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. 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. @megantheevalium. His wife is Miyako Morozumi (30 September1968 - 2 June2003)( his death), ? switched to professional wrestling. mainly in the Southeast and West Coast, winning many titles in both. He was 85.Mr. Blassie worked for the World Wrestling Federation, now known as World Wrestling Entertainment, which presented him with its lifetime achievement award in 1996. [9][6], On June 2, 2003, Blassie died of heart and kidney failure at the age of 85. By doing this, he saved Freddie Blassies life. I think Dick Lane was as good as Gordon Solie in his day. Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. If they refused to drop a title, it didnt matter what the bookers thought. [3], In 1953, he worked in the Atlanta, territory for Paul Jones (the wrestler of the 1930s, not the wrestler/manager of the 1980s). However, Blassie wanted nothing to do with him because he too had a massive drinking problem and felt that it would "hit too close to home." But while his US in-ring career ended (while still working for WWWF), he remained employed by WWWF and became a manager instead. This movie got together because the man who produced wrestling manager and former wrestling champion Fred Blassie's novelty song, "Pencil-Neck Geek", Johnny Legend, wanted to film a very cheap parody of the awful art movie My Dinner with Andre, and decided that Blassie's young friend and protege, the eccentric comedian Andy Kaufman would be the . After being pounded by a longer-limbed opponent, he switched to professional wrestling. The widow of pro-wrestling villain Classy Freddie Blassie got thrown for a fall by a supermarket floor mat. He returned again in 1990 briefly to do color commentary for Prime Time in April with Vince McMahon, as an emergency fill-in after Tony Schiavone quit, playing a heel once again. September 30, 1968 - June 2, 2003 (his death), Wrestling's Living Legend Bruno Sammartino. Freddie had been estranged from his children for the majority of their lives. Fred Blassie was born and raised in the St. Louis, Missouri, area. 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. [6] Blassie described this performer as "having a neck like a stack of dimes and a real pencil-neck geek". ", 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. Had some great matches with Rikidozan & even back in the late 60s he was over bigtime as a heel. 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's net worth This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. [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. Frederick was an only child. [8] The fans consistently booed him because he was considered a "Yankee". Ironically, during his WWWF stint, he was managed by another former wrestler who had recently become a manager, in the form of Captain Lou Albano. He was now hooked, and he decided that pro wrestling was his destiny and not his backbreaking work in the meatpacking plant. [3], In 1964, Blassie feuded with Bruno Sammartino and Bobo Brazil. He did an advice segment on the Tuesday Night Titans TV program, made personal appearances and did radio interviews. 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". Discover Freddie Blassie's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. [2] He was given a commentary tryout in 1986 and 1987 for WWF Wrestling Challenge, calling a few matches with Gorilla Monsoon. [6] Afterwards he became a manager in the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) and its subsequent incarnation the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). [8] His final wrestling appearance was May 12, 2003 in Philadelphia on Raw, three weeks before his death. Keith Elliot Greenberg has been doing his part to preserve professional wrestling history for the past few decades. . However, sadly, Freddie passed away before he could ever speak to his son again. This story has been shared 143,593 times. 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. As a wrestling manager, wore shirts and trousers of the exact same color, sometimes with a matching jacket. 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. After a move to the West Coast, he tried a different promotional scheme -- that of a villain. 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.". View popular celebrities life details, birth signs and real ages. 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. Funeral services will be held at noon Friday at Hitchcock Presbyterian Church in Scarsdale, N.Y. In 1961, he defeated Eduoard Carpentier for the WWA World Heavyweight Championship, a title that held prominence in the pro-wrestling world, since WWA was an outlaw territory outside the realm of the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA). (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. [16] In 1999, he was shown making the opening narration of WrestleMania XV. Fred Blassie was born and raised in the St. Louis, Missouri, area. 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. Heres a look at Classy Freddie Blassies wrestling career, long before he decided to take on clients and become one of the most iconic managers of the 1970s and 1980s. "I want you to get four Orange Juliuses for me, the girls, and you.". 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. His last name is slightly easier to pronounce than it looks. He delivered a rousing speech, dramatically standing up from his wheelchair to get the WWE-loyal wrestlers pumped up for the next battle. his service in the United States Navy during World War II. Inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2004. Blassie is survived by his wife, Miyako, and three children. He would become a frequent foe of Morales throughout the rest of his in-ring career in WWWF. 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. . [3] As an adult, Frederick was a teetotaler. After the war, Blassie returned to the Midwest and continued wrestling professionally. Blassie died in Hartsdale, N.Y., Jeff Walton, a former wrestling publicist, told The Los Angeles Times. [4] In 1998, Blassie was the winner at the fourth annual Cauliflower Alley Club East Coast Banquet. Many people close to him actually had no idea that he had children in the first place. 3 Saving Freddie Blassie Thanks To Kayfabe. His parents, Anna (ne Sind) and Jacob Blassman, were German immigrants who arrived in the United States prior to World War I.[3]. Federation (WWWF, later the World Wresting Federation (WWF) and now Why FREDDIE BLASSIE Was So Great f/ WRESTLINGBIOS - YouTube DAVE KNOWS that Classy Freddie Blassie is a Pro Wrestling legend. Blassie continued to interfere from ringside in matches, especially during Volkoff's feud with Corporal Kirchner. Now is That revolution -- making the villain the hero -- put fans in the seats and money in Blassies pocket. "That's why he was 'Classy' Freddie Blassie." 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. [8] Blassie also appeared in a segment at the Vengeance pay-per-view event in December 2001, where an "undisputed" champion would be crowned. 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. [7], His career continued as he was hired by more established promoters, including Tom Packs in St. Louis and George Simpson in Kansas City. Even more important than that, Blassie would make a change that would make him an icon. 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. Blassie. He did an advice segment on the ''Tuesday Night Titans'' TV program, made personal appearances and did radio interviews. My Breakfast with Blassie is a 1983 film starring Andy Kaufman and professional wrestler "Classy" Freddie Blassie.[1]. While writingThe Legends of Wrestling, Greenberg got to know Freddie Blassie quite well and mentioned in his appearance on The Genius Cast that Blassie really opened up to him. In [20] Images from his WrestleMania XV promo were also included in the opening of the 2001 Survivor Series. [2][14] Blassie also managed Muhammad Ali in his boxer vs. wrestler match in 1976 against Antonio Inoki. [6] Blassie lost the title to Rikidzan on March 28, 1962.[9]. Fred Blassie was born and raised in the St. Louis, Missouri, area. 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". A wildly popular villain in the 1950s, 60s and 70s, he later managed other wrestlers, including then-bad guy Hulk Hogan and the ever-evil Iron Sheik. Among the men he managed were Nikolai Volkoff,[2] The Iron Sheik,[2] Blackjack Mulligan,[2] High Chief Peter Maivia,[2] "The Crippler" Ray Stevens,[2] Adrian Adonis,[2] Jesse Ventura,[2] Dick Murdoch,[2] Swede Hanson,[2] Killer Khan,[2] George 'The Animal' Steele,[2] Professor Tanaka,[2] Mr. Fuji,[2] Ivan Koloff,[2] Tor Kamata,[2] Masa Saito,[2] Lou Albano,[2] Victor Rivera,[2] Kamala,[2] Hercules Hernandez,[2] and Hulk Hogan. He, Albano, and "The Grand Wizard of Wrestling" (Ernie Roth) formed the WWWF's "Evil Trinity" of heel managers. book. 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. [6] He also began boxing at a local community center and won a heavyweight championship title. In the early 1970s, Blassie "turned face", or became a good guy, since so many fans were cheering his famous antics. For Freddie Blassie, there was no question why he took on a villian's persona - he loved it. [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. 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. 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. 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. He claimed to file his teeth to draw blood from opponents, and among his nicknames was the Vampire. 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. 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. He also reportedly excelled as a boxer. [6] His knees were also in terrible condition, which also contributed to his retirement. 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. "Classy" Freddie Blassie appeared in a live-action segment of the cartoon "Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling." Blassie, Murray wrote, has dedicated his life to wrapping up as much hate as one man can safely carry in a lifetime. 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, 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. Stay tuned to theLast Word on Pro Wrestlingfor more on this and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. Around 1980, he adopted a new moniker: "Ayatollah Blassie." 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. comes a time when every man must fight for that he believes in. )[8] The movies title and premise are parodies of the 1981 art-house classic My Dinner with Andre.[23]. He achieved the rank of Petty Officer (Second Class) before he was discharged. He kept track of all of his matches during his career, including personal anecdotes. Real Name: Fred Blassie. Replying to. Had some great matches with Rikidozan & even back in the late 60s he was over bigtime as a heel. [6] One of his most famous feuds took place in southern California in 1971, against Tolos. Some wrestlers choose to play a villain as a way of promoting their career, while others are forced to by their promoters. [6] He performed for that promotion until his full retirement from professional wrestling in 1986. PWSTees.com Your favorite Pro Wrestling Stories, on a tee! [15] Blassie led Shiek to the WWF World Heavyweight Championship over Bob Backlund on December 26, 1983, in Madison Square Garden. [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. The defendants had a duty to provide reasonably safe conditions for its customers, the suit charges. He married his first wife Nettie Needles while on shore leave during the war. [9] The sight of the Japanese legend covered in his own blood gave several viewers heart attacks, and some reportedly died. However, he became increasingly interested in wrestling. "Classy" Freddie Blassie is a legendary wrestling personality, both as a wrestler and a manager. 500,000+ HD Wallpapers & Freddie Blassie Wallpaper 100% Free to Use High Quality Wallpapers Personalise for all Screen & Devices. Blassie did not just fade away after he left the ring. 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. . 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. One of Blassie's gimmicks was to file his teeth, and draw blood from his opponents by biting their foreheads. (bad guys) got better pay. [7] As the wrestlers became familiar with him, they began teaching him holds. We have estimated [3], Blassie returned to WWA in 1968 just as promoter Mike LeBell decided to rejoin the NWA. Blassie also mastered the television interview, boasting his superiority over other wrestlers he liked to call ''pencil-neck geeks.'' [8], In 1975, Blassie recorded voiceovers for the songs "Blassie, King of Men" and "Pencil Neck Geek", which were performed by Johnny Legend, featuring Billy Zoom on guitar, Jay Phillips on guitar, Lon Osgood on bass and Steve Clark on drums. Blassie retired from wrestling in 1986, turning over his stable of heels to another manager called Slick. 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. As a result he has wrought something of a revolution in the unmanly art of exhibition wrestling.. 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. Greenberg would add that Jerry Grahams drinking issues may have been combined with mental illness. 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. Greenbergs memoir on Freddie Blassie was released just three weeks before he died in 2003. You can watch him on Autopsy: The Last Hours of on Reelz in the United States and Channel 5 in Great Britain. (1965 - 1968)( divorced), Nettie Needles (September 1942 - 1964)( divorced)( 3 children). Blassie also resented "Superstar" Billy Graham, at first, due to his association with Dr. Jerry Graham, who in kayfabe was Billys older brother. [3], One of Blassie's most famous proteges was The Iron Sheik. His career began in earnest after 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. In addition to his pro wrestling notoriety, Classy Freddie Blassie also has some amusing notability in wider pop culture. He bleached his hair and quickly became a heel's heel, outraging crowds by gleefully breaking every rule in the book. Lanny was only 12 or 13-years-old at the time. He was 85. Hogan would return in late 1983, turning face almost immediately after and thus separating from Freddie Blassie. Blassie would show Greenberg dozens of notebooks with "beautiful cursive handwriting." His first match with Blassie had actually. Courtesy of the award-winning WWE Network.. WWE Confidential presents a feature on the life and times of the fashion plate of professional wrestling, "Classy" Freddie Blassie. [7], After the US entered World War II, Blassie enlisted in the Navy and served in the Pacific Theater for 42 months. He won the WWA World Heavyweight Wrestling Championship from French star Edouard Carpentier at the L.A. Sports Arena in 1961. News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. Managed by "Loud" Lou Albano, Blassie continued his winning ways, but never won the WWWF's championship. Despite that, Blassie ended the year by leaving WWWF and returning to Los Angeles and the WWA. Credited with bringing a young Hulk Hogan into the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) in late 1979. Blassie was a contemporary of six-time NWA world champion Thesz, who died in 2002 at the age of 86. 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. Freddie never held a true world title but he was still one of the greatest of the 50s through the 60s". He won the World Wrestling Association world heavyweight championship from the Frenchman douard Carpentier at the Los Angeles Sports Arena in 1961. Blassie is survived by his wife, Miyako, and three children. Linda's dual role (as director and actress) was scripted as an irritating fan who requests Andy's autograph after he washes his hands. Comedian Andy Kaufman & professional wrestler Classy Freddie Blassie eat breakfast & discuss life. [spoken to the WWF wrestlers during Invasion 2001] Gentleman, there He bleached his hair and quickly became a heel's heel, outraging crowds by gleefully breaking every rule in the book. Anyone can read what you share. "Bruno always had a huge entourage hanging around him," Greenberg wrote in "Classy" Freddie Blassie The Legends of Wrestling. 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.. 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. [18][19] Blassie also appeared in the SummerSlam opening video. 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. [5], Blassie was born Frederick Kenneth Blassman in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1918. G&K did not respond to calls for comment. [6] In later years, Blassie also appeared on The Mike Douglas Show when Philbin was a guest host. Back in the dressing room, Blassie realized he was in the wrong one. 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 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). When he asked for her parents' blessing, they were hesitant because of his reputation with Rikidzan and because he was 28 years older than she. He is from USA. (and of course, Bubba Ray and D-Von take care of Bischoff and his cronies). At 85 years old, Freddie Blassie height 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. 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. 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.
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