Blassie ends. Slick managed The Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff originally, and over time seconded Hercules Hernandez, Butch Reed, the Bolsheviks (Volkoff and Boris Zukhov), Big Boss Man and Akeem. He’s also responsible for one of the most infamous self-sung WWF theme songs ever, the soulful rap ditty “Jive Soul Bro.”
Slick left the WWF for a couple years, returning in the early 1990s a real-life minister. His on-air persona was changed to “Reverend Slick,” and he took turns commentating on WWF programs. When Kamala turned babyface in 1993, Slick managed him briefly before leaving the business again.
Slick is still preaching in the area of Ft. Worth, Texas, today. He has been known to make special guest appearances at Texas indy shows on occasion.
NORVELL AUSTIN
Norvell Austin is one of wrestling’s under-appreciated talents. Austin debuted in the 1960s, and into the next decade he evolved into one of the better heels in Tennessee, Florida and other territories. He was often placed in tag teams with such partners as Rufus R. Jones, Bill Dundee and Pat Barrett. In the early 1980s, he teamed with the young Brad Armstrong and also wrestled under a mask as The Shadow. Austin would continue his tag team work through the middle of the 1980s.
Norvell Austin is an oft-overlooked member of the original Midnight Express in the Continental area, teaming interchangeably with Randy Rose and Dennis Condrey (and serving as manager for the Midnights as well). Austin later formed the Pretty Young Things with Koko B. Ware and enjoyed some success in Florida and Memphis.
RAY CANDY
Ray Candy debuted in Georgia in 1973. He teamed with Pez Whatley in 1977 to win the Mid-America tag belts, and would see even more fame as a tag wrestler in the 1980s with Leroy Brown in the Zambuie Express.
As part of the Zambuie gimmick, Candy was renamed Kareem Muhammad and Leroy Brown became known as Elijah Akeem. The ZE was quite prominent in the south in the mid-1980s. As a solo, Candy won the WWC Puerto Rican title in 1987. He also took on other various character names, including Blackstud Williams in Oregon (1988) and Commando Ray in WCW (also 1988).
Ray Candy eventually retired to Decatur, Georgia. On May 23, 1994, Candy passed away in Decatur.
LEROY BROWN
It was an all-too-familiar scene in Georgia Championship Wrestling to see “Bad, Bad” Leroy Brown clear the ring of a swarm of heels attacking a babyface, while his theme song (that familiar Jim Croce tune) blared. Brown was a beloved figure in the 1980s for his fight against the “bad guys,” including a few famous confrontations with Ric Flair in arm wrestling competitions.
Brown (Leroy Rochester) also worked under the name “Elijah Akeem” as a member of the Zambuie Express tag team with Ray Candy. He was a central figure in Georgia and other NWA regions for years.
Leroy Brown died in Savannah, GA, in 1988. He was 38.
BRICKHOUSE BROWN
Brickhouse Brown debuted in 1982 after graduating college. He was brought into the wrestling world by Eddie Graham and learned the ropes not through formal training, but by constant experience.
Brown worked successfully as both babyface and heel through several areas in the 1980s and 1990s. In 1989, he won the World Class Texas Title from Iceman King Parsons. Brown competed throughout the 1990s, most notably for the USWA.
OTHER NOTABLE NAMES
Listed below is a sampling of other notable black wrestling stars from the 1980s. These men and women contributed to pro wrestling in many ways, and despite my space and time restraints within this column, all deserve to be recognized. Their efforts are appreciated.
GEORGE WELLS
BLACK VENUS (JEAN KIRKLAND)
ROCKY KING
GYPSY JOE
REGGIE B. FINE
DERRICK DUKES
PERRY “ACTION” JACKSON
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Dog Based Gremlin
Veteran
@ OG Ron.
