After Blassie lost the WWA World Heavyweight Championship to Rikidzan in Los Angeles, the two had a rematch on live Japanese television. Using his newfound skills, Blassie became a wrestler starting in the carnival circuit, debuting in 1935 but taking a break in the 1940s to fight in World War II. Inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2004. Jamie Greer joined LWOPW in 2015 and was the site's Managing Editor from 2016 through 2020. G&K did not respond to calls for comment. Had some great matches with Rikidozan & even back in the late 60s he was over bigtime as a heel. Funeral services will be held at noon Friday at Hitchcock Presbyterian Church in Scarsdale, N.Y. Prep Rally is devoted to the SoCal high school sports experience, bringing you scores, stories and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes prep sports so popular. His career began in earnest after his service in the United States Navy during World War II. Blassie originally wrestled mainly in the Southeast and West Coast, winning many titles in both. [4] But while his US in-ring career ended (while still working for WWWF), he remained employed by WWWF and became a manager instead. 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. His matches with Freddie Blassie were legendary. [3] As an adult, Frederick was a teetotaler. For example, in the 1970s, he took on Cowboy Bill Watts, whod become a promoter and booker for Mid-South Wrestling and WCW. [2][14] Blassie also managed Muhammad Ali in his boxer vs. wrestler match in 1976 against Antonio Inoki. Tolos moved first to Vancouver, where he married his wife Ingrid in 1967 (they later divorced), then worked his way south until he reached Los Angeles. [6] His knees were also in terrible condition, which also contributed to his retirement. JP Zarka created Pro Wrestling Stories in May 2015. Frederick Kenneth Blassie (February 8, 1918 - June 2, 2003), better known as "Classy" Freddie Blassie, was an American professional wrestling villain and manager born in St. Louis, Missouri. 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". After managing Sheik through a brief feud with Andre the Giant, he also became the manager of Nikolai Volkoff, with Sheik and Volkoff later becoming a tag team. While there, he feuded with Soulman Rocky Johnson, The Sheik, and "The Golden Greek" John Tolos. He triggered heart attack-related deaths in Japan, was stabbed by angry fans 21 times and was once doused with acid! Occasionally, he would get too close to the action and get beaten up himself, much to the crowd's delight. Recommended:The Night Bruno Sammartino Saved Freddie Blassies Life, Lanny Poffo, speaking to his friend Keith Elliot Greenberg on The Genius Cast, shared the story of the time he and Freddie Blassie were in Hawaii in 1968. Blassie is survived by his wife, Miyako, and three children. It was also during this period of his career when he dropped his babyface gimmick and became a full-fledged heel. When Gene Okerlund confronted Blassie in an interview after the match, Blassie said, "what cane, I didn't have no cane!". 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. So, how much is Freddie Blassie worth at the age of 85 years old? . [6] In later years, Blassie also appeared on The Mike Douglas Show when Philbin was a guest host. On top of that, hed take on English legend Billy Robinson, WWE Champion Superstar Billy Graham, and legendary masked heel wrestler Destroyer. The closest I ever saw him to loosing the mask was against Cowboy Bob Ellis, I believe in the mid 60's. I can still remember old Dick Lane calling the action. PWSTees.com Your favorite Pro Wrestling Stories, on a tee! After being pounded by a longer-limbed opponent, he switched to professional wrestling. 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. He even managed Muhammad Ali going into his legendary match with Antonio Inoki. He briefly turned face in 1989, making an appearance on Prime Time Wrestling angry with Bobby Heenan over money Heenan hadn't paid him back. He graduated from McKinley High School and began work at a meatpacking plant. Courtesy of the award-winning WWE Network.. Fred Blassie was born and raised in the St. Louis, Missouri, area. 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. He joined the Navy at the start of World War II and started wrestling initially under the name of Sailor Fred Blassie while stationed at Port Hueneme. 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). Managed by "Loud" Lou Albano, Blassie continued his winning ways, but never won the WWWF's championship. comes a time when every man must fight for that he believes in. He delivered a rousing speech, dramatically standing up from his wheelchair to get the WWE-loyal wrestlers pumped up for the next battle. Blassies father was a heavy alcoholic and was abusive towards his beloved mother. One of the men was Jilly Rizzo, Frank Sinatras number one sidekick and the owner of his own saloon. Freddie Blassie, the silver-maned . , money, salary, income, and assets. Linda Lautrec and Andy Kaufman loosely scripted the film over several months late at night on the telephone. He was 85. He bleached his hair and quickly became a heel's heel, outraging crowds by gleefully breaking every rule in the book. "That's why he was 'Classy' Freddie Blassie." [6] Afterwards he became a manager in the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) and its subsequent incarnation the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). Managed by "Loud", Countless World Wrestling Federation TV and Pay Per View Ads. Frederick Kenneth Blassman [2] (February 8, 1918 - June 2, 2003) was an American professional wrestler and manager, known by the ring name " Classy " Freddie Blassie. Since his retirement, he has occasionally worked as a "goodwill ambassador" (!) He also bleached his hair at this time, as many of the other stars of the era did, such as Gorgeous George, Johnny Valentine, and "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers. Hed continue being a heel, managing a number of bad guys like George The Animal Steele, Hercules, and Blackjack Mulligan. Blassie, well-known for exaggerating a story or two, stated that when he was wrestling Rikidozan in Japan, 100 Japanese wrestling fans dropped dead of heart attacks because the matches were so gory. He bleached his hair and quickly became a heel's heel, outraging crowds by gleefully breaking every rule in the book. He retired from competition in the late 1970s to manage a new generation of gladiators such as Hulk Hogan. WWE Confidential presents a feature on the life and times of the fashion plate of professional wrestling, "Classy" Freddie Blassie. However, Blassie said he would toss his drink in the sand if he didnt drink it, so Lanny took the offer. [7], His career continued as he was hired by more established promoters, including Tom Packs in St. Louis and George Simpson in Kansas City. Freddie Blassie decided to stop being a fixture of wrestling in 1986 but was no stranger to making the odd guest appearance. [6] Blassie lost the title to Rikidzan on March 28, 1962.[9]. him a favorite of talk shows and reportedly influencing a fellow Blassie, whose late hubby [inset] was known for his gravel-voiced put-down pencil-neck geek, claims to have suffered excruciating pain in the January 2011 tumble, which broke her right wrist, and permanent scarring from a cut eyebrow. At an early age, Blassie was enamored with pro wrestling, particularly the "shooters" of the early era of pro wrestling in the 1930s, and would often sneak into a local gym to watch the technical masters stretch and submit their opponents. 10 Wrestling Book Must Reads and 5 You Dont Want To Waste Your Time On, Classy" Freddie Blassie The Legends of Wrestling, The Night Bruno Sammartino Saved Freddie Blassies Life, The Time WWE Hall of Famer DR. JERRY GRAHAM Kidnapped His Mothers Dead Body, Freddie Blassie, Lou Albano, and "The Fossil Jostle" Atrocity in 85, Roddy Piper: From The Streets to the Big Time, Bruno Sammartino and Buddy Rogers The 1963 WWWF Title Screwjob, Disclaimer, Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Disclosure. 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. Blassie was a regular on the WWWF's "All-Star Wrestling" and "Championship Wrestling" weekly TV shows that were videotaped at small arenas in Pennsylvania and aired throughout the Northeast. 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. 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. ", "Heres some money," Blassie would say. This resulted in a weak relationship between the two. In that storyline, he is menaced by Eric Bischoff and his henchmen, before calling on the Dudley Brothers to "Get the tables!" Backstage, Jilly Rizzo club owner, Frank Sinatra's bodyguard, and . "Everything had to be the best with him," Miyako told WWE.com. 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. RELATED: 10 Performers Who Were Great As Both A Wrestler & Manager. in their 1992 song about Kaufman, "Man on the Moon". [6] His cousin John Frank Holaus often refereed his matches. A child of two German immigrants, Freddie Blassie was born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1918. [6] Blassie described this performer as "having a neck like a stack of dimes and a real pencil-neck geek". He finally defeated Rikidozan and won back his title at a WWA event in Los Angeles but it had served his purpose. [7], After the US entered World War II, Blassie enlisted in the Navy and served in the Pacific Theater for 42 months. egomaniac then known as Cassius Clay. Even more important than that, Blassie would make a change that would make him an icon. The nastier he was in the ring, the more popular he became to fans. As a German descent American, he was often faced with questions of loyalty, despite marrying a Jewish woman. [21] The segment featured Blassie, his wife, and Raw co-General Manager Eric Bischoff, who was about to allow 3 Minute Warning to attack him, until Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Dudley Boyz stepped in. He would become a frequent foe of Morales throughout the rest of his in-ring career in WWWF. During this time, he went to New York City to work for promoter Jess McMahon. By doing this, he saved Freddie Blassies life. Returning to the WWA, Blassie began feuding with the likes of Bobo Brazil, Mil Mascaras, and others, as well as teaming with another known violent savage, Mad Dog Vachon. With Andy Kaufman, Freddie Blassie, Laurie Burton, Linda Hirsch. His penchant for biting opponents earned him the nickname "The [10] He was so hated there that uniformed police officers were regularly brought in to protect him as he made his way to and from the ring. Discover Freddie Blassie's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Freddie Blassie, the silver-maned wrestler with a voice from the depths of the earth who made himself a hero to mat fans in the 1950s and 60s by playing the villain, has died. Freddie Blassie managed many heels to success, including the team of The Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff, who would win the World Tag Team Titles from US Express thanks to Blassies delivering a strategic shot with his cane. Following his 1986 on-camera retirement (he remained an executive for the WWE), still made occasional on-camera appearances since then, and his last came on "WWE Raw" in May, just a few weeks before his death (to promote his newly-released biography, "Listen, You Pencil Neck Geeks"). 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. Occasionally, he would get too close to the action and get beaten up himself, much to the crowd's delight. You pencil neck geek! For those who were brought up on pro wrestling in the 1980s and 1990s, one of the most colorful managers of the day was WWF stalwart, Classy Freddie Blassie. 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. This benefactor was later revealed to be Slick. My Breakfast with Blassie is a 1983 film starring Andy Kaufman and professional wrestler "Classy" Freddie Blassie. [3], In 1952, Blassie moved to Los Angeles to work for Jules Strongbow. We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 8 February. the late 1960s, he moved to the East Coast and the World-Wide Wrestling [8], Blassie appeared in an episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show that featured a new dance craze called The Twizzle. News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. One poll ranked him as the most hated wrestler in the United I think Dick Lane was as good as Gordon Solie in his day. You hit a guy in the neck. And more wrestling fans definite need to know about the. Of course, these mobsters thought he was putting them down for real. Born Fred Blassman in St. Louis, Blassie played baseball and football in high school. [7] Later, he received regular work wrestling at local carnivals. The World's Most Entertaining Car Website. [8] In 2001, Blassie appeared in a special July 16, 2001 Raw is War segment for the Invasion storyline, wherein he exhorted a gathering of WWF wrestlers to stand tall against The Alliance and later got mocked by Alliance leaders Shane and Stephanie McMahon. However, later that year Blassie suffered from kidney stones and had surgery to remove them. 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. The professional wrestler Freddie Blassie, who became a cult figure to fans by playing the villain inside the ring during the 1950's and 1960's, died Monday. Freddie Blassie. Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. He felt this was his chance to tell his life story before moving on. Why FREDDIE BLASSIE Was So Great f/ WRESTLINGBIOS - YouTube DAVE KNOWS that Classy Freddie Blassie is a Pro Wrestling legend. According to Walton, Blassies biggest achievement came Aug. 27, 1971, when he met and defeated Canadian wrestler Golden Greek John Tolos at the Coliseum before 25,000 wrestling fans. [7] As the wrestlers became familiar with him, they began teaching him holds. One of Blassie's gimmicks was to file his teeth, and draw blood from his opponents by biting their foreheads. Blassie originally wrestled 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 did an advice segment on the ''Tuesday Night Titans'' TV program, made personal appearances and did radio interviews. So when I saw this book I had to get it and read it. [8] The fans consistently booed him because he was considered a "Yankee". 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? Zach Eflin And Wife On Yacht Wallpaper. He kept track of all of his matches during his career, including personal anecdotes. * Blassie also told Greenberg that women used to come up to him on the street and gawk at him because he was God's gift to women! But for nearly 40 years, Fred Blassie was an in-ring talent who ruled the West Coast, a multi-time World Champion, and one of the most feared villains in pro wrestling history. Blassie's interference at Wrestlemania 2 cost Volkoff his match with Kirchner, when the cane was grabbed by Kirchner instead of Volkoff. Blassie wrestled as a dark-haired good guy until he found out that the "heels" (bad guys) got better pay. Recommended:The Time WWE Hall of Famer DR. JERRY GRAHAM Kidnapped His Mothers Dead Body. [4] In 1998, Blassie was the winner at the fourth annual Cauliflower Alley Club East Coast Banquet. Fred Blassie had a shocking heel turn during his stint in Georgia, which led to him becoming an extremely hated wrestler! Following a stint in the California wrestling scene, Freddie Blassie headed southeast to the Georgia territories in the 1950s, where he would enjoy a whopping 17 reigns with the big title of the region, the NWA Georgia Southern Heavyweight Championship between 1954 and 1960. He became less the focal point of WWA, and soon began working more NWA territories, as he spread his wings into enemy territory. "The Fashion Plate of Wrestling" Freddie Blassie calls his interviewer and the fans "pencil neck geeks" and shows why he will always be remembered as one of the greatest managers in WWE history. The series began at Roosevelt Stadium, Jersey City, New Jersey in 1964, with Blassie winning on a technicality, but not a pin. [13][6][dubious discuss], While touring Japan in 1965, and by this point divorced, Blassie met the woman who would eventually become his third wife, Miyako Morozumi, at a train station. Blassie came into the WWWF with his own world title belt, claiming to be the Pacific World Champion, and was coming to Sammartino's "back yard" to unify the world title. If you're not from the midwest you're not allowed to have an opinion on this. 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. Blassie originally wrestled mainly in the Southeast and West Coast, winning many titles in both. Blassie also resented "Superstar" Billy Graham, at first, due to his association with Dr. Jerry Graham, who in kayfabe was Billys older brother. "Classy" Freddie Blassie appeared in a live-action segment of the cartoon "Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling." Freddie Blassie, 85, died of heart failure on June 2, 2003. The widow of pro-wrestling villain "Classy" Freddie Blassie got thrown for a fall by a supermarket floor mat. In 1961, he defeated Eduoard Carpentier for the WWA World Heavyweight Championship, a title that held prominence in the pro-wrestling world, since WWA was an outlaw territory outside the realm of the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA). He married his first wife Nettie Needles while on shore leave during the war. As Greenberg shares it, Bruno used to have many people follow him around in the back, many of which were purported to be in the mob. his service in the United States Navy during World War II. 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). Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Lakers playoff hopes take another hit after comeback fades vs. Minnesota, Ducks strike with a pair of late power-play goals to defeat Canadiens, With Norman Powell out, Clippers are edged at Sacramento for fifth loss in a row, Desperate mountain residents trapped by snow beg for help; We are coming, sheriff says, Newsom, IRS give Californians until October to file tax returns, 15 arrested across L.A. County in crackdown on fraudulent benefit cards, UCLAs senior trio has persevered in restoring the Bruins to national prominence, UCLA stuns top-seeded Stanford in Pac-12 womens basketball tournament semifinals, Harvard-Westlakes Bryce Rainer fires out 92-mph fastballs in first start since 2021, Hes taken the next step: How Boogie Ellis found his game as USCs point guard, Even after Gavin Lux injury, Andrew Friedman hints at patient approach with roster, Elliott: After trading away Jonathan Quick, Kings make more deals ahead of trade deadline, Hidden, illegal casinos are booming in L.A., with organized crime reaping big profits, Look up: The 32 most spectacular ceilings in Los Angeles, Elliott: Kings use their heads over hearts in trading Jonathan Quick, This fabled orchid breeder loves to chat just not about Trader Joes orchids. Blassie was a contemporary of six-time NWA world champion Thesz, who died in 2002 at the age of 86. A child of two German immigrants, Freddie Blassie was born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1918. Blassie, Murray wrote, has dedicated his life to wrapping up as much hate as one man can safely carry in a lifetime. 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. Who Is Freddie Blassie's Wife? Sportswriter Jim Murray called him the worst villain since Hitler in a 1961 column in The Times. What did Disney actually lose from its Florida battle with DeSantis? It was in the latter that he decided to embrace his villainous side, bleaching his hair blonde like Gorgeous George. Vampire". Greenbergs memoir on Freddie Blassie was released just three weeks before he died in 2003. This movie got together because the man who produced wrestling manager and former wrestling champion Fred Blassie's novelty song, "Pencil-Neck Geek", Johnny Legend, wanted to film a very cheap parody of the awful art movie My Dinner with Andre, and decided that Blassie's young friend and protege, the eccentric comedian Andy Kaufman would be the . RELATED: 10 All-Time Greats You Forgot Had Managers. [8] Blassie also appeared in a segment at the Vengeance pay-per-view event in December 2001, where an "undisputed" champion would be crowned.
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