Favorite All Time Wrestler

[blackxpress]

Jake "The Snake" Roberts was my favorite when I was little. But the one I've loved the longest would be The Undertaker.

I met him once back in the '70s. We were at Atlanta Airport and the airline had lost our luggage (mine and Jake's). They asked him if there was anything valuable in his bag and he said, "Snake skin wrestling boots." Actually he seemed like a real nice guy.

 

[Andy Moynihan]

Killer Kowalski.

 

[AceHBK]

Sting. Bleach blonde crew cut different color face paint yelling sting

 

[MA-Caver]

I remember (and I'm old enough to) being a kid and watching Bear-Cat Brown wrestle on TV when the entertainment (can't bear to call it a sport) was still in it's infancy and seeing him live at my High-School. Probably got his autographed picture there... but be durned if I know what happened to it.
Still I remember that far back.

But one thing is for sure about Bearcat, this smooth talker-slick walker, was a pioneer. You see in the late 1960's there were no black stars in the Mid-South. In fact there were only a handful of black stars in Pro-Wrestling, ANYWHERE in the world. Much less top drawing black stars. Yes, you often hear about "such & such" pioneered the way for guys like the Rock, and Booker T, but the reality is....Bearcat Brown REALLY did. Many guys would imitate Bearcat’s unique style over the years, including guys like Butch Reed. Bearcat entered the promotion in the late 1960's, he was at first a heel. He was similar to Jackie Fargo, or as you modern day wrestling fans might say, Ric Flair. He strutted, had the bleach blonde hair, and talked a good game. Bearcat was different then those others though, cause A. He was Black, B. He was pretty big, and C. He had a steel plate in his head!
Big Bad Bearcat Brown was mostly a tag team wrestler. He most often tagged with longtime fellow face and friend Len Rossi. Rossi of course, was one of the first wrestlers to have a "feared" dropkick. Bearcat Brown became the first regular African-American performer on the circuit and formed a memorable and major-drawing tag team with area favorite Len Rossi in 1969, the same year Jerry Jarrett debuted in the area.
Bearcat wrestled into the mid to late 1970's, but what happened to Bearcat Brown since then is anyone's guess. I've searched high and low on the internet and through various news clippings, but somewhere around the time of Gulas split with Jarrett and the formation of the USWA, Bearcat Brown is lost. Perhaps he was injured? Perhaps he died? Perhaps he still wrestles today somewhere. Its hard to say, there is only a handful of information about the legendary Bearcat Brown's career on the internet. In fact, I can't find a single picture of the fabulous Bearcat Brown. Some of which is likely because Wrestlers weren't photographed a lot back then, add to that he was a black wrestler and you'll see why it'd hard to find photos of Brown. I was able to locate a thumbnail of a photo of Bearcat Brown, but the details remain sketchy if this is indeed the legend. At the time there were several black wrestlers using the "Bearcat" moniker, most notably a Bearcat Wright. Hopefully someday Bearcat Brown will get his due in the Wrestling History books, complete with picture. Until then we'll have to do with my "Butch Reed as Bearcat Brown". If I do come across a better photo of him, of course I'll pass it along.
(source: http://www.lethalwrestling.com/opinions/news_content.php?fileName=703 )

I've since lost the taste for it. :idunno:

 

[Big Don]

What? No love for Bam Bam Bigelow?

 

[pad256]

Don't forget stone cold steve austin or one of his first stage name Stunning steve austin (back when he had hair), there are too many to mention.

Paul

 

[Grenadier]

Don't forget stone cold steve austin or one of his first stage name Stunning steve austin (back when he had hair), there are too many to mention.

Paul

That brings back memories... I can still remember him when he was a tag team with Brian Pillman, and they were known as "The Hollywood Blondes."

 

[IcemanSK]

Showing our age a bit here Pam, but I also loved watching the Baron with his
"claw hold". I also loved "Superstar Graham", with the massive biceps, who cited Ali-like poetry about how great he was!

When I was in college in the late 70's, I had a friend who was close to the family that ran the wrestling shows at the old International Amphitheater on Chicago's South Side. We used to get free tickets and get a group of guys together to spend the afternoon at the racetrack, then go see wresting after dinner. Those were the days!

Ah the Amphitheater. I just loved Dick the Bruiser!

 

[Drac]

Bruno Samartino...Tex McKensie...I remember going to the old Cleveland Arena and seeing a tag team called Hells Angels #1 and #2..Two long haired bearded guys in wrestling tight and boots wearing full patches...I always wondered how they got away with that..

 

[jim777]

A friend of mine who is a total math savant used to be a sort of penpal of George "The Animal" Steele, who was mathematician and former math teacher. He had a big signed poster of him, and I always thought that was pretty cool.

 

[Drac]

George "The Animal" Steele, who was mathematician and former math teacher. He had a big signed poster of him, and I always thought that was pretty cool.

I had heard that somewhere..Always wondered if it was true...I guess it is..

 

[diamondbar1971]

Anyone old enough to remember Buddy Rogers and the 4 finger grapevine hold...

 

[IcemanSK]

Bruno Samartino...Tex McKensie...I remember going to the old Cleveland Arena and seeing a tag team called Hells Angels #1 and #2..Two long haired bearded guys in wrestling tight and boots wearing full patches...I always wondered how they got away with that..

Yeah, I'd bet they'd be "talked to" if they weren't the real deal.

 

[ArmorOfGod]

I stopped watching around the late 80's, when I was in middle school, but the Honkey Tonk Man was the one I rooted for. Roddy Piper was my other fave.

AoG

 

[tshadowchaser]

a tag team called Hells Angels #1 and #2..

I had forgot about them. Got to see them a few times way back when.

Killer Kowalski.

anyony besides me remember that he started out as Tarzan Kowalski? Hos finishing move then was a turning and twisting and tearing of the scapular

Buddy Rogers

now there was a showman

 

[terryl965]

The Minnisota wrecking crew the Andersons, man they loved to fight. Abdullah the Butcher

 

[Randy Strausbaugh]

Flying Fred Curry, Bobo Brazil, Haystacks Calhoun, Mitsu Arakawa and Yoshino Sato (tag team - they cheated by using "karate"), Tim Brooks (aka T.B. Killer, aka Killer Brooks), The Sheik, Dusty Rhoads and Dick Murdock, many others.

 

[kez56]

George "The Animal" Steele

 

[OkayFabe]

I loved Randy Savage growing up, but Ric Flair and Shawn Michaels are arguably the two greatest workers of all time. But being a big guy myself, I have a certain affection for Vader as well, especially seeing some of his performances from Japan. As for tag teams, I am surprised no one has mentioned the Midnight Express.

 

[Touch Of Death]

I like me some ODB.