10 Backstage Stories About Bruno Sammartino WWE Fans Should Know This helps us provide free content for you to enjoy! Freddie Blassie - Online World of Wrestling 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. He, Albano, and "The Grand Wizard of Wrestling" (Ernie Roth) formed the WWWF's "Evil Trinity" of heel managers. Blassie worked for the World Wrestling Federation, now known as World Wrestling Entertainment, which presented him with its lifetime achievement award in 1996. One of the 100 Greatest Wrestlers of the 20th Century (Inside Wrestling Presents, Summer 2000). The series began at Roosevelt Stadium, Jersey City, New Jersey in 1964, with Blassie winning on a technicality, but not a pin. Head on over to theLWOS Boardsto engage in conversation with fellow fans! After the war, Blassie returned to the Midwest and continued wrestling professionally. 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. The widow of pro-wrestling villain Classy Freddie Blassie got thrown for a fall by a supermarket floor mat. This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. 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. Around 1980, he adopted a new moniker: "Ayatollah Blassie." Courtesy of the award-winning WWE Network.. In the 1950s, Fred Blassie was hands down the most hated wrestler in the southeastern territory. 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. 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. 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. Originally from Chicago, he has called London home since 2008. His ex-manager would turn out to be an enemy, representing The Iron Sheik in the match where Hulk Hogan won the WWE Championship and held it for a shade over four years. He was popular in Japan as well. He also reportedly excelled as a boxer. He won the World Wrestling Association world heavyweight championship from the Frenchman douard Carpentier at the Los Angeles Sports Arena in 1961. American professional wrestler and manager, Worldwide Wrestling Associates (19601968), World Wide Wrestling Federation (1964; 1971). Blassie retired from active wrestling in 1974, due to a California law that prohibited anyone over 55 from getting a wrestling license. Blassie wrestled as a dark-haired good guy until he found out that the "heels" (bad guys) got better pay. Gross tubs? 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. So, how much is Freddie Blassie worth at the age of 85 years old? 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. John Tolos: Wrestler celebrated as one of the finest ring villains Greenbergs memoir on Freddie Blassie was released just three weeks before he died in 2003. KyleEnjoysWrestling wrote on 30.07.2019: [ 9.0] "People mostly know Blassie for his manager roles, but he was also a pro in the ring. The Legends of Wrestling - "Classy" Freddie Blassie: Listen, You Pencil Neck Geeks (Wwe S) Paperback - February 1, 2004 by Keith Elliot Greenberg (Author) 115 ratings See all formats and editions Kindle $13.99 Read with Our Free App Hardcover $18.99 13 Used from $4.06 2 New from $38.98 1 Collectible from $15.00 Paperback Blassie would show Greenberg dozens of notebooks with "beautiful cursive handwriting." 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). 'The Destroyer' Dick Beyer story archive | Slam Wrestling egomaniac then known as Cassius Clay. He heard Blassie say that and whipped out a gun saying, "Ill kill that sonuvabitch! The Life and Times of Classy Freddie Blassie Quiz Hell, the article is entitled "Freddie Blassie - The Truth (and Somewhere In-Between)" for crying out loud. 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. We've received your submission. He's also written for Pro Wrestling Illustrated, WrestleZone, The Windsor Star, and other publications. [6] One of his most famous feuds took place in southern California in 1971, against Tolos. For Freddie Blassie, there was no question why he took on a villian's persona - he loved it. "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. A third-generation wrestling fan and senior writer for World Wrestling Entertainment publications, Greenberg is the author of more than thirty nonfiction children's books, and has written for The New York . 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. [21] His book, Listen You Pencil Neck Geeks, was released on May 13, 2003. His last name is slightly easier to pronounce than it looks. KyleEnjoysWrestling wrote on 30.07.2019: [ 9.0] "People mostly know Blassie for his manager roles, but he was also a pro in the ring. Towards the end of Freddie Blassies life, he began to realize that it all may be coming to an end soon. "No. 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. [22], Filmed in 1982, My Breakfast with Blassie featured Andy Kaufman and Freddie Blassie eating at a Sambo's in Los Angeles. Looking to talk wrestling, pro football, or any number of sports? [4] * 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! in their 1992 song about Kaufman, "Man on the Moon". Pro Wrestling Stories - Your daily source of nostalgia and a peek behind the curtain wall of wrestlings past! After being pounded by a longer-limbed opponent, he switched to professional wrestling. 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. By the mid-1970s, Freddie Blassie was in his 50s and began to settle into a role as a manager in WWE, though he would still occasionally wrestle a match. Miyako Blassie, 68, says in court papers that she was shopping for groceries when she tripped near the entrance to a Pathmark in Westchester. 500,000+ HD Wallpapers & Freddie Blassie Wallpaper 100% Free to Use High Quality Wallpapers Personalise for all Screen & Devices. [6] He performed for that promotion until his full retirement from professional wrestling in 1986. Also learn how He earned most of Freddie Blassie networth? Among the men he managed were Nikolai Volkoff,[2] The Iron Sheik,[2] Blackjack Mulligan,[2] High Chief Peter Maivia,[2] "The Crippler" Ray Stevens,[2] Adrian Adonis,[2] Jesse Ventura,[2] Dick Murdoch,[2] Swede Hanson,[2] Killer Khan,[2] George 'The Animal' Steele,[2] Professor Tanaka,[2] Mr. Fuji,[2] Ivan Koloff,[2] Tor Kamata,[2] Masa Saito,[2] Lou Albano,[2] Victor Rivera,[2] Kamala,[2] Hercules Hernandez,[2] and Hulk Hogan. Listen, You Pencil Neck Geeks by Classy Freddie Blassie - Goodreads . "Classy" Freddie Blassie is a legendary wrestling personality, both as a wrestler and a manager. 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. Blassie would turn heel during this period, developing a lot of the characteristics that hed become known for. Freddie Blassie Obituary (2003) - San Diego, CA - San Diego Union-Tribune Hed adopt a bleach-blond look, start biting his opponents in the ring, and would often be seen filing down his teeth to better sink his teeth in his opponent. [3][23] (The film was referenced by American rock band R.E.M. 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. [9] During this stint with the company, Blassie was managed by his future nemesis, "Captain" Lou Albano.[3]. "Classy" Freddie Blassie lead an interesting life as one of . This story has been shared 104,709 times. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. his service in the United States Navy during World War II. 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 . Learn How rich is He in this year and how He spends money? Deiveson Figueiredo Tattoo Wallpaper. Born: 1921. [3], In 1964, Blassie feuded with Bruno Sammartino and Bobo Brazil. Hogan would return in late 1983, turning face almost immediately after and thus separating from Freddie Blassie. [20] Images from his WrestleMania XV promo were also included in the opening of the 2001 Survivor Series. 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. [5], Blassie was born Frederick Kenneth Blassman in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1918. Blassie died of heart failure Monday 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. Blassie was more than willing to let the talented Bearcat Wright take the gold and make history. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. 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. Outside of being an award-winning television producer, the New York Times best-selling author began writing about professional wrestling for several newspapers and magazines in the 90s. My Breakfast with Blassie - Wikipedia [4] He is regarded as one of the greatest wrestling heels, or villains, of all time. It was in the latter that he decided to embrace his villainous side, bleaching his hair blonde like Gorgeous George. He even managed Muhammad Ali going into his legendary match with Antonio Inoki. [8] He worked for Jack Pfefer, who he claimed would only employ people who looked like sideshow freaks at his shows, and whose wrestlers included Tor Johnson, who made movies with director Ed Wood, and Lillian Ellison, the Fabulous Moolah. 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. 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. Freddie accomplished that goal and did so in grand style, as only he could. In addition to his pro wrestling notoriety, Classy Freddie Blassie also has some amusing notability in wider pop culture. is 6'(1.83m) . @megantheevalium. [3], In 1952, Blassie moved to Los Angeles to work for Jules Strongbow. heel's heel, outraging crowds by gleefully breaking every rule in the He returned to AJPW again in 1973, but the following year in 1974, he jumped to New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) for his final tour of Japan. [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. Back in the dressing room, Blassie realized he was in the wrong one. Freddie Blassie, 85, died of heart failure on June 2, 2003. He claimed to file his teeth to draw blood from opponents, and among his nicknames was the Vampire. Despite that, Blassie ended the year by leaving WWWF and returning to Los Angeles and the WWA. Blassie, who became a cult figure outside the ring and starred with comedian Andy Kaufman in My Breakfast With Blassie, died of heart failure June 2 in Hartsdale, N.Y., according to Jeff Walton, a onetime wrestling publicist in Los Angeles who knew Blassie well. In order to impress a girl, he entered a carnival show match in a shoot fight and won. However, Blassie said he would toss his drink in the sand if he didnt drink it, so Lanny took the offer. He won the WWA World Heavyweight Wrestling Championship from French star Edouard Carpentier at the L.A. Sports Arena in 1961. He is a member of famous Actor with the age 85 years old group. As a German descent American, he was often faced with questions of loyalty, despite marrying a Jewish woman. Despite being a 7-year pro before his duty in World War II, Blassie was still a journeyman. Occasionally, he would get too close to the action and get beaten up himself, much to the crowd's delight. Even more important than that, Blassie would make a change that would make him an icon. 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. [2] He sporadically returned to make brief appearances following his retirement in 1986, mostly in produced video packages hyping the "new generation" of wrestling. He was 85.Mr. His first public wrestling match was a shoot fight which he accepted hoping to impress a girl he brought to the show. However, later that year Blassie suffered from kidney stones and had surgery to remove them. 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)). "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. Some of the guys were businessmen, some were political types, and some others Im sure were mobsters. "When hed go to a town, the most powerful Italians would latch themselves onto him and decided they were his protectors, whether Bruno liked it or not. View popular celebrities life details, birth signs and real ages. Before The Client List is an extension of our ongoing series, Before They Were Famous, which looks at wrestlers before they became internationally famous. (and of course, Bubba Ray and D-Von take care of Bischoff and his cronies). "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. Classy Freddie Blassie knew how to get heat and anger fans. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. When Gene Okerlund confronted Blassie in an interview after the match, Blassie said, "what cane, I didn't have no cane!". He returned to the company in 1971, reaching the final of a tournament in January for the vacant WWWF United States Heavyweight Championship before losing to Pedro Morales. . 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). Since his retirement, he has occasionally worked as a "goodwill ambassador" (!) You can check out an almost unlimited array of WWE content on theWWE NetworkandPeacock. Accounts about his early athletic career do not quite agree, but he Freddie had been estranged from his children for the majority of their lives. Blassies father was a heavy alcoholic and was abusive towards his beloved mother. He did an advice segment on the ''Tuesday Night Titans'' TV program, made personal appearances and did radio interviews. WWE Confidential presents a feature on the life and times of the fashion plate of professional wrestling, "Classy" Freddie Blassie. Some wrestlers choose to play a villain as a way of promoting their career, while others are forced to by their promoters. My wife joined Toastmasters International in October of last year. [7], After the US entered World War II, Blassie enlisted in the Navy and served in the Pacific Theater for 42 months. So when I saw this book I had to get it and read it. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. I think Dick Lane was as good as Gordon Solie in his day. His parents, Anna (ne Sind) and Jacob Blassman, were German immigrants who arrived in the United States prior to World War I.[3]. [9] While recuperating in 1966, he worked as a car salesman and married a second time to a woman whose name Blassie later claimed not to remember. 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. 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. 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. Freddie Blassie retired as an active wrestler in 1974 in part because of the difficulty of securing a wrestling license . Fred Blassie had a shocking heel turn during his stint in Georgia, which led to him becoming an extremely hated wrestler!