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***** NWA WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION #6 ***** Thoughts on "The Nature Boy"...
...Buddy Rogers? Buddy Rogers was born in 1921 as Herman Rohde, the son of German immigrants. He became a pro-wrestler in 1939 and eventually changed his name, bleached his hair, began using "The Nature Boy" moniker, and had The Fabolous Moolah as his valet. He also invented the Figure Four Leglock.
On June 30, 1961, in front of a record-setting audience at Chicago's Comiskey Park, Rogers defeated NWA World Heavyweight Champion Pat O'Connor in an event that was billed as The Match of the Century. In a post match interview, Rogers quipped, "To a nicer guy it couldn't have happened."
During Rogers' reign their were various instances of him being defeated, but the title not changing hands because Rogers had been injured -- he was beaten by Killer Kowalski, Bruno Sammartino, and Bobo Brazil. While Rogers kept the NWA title in all these instances, greater controversy soon erupted.
On January 24, 1963 Rogers was defeated by former champion and longtime rival Lou Thesz in a one-fall match. However, it was tradition at the time for the belt to change hands in two-out-of-three-falls matches. While the NWA recognized Thesz as the new champion, promoter Vince McMahon Sr maintained that Buddy Rogers was still the World Heavyweight Champion. This caused McMahon to split away from the NWA and found the World Wide Wrestling Federation, today's WWE. Buddy Rogers was the first WWWF Champion, but soon suffered a mild heart attack, after which he dropped that belt to Bruno Sammartino in a 48-second match.
Rogers only wrestled occasionally in the following years until making a comeback in 1978 at the age of 57. Rogers feuded with the new "Nature Boy", Ric Flair (who not only used Rogers' nickname, but also his bleached hair, strut and Figure Four). The two had a match dubbed as The Battle of the Nature Boys on July 9, 1978 during which Rogers passed the torch to Flair. Rogers then briefly returned to the WWWF before breaking his hip and retiring.
Rogers did plan on coming out of retirement at the age of 71 to battle the next "Nature Boy", Buddy Landell, in 1992. However, the promotion where this was set to take place, the Tri-State Wrestling Alliance, went out of business. Later that year Rogers suffered 3 strokes and died. In 1994 the World Wrestling Federation inducted him into the Hall of Fame.
Any thoughts on "The Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers? How should he be viewed in the conext of wrestling history?
THE MATCH OF THE CENTURY
Pat O'Connor vs. Buddy Rogers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiZtkQ6M9e4&playnext=1&list=PL99E0342F5A429E07&index=63
THE N.W.A. WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONS:
1. Orville Brown: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20101222065448AABbJS4
2. Lou Thesz: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20101222075622AAxnIhO
3. Whipper Billy Watson: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20101222083533AAZtBSs
4. Dick Hutton: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20101222091515AAm1yfI
5. Pat O'Connor: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20101222134955AAeLCXc
...Buddy Rogers? Buddy Rogers was born in 1921 as Herman Rohde, the son of German immigrants. He became a pro-wrestler in 1939 and eventually changed his name, bleached his hair, began using "The Nature Boy" moniker, and had The Fabolous Moolah as his valet. He also invented the Figure Four Leglock.
On June 30, 1961, in front of a record-setting audience at Chicago's Comiskey Park, Rogers defeated NWA World Heavyweight Champion Pat O'Connor in an event that was billed as The Match of the Century. In a post match interview, Rogers quipped, "To a nicer guy it couldn't have happened."
During Rogers' reign their were various instances of him being defeated, but the title not changing hands because Rogers had been injured -- he was beaten by Killer Kowalski, Bruno Sammartino, and Bobo Brazil. While Rogers kept the NWA title in all these instances, greater controversy soon erupted.
On January 24, 1963 Rogers was defeated by former champion and longtime rival Lou Thesz in a one-fall match. However, it was tradition at the time for the belt to change hands in two-out-of-three-falls matches. While the NWA recognized Thesz as the new champion, promoter Vince McMahon Sr maintained that Buddy Rogers was still the World Heavyweight Champion. This caused McMahon to split away from the NWA and found the World Wide Wrestling Federation, today's WWE. Buddy Rogers was the first WWWF Champion, but soon suffered a mild heart attack, after which he dropped that belt to Bruno Sammartino in a 48-second match.
Rogers only wrestled occasionally in the following years until making a comeback in 1978 at the age of 57. Rogers feuded with the new "Nature Boy", Ric Flair (who not only used Rogers' nickname, but also his bleached hair, strut and Figure Four). The two had a match dubbed as The Battle of the Nature Boys on July 9, 1978 during which Rogers passed the torch to Flair. Rogers then briefly returned to the WWWF before breaking his hip and retiring.
Rogers did plan on coming out of retirement at the age of 71 to battle the next "Nature Boy", Buddy Landell, in 1992. However, the promotion where this was set to take place, the Tri-State Wrestling Alliance, went out of business. Later that year Rogers suffered 3 strokes and died. In 1994 the World Wrestling Federation inducted him into the Hall of Fame.
Any thoughts on "The Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers? How should he be viewed in the conext of wrestling history?
THE MATCH OF THE CENTURY
Pat O'Connor vs. Buddy Rogers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiZtkQ6M9e4&playnext=1&list=PL99E0342F5A429E07&index=63
THE N.W.A. WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONS:
1. Orville Brown: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20101222065448AABbJS4
2. Lou Thesz: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20101222075622AAxnIhO
3. Whipper Billy Watson: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20101222083533AAZtBSs
4. Dick Hutton: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20101222091515AAm1yfI
5. Pat O'Connor: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20101222134955AAeLCXc