Looking to talk wrestling, pro football, or any number of sports? Freddie Blassie, Pro Wrestler Popular as Villain, Dies at 85, https://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/08/sports/freddie-blassie-pro-wrestler-popular-as-villain-dies-at-85.html. [10] He had main event-level feuds against stars such as The Destroyer. Born: 1921. At the age of 13, after Jacob had beaten Anna again, Frederick threatened his father with a baseball bat; instead he lived with his aunt for six months until his mother asked him to return home. "Bruno always had a huge entourage hanging around him," Greenberg wrote in "Classy" Freddie Blassie The Legends of Wrestling. His heels were always a bit more exotic and meaner than most. News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. The widow of pro-wrestling villain "Classy" Freddie Blassie got thrown for a fall by a supermarket floor mat. [3][8] In 1983, Rhino Records released a 14-track album by Blassie, titled I Bite the Songs. "Typical Italian stunt! Freddie Blassie Also known as Fred Blassie, Fred McDaniel Overview Career Career highlights Titles Matches Match Statistics Matchguide Feuds Promos Tournaments Tag Teams & Stables Entourage Awards Books Wrestling Games Movies Commentary Career Ratings Comments Matches Displaying items 1 to 100 of total 1631 items that match the search parameters. Blassie also was seen with the comedian Andy Kaufman in ''My Breakfast With Blassie,'' a 1983 spoof of ''My Dinner With Andre.''. Blassie would show Greenberg dozens of notebooks with "beautiful cursive handwriting." Gross tubs? Around 1980, he adopted a new moniker: "Ayatollah Blassie. He also reportedly excelled as a boxer. The two spoke the same dialect of German, their parents had mutual friends, and . Bruno had gotten so famous that he couldnt always pick the boneheads from the rest. [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. [3][23] (The film was referenced by American rock band R.E.M. In addition to his pro wrestling notoriety, Classy Freddie Blassie also has some amusing notability in wider pop culture. Despite being a 7-year pro before his duty in World War II, Blassie was still a journeyman. (1965 - 1968)( divorced), Nettie Needles (September 1942 - 1964)( divorced)( 3 children). He continued to outrage crowds by distracting referees so that his men could cheat and by getting in his own cheap shots when the refs weren't looking. He returned again in 1990 briefly to do color commentary for Prime Time in April with Vince McMahon, as an emergency fill-in after Tony Schiavone quit, playing a heel once again. Blassie wrestled as a dark-haired good guy until he found out that the "heels" (bad guys) got better pay. He grabs his balls!" 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. He was 85. ", "Heres some money," Blassie would say. By doing this, he saved Freddie Blassies life. [6] Blassie described this performer as "having a neck like a stack of dimes and a real pencil-neck geek". WWE Confidential presents a feature on the life and times of the fashion plate of professional wrestling, "Classy" Freddie Blassie. RELATED: 10 Managers With The Best Claim To Be On A Wrestling Mount Rushmore. This story has been shared 104,709 times. [20] Because of this, Blassie is one of, if not the only man to have worked with all four generations of the McMahon family. He delivered a rousing speech, dramatically standing up from his wheelchair to get the WWE-loyal wrestlers pumped up for the next battle. Hed also regularly tag with Gorilla Monsoon, another wrestler better known for his non-wrestling roles. Between matches, he gave loud and boastful interviews, making Using a variety of names, he wrestled the top performers of the day including Lou Thesz and Gorgeous George, but did not reach their level of popularity. Lanny approached Blassie, who always had three girls with him, saying he "needed some relief. 3 Saving Freddie Blassie Thanks To Kayfabe. Freddie Blassie, 85, died of heart failure on June 2, 2003. He retired from competition in the late 1970s to manage a new generation of gladiators such as Hulk Hogan. He's also written for Pro Wrestling Illustrated, WrestleZone, The Windsor Star, and other publications. His career began in earnest after Hell, the article is entitled "Freddie Blassie - The Truth (and Somewhere In-Between)" for crying out loud. Blassie is survived by his wife, Miyako, and three children. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. Federation (WWWF, later the World Wresting Federation (WWF) and now While writingThe Legends of Wrestling, Greenberg got to know Freddie Blassie quite well and mentioned in his appearance on The Genius Cast that Blassie really opened up to him. For the first installment, we look at one of the most iconic villains in pro wrestling history as both a wrestler and a manager in Classy Freddie Blassie. He married his first wife Nettie Needles while on shore leave during the war. [7], After the US entered World War II, Blassie enlisted in the Navy and served in the Pacific Theater for 42 months. That revolution -- making the villain the hero -- put fans in the seats and money in Blassies pocket. Blassie. 1 One of the great legends of pro wrestling albeit one whose in-ring career predated the 1980s Golden Era wrestling boom Classy Freddie Blassie was a successful heel who wrestled all over. In the 1950s, Fred Blassie was hands down the most hated wrestler in the southeastern territory. He started a second career as a manager in the WWWF. Towards the end of Freddie Blassies life, he began to realize that it all may be coming to an end soon. June 8, 2003 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. His first public wrestling match was a shoot fight which he accepted hoping to impress a girl he brought to the show. ", to a monstrous applause. It was also during this period of his career when he dropped his babyface gimmick and became a full-fledged heel. 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". He also starred in a 1983 movie called My Breakfast With Blassie, where he sat down for a meal with Andy Kaufman as a parody of the 1981 critically acclaimed film My Dinner With Andre. During these runs, hed take part in a couple of title feuds for the WWE Championship, challenging Bruno Sammartino in the 1960s and Pedro Morales in the 1970s, not to mention coming after Bobo Brazils US Heavyweight Title. 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. Blassies father was a heavy alcoholic and was abusive towards his beloved mother. He finally defeated Rikidozan and won back his title at a WWA event in Los Angeles but it had served his purpose. Since his retirement, he has occasionally worked as a "goodwill ambassador" (!) Also learn how He earned most of Freddie Blassie networth? Fred Blassie had a shocking heel turn during his stint in Georgia, which led to him becoming an extremely hated wrestler! [6] His knees were also in terrible condition, which also contributed to his retirement. 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. G&K did not respond to calls for comment. Freddie had been estranged from his children for the majority of their lives. [20] Images from his WrestleMania XV promo were also included in the opening of the 2001 Survivor Series. 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. It was not until he moved to the West Coast that fans began supporting him. 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 bleached his hair and quickly became a heel's heel, outraging crowds by gleefully breaking every rule in the book. "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. A nice man, with a lovely wife and it was great having him there to cut a wonderful promo during my show. 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.. 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. egomaniac then known as Cassius Clay. The series began at Roosevelt Stadium, Jersey City, New Jersey in 1964, with Blassie winning on a technicality, but not a pin. Many people close to him actually had no idea that he had children in the first place. You hit a guy in the neck. [8] His final wrestling appearance was May 12, 2003 in Philadelphia on Raw, three weeks before his death. Classy Freddie Blassie knew how to get heat and anger fans. 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. 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)). Anyone can read what you share. My Breakfast with Blassie is a 1983 film starring Andy Kaufman and professional wrestler "Classy" Freddie Blassie. Because of his close relationship with Vince McMahon, Sr. and his family, Blassie remained on the WWF payroll until the day he died. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. When Gene Okerlund confronted Blassie in an interview after the match, Blassie said, "what cane, I didn't have no cane!". 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. During this time, he went to New York City to work for promoter Jess McMahon. Now is ", 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. Heres a look at Classy Freddie Blassies wrestling career, long before he decided to take on clients and become one of the most iconic managers of the 1970s and 1980s. (and of course, Bubba Ray and D-Von take care of Bischoff and his cronies). Discover today's celebrity birthdays and explore famous people who share your birthday. Lanny would state that Jerry Graham "had no business living the last 15 years of his life" due to his drinking problems. His parents repeatedly separated, only to reconcile. Recommended:The Time WWE Hall of Famer DR. JERRY GRAHAM Kidnapped His Mothers Dead Body. He retired from competition in the late 1970's to manage a new generation of wrestlers, including Hulk Hogan and Jesse Ventura, the future governor of Minnesota. The widow of pro-wrestling villain Classy Freddie Blassie got thrown for a fall by a supermarket floor mat. Blassie is survived by his wife, Miyako, and three children. You can check out an almost unlimited array of WWE content on theWWE NetworkandPeacock. Vampire". Miyako Blassie, 68, says in court papers that she was shopping for groceries. 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. We have estimated It was in the latter that he decided to embrace his villainous side, bleaching his hair blonde like Gorgeous George. While there, he feuded with Soulman Rocky Johnson, The Sheik, and "The Golden Greek" John Tolos. His eagerness to learn from 1935 to 1942 led to many of the circuits top stars sharing knowledge with Blassie, and when he returned home to the U.S. in 1946, he was determined to make an honest run as a professional wrestler. mainly in the Southeast and West Coast, winning many titles in both. Hear Keith Elliot Greenbergs share stories about "Classy" Freddie Blassie on The Genius Cast below: Over his 22-year wrestling career, Freddie Blassie had many notable feuds. He, Albano, and "The Grand Wizard of Wrestling" (Ernie Roth) formed the WWWF's "Evil Trinity" of heel managers. Fred Blassie was born and raised in the St. Louis, Missouri, area. He hated his father for it. Recommended:10 Wrestling Book Must Reads and 5 You Dont Want To Waste Your Time On. for the WWF. [7] Later, he received regular work wrestling at local carnivals. My Breakfast with Blassie: Directed by Linda Lautrec, Johnny Legend, Mark Shepard. ROH Best in the World (7/11/21) Preview and Predictions, Preview: Ice Ribbon 1133 in 176Box (7/11/21), first African-American to hold a World title. Occasionally, he would get too close to the action and get beaten up himself, much to the crowd's delight. Blassie retired from active wrestling in 1974, due to a California law that prohibited anyone over 55 from getting a wrestling license. 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. In 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. Keith Elliot Greenberg has been doing his part to preserve professional wrestling history for the past few decades. His penchant for biting opponents earned him the nickname "The Download 100+ Free Freddie Blassie Wallpaper Images & 500,000+ Wallpapers for Free. I think Dick Lane was as good as Gordon Solie in his day. [6] In later years, Blassie also appeared on The Mike Douglas Show when Philbin was a guest host. He is from USA. He graduated from McKinley High School and began work at a meatpacking plant. But while his US in-ring career ended (while still working for WWWF), he remained employed by WWWF and became a manager instead. Despite that, Blassie ended the year by leaving WWWF and returning to Los Angeles and the WWA. 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. [3], In 1964, Blassie feuded with Bruno Sammartino and Bobo Brazil. . [11], On June 12, 1961, Blassie defeated the "Flying Frenchman" douard Carpentier in a best-of-three-falls match for his first WWA World Heavyweight Championship. Keith Elliot Greenberg coauthored Legends of Wrestling: Freddie Blassie -- Listen, You Pencil Neck Geeks with wrestling icon "Classy" Freddie Blassie shortly before his death in 2003. "Classy" Freddie Blassie lead an interesting life as one of . In this series, we will look at some of pro wrestlings greatest and most well-known managers and/or valets, but explore their prior career as an in-ring professional wrestler. Notable Title Wins Include: NWA Southern Heavyweight title (14); WWA (Los Angeles) World Heavyweight title (4); WWA World Tag Team title (2 times w/Mr. Blassie unsuccessfully campaigned along with the other managers to manage "Macho Man" Randy Savage when Savage first entered the WWF in June 1985.
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