Fred Blassie was born and raised in the St. Louis, Missouri, area. At Freddie Blassies wake, a family member came up to Keith Elliot Greenberg, saying that Freddies son had read the book and was ready to make peace with his father. for the WWF. One that stands out was his rivalry with Bruno Sammartino in the early 1960s. Ironically, during his WWWF stint, he was managed by another former wrestler who had recently become a manager, in the form of Captain Lou Albano. He came up with it back in his carnival days, when describing a literal carnival geek -- as in, a performer who bites the heads off of chickens -- who had a slender neck. From there, he moved on to become a regular writer, contributor, and reporter for WWE. [9], In 1968, Blassie returned to Japan and was reunited with Miyako. In addition to his pro wrestling notoriety, Classy Freddie Blassie also has some amusing notability in wider pop culture. In the late 1960s, he moved to the East Coast and the World-Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF, later the World Wresting Federation (WWF) and now World Wrestling Entertainment WWE)). In 1964, Blassie once again captured the WWA World title for the third time (again from Carpentier), but upon losing to Dick The Bruiser in April, he headed to the newly minted World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF). *Blassie also told Greenberg that women used to come up to him on the street and gawk at him because he was Gods gift to women! He hated his father for it. When the wife of WWEs Chairman and CEOhad heard about this, she accosted Blassie saying, "I didnt even realize you had any kids!". The two of them had a great relationship off-camera, but because kayfabe was well and truly protected during this time in the business unless you were on the inside, you never were to know that a heel and face got along in real life. *The 100 deaths claim was an exaggerated myth that Blassie used. Keith Elliot Greenberg has been doing his part to preserve professional wrestling history for the past few decades. Blassie would eventually come to be known as a manager (see below) in WWE, but in the 1960s and 1970s, he actually wrestled for the promotion, back then known as the World Wide Wrestling Federation. Learn how and when to remove this template message, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=My_Breakfast_with_Blassie&oldid=1107033235, Articles needing additional references from June 2021, All articles needing additional references, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 27 August 2022, at 19:43. He bleached his hair and quickly became a heel's heel, outraging crowds by gleefully breaking every rule in the book. ", In this particular story, Blassie won a match by count-out in Roosevelt Stadium when he kicked Sammartino in the breadbasket while the referee was distracted. In the segment he is interviewed by "Mean" Gene Okerlund when the two are interrupted by a little old lady in a housekeeper outfit that Blassie claims to be his own mother. Occasionally, he would get too close to the action and get beaten up himself, much to the crowd's delight. Hed continue being a heel, managing a number of bad guys like George The Animal Steele, Hercules, and Blackjack Mulligan. [4] He is regarded as one of the greatest wrestling heels, or villains, of all time. One poll ranked him as the most hated wrestler in the United States. Some wrestlers choose to play a villain as a way of promoting their career, while others are forced to by their promoters. wrestled as a dark-haired good guy until he found out that the "heels" He had been in poor health for quite a while, and it was as if he wanted to wait to get his story out before he passed on. Federation (WWWF, later the World Wresting Federation (WWF) and now This film article about a 1980s comedy is a stub. He spent his time in the Missouri territory, working mainly in St. Louis and Kansas City, but when the U.S. entered the Second World War, he enlisted in 1942 and joined the U.S. Navy, where he spent four years (42 months) in combat in the U.S. battles in the Pacific. [6] He performed for that promotion until his full retirement from professional wrestling in 1986. Blassie would gain even more gold when Volkoff and Sheik defeated The US Express for the WWF Tag Team Championship at the first ever Wrestlemania. He delivered a rousing speech, dramatically standing up from his wheelchair to get the WWE-loyal wrestlers pumped up for the next battle. Courtesy of the award-winning WWE Network.. He did an advice segment on the ''Tuesday Night Titans'' TV program, made personal appearances and did radio interviews. Lanny stated that though Freddie Blassie never knew how to save his money well, he always had enough since he was never a drinker and saved a lot of money in that regard. His heels were always a bit more exotic and meaner than most. [24], In the early 1990s, the wrestler starred in a documentary directed by Jeff Krulik, titled Mr. Blassie Goes To Washington. Still a motormouth, he gave interviews in which he bragged about himself and his protgs and denounced anybody he didn't like as a "pencil necked geek". One poll ranked him as the most hated wrestler in the United He was feuding with a wrestler known as The Geek who had a neck like a stack of dimes, making him a literal pencil neck geek. [3], Upon Blassie's return from the war, he was billed as "Sailor" Fred Blassie to capitalize on the wave of war-time patriotism sweeping the country, but that gimmick was unsuccessful. It was also during this period of his career when he dropped his babyface gimmick and became a full-fledged heel. The widow of pro-wrestling villain "Classy" Freddie Blassie got thrown for a fall by a supermarket floor mat. Freddie Blassie Height 5'10" Weight 220 lbs Hometown St. Louis Signature Move Stomach Claw Career Highlights 1994 WWE Hall of Fame Inductee Freddie Blassie: Bio "Classy" Freddie Blassie is one of the most memorable Superstars to ever set foot inside the squared circle. Between matches, he gave loud and boastful interviews, making him a favorite of talk shows and reportedly influencing a fellow egomaniac then known as Cassius Clay. In this match Hogan was once again victorious. Classy Freddie Blassie knew how to get heat and anger fans. Blassie also mastered the television interview, boasting his superiority over other wrestlers he liked to call ''pencil-neck geeks.'' (1965 - 1968)( divorced), Nettie Needles (September 1942 - 1964)( divorced)( 3 children). Had some great matches with Rikidozan & even back in the late 60s he was over bigtime as a heel. The Rock for the WWF Title)", "TJR Retro: WWE Royal Rumble 2000 Review (The Rock wins Rumble, Triple H vs. Cactus Jack)", "Freddie Blassie - Dick Van Dyke Show - 1962", "My Breakfast with Blassie: An appreciation", NWA North American Heavyweight Title (Hawaii version) history, NWA Southern Heavyweight Title (Florida) history, NWA World Tag Team Title (Florida) history, NWA International Tag Team Title (Georgia) history, NWA Southern Heavyweight Title (Georgia) history, NWA World Tag Team Title (Georgia) history, "NWA Hall of Fame Class for 2011 announced", WWA International Television Tag Team Title history, NWA Southern Junior Heavyweight Title history, Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum Inductees, 1853 Shepherd Circle SW, Blassie's Atlanta home (1960), 1950 Campbellton Road SW, Blassies Atlanta home (1966), WWE Hall of Fame Profile of Freddie Blassie, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Freddie_Blassie&oldid=1142698000, NWA World Tag Team Champions (Florida version), Professional wrestling managers and valets, United States Navy personnel of World War II, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Pages using infobox military person with embed, Articles with disputed statements from February 2023, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, The Mysterious Medics (Mysterious Medic #1 and Mysterious Medic #2), This page was last edited on 3 March 2023, at 22:16. Looking to talk wrestling, pro football, or any number of sports? He has written several wrestling biographies including Freddie Blassies The Legends of Wrestling, Ric Flairs To Be The Man, "Superstar" Billy Grahams Tangled Ropes,and the unreleased biography of The Iron Sheik which, despite being chockful of stories that would be sure to make your jaw drop, will never see the light of day. Fred Blassie was born and raised in the St. Louis, Missouri, area. In the 1970s, Blassie recorded a number of novelty songs, including Pencil Neck Geek, which became a cult favorite via Dr. Dementos radio show, which specializes in sharing wacky tracks. In March of 1962, Blassie lost the WWA World title to Rikidozan, and for the next four months, Blassie competed in Japan, determined to regain his title from the Japanese wrestling innovator. Freddie Blassie retired as an active wrestler in 1974 in part because of the difficulty of securing a wrestling license . "Classy" Freddie Blassie also made a cameo appearance as himself, along with "Wrestling's Living Legend" Bruno Sammartino, and Ric Flair in the 1986 film Body Slam starring Dirk Benedict, "Captain" Lou Albano, and "Rowdy" Roddy Piper. He achieved the rank of Petty Officer (Second Class) before he was discharged. , money, salary, income, and assets. "Bruno always had a huge entourage hanging around him," Greenberg wrote in "Classy" Freddie Blassie The Legends of Wrestling. [6] Afterwards he became a manager in the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) and its subsequent incarnation the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). By using this site, you agree to the legal terms set out in ourDisclaimer, Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Disclosure. Fred Blassie would meet his wife, a Japanese actress.. November 15, 1968: Fred Blassie defeated Buddy Austin in a "Stretcher" match in the Olympic Stadium.. Lynne Margulies, who would later become Kaufman's girlfriend, plays a role; in fact, she and Kaufman met for the first time on camera. In order to impress a girl, he entered a carnival show match in a shoot fight and won. One of Blassies most notable clients during his run with WWE, however, was Hulk Hogan, who he managed as soon as Hogan debuted in the company in 1979. He won the World Wrestling Association world heavyweight championship from the Frenchman douard Carpentier at the Los Angeles Sports Arena in 1961. Stay tuned to theLast Word on Pro Wrestlingfor more on this and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. "No. On an episode of WWF Championship Wrestling, Blassie barged into the announcer booth to proclaim that he had sold half of the contracts of Sheik and Volkoff to a mysterious benefactor for a large sum of money. [2] During that same title reign, in a match against Lord James Blears a fan threw acid on his back, and he had to return immediately to the locker room to wash it off; over the course of his career, he was also stabbed 21 times and lost vision in his right eye after being struck by a thrown hard-boiled egg. Fred Blassie was born and raised in the St. Louis, Missouri, area. [8] His final wrestling appearance was May 12, 2003 in Philadelphia on Raw, three weeks before his death. Blassie would turn heel during this period, developing a lot of the characteristics that hed become known for. [3], In 1953, he worked in the Atlanta, territory for Paul Jones (the wrestler of the 1930s, not the wrestler/manager of the 1980s). ", to a monstrous applause. He, Albano, and "The Grand Wizard of Wrestling" (Ernie Roth) formed the WWWF's "Evil Trinity" of heel managers. Managed by "Loud", Countless World Wrestling Federation TV and Pay Per View Ads. Born in 1918 to German parents who escaped World War I, Blassie took up boxing as a teenager, but found a growing interest in wrestling and actually snuck into matches, eventually befriending catch wrestlers and learning holds from them. Around 1980, he adopted a new moniker: "Ayatollah Blassie." Funeral services will be held at noon Friday at Hitchcock Presbyterian Church in Scarsdale, N.Y. She . . Im not implying that Bruno would ever have any dealings with the mafia on his own. [7], After the US entered World War II, Blassie enlisted in the Navy and served in the Pacific Theater for 42 months. Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. He kept track of all of his matches during his career, including personal anecdotes. A child of two German immigrants, Freddie Blassie was born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1918. [9] However, they eventually consented and Miyako returned with Blassie to the United States; they were married on September 30, 1968. Accounts about his early athletic career do not quite agree, but he first tried to make his mark as a boxer, despite warnings that his arms were too short. @megantheevalium. Lanny said that if a wrestler had a bottle of cologne in their bag, or even rubbing alcohol, Jerry Graham would take it out and drink it. Freddie accomplished that goal and did so in grand style, as only he could. He bleached his hair and quickly became a Accounts about his early athletic career do not quite agree, but he first tried to make his mark as a boxer, despite warnings that his arms were too short. RELATED: 10 Managers With The Best Claim To Be On A Wrestling Mount Rushmore. Vince McMahon interviews "Classy" Freddie Blassie & Nikolai Volkoff | WWE [9][6], On June 2, 2003, Blassie died of heart and kidney failure at the age of 85. He joined the Navy at the start of World War II and started wrestling under the name of Sailor Fred Blassie while stationed at Port Hueneme in California. "Classy" Freddie Blassie with Keith Elliot Greenberg, NWA Georgia Southern Heavyweight Championship, WWWF United States Heavyweight Championship, NWA North American Heavyweight Championship, NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship, North American Wrestling Alliance/Worldwide Wrestling Associates/ NWA Hollywood Wrestling, WWA International Television Tag Team Championship, NWA Southern Junior Heavyweight Championship, Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum, Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame, "Classy Freddie Blassie was pro wrestling's 'Fashion Plate', "Before The Client List: "Classy" Freddie Blassie", "Blassie toast of Cauliflower Alley Club", "WWF WrestleMania XV Results - 3/28/99 (Stone Cold vs. The rematches were held at Madison Square Garden in New York, with Sammartino winning out. [22] In the demonstration of the dance, Blassie picked up Rob Petrie and twirled him over his head. )[8] The movies title and premise are parodies of the 1981 art-house classic My Dinner with Andre.[23]. He married his first wife Nettie Needles while on shore leave during the war. You can watch him on Autopsy: The Last Hours of on Reelz in the United States and Channel 5 in Great Britain. [6] Blassie described this performer as "having a neck like a stack of dimes and a real pencil-neck geek". Greenbergs memoir on Freddie Blassie was released just three weeks before he died in 2003. According to Greenberg, Gorgeous George, towards the end of his career, wanted to form a tag team with Blassie. He is from USA. egomaniac then known as Cassius Clay. were too short. A child of two German immigrants, Freddie Blassie was born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1918. After four decades, trainer Ed Moger gets his first Triple Crown starter, An exclusive look at details of Chip Kellys two-year contract extension from UCLA, His shoe game is pretty tight. Why Dodgers hope Miguel Rojas play matches his swag, Rats in the laundry? In 1950, he had his first challenge for the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship, facing championLou Theszin Kentucky. Vampire". As time goes on, many older wrestlers begin to fade out of the collective memory of wrestling, especially if their primary in-ring work happened before WWE began its takeover of the sport in the 1980s. Hed also engage in big title feuds with serious GOATs like Japans Rikidozan and Americas Lou Thesz, both of whom are considered among the most influential wrestlers of all time. During his time on the West Coast, he was a frequent guest and/or interruption on a local show hosted by Regis Philben, and Blassies appearances thanks to his massive appeal as a wrestling draw helped push Philben into a national celebrity. He lives in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, with his wife and son. Because of his close relationship with Vince McMahon, Sr. and his family, Blassie remained on the WWF payroll until the day he died. Sadly, the gimmick was a bomb, and Blassie jumped around territories, including working in New York City for Jess McMahon (grandfather of Vince McMahon Jr.). (1965 - 1968)( divorced), Nettie Needles (September 1942 - 1964)( divorced)( 3 children). Who Is Freddie Blassie's Wife? As a wrestling manager, wore shirts and trousers of the exact same color, sometimes with a matching jacket. By doing this, he saved Freddie Blassies life. Poffo, at first, played it small and declined. He also began filing his teeth, transitioning from Sailor to The Vampire, as his spiked teeth became effective tools in biting his opponents, creating a macabre presentation and early influence on the hardcore side of pro-wrestling. He liked to use a variety of names but had trouble gaining the affection of fans who gravitated toward the likes of Lou Thesz and Gorgeous George. He was now hooked, and he decided that pro wrestling was his destiny and not his backbreaking work in the meatpacking plant. According to Dave Meltzer, "legitimately there were three [deaths] in Japan from elderly men watching a match with Togo in Japan, and it became this myth that [Freddie Blassie] exaggerated.". Recommended:The Time WWE Hall of Famer DR. JERRY GRAHAM Kidnapped His Mothers Dead Body. My Breakfast with Blassie is a 1983 film starring Andy Kaufman and professional wrestler "Classy" Freddie Blassie. "Classy" Freddie Blassie is a legendary wrestling personality, both as a wrestler and a manager. During this time, he went to New York City to work for promoter Jess McMahon. [2][14] Blassie also managed Muhammad Ali in his boxer vs. wrestler match in 1976 against Antonio Inoki. After the war, Blassie returned to the Midwest and continued wrestling professionally. Blassie held various regional titles, Walton said, including the WWA World Title on five separate occasions, the Americas Heavyweight Title nine times and tag team belts with various partners over the years. [3][8][9], In 1960, Blassie returned to Strongbow's promotion in Los Angeles, where he was a big star for Worldwide Wrestling Associates (WWA) of southern California, drawing many fans to the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. After being pounded by a longer-limbed opponent, he If you're not from the midwest you're not allowed to have an opinion on this. It made Japanese wrestling a commodity on the West Coast and had given Rikidozan the credibility of conquering America. The Real Housewives of Atlanta The Bachelor Sister Wives 90 Day Fiance Wife Swap The Amazing Race Australia Married at First Sight The Real Housewives of Dallas My 600-lb Life Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. One of Blassie's gimmicks was to file his teeth, and draw blood from his opponents by biting their foreheads. He won the WWA World Heavyweight Wrestling Championship from French star Edouard Carpentier at the L.A. Sports Arena in 1961. After a 39-year in-ring career in the sport, Blassie retired as a wrestler as a 4x WWA World Heavyweight Champion, a 17x NWA Georgia Southern Heavyweight Champion, NWA Junior Heavyweight Champion, as well as dozens more regional titles in multiple NWA territories. A wildly popular villain in the 1950s, 60s and 70s, he later managed other wrestlers, including then-bad guy Hulk Hogan and the ever-evil Iron Sheik. (bad guys) got better pay. (and of course, Bubba Ray and D-Von take care of Bischoff and his cronies). For example, in the 1970s, he took on Cowboy Bill Watts, whod become a promoter and booker for Mid-South Wrestling and WCW. Inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2004. Of course, these mobsters thought he was putting them down for real. My Breakfast with Blassie was conceived of by Linda Lautrec and Johnny Legend as a satire on My Dinner with Andre. In it, Blassie is picked up at the Washington, D.C., airport by a limo full of young women, escorted around the nation's capital, gives his opinions and confronts tourists. It is a mostly improvised parody of the art film My Dinner with Andre and is set in a Sambo's restaurant where Kaufman and Blassie have a discussion over breakfast. Blassies father was a heavy alcoholic and was abusive towards his beloved mother. On a mid-July 2001 episode of Raw, the Invasion storyline was in full swing, and Blassie was brought in to motivate the WWE in the face of their ongoing war with the WCW/ECW Alliance. "That's why he was 'Classy' Freddie Blassie." Blassie originally wrestled After being pounded by a longer-limbed opponent, he switched to professional wrestling. Moto-1964 and w/Buddy Austin-1967); NWA America's Heavyweight championships (5); Georgia Heavyweight title; "Beat The Champ" TV Title; NWA America's Brass Knuckles Title. In 1973, knee problems largely forced Blassie to stop wrestling personally, though he occasionally donned the tights to tag-team with one of his heels, as he did in Madison Square Garden in June 1974, teaming with the hulking Nikolai Volkoff to face then-champ Bruno Sammartino and Chief Jay Strongbow in a tag team match (Blassie was forced to submit for the final fall by a Bruno bearhug, and the fans almost tore the Garden's roof off). You hit a guy in the neck. Despite that, Blassie ended the year by leaving WWWF and returning to Los Angeles and the WWA. Hed also regularly tag with Gorilla Monsoon, another wrestler better known for his non-wrestling roles.
Dhs Personal Assistant Pay Schedule 2021,
Kirkwood Softball Coach,
My Fair Wedding Where Are They Now,
Peach Haze Strain,
New Smog Laws In California 2022,
Articles F