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. His penchant for biting opponents earned him the nickname "The Why FREDDIE BLASSIE Was So Great f/ WRESTLINGBIOS - YouTube DAVE KNOWS that Classy Freddie Blassie is a Pro Wrestling legend. [4] He is regarded as one of the greatest wrestling heels, or villains, of all time. One poll ranked him as the most hated wrestler in the United States. He was feuding with a wrestler known as The Geek who had a neck like a stack of dimes, making him a literal pencil neck geek. Keith Elliot Greenberg has been doing his part to preserve professional wrestling history for the past few decades. Fred Blassie was born and raised in the St. Louis, Missouri, area. Managed by "Loud" Lou Albano, Blassie continued his winning ways, but never won the WWWF's championship. Classy Freddie Blassie knew how to get heat and anger fans. [6] The final match of their series took place in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, and set new California records for both attendance and gate. [spoken to the WWF wrestlers during Invasion 2001] Gentleman, there 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. News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. 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. He lives in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, with his wife and son. [16] In 1999, he was shown making the opening narration of WrestleMania XV. At the age of 13, after Jacob had beaten Anna again, Frederick threatened his father with a baseball bat; instead he lived with his aunt for six months until his mother asked him to return home. He even managed Muhammad Ali going into his legendary match with Antonio Inoki. However, sadly, Freddie passed away before he could ever speak to his son again. The rematches were held at Madison Square Garden in New York, with Sammartino winning out. This story has been shared 143,593 times. Keith Elliot Greenberg coauthored Legends of Wrestling: Freddie Blassie -- Listen, You Pencil Neck Geeks with wrestling icon "Classy" Freddie Blassie shortly before his death in 2003. By 1968, WWA rejoined the NWA, becoming NWA Hollywood, but in 1971, Blassie returned to WWWF and challenged new WWWF World Champion Pedro Morales, to no avail. This resulted in a weak relationship between the two. Blassie also was seen with the comedian Andy Kaufman in ''My Breakfast With Blassie,'' a 1983 spoof of ''My Dinner With Andre.''. Some NFL teams dont make the grade, players say, New era of football begins at Mater Dei under coach Frank McManus. Blassies father was a heavy alcoholic and was abusive towards his beloved mother. 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. . Blassie would eventually come to be known as a manager (see below) in WWE, but in the 1960s and 1970s, he actually wrestled for the promotion, back then known as the World Wide Wrestling Federation. 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 popular in Japan as well. He would become a frequent foe of Morales throughout the rest of his in-ring career in WWWF. (Use code PWS for a nice surprise). [8] He married a girl in California while on shore leave. [6] Blassie described this performer as "having a neck like a stack of dimes and a real pencil-neck geek". 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. Blassie's interference at Wrestlemania 2 cost Volkoff his match with Kirchner, when the cane was grabbed by Kirchner instead of Volkoff. He kept track of all of his matches during his career, including personal anecdotes. 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. In one memorable instance, Blassie, playing up the heel character, would berate Brunos followers backstage with promos, calling them derogatory names such as "grease ball" and "spaghetti bender." World Wrestling Entertainment WWE)). Freddie Blassie, 85, died of heart failure on June 2, 2003. Hed continue being a heel, managing a number of bad guys like George The Animal Steele, Hercules, and Blackjack Mulligan. The nastier he was in the ring, the more popular he became to fans. Occasionally, he would get too close to the action and get beaten up himself, much to the crowd's delight. Hed also regularly tag with Gorilla Monsoon, another wrestler better known for his non-wrestling roles. wrestled as a dark-haired good guy until he found out that the "heels" He is from USA. He worked for Vince McMahon and the World Wrestling Federation, now known as World Wrestling Entertainment. [9] The sight of the Japanese legend covered in his own blood gave several viewers heart attacks, and some reportedly died. When Gene Okerlund confronted Blassie in an interview after the match, Blassie said, "what cane, I didn't have no cane!". 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. 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). [6] His cousin John Frank Holaus often refereed his matches. Blassie, whose late hubby [inset] was known for his gravel-voiced put-down pencil-neck geek, claims to have suffered excruciating pain in the January 2011 tumble, which broke her right wrist, and permanent scarring from a cut eyebrow. He was 85. Blassie continued to interfere from ringside in matches, especially during Volkoff's feud with Corporal Kirchner. Blassie was more than willing to let the talented Bearcat Wright take the gold and make history. Outside of being an award-winning television producer, the New York Times best-selling author began writing about professional wrestling for several newspapers and magazines in the 90s. [9] While recuperating in 1966, he worked as a car salesman and married a second time to a woman whose name Blassie later claimed not to remember. He liked to use a variety of names but had trouble gaining the affection of fans who gravitated toward the likes of Lou Thesz and Gorgeous George. RELATED: 10 Managers With The Best Claim To Be On A Wrestling Mount Rushmore. [20] Images from his WrestleMania XV promo were also included in the opening of the 2001 Survivor Series. Blassie would turn heel during this period, developing a lot of the characteristics that hed become known for. He also starred in a 1983 movie called My Breakfast With Blassie, where he sat down for a meal with Andy Kaufman as a parody of the 1981 critically acclaimed film My Dinner With Andre. [3], One of Blassie's most famous proteges was The Iron Sheik. Jamie Greer joined LWOPW in 2015 and was the site's Managing Editor from 2016 through 2020. , money, salary, income, and assets. 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. Pro Wrestling Stories - Your daily source of nostalgia and a peek behind the curtain wall of wrestlings past! 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. According to Greenberg, Gorgeous George, towards the end of his career, wanted to form a tag team with Blassie. In the 1970s, Blassie recorded a number of novelty songs, including Pencil Neck Geek, which became a cult favorite via Dr. Dementos radio show, which specializes in sharing wacky tracks. He married his first wife Nettie Needles while on shore leave during the war. 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. 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.". After the war, he continued to wrestle professionally in the Midwest. [2] He sporadically returned to make brief appearances following his retirement in 1986, mostly in produced video packages hyping the "new generation" of wrestling. The defendants had a duty to provide reasonably safe conditions for its customers, the suit charges. 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. JP Zarka created Pro Wrestling Stories in May 2015. [20] Because of this, Blassie is one of, if not the only man to have worked with all four generations of the McMahon family. [3] Blassie, Lou Albano, and The Grand Wizard were named "The Three Wise Men of the East", as the top three heel managers in the company. So, how much is Freddie Blassie worth at the age of 85 years old? In 1964, the legendary "Classy" Freddie Blassie was still an in-ring competitor when he took on local hero Bruno Sammartino in front of a hostile New Jersey crowd, where he cheated for a cheap countout victory over the champ. Worldwide star. This film article about a 1980s comedy is a stub. 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. What did Disney actually lose from its Florida battle with DeSantis? [6] He performed for that promotion until his full retirement from professional wrestling in 1986. Renowned as "The Hollywood Fashion Plate",[3] he was a one-time NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion, and was inducted into the WWF Hall of Fame in 1994. [4] In 1998, Blassie was the winner at the fourth annual Cauliflower Alley Club East Coast Banquet. [8], Blassie appeared in an episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show that featured a new dance craze called The Twizzle. Im not implying that Bruno would ever have any dealings with the mafia on his own. Also learn how He earned most of Freddie Blassie networth? Now is In 1972, ten years after his last match in Japan with Rikidozans JWA, he returned to Japan and began working for Giant Babas All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW). We've received your submission. The terminology would follow him for the rest of his career. A child of two German immigrants, Freddie Blassie was born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1918. He graduated from McKinley High School and began work at a meatpacking plant. Before The Client List is an extension of our ongoing series, Before They Were Famous, which looks at wrestlers before they became internationally famous. My Breakfast with Blassie is a 1983 film starring Andy Kaufman and professional wrestler "Classy" Freddie Blassie.[1]. 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. Blassie. Blassie originally wrestled 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. Miyako Blassie, 68, says in court papers that she was shopping for groceries. Those colorful interviews helped make him a celebrity in the newly expanding medium of television. Let's learn more about this classic heel! 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!". 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. 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. After being pounded by a longer-limbed opponent, he switched to professional wrestling. Blassie also mastered the television interview, boasting his superiority over other wrestlers he liked to call ''pencil-neck geeks.'' [6] Afterwards he became a manager in the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) and its subsequent incarnation the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). At 85 years old, Freddie Blassie height His career began in earnest after Greenberg would add that Jerry Grahams drinking issues may have been combined with mental illness. After Blassie lost the WWA World Heavyweight Championship to Rikidzan in Los Angeles, the two had a rematch on live Japanese television. . [9] During this stint with the company, Blassie was managed by his future nemesis, "Captain" Lou Albano.[3]. Freddie had been estranged from his children for the majority of their lives. However, Blassie said he would toss his drink in the sand if he didnt drink it, so Lanny took the offer. September 30, 1968 - June 2, 2003 (his death), Wrestling's Living Legend Bruno Sammartino. comes a time when every man must fight for that he believes in. [3] Blassie also publicly represented Ali for media events and interviews for a period in the mid-1970s. (1965 - 1968)( divorced), Nettie Needles (September 1942 - 1964)( divorced)( 3 children). [22] In the demonstration of the dance, Blassie picked up Rob Petrie and twirled him over his head. Freddie never held a true world title but he was still one of the greatest of the 50s through the 60s". His last name is slightly easier to pronounce than it looks. After managing Sheik through a brief feud with Andre the Giant, he also became the manager of Nikolai Volkoff, with Sheik and Volkoff later becoming a tag team. RELATED: 10 All-Time Greats You Forgot Had Managers. @megantheevalium. The widow of pro-wrestling villain Classy Freddie Blassie got thrown for a fall by a supermarket floor mat. Also featured is Bob Zmuda, who plays a nosy fan. He started a second career as a manager in the WWWF. [8] He worked for Jack Pfefer, who he claimed would only employ people who looked like sideshow freaks at his shows, and whose wrestlers included Tor Johnson, who made movies with director Ed Wood, and Lillian Ellison, the Fabulous Moolah. Blassie retired from active wrestling in 1974, due to a California law that prohibited anyone over 55 from getting a wrestling license. Born Fred Blassman in St. Louis, Blassie played baseball and football in high school. Blassie later challenged Morales for the WWWF Championship, but came up short. )[8] The movies title and premise are parodies of the 1981 art-house classic My Dinner with Andre.[23]. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. The two spoke the same dialect of German, their parents had mutual friends, and . He won the World Wrestling Association world heavyweight championship from the Frenchman douard Carpentier at the Los Angeles Sports Arena in 1961. 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. 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. 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. He briefly turned face in 1989, making an appearance on Prime Time Wrestling angry with Bobby Heenan over money Heenan hadn't paid him back. He grabs his balls!" Zach Eflin And Wife On Yacht Wallpaper. This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. The two of them had a great relationship off-camera, but because kayfabe was well and truly protected during this time in the business unless you were on the inside, you never were to know that a heel and face got along in real life. Stay tuned to theLast Word on Pro Wrestlingfor more on this and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. [2] He was given a commentary tryout in 1986 and 1987 for WWF Wrestling Challenge, calling a few matches with Gorilla Monsoon. Since his retirement, he has occasionally worked as a "goodwill ambassador" (!) Freddie Blassie, Pro Wrestler Popular as Villain, Dies at 85, https://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/08/sports/freddie-blassie-pro-wrestler-popular-as-villain-dies-at-85.html. His penchant for biting opponents earned him the nickname "The Vampire". In the summer of 1986, Blassie started to slowly phase himself out of the WWF and into retirement. It was in the latter that he decided to embrace his villainous side, bleaching his hair blonde like Gorgeous George. (1965 - 1968) ( divorced), Nettie Needles (September 1942 - 1964) ( divorced) ( 3 children) Freddie Blassie Net Worth His net worth has been growing significantly in 2021-2022.
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