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. Real Name: Fred Blassie. As much as governing body politics held back minorities, the wrestlers themselves had even more power. He bleached his hair and quickly became a heel's heel, outraging crowds by gleefully breaking every rule in the book. Credited with bringing a young Hulk Hogan into the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) in late 1979. Freddie Blassie - Biography - IMDb 10 Backstage Stories About Bruno Sammartino WWE Fans Should Know 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. Andy Kaufman on Letterman w/ "Classy" Freddie Blassie 02/23/1983 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. Had some great matches with Rikidozan & even back in the late 60s he was over bigtime as a heel. Blassie, well-known for exaggerating a story or two, stated that when he was wrestling Rikidozan in Japan, 100 Japanese wrestling fans dropped dead of heart attacks because the matches were so gory. The "Shakespeare of WWE" made an appearance on our podcast The Genius Cast in 2018, and he certainly had a few good stories up his sleeves! 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. Blassie was inducted into the WWF Hall of Fame in 1994 by Shane McMahon. Blassie continued to interfere from ringside in matches, especially during Volkoff's feud with Corporal Kirchner. Blassie retired from active wrestling in 1974, due to a California law that prohibited anyone over 55 from getting a wrestling license. After being pounded by a longer-limbed opponent, he switched to professional wrestling. Bruno had gotten so famous that he couldnt always pick the boneheads from the rest. He retired from competition in the late 1970s to manage a new generation of gladiators such as Hulk Hogan. Recommended:The Time WWE Hall of Famer DR. JERRY GRAHAM Kidnapped His Mothers Dead Body. 3 Saving Freddie Blassie Thanks To Kayfabe. 2018 Remaster of Andy Kaufman on The Late Show w/ David Letterman w/ "Classy" Fred Blassie on February 23rd, 1983.More remastered Andy Kaufman - https://goo.. In Freddie Blassie Wrestlers Database CAGEMATCH - The Internet for the WWF. 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. He was 85. His matches with Freddie Blassie were legendary. But while his US in-ring career ended (while still working for WWWF), he remained employed by WWWF and became a manager instead. You can check out an almost unlimited array of WWE content on theWWE NetworkandPeacock. [20] Images from his WrestleMania XV promo were also included in the opening of the 2001 Survivor Series. 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. 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. [3] As an adult, Frederick was a teetotaler. Still a motormouth, he gave interviews in which he bragged about himself and his protgs and denounced anybody he didn't like as a "pencil necked geek". His heels were always a bit more exotic and meaner than most. [6] Blassie lost the title to Rikidzan on March 28, 1962.[9]. wrestled as a dark-haired good guy until he found out that the "heels" . Tolos moved first to Vancouver, where he married his wife Ingrid in 1967 (they later divorced), then worked his way south until he reached Los Angeles. [3][8] In 1983, Rhino Records released a 14-track album by Blassie, titled I Bite the Songs. In 1976 he managed Muhammad Ali during his shoot match. Following his 1986 on-camera retirement (he remained an executive for the WWE), still made occasional on-camera appearances since then, and his last came on "WWE Raw" in May, just a few weeks before his death (to promote his newly-released biography, "Listen, You Pencil Neck Geeks"). 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Three injured in shooting outside Bronx funeral home, Canadian teacher with size-Z prosthetic breasts placed on paid leave, What's next for Buster Murdaugh after dad's murder conviction, life sentence, US home prices just did something they haven't done since 2012, How a retired detective snared his seventh 'Torso Killer' confession, It's insane that NYers can use but not buy pepper spray for self-defense: Change this now, Celeb-loved jewelry brand Dorsey drops dazzling new styles, White Lotus actor jokes about being hit on following shows success, Is this the couple behind the Worst Art Job Listing Ever?, Undertaker transforms coffin into barbecue grill, Kellyanne Conway and George Conway to divorce. Blassie also was seen with the comedian Andy Kaufman in ''My Breakfast With Blassie,'' a 1983 spoof of ''My Dinner With Andre.''. 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. His parents, Anna (ne Sind) and Jacob Blassman, were German immigrants who arrived in the United States prior to World War I.[3]. According to Dave Meltzer, "legitimately there were three [deaths] in Japan from elderly men watching a match with Togo in Japan, and it became this myth that [Freddie Blassie] exaggerated.". You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. Since his retirement, he has occasionally worked as a "goodwill ambassador" (!) 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 He held his WWA World title for 289 days and thanks to WWAs alliance with Japan, in particular the Japan Wrestling Alliance (JWA) headed by puroresu icon Rikidozan, Blassie would not only help introduce Japanese pro wrestling to the U.S. market but help validate it in Japan as well. The nastier he was in the ring, the more popular he became to fans on the other side of the ropes. At an early age, Blassie was enamored with pro wrestling, particularly the shooters of the early era of pro wrestling in the 1930s, and would often sneak into a local gym to watch the technical masters stretch and submit their opponents. You hit a guy in the neck. He achieved the rank of Petty Officer (Second Class) before he was discharged. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. It made Japanese wrestling a commodity on the West Coast and had given Rikidozan the credibility of conquering America. , money, salary, income, and assets. Linda's dual role (as director and actress) was scripted as an irritating fan who requests Andy's autograph after he washes his hands. Many of the viewers were horrified by Blassie's treatment of their hero. He was 85. One of Blassie's gimmicks was to file his teeth, and draw blood from his opponents by biting their foreheads. In March of 1962, Blassie lost the WWA World title to Rikidozan, and for the next four months, Blassie competed in Japan, determined to regain his title from the Japanese wrestling innovator. One of the men was Jilly Rizzo, Frank Sinatras number one sidekick and the owner of his own saloon. "CLASSY" FRED BLASSIE on Twitter: "Your trad wife, sir. https://t.co While there, he won the NWA Georgia Southern Heavyweight Championship, the holder of which was generally first in line to challenge the NWA World Heavyweight Champion whenever he passed through the territory. He even managed Muhammad Ali going into his legendary match with Antonio Inoki. Freddie never held a true world title but he was still one of the greatest of the 50s through the 60s". Why FREDDIE BLASSIE Was So Great f/ WRESTLINGBIOS - YouTube DAVE KNOWS that Classy Freddie Blassie is a Pro Wrestling legend. Around 1980, he adopted a new moniker: "Ayatollah Blassie." Freddie Blassie Biography, Age, Height, Wife, Net Worth, Family He also reportedly excelled as a boxer. [2][14] Blassie also managed Muhammad Ali in his boxer vs. wrestler match in 1976 against Antonio Inoki. [8] He was often billed as "The Vampire" during this time for biting his opponents and filing his teeth during interviews and promos. [8], Blassie appeared in an episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show that featured a new dance craze called The Twizzle. In addition to his pro wrestling notoriety, Classy Freddie Blassie also has some amusing notability in wider pop culture. Lanny stated that though Freddie Blassie never knew how to save his money well, he always had enough since he was never a drinker and saved a lot of money in that regard. It was in the latter that he decided to embrace his villainous side, bleaching his hair blonde like Gorgeous George. Take Linda McMahon, for instance. Federation (WWWF, later the World Wresting Federation (WWF) and now switched to professional wrestling. My Breakfast with Blassie is a 1983 film starring Andy Kaufman and professional wrestler "Classy" Freddie Blassie.[1]. Blassie retired from wrestling in 1986, turning over his stable of heels to another manager called Slick. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news in the wrestling world, as well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world. He worked for Vince McMahon and the World Wrestling Federation, now known as World Wrestling Entertainment. One of the 100 Greatest Wrestlers of the 20th Century (Inside Wrestling Presents, Summer 2000). Sadly, the gimmick was a bomb, and Blassie jumped around territories, including working in New York City for Jess McMahon (grandfather of Vince McMahon Jr.). Because of his close relationship with Vince McMahon, Sr. and his family, Blassie remained on the WWF payroll until the day he died. mainly in the Southeast and West Coast, winning many titles in both. 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. The Life and Times of Classy Freddie Blassie Quiz his service in the United States Navy during World War II. The Real Housewives of Atlanta The Bachelor Sister Wives 90 Day Fiance Wife Swap The Amazing Race Australia Married at First Sight The Real Housewives of Dallas My 600-lb Life Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. My wife joined Toastmasters International in October of last year. [9] However, they eventually consented and Miyako returned with Blassie to the United States; they were married on September 30, 1968. Blassie would gain even more gold when Volkoff and Sheik defeated The US Express for the WWF Tag Team Championship at the first ever Wrestlemania. 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. [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. [4] In 1998, Blassie was the winner at the fourth annual Cauliflower Alley Club East Coast Banquet. 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. If you're not from the midwest you're not allowed to have an opinion on this. For example, in the 1970s, he took on Cowboy Bill Watts, whod become a promoter and booker for Mid-South Wrestling and WCW. His father was an abusive alcoholic, prompting Frederick to stay with his grandparents whenever Jacob beat Anna. 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. Freddie Blassie | Pro Wrestling | Fandom He heard Blassie say that and whipped out a gun saying, "Ill kill that sonuvabitch! Classy Freddie Blassie was pro wrestling's 'Fashion Plate' Blassie wrestled as a dark-haired good guy until he found out that the "heels" (bad guys) got better pay. heel's heel, outraging crowds by gleefully breaking every rule in the Blassie is survived by his wife, Miyako, and three children. . That year, Blassie was forced to retire from in-ring competition, as a California by-law forbade wrestling licenses for anyone upon reaching 55 years old. Fred Blassie would meet his wife, a Japanese actress.. November 15, 1968: Fred Blassie defeated Buddy Austin in a "Stretcher" match in the Olympic Stadium.. [8] His final wrestling appearance was May 12, 2003 in Philadelphia on Raw, three weeks before his death. However, Miyako Blassie, surviving wife of the legendary "Classy" Freddie Blassie, is offering that chance as the WWE Hall of Famer's Lincoln Town Car becomes available on WWE Auction. Some NFL teams dont make the grade, players say, New era of football begins at Mater Dei under coach Frank McManus. His career began in earnest after Jamie Greer joined LWOPW in 2015 and was the site's Managing Editor from 2016 through 2020. He started a second career as a manager in the WWWF. Freddie Blassie - The Truth (and Somewhere In-Between) Still a motormouth, he gave interviews in which he bragged about himself and his protgs and denounced anybody he didn't like as a "pencil necked geek". "That's why he was 'Classy' Freddie Blassie." [5], Blassie was born Frederick Kenneth Blassman in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1918. (1965 - 1968)( divorced), Nettie Needles (September 1942 - 1964)( divorced)( 3 children). He, Albano, and "The Grand Wizard of Wrestling" (Ernie Roth) formed the WWWF's "Evil Trinity" of heel managers. [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. 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. Wrestler's widow goes to the mat - New York Post He retired from competition in the late 1970's to manage a new generation of wrestlers, including Hulk Hogan and Jesse Ventura, the future governor of Minnesota. Deiveson Figueiredo Tattoo Wallpaper. 10 Things Fans Should Know About Classy Freddie Blassie, 10 Managers With The Best Claim To Be On A Wrestling Mount Rushmore, 10 Performers Who Were Great As Both A Wrestler & Manager, 10 All-Time Greats You Forgot Had Managers. [6] He also began boxing at a local community center and won a heavyweight championship title. He began wrestling professionally in 1935 and it was soon after that he came up with his famous pencil neck geek insult. "I want you to get four Orange Juliuses for me, the girls, and you.". Blassie began portraying himself as a villain, and it worked. He felt this was his chance to tell his life story before moving on. [18][19] Blassie also appeared in the SummerSlam opening video. Blassie Blassies father was a heavy alcoholic and was abusive towards his beloved mother. You pencil neck geek! For those who were brought up on pro wrestling in the 1980s and 1990s, one of the most colorful managers of the day was WWF stalwart, Classy Freddie Blassie. Blassie would turn heel during this period, developing a lot of the characteristics that hed become known for. Before The Client List: "Classy" Freddie Blassie - Last Word on Pro 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. Miyako Blassie, 68, says in court papers that she was shopping for groceries when she tripped near the entrance to a Pathmark in Westchester. book. [3], One of Blassie's most famous proteges was The Iron Sheik. Let's learn more about this classic heel! "Bruno always had a huge entourage hanging around him," Greenberg wrote in "Classy" Freddie Blassie The Legends of Wrestling. In this match Hogan was once again victorious. [22], Filmed in 1982, My Breakfast with Blassie featured Andy Kaufman and Freddie Blassie eating at a Sambo's in Los Angeles. This resulted in a weak relationship between the two. Freddie Blassie was one of the most hated heels of his time. Death [10] He had main event-level feuds against stars such as The Destroyer. 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. [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. Also featured is Bob Zmuda, who plays a nosy fan. Blassie originally wrestled mainly in the Southeast and West Coast, winning many titles in both. 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. It was not until he moved to the West Coast that fans began supporting him. Blassie continued to manage Sheik and Volkoff even after they lost the tag team titles. 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. Freddie Blassie decided to stop being a fixture of wrestling in 1986 but was no stranger to making the odd guest appearance. Discover today's celebrity birthdays and explore famous people who share your birthday. This helps us provide free content for you to enjoy! [3] Blassie also publicly represented Ali for media events and interviews for a period in the mid-1970s. Blassie wrestled as a dark-haired good guy until he found out that the "heels" (bad guys) got better pay. As a result, fans may be aware of Classy Freddie Blassie for his appearances during WWEs Golden Era and beyond but that only scratches the surface of his career. 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)). His penchant for biting opponents earned him the nickname "The Vampire". By using this site, you agree to the legal terms set out in ourDisclaimer, Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Disclosure. [7] As the wrestlers became familiar with him, they began teaching him holds. [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.
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