2012 FINISHES (RIP)

Remembering those we have lost in 2012

(To view the 2011 RIP’s CLICK HERE

 

Gorgeous George Jr. (5/12/12)
Gorgeous George Jr. passed away from cancer on Saturday, he was 74.

He worked with and against several wrestlers through the years. Such as,  Bobby Shane, Gary Hart, Jack Brisco, Greg Valentine, Buddy Colt, Jerry Lawler, Jack Brisco, Ken Lucas, Frenchie Bernard, Porkchop Cash, George Gulas, Jerry Kozak, Luke Graham, Miss Brenda, Jerry, Mongolian Stomper. And had Notable Feuds with the likes of George Gulas, Tito Montez, Eddie Sullivan, Mr. Ito, Jerry Miller, Chati Yaluchi, Treach Phillips Sr., Pancho Pico, Jack Brisco, The Assassins, Gary Hart

Jr. was not really the son of the original Gorgeous George. In fact he was sued by widow of the original Gorgeous George to prevent him from using the name of Gorgeous George Jr. in California. As a result, he legally changed his name to George Richard Wagner. His real name before the name change was Richard Phelps.

After retiring from in ring action, he lived in Tennessee driving a truck for a living.

The Cauliflower Alley Club extends its condolences to the family and friends of Gorgeous George Jr.

 

 

Jay Strongbow (04/04/12)
Chief Jay Strongbow, the celebrated wrestler from the 60s and 70s, passed away this April 4, 2012 at the age of 83. The news was first reported by WWE broadcast announcer Jim Ross. Strongbow, whose real name was Joe Scarpa, undertook wrestling in the late 40s and lasted until the early 80s. Strongbow then labored for Vince McMahon and the World Wrestling Federation for a brief period in various positions. As Chief Jay Strongbow, the Italian Joe Scarpa hit his stride in the 70s as he choreographed the Native American character. He held several championships, including the WWF Tag Team Championship with Jules Strongbow. The beloved wrestler was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 1994.

Strongbow was one of, if not the most popular Native American wrestling character. He inspired numerous other Native American characters throughout the years. In celebration of Chief Jay Strongbow, here is a list of the three most distinguished Native American wrestlers.

Strongbow also performed for the NWA and acquired the companies prestigious titles. The Chief also held several regional titles across the nation, during a time when the territorial wrestling system was active.

The Cauliflower Alley Club extends its condolences to the family and friends of Jay Strongbow.

 

 

Joe Blanchard (03/22/12)
Joseph Edgar Blanchard was born on December 7, 1928 in Haskell, Oklahoma. He was called to spend eternity with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ at 8:00AM on March 22, 2012. Joe is survived by Jackie, his loving and devoted wife of 59 years, Son, Tully; Grandchildren, Taylor, 20, Tanner, 18, Tessa, 16, and Tally, 14, Brother Arthur and wife Louise, Brother Harry and wife Mary, and Sister Nancy.
As the Sports Anchor at KSAT 12 in the late ’60′s, Joe was the first to broadcast The High School Football Highlights Show. Joe wrestled professionally for over 30 years and held numerous championship titles. While attending Kansas State university , Joe played collegiate football and was the Conference Champion for the wrestling team in 1950. Joe, also played professional football in the Canadian Football League with the Edmonton Eskimos. The team played for The Grey Cup Championship in 1952.
After the death of his son,Taylor, in 1978, Joe re-dedicated his life to Jesus Christ. In the mid-80′s he began a dedicated service to the Cornerstone Prayer Line and in the early 90′s, he personally e-mailed his Daily Devotional to readers nation wide. He continued with both of these until October 2011. Joe touched many lives in his walk with the Lord.
There will be a Memorial Service and Reception after at Cornerstone Church, Monday, March 26 at 2PM.
In lieu of flowers donations are encouraged and can be made to Hope Plus Ministries, 922 Serenade Dr., San Antonio, TX. 78213.

The Cauliflower Alley Club extends its condolences to his wife Jackie, and the family and friends of Joe Blanchard.

 

TOMMY WEATHERS  (03/06/2012)
Veteran referee Tommy Weathers, a familiar face to older wrestling fans throughout much of the southeastern U.S., passed away at his home in Cleveland, Tennessee on March 6, 2012.  He died of cancer at the age of 70.

William Thomas Weathers, Jr. was born on October 11, 1941.  He became a referee at a young age, just 17, and spent some 40 years as “the third man” in the ring.  Tommy refereed for the major promotions in Florida, Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee in the course of his career, handling some of the most memorable matches in the area’s long and rich ring history.  On August 5, 1994 he was inducted into the National Wrestling Alliance Hall of Fame, a most significant recognition of his contributions to the industry.

Tommy set aside his referee’s stripes for a time in 1981 to manage the red-hot tag team pairing of Dennis Condrey and Randy Rose, The Midnight Express.  The change came after he turned on Bob Armstrong during a handcuff match, and resulted in long-running heat on Tommy, Condrey and Rose in subsequent battles with the Armstrong clan.

Away from the ring, he operated Tommy’s Recycling for 21 years, and was an avid fisherman and baseball fan.

Weathers is survived by his wife Shirley, daughter Cheryl, sons Randall and Jason, step-sons Anthony and Milford, and extended family.

The Cauliflower Alley Club extends its condolences to the family and friends of Tommy Weathers.

 

Doug Furnas  (03/02/2012)
Doug Furnas passed away in his sleep in Tucson, Arizona on March 2, 2012, at the age of 50.  His death was attributed to atherosclerotic and hypertensive heart disease.  Doug had battled  early-onset Parkinson’s Disease for the past decade, and had other health concerns as well.

Born on December 11, 1961 and raised on a farm in Miami, Oklahoma, Doug and his brother Michael attended the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, and played football there. At the same time, Doug’s  squat, powerful physique and massive legs led him to power lifting, where he established  records that have yet to be surpassed. Among them are the men’s collegiate national record and the Tennessee state record in both the squat and the deadlift, the latter an amazing 985 pound squat, just 15 pounds short of today’s world record.

Wrestling captured Furnas’ attention next, his first venture in the ring taking place in Knoxville in 1986.  He earned his journeyman status around the south for several years, then set his sights on Japan in 1989.  In a stroke of booking genius, Giant Baba paired him with Canadian speedster Phil Lafon, who worked in Japan under the name Dan Kroffat, borrowed from a retired Stampede Wrestling headliner.  Doug developed rapidly in the rugged Japanese setting, combining the offense of a powerhouse wrestler with moves that spotlighted his impressive leaping ability, agility and flexibility.  Together, Furnas and Lafon became one of the smoothest-working teams in the world.

The Can-Am Express, as they were dubbed, didn’t just catch fire in All Japan rings – they exploded, quickly ascending to the top rung of the tandem ladder.  They held the AJPW All-Asia Tag Team Championship on five occasions, and in 1992, captured the coveted Wrestling Observer Match of the Year honors for their world-class battle with Kenta Kobashi and Tsuyoshi Kukuchi in Sendai, Japan.

Tag team crowns didn’t escape their clutches on this side of the Pacific either.  They twice held the UWA World Tag Team championship in Mexico, in 1992 and 1993.  The then-WWF had an all-too-brief taste of the Can-Am’s brand of action as well in 1996-7, cut short by a serious car accident in June, 1967 that cost them many months of recovery.

Furnas continued wrestling until 2000, including a run in ECW, when wear and tear from the Japanese strong style and injuries caught up with him, and he began to suffer the effects of Parkinson’s.  He located in San Diego where he ran a group home for abused boys, and kept a hand in the family business of raising bucking stock rodeo bulls back in Oklahoma.

Visitation will be held at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, March 9, and a funeral service at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 10, at the High School gymnasium in Commerce, Oklahoma.  Doug and his siblings attended the high school in their youth.  The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations in Doug’s name be made to the Sports Legacy Institute, http://www.sportslegacy.org/donate.  This is the non-profit institution spearheaded by former  pro wrestler Chris Nowinski,  to advance the study, treatment and prevention of cranial trauma in athletes and other at-risk groups.

The Cauliflower Alley club extends its condolences to his wife Martha, his parents, brother Michael and sisters Lawayne, Pam and Terri, and the extended family and friends of Doug Furnas.

*Photos courtesy WWE

 

SONNY MEYERS   (02/23/2012)
Few could generate as much heat in All-Star Wrestling on Canada’s west coast as Sonny Meyers, who passed away on February 23, 2012 after a long bout of throat cancer, at age 53.  He had been living in Cheney, Washington, not far from Spokane, and worked for a moving company.

Not to be confused with grand old veteran Sonny Myers of St. Joseph, Missouri, this most recent incarnation of the name was born Robert Clinton Weathers in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. He grew up idolizing Cowboy Bob Kelly, then moved with his family to northern California.  There he became a close friend of long-time CAC stalwart Ed ‘Moondog’ Moretti. The two faithfully attended shows in the San Francisco area from the age of 12, and were so enthused with the mat sport that they undertook to train themselves for the pro ring.  Even without the benefit of professional training, the pair became proficient enough that they landed a spot on Red Bastien’s promotion in 1978.

The athletic young Weathers, though relatively slim in stature, gained raves for his work right from the start.  Before long he was booked in the dying southern California promotion, plying his trade under the various names of Bob Patterson, Bob McFay, Bob Adonis and The Champion. After a couple of years in California, Idaho and Hawaii, he headed north to Vancouver and the All-Star promotion, where promoter Al Tomko dubbed him Sonny Meyers.

A tearaway style and smooth ringwork brought Meyers to the forefront there.  He became a familiar face on the BCTV All-Star telecasts, which were shown across much of Canada, and at one time or another carried the promotion’s Canadian and International tag team straps, and the Canadian singles title.  In the early 1980′s, he made an effective heel turn that propelled his stock even higher until he called it a career in 1988, when Tomko closed the promotion.   In between he made several turns back to the face side, one of the few who could carry that off effectively.

The ring beckoned him one more time in 1997, but the comeback didn’t even last a single night.  Meyers shattered his hip taking a suplex on the floor, and that was the end of the line.

Sonny Meyers’ ringmates remember him fondly, among them Ed Moretti and Dirty Dan Denton.  There was never a quiet moment when the voluble, free-wheeling Meyers was around, and that situation made him even more memorable.  Stories abound of his madman shenanigans, in the ring and out, and everyone who knew him could do a good imitation of his unique voice and colorful vocabulary laying out a match as only he could.

“Sonny’s greatest gift was what he gave to fans on a nightly basis,” Dan Denton wrote on the Slam!Wrestling website.   “Love him or hate him, he was a person who had the unique ability to positively take people out of their current lives to suspend disbelief and buy into exactly what Sonny was selling them.”

The Cauliflower Alley Club extends its condolences to his wife Cheryl, and the family and friends of Sonny Meyers.

 

Johnny “The Money Maker” Diamond (02/11/12)
was a former professional wrestler and manager turned promoter. He had worked for every major promotion in the world during his time and had been affiliated with the biggest names in wrestling history.

He began his wrestling career in 1973 taking on some of the toughest competitors in the sport – (including a BEAR!!!) and became the world’s most famous wrestler of animals in the process.  He formed a notable team with Oscar “Crusher” Verdu. As a regular traveling companion Diamond formed a close personal friendship with Andre the Giant and was often jokingly referred to as “Andre’s shadow”. For reasons unknown to Johnny, Bobby “The Brain” Heenan was fond of calling him “Fuzzy”. During his career he became the most famous wrestler of animals (a popular attraction back in the day) in the entire world.

As a manager Johnny was often seen in the corner of “Beautiful” Bobby Harmon and Prince Justice who would later go on to bigger fame as The Monster Abyss in TNA. Diamond also served as interim Commissioner of Intense Wrestling Inc. (IWI) in 2004 where he spent a lot of time toying with Brett Michaels (who was trained by Johnny Diamond) putting stipulations on Michaels matches that forced him to dress in women’s clothing or eat dog food if he lost.

As a promoter he founded several independent promotions in the Greater Cincinnati area including, the Northern Wrestling Federation (NWF), in the early 1990s, Dynamic Wrestling Alliance (DWA) in 2008, Classic Championship Wrestling (CCW) in 2009, and World Renown Wrestling (WRW) which is projected to start in 2012. In addition many other (indeed virtually ALL) promotions in the Cincinnati area also had Johnny Diamond influence. Promotions such as Heartland Wrestling Association (HWA), Elite All Pro Wrestling (EAPW), Legends of the Squared Circle (LSC) and Nation of Wrestling (NOW) – just to name a few – grew from promotions run by Johnny Diamond. And he helped develop such major talents as Abyss and Wildcat Chris Harris from Total Nonstop Action (TNA), And Jillian Hall who went on to become a superstar in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), and countless independent wrestling workers all over the Midwest United States. Diamond ran two different wrestling schools out of Cincinnati. Bonecrushers and Stompers Pro Wrestling

Throughout Diamond’s career he worked with many wrestling legends like Hulk Hogan, George “The Animal” Steele, Greg “The Hammer” Valentine, The Iron Sheik, “Beautiful” Bobby Harmon, and was a close friend to the late Andre The Giant having traveled with him on the road working events. Diamond had built up a reputation early in his career for wrestling large animals in the ring like grizzly bears. And even later went on to ring announce for the World Wrestling Federation (WWE). Diamond is also the man responsible for bringing the WWF to the Cincinnati area.

Johnny’s life came to a tragic end on February 11, 2012. While his death was originally reported to be from head injuries suffered from a fall, doctors later said that he died from a heart attack while in his wheelchair BEFORE the fall. He was found by his wife Gen at 11:10 pm.

The Cauliflower Alley Club extends its condolences to the family and friends of Johnny Diamond.

 

SAVANNAH JACK  (01/17/2012)
Jim Brunzell may not know it, but as the 1980′s neared their mid-point, he may have saved a life by simply being wh he was, a professional wrestler.  Climbing on a city bus in Minneapolis, Jim was surprised to find the man behind the wheel was Teddy Russell, whom he’d played football with on the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers team years earlier.  The chance meeting got Teddy Russell thinking seriously; if Jim Brunzell could become a wrestler, so could he!

Teddy – born Savannah Svatma Russell in St. Paul in 1948 – was at a crossroads.  He’d had youthful problems with the law, felt he was in a dead-end job, and saw no way out of his situation.  Taking the bull by the horns, he managed to attract the attention of Verne Gagne and Eddie Sharkey, and showed well enough – he’d practiced tae kwon do for some time — that he had the stuff to make it in the ring.  After his apprenticeship, Bills Watts spotted him.  Searching for a substitute for Junkyard Dog, who’d moved to the WWF, Watts gave him the spotlight, including the UWF World TV Championship.

Savannah held the title for nearly six months, but unfortunately couldn’t duplicate JYD’s magical fan attraction.  Later in 1987, his body began to betray him.  His strength was failing, his timing was off, he had breathing problems.  Physicians advised him to undergo a heart biopsy, but the no-insurance situation most wrestlers faced precluded that.  He soldiered on until one night in Texas, when he coughed up a huge blood clot just before his match.

That sealed Savannah Jack’s fate.  He drove straight home to Minneapolis, where he was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, heart muscle disease.  Exertion put him in danger of sudden death; wrestling was but a memory now.  He worked as a blackjack dealer and pitboss at Mystic Lake Casino in Minnesota, drove a cab, and finally had to retire completely after a stroke in 2001.  Two more strokes followed, then a major cardiac arrest.  Life slowed to a crawl, with Russell able to do very little for the past number of years.

Interviewed by a Minneapolis newspaper three years ago, Teddy Russell exhibited no bitterness about his plight.  “That’s life,” he told the reporter. “It’s what life dealt for me.  I could be dead right now.” He showed an old publicity picture, posed against a white background, flexing his fists.  Pointing at the picture, he smiled broadly. “I had the time of my life,” he says. “I can say I’m the luckiest man.”

He is survived by his life partner, Juli Grage, sons Peyton and Kai Russell, grandsons Daesk and Rowan, and two sisters.

The Cauliflower Alley Club extends its condolences to the family and friends of Savannah Jack, Teddy Russell.

 

JACK BARNES  (01/15/2012)
Jack Spencer Barnes, who wrestled for a short time under a mask, passed away as a result of an ATV accident in Oklahoma on January 15, 012.  He was 73 years of age.

Born in 1938 and raised in Muskogee, OK, he went to work for his father’s repossession firm following high school and eventually took over the business.  In the 1960′s, he took a flyer at becoming a wrestler and had a short career under the mask as The Great Bolo and as one of the many Dr. X clones active all across the U.S.  He also wrestled bears on a few occasions.

Barnes packed an amazing array of skills and accomplishments into his lifetime.  A lifelong entrepreneur, he was also an author, speaker, advertising executive, cowboy, soldier, racehorse owner, pilot and certified flight instructor (fixed wing and rotary) and diver.  His personal life was no less packed with interests: marksman, photographer, karaoke singer, fisherman, hunter and skier.

He and his wife Brenda raised two daughters and two sons, and counted among their extended family nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

The Cauliflower Alley Club extends its condolences to the family and friends of Jack Barnes.

 

MS-1  (01/12/2012)
Lucha libre legend MS-1, one of the most respected luchadores in Mexico in the final two decades of the twentieth century, passed away as a result of an auto accident on January 12, 2012.  He died in Huamantla, Tlaxcala, about 100 miles east of Mexico City.

Born in Salvatierra, Guanajuato on December 31, 1956, Pablo Fuentes Reina made his professional wrestling debut on July 12, 1978, bare-faced and under his own name.  EMLL, the forerunner of CMLL, signed him the following year and gave him a masked identity.  He became MS-1, which is the highest rank in a Mexican anti-terrorist corps, and was initially tagged up with a clone, MS-2.  Fuentes’ talent shone through quickly, though, and he was soon featured as a singles wrestler.  He maintained the masked persona for nearly four years, finally losing a “bet match” where each man wagered his mask, to Rayo de Jalisco, Jr. on July 2, 1982.

The unmasking didn’t undermine Fuentes’ popularity as a rudo idol; a very handsome man, he maintained a high profile in lucha circles, and developed a huge following.  He became a prime mover in the trios concept, three-man teams that swept the Mexican mat world in the mid-1980′s, heading up a team known as Los Infernales.  MS-1, Pirata Morgan and El Satanico, one of the most successful combinations of all time, held the World and Mexican National Trios Championships.

The mid-1980′s saw MS-1 ascend to the NWA World Light-Heavyweight Championship on two occasions, defeating Ringo Mendoza in 1985 and his long-time rival Rayo de Jalisco Jr. in 1987.  His two world title reigns lasted a total of eight months.

His career continued well into the 1990′s.  He parted company with CMLL in 1996, then later appeared as Kripter and later Alienigena II in AAA, and on the independent circuit.  Fuentes also promoted in the area around Naucalpan, and even resurrected the Los Infernales magic, triple teaming with his son who worked as MS-1 Jr. or MS-2 and another local wrestler.  He quietly retired from active wrestling and promotion as the century closed, though he continued to train aspiring luchadores in Huamantla.

The Cauliflower Alley Club extends its condolences to the family and friends of MS-1, Pablo Fuentes.

 

AUNT KITTY  01/08/2012
Kitty Burke, who managed the “bad girls” of GLOW for several years, passed away on January 8, 2012.

The matronly figure of “Aunt Kitty”, frilly umbrella in hand, patrolled ringside during her girls’ matches in the novel promotion that debuted in 1986.  Though she wasn’t an in-ring competitor, she managed to insinuate herself into the thick of the action in many a match.  Her opposite number was Jackie Stallone, the mother of actor Sylvester Stallone, who managed the “good girls” of GLOW.

Kitty was no stranger to the show business spotlight.  She had appeared off-Broadway for two years, toured with actress Jayne Mansfield, and had a part in the movie “She Devil” in the course of her career.

“(It was) a true honor to know the sweetest, most lovable bad girl manager in the business,” said fellow GLOW performer Little Egypt, on hearing of her passing.

The Cauliflower Alley Club extends its condolences to the family and friends of Kitty Burke.

 

CHOTU  (01/07/2012)
Chotu, an Indian wrestler with the new Ring Ka King promotion in that country, passed away on January 7, 2012.  He reportedly died of cardiac arrest.

He was born Dharam Prakash Bhojwani 29 years ago, and was known to his family and friends as “Babu”.  A tall youngster, he grew to a legitimate height of seven feet two inches during his high school years, though others in his family were of normal size.  Aware of the success that his mammoth, though slightly shorter, countryman The Great Khali had achieved in North America, Babu recently embarked on a ring career as Chotu.  He was scheduled to debut for Ring Ka King, the new Indian venture backed by American promotion TNA.

The Cauliflower Alley Club extends its condolences to the family and friends of Chotu.