10 Wrestlers Managed By Classy Freddie Blassie Fans Should Know About Looking to talk wrestling, pro football, or any number of sports? 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. He is a member of famous Actor with the age 85 years old group. Stats: 6' 0" 220 lbs. This is in reference . [3][8] In 1983, Rhino Records released a 14-track album by Blassie, titled I Bite the Songs. [2] He was given a commentary tryout in 1986 and 1987 for WWF Wrestling Challenge, calling a few matches with Gorilla Monsoon. 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. his service in the United States Navy during World War II. [6] One of his most famous feuds took place in southern California in 1971, against Tolos. 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. 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. However, Blassie said he would toss his drink in the sand if he didnt drink it, so Lanny took the offer. Blassie got involved when he threw his cane into the ring, with Sheik and Volkoff using it to their advantage to gain the victory. All the while, he reveled in his role as being one of professional wrestlings most despised villains. After being pounded by a longer-limbed opponent, he switched to professional wrestling. After being pounded by a longer-limbed opponent, he Discover today's celebrity birthdays and explore famous people who share your birthday. However, sadly, Freddie passed away before he could ever speak to his son again. [17] In 2000, Blassie made an appearance at the Royal Rumble as a judge in the Miss Rumble 2000 Swimsuit contest, which was won by Mae Young. 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. Feb 27. 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. 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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. His wife is Miyako Morozumi (30 September1968 - 2 June2003)( his death), ? Head on over to theLWOS Boardsto engage in conversation with fellow fans! The two spoke the same dialect of German, their parents had mutual friends, and . 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. 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. 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. A child of two German immigrants, Freddie Blassie was born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1918. His last name is slightly easier to pronounce than it looks. Hogan would return in late 1983, turning face almost immediately after and thus separating from Freddie Blassie. You hit a guy in the neck. From there, he moved on to become a regular writer, contributor, and reporter for WWE. He felt this was his chance to tell his life story before moving on. In 1950, he had his first challenge for the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship, facing championLou Theszin Kentucky. . One of Blassie's gimmicks was to file his teeth, and draw blood from his opponents by biting their foreheads. His career began in earnest after his service in the United States Navy during World War II. Let's learn more about this classic heel! 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. Classy Freddie Blassie was pro wrestling's 'Fashion Plate' By 1952, Blassie was getting disillusioned by the East Coast and headed for California, although he did still work for various NWA territories in the South, particularly Georgia Championship Wrestling (GCW). He bleached his hair and quickly became a heel's heel, outraging crowds by gleefully breaking every rule in the book. He was 85. 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. . Hed also regularly tag with Gorilla Monsoon, another wrestler better known for his non-wrestling roles. A gifted gabber and a splashy dresser, Blassie guided The Iron Shiek to the WWF World Heavyweight title in 1983, Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff to the WWF World Tag Team titles, as well as managing such clients as Adrian Adonis, Jesse The Body Ventura, Kamala, Hercules Hernandez, and even Hulk Hogan during his first stint in the WWF. "I want you to get four Orange Juliuses for me, the girls, and you.". 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. 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. You can watch him on Autopsy: The Last Hours of on Reelz in the United States and Channel 5 in Great Britain. Blassie did not just fade away after he left the ring. [12], In 1962, Blassie had a feud with Japanese wrestling icon Rikidzan that established his reputation in Japan. [3], In 1952, Blassie moved to Los Angeles to work for Jules Strongbow. Occasionally, he would get too close to the action and get beaten up himself, much to the crowd's delight. As a German descent American, he was often faced with questions of loyalty, despite marrying a Jewish woman. After handing over ME duties to Alex Richards, he remains a frequent contributor to the site. That revolution -- making the villain the hero -- put fans in the seats and money in Blassies pocket. He is a writer and editor-in-chief here on the site, a podcast producer, the chief graphic designer of the cover art for the sites articles, the former host of The Genius Cast with Lanny Poffo, and an elementary school teacher and assistant principal who enjoys playing guitar and spending time with his lively daughters! He won the World Wrestling Association world heavyweight championship from the Frenchman douard Carpentier at the Los Angeles Sports Arena in 1961. . 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. He did an advice segment on the ''Tuesday Night Titans'' TV program, made personal appearances and did radio interviews. the time, get up, stand up and fight. [9], In 1968, Blassie returned to Japan and was reunited with Miyako. Many of the viewers were horrified by Blassie's treatment of their hero. [3], Blassie returned to WWA in 1968 just as promoter Mike LeBell decided to rejoin the NWA. 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. Freddie Blassie | Pro Wrestling | Fandom Those colorful interviews helped make him a celebrity in the newly expanding medium of television. Andy Kaufman on Letterman w/ "Classy" Freddie Blassie 02/23/1983 He had been in poor health for quite a while, and it was as if he wanted to wait to get his story out before he passed on. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. 304K views 6 years ago The Dudley Boyz put Rico through a table after getting the call from WWE Hall of Famer "Classy" Freddie Blassie at ringside. Sportswriter Jim Murray called him the worst villain since Hitler in a 1961 column in The Times. He worked for Vince McMahon and the World Wrestling Federation, now known as World Wrestling Entertainment. He married his first wife Nettie Needles while on shore leave during the war. book. RELATED: 10 Managers With The Best Claim To Be On A Wrestling Mount Rushmore. Fred McDaniel "Ayatollah" Blassie The Vampire The Hollywood Fashion Plate Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) Weight 220 lbs (100 kg) Born February 8, 1918 Birth Place St. Louis, Missouri Died June 2, 2003 (aged 85) Death Place Hartsdale, New York Trainer Billy Longson Everett Marshall Warren Bockwinkle Billy Hanson Debut 1935 Retired 1986 The Life and Times of Classy Freddie Blassie Quiz Fred Blassie was born and raised in the St. Louis, Missouri, area. In January 1962, Blassie and Mr. Moto defeated Hans Hermann and Jesus Ortega for the California version of the WWA International TV Tag Team title. 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. [3][23] (The film was referenced by American rock band R.E.M. When Gene Okerlund confronted Blassie in an interview after the match, Blassie said, "what cane, I didn't have no cane!". JP Zarka created Pro Wrestling Stories in May 2015. Blassie began portraying himself as a villain, and it worked. Fred Blassie was born and raised in the St. Louis, Missouri, area. His career began in earnest after ", "Heres some money," Blassie would say. first tried to make his mark as a boxer, despite warnings that his arms . Lynne Margulies, who would later become Kaufman's girlfriend, plays a role; in fact, she and Kaufman met for the first time on camera. Despite being a 7-year pro before his duty in World War II, Blassie was still a journeyman. Freddie Blassie decided to stop being a fixture of wrestling in 1986 but was no stranger to making the odd guest appearance. By using this site, you agree to the legal terms set out in ourDisclaimer, Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Disclosure. His penchant for biting opponents earned him the nickname "The 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. 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. 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 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. 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. Why FREDDIE BLASSIE Was So Great f/ WRESTLINGBIOS - YouTube Of course, these mobsters thought he was putting them down for real. The Legends of Wrestling - "Classy" Freddie Blassie: Listen, You Pencil in their 1992 song about Kaufman, "Man on the Moon". Anyone can read what you share. 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. Freddie Blassie - The Truth (and Somewhere In-Between) A nice man, with a lovely wife and it was great having him there to cut a wonderful promo during my show. "That's why he was 'Classy' Freddie Blassie." Pro Wrestling Stories - Your daily source of nostalgia and a peek behind the curtain wall of wrestlings past! Freddie never held a true world title but he was still one of the greatest of the 50s through the 60s". Blassie is survived by his wife, Miyako, and three children. Some wrestlers choose to play a villain as a way of promoting their career, while others are forced to by their promoters. Managed by "Loud" Lou Albano, Blassie continued his winning ways, but never won the WWWF's championship. In the early 1970s, Blassie "turned face", or became a good guy, since so many fans were cheering his famous antics. 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 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. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. "Typical Italian stunt! [spoken to the WWF wrestlers during Invasion 2001] Gentleman, there Hed continue being a heel, managing a number of bad guys like George The Animal Steele, Hercules, and Blackjack Mulligan. 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. "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. His matches with Freddie Blassie were legendary. [9] The sight of the Japanese legend covered in his own blood gave several viewers heart attacks, and some reportedly died. Freddie Blassie was one of the most hated heels of his time. Death Freddie accomplished that goal and did so in grand style, as only he could. Learn How rich is He in this year and how He spends money? According to Greenberg, Gorgeous George, towards the end of his career, wanted to form a tag team with Blassie. My Breakfast with Blassie - Wikipedia "Classy" Freddie Blassie lead an interesting life as one of . Fred Blassie had a shocking heel turn during his stint in Georgia, which led to him becoming an extremely hated wrestler! Born: 1921. [8] His final wrestling appearance was May 12, 2003 in Philadelphia on Raw, three weeks before his death. His penchant for biting opponents earned him the nickname "The Vampire". Patrick Stewart In A Checkered Coat Wallpaper. [4] He is regarded as one of the greatest wrestling heels, or villains, of all time. Professional wrestler Freddie Blassie, who became a cult figure for fans by playing the villain inside the ring during the 1950s and 1960s, has died. 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. [9][6], On June 2, 2003, Blassie died of heart and kidney failure at the age of 85. In that storyline, he is menaced by Eric Bischoff and his henchmen, before calling on the Dudley Brothers to "Get the tables!" 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. "Classy" Freddie Blassie appeared in a live-action segment of the cartoon "Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling." Freddie Blassie. [4] In 1998, Blassie was the winner at the fourth annual Cauliflower Alley Club East Coast Banquet. [3][8][9], In 1960, Blassie returned to Strongbow's promotion in Los Angeles, where he was a big star for Worldwide Wrestling Associates (WWA) of southern California, drawing many fans to the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. [6] He performed for that promotion until his full retirement from professional wrestling in 1986. Blassie retired from wrestling in 1986, turning over his stable of heels to another manager called Slick. In 1976 he managed Muhammad Ali during his shoot match. September 30, 1968 - June 2, 2003 (his death), Wrestling's Living Legend Bruno Sammartino. (and of course, Bubba Ray and D-Von take care of Bischoff and his cronies). Who Is Freddie Blassie's Wife? [16] In 1999, he was shown making the opening narration of WrestleMania XV. Learn how and when to remove this template message, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=My_Breakfast_with_Blassie&oldid=1107033235, Articles needing additional references from June 2021, All articles needing additional references, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 27 August 2022, at 19:43. (1965 - 1968)( divorced), Nettie Needles (September 1942 - 1964)( divorced)( 3 children). [6] He also began boxing at a local community center and won a heavyweight championship title. 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 appeared alongside Slick to co-manage Sheik and Volkoff for a few television appearances before finally bowing out in November 1986, with Albano, the final member of the Three Wise Men, retiring a few weeks later. His parents repeatedly separated, only to reconcile. Recommended:10 Wrestling Book Must Reads and 5 You Dont Want To Waste Your Time On. Freddie Blassie - Wikipedia It was also during this period of his career when he dropped his babyface gimmick and became a full-fledged heel. [3], Blassie's famous "pencil-neck geek" catchphrase originated early in his career while describing a fellow carnival performer who appeared in a geek show. Professional Wrestling Online Museum - Spotlight on Freddie Blassie However, he became increasingly interested in wrestling. By doing this, he saved Freddie Blassies life. Despite Blassie not actually holding any titles to unify, his feud with Sammartino saw Bruno become a national hero, but in the process, Blassie became lifelong friends with another WWWF employee, Gorilla Monsoon. Blassie would show Greenberg dozens of notebooks with "beautiful cursive handwriting." For example, in the 1970s, he took on Cowboy Bill Watts, whod become a promoter and booker for Mid-South Wrestling and WCW. [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. 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. When meeting someone, he would ask where they were from, and no matter their response, he would reply with, "Oh, that's God's country!". 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). Blassie was inducted into the WWF Hall of Fame in 1994 by Shane McMahon. 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. , money, salary, income, and assets. 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