HUMPERDINK
To say Sir Oliver Humperdink has worked everywhere and managed everyone would not be an overstatement. Not many managers can claim ties to such stars as Bob Orton Jr., Don Muraco, Superstar Billy Graham, The Assassin, "Hangman" Bobby Jaggers (NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH BRUCE PROBANZ), Greg Valentine, Leroy Brown, Jos LeDuc and Kevin Sullivan, just to name a scant few. Indeed, there are MANY wings to the House of Humperdink!
Born January 16, 1949 in Duluth, Minnesota, John Sutton was always a wrestling fan. "I used to sneak back downstairs after I was supposed to be in bed, hide in a corner and see wrestling as my parents watched it on TV," he recalls.
His first exposure to live wrestling came while he was in his early teens. Sutton worked as an usher in the Minneapolis Auditorium. He remembers, "By the time I was 14 or 15 I knew all the guys. I stopped working for the company that I ushered for and was working directly for Verne (Gagne), doing whatever needed to be done. I would help set up the ring, work security --whatever I could do. I reffed a few times when someone didn’t show up. The very first time I stepped in the ring as a manager was around 1967 in Fargo, North Dakota with Lars Anderson against Rene Goulet. I think I was still in high school."
"Red" (as he was called) was a part of the AWA crew for several years after he graduated high school. Then he got a call from an old friend, former AWA enhancement worker Buddy Smith, who was now called Buddy Roberts, and his career really took off. Roberts, along with partner Jerry Brown, formed the very hot tag team of the Hollywood Blondes. The Blondes were headed to Montreal and wanted a manager, and they felt Sutton would more than fit the bill. So Sir Oliver Humperdink was born in the spring of 1973. ”The Vachons ran Grand Prix Wrestling and at that time it was super hot!," Sir Oliver recalls. "Because of the cold weather and the fact that hockey is the main sport in Canada in the winter, wrestling was a seasonal thing in Montreal. We stayed the ‘73 season and it was great. Huge crowds and we had lots of heat."
Humperdink’s career just took off like a rocket, and he never looked back. The Blondes and Humperdink became one of the most in-demand units in the industry throughout the 1970s. They had great success working for Gene LeBell in Los Angeles, Leroy McGuirk's Tri State Wrestling, and in Florida. ”The Golden Greek” John Tolos remembers when the group arrived in Los Angeles, and he was really impressed by Humperdink’s style, both in and out of the ring. “He was not only a terrific manager, but a terrific guy, as well,” said Tolos. “You could see he was going to go far."
In 1977 the Blondes and their "fearless leader" parted ways, with Roberts and Brown venturing to Tennessee and Sir Oliver remaining in Florida. With the departure of the Hollywood Blondes, Hump took up the managerial reigns of the monster heel team Ox Baker and Superstar Billy Graham. It was at this time the infamous House of Humperdink was first formed. In 1978 Sir Oliver found himself working for Dory, Jr. and Terry Funk in the final days of their Amarillo promotion, where he managed Mr. Pogo and Hans Schroeder, as well as the uncontrollable Killer Tim Brooks.
In 1981 it was off to Kansas City and Harley Race's Central States promotion. Harley was quite familiar with the personable young manager, as they worked together in the AWA. Race recalls, "I met Humperdink in the early ‘60s in Minneapolis. He was an usher in one of the buildings we wrestled in. He broke himself in to the business -- never asked for much and was always there looking to learn. Red was a cocky little guy and he just had this body and this look that made people hate him. He was a natural, and in time he became a great talker. It didn't matter who he went out to the ring with, he was great. Just a real talented guy"
Let us not forget that Humperdink was not merely relegated to a corner man position – he was also more than willing to mix it up in the ring, when needed. Of course, he usually ended up on the losing end, but that never deterred him one bit from stepping in the ring again. He held both the Central States Television title and the Florida Heavyweight title.
After KC it was Mid-Atlantic for the Crockett family, and then back to Florida again, where he stayed until the promotion closed its doors in 1987. A short run in the WWF, where he handled Paul Orndorff and Bam Bam Bigelow, was followed by a stint in WCW with the Fabulous Freebirds.
In 1989 Sir Oliver once again returned his base in Florida to work with Dusty Rhodes’ Professional Wrestling Federation. It was there that he managed the Big Steele Man (Fred Ottman), Kendall Windham and the legendary Terry Funk.
Looking back on it all, Humperdink feels great pride in what he accomplished. "I can't tell you my favorite city or angle or building, as I loved it all,” Hump says with a laugh. Lots of fun, lots of good times.”
Sir Oliver retired from the ring in the mid 1990s, living in the Florida Keys until a few years ago, when he returned to his native Minneapolis.
With the CAC giving Sir Oliver Humperdink his award at the 40th reunion, one of the greatest managers professional wrestling has ever known will receive his just desserts for his countless contributions to the industry. "To be honored by the Cauliflower Alley Club like this is truly humbling. Just to be considered for this award humbles me."
