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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. [5], Blassie was born Frederick Kenneth Blassman in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1918. Had some great matches with Rikidozan & even back in the late 60s he was over bigtime as a heel. 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], Blassie's famous "pencil-neck geek" catchphrase originated early in his career while describing a fellow carnival performer who appeared in a geek show. 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. A child of two German immigrants, Freddie Blassie was born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1918. Freddie Blassie - Online World of Wrestling Replying to. The phrase pencil neck geek is such a common bit of North American English idiom that likely few are aware that it actually comes from pro wrestling, let alone from the mouth of Freddie Blassie. 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. comes a time when every man must fight for that he believes in. Freddie Blassie - The Truth (and Somewhere In-Between) As time goes on, many older wrestlers begin to fade out of the collective memory of wrestling, especially if their primary in-ring work happened before WWE began its takeover of the sport in the 1980s. Even more important than that, Blassie would make a change that would make him an icon. 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. 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. Born: 1921. 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 [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. Zach Eflin And Wife On Yacht Wallpaper. Fred Blassie was born and raised in the St. Louis, Missouri, area. Lanny would state that Jerry Graham "had no business living the last 15 years of his life" due to his drinking problems. He won the World Wrestling Association world heavyweight championship from the Frenchman douard Carpentier at the Los Angeles Sports Arena in 1961. One that stands out was his rivalry with Bruno Sammartino in the early 1960s. Pro Wrestling Stories - Your daily source of nostalgia and a peek behind the curtain wall of wrestlings past! After being pounded by a longer-limbed opponent, he switched to professional wrestling. As a result he has wrought something of a revolution in the unmanly art of exhibition wrestling.. 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. [24], In the early 1990s, the wrestler starred in a documentary directed by Jeff Krulik, titled Mr. Blassie Goes To Washington. Recommended:The Night Bruno Sammartino Saved Freddie Blassies Life, Lanny Poffo, speaking to his friend Keith Elliot Greenberg on The Genius Cast, shared the story of the time he and Freddie Blassie were in Hawaii in 1968. His wife is Miyako Morozumi (30 September1968 - 2 June2003)( his death), ? Freddie Blassie decided to stop being a fixture of wrestling in 1986 but was no stranger to making the odd guest appearance. (1965 - 1968)( divorced), Nettie Needles (September 1942 - 1964)( divorced)( 3 children). However, Blassie said he would toss his drink in the sand if he didnt drink it, so Lanny took the offer. As a wrestling manager, wore shirts and trousers of the exact same color, sometimes with a matching jacket. Originally from Chicago, he has called London home since 2008. Freddie Blassie managed many heels to success, including the team of The Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff, who would win the World Tag Team Titles from US Express thanks to Blassies delivering a strategic shot with his cane. And more wrestling fans definite need to know about the. He also reportedly excelled as a boxer. Matches Freddie Blassie Wrestlers Database - CAGEMATCH WWE Confidential: The life and times of "Classy" Freddie Blassie [2][14] Blassie also managed Muhammad Ali in his boxer vs. wrestler match in 1976 against Antonio Inoki. [6] Blassie described this performer as "having a neck like a stack of dimes and a real pencil-neck geek". [8] They received acclaim on the Dr. Demento Radio Show, and the latter song was featured on several albums, including Dr. Demento's 20th anniversary collection, The Very Best of Dr. Demento, and Dr. Demento Presents the Greatest Novelty CDs of All Time. He was popular in Japan as well. 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. On top of that, hed take on English legend Billy Robinson, WWE Champion Superstar Billy Graham, and legendary masked heel wrestler Destroyer. Using his newfound skills, Blassie became a wrestler starting in the carnival circuit, debuting in 1935 but taking a break in the 1940s to fight in World War II. He became less the focal point of WWA, and soon began working more NWA territories, as he spread his wings into enemy territory. When Gene Okerlund confronted Blassie in an interview after the match, Blassie said, "what cane, I didn't have no cane!". 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 was 85. 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. 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. 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. You can watch him on Autopsy: The Last Hours of on Reelz in the United States and Channel 5 in Great Britain. Many of the viewers were horrified by Blassie's treatment of their hero. Occasionally, he would get too close to the action and get beaten up himself, much to the crowd's delight. He bleached his hair and quickly became a heel's heel, outraging crowds by gleefully breaking every rule in the book. [7] As the wrestlers became familiar with him, they began teaching him holds. Miyako Blassie, 68, says in court papers that she was shopping for groceries when she tripped near the entrance to a Pathmark in Westchester. 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. 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. [20] Because of this, Blassie is one of, if not the only man to have worked with all four generations of the McMahon family. He was 85. Freddie Blassie, 85; Became a Cult Figure in Professional Wrestling by In the 1950s, Fred Blassie was hands down the most hated wrestler in the southeastern territory. After Blassie lost the WWA World Heavyweight Championship to Rikidzan in Los Angeles, the two had a rematch on live Japanese television. Freddie Blassies income source is mostly from being a successful Actor. The two spoke the same dialect of German, their parents had mutual friends, and . "No. Freddie Blassie. His career began in earnest after his service in the United States Navy during World War II. egomaniac then known as Cassius Clay. [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. [8] He was often billed as "The Vampire" during this time for biting his opponents and filing his teeth during interviews and promos. 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. Since his retirement, he has occasionally worked as a "goodwill ambassador" (!) As much as governing body politics held back minorities, the wrestlers themselves had even more power. My Breakfast with Blassie is a 1983 film starring Andy Kaufman and professional wrestler "Classy" Freddie Blassie. 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. In it, Blassie is picked up at the Washington, D.C., airport by a limo full of young women, escorted around the nation's capital, gives his opinions and confronts tourists. In the summer of 1986, Blassie started to slowly phase himself out of the WWF and into retirement. Freddie Blassie, the silver-maned wrestler with a voice from the depths of the earth who made himself a hero to mat fans in the 1950s and 60s by playing the villain, has died. Stay tuned to theLast Word on Pro Wrestlingfor more on this and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. ", to a monstrous applause. Of course, these mobsters thought he was putting them down for real. For example, in the 1970s, he took on Cowboy Bill Watts, whod become a promoter and booker for Mid-South Wrestling and WCW. [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. He has written several wrestling biographies including Freddie Blassies The Legends of Wrestling, Ric Flairs To Be The Man, "Superstar" Billy Grahams Tangled Ropes,and the unreleased biography of The Iron Sheik which, despite being chockful of stories that would be sure to make your jaw drop, will never see the light of day. "Classy" Freddie Blassie also made a cameo appearance as himself, along with "Wrestling's Living Legend" Bruno Sammartino, and Ric Flair in the 1986 film Body Slam starring Dirk Benedict, "Captain" Lou Albano, and "Rowdy" Roddy Piper. They had no connecting hallways, so he was stuck with a bunch of these people, kayfabing his gimmick as Bruno was being hauled in on a stretcher. For a brief period of time after World War Two, he was billed as "Sailor" Freddie Blassie in matches, a gimmick that did not prove successful. If they refused to drop a title, it didnt matter what the bookers thought. He claimed to file his teeth to draw blood from opponents, and among his nicknames was the Vampire. The Genius Cast with Lanny Poffo (2018-19), HOMAGE.com Our favorite in retro wrestling attire! By this time, Blassie has acquired a cult following, leading to appearances in several feature films. Blassie retired from active wrestling in 1974, due to a California law that prohibited anyone over 55 from getting a wrestling license. In 1960, he became a regular with World Wrestling Associates (WWA) in Los Angeles, a move that would cement his legacy in pro wrestling, long before he became a manager. 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.". is 6'(1.83m) . [22] In the demonstration of the dance, Blassie picked up Rob Petrie and twirled him over his head. It was also during this period of his career when he dropped his babyface gimmick and became a full-fledged heel. But for nearly 40 years, Fred Blassie was an in-ring talent who ruled the West Coast, a multi-time World Champion, and one of the most feared villains in pro wrestling history. Freddie Blassie, 85, died of heart failure on June 2, 2003. American professional wrestler and manager, Worldwide Wrestling Associates (19601968), World Wide Wrestling Federation (1964; 1971). He, Albano, and "The Grand Wizard of Wrestling" (Ernie Roth) formed the WWWF's "Evil Trinity" of heel managers. 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. ROH Best in the World (7/11/21) Preview and Predictions, Preview: Ice Ribbon 1133 in 176Box (7/11/21), first African-American to hold a World title. 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. ", 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. Those colorful interviews helped make him a celebrity in the newly expanding medium of television. 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. 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. My wife joined Toastmasters International in October of last year. 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 the war, he continued to wrestle professionally in the Midwest. 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. [7], His career continued as he was hired by more established promoters, including Tom Packs in St. Louis and George Simpson in Kansas City. Comedian Andy Kaufman & professional wrestler Classy Freddie Blassie eat breakfast & discuss life. She . [3], One of Blassie's most famous proteges was The Iron Sheik. [21] His book, Listen You Pencil Neck Geeks, was released on May 13, 2003. His penchant for biting opponents earned him the nickname "The Vampire". 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). , money, salary, income, and assets. He is a member of famous Actor with the age 85 years old group. 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. in their 1992 song about Kaufman, "Man on the Moon". States. Fred Blassie was born and raised in the St. Louis, Missouri, area. On an episode of WWF Championship Wrestling, Blassie barged into the announcer booth to proclaim that he had sold half of the contracts of Sheik and Volkoff to a mysterious benefactor for a large sum of money. It made Japanese wrestling a commodity on the West Coast and had given Rikidozan the credibility of conquering America. Andy Kaufman on Letterman w/ "Classy" Freddie Blassie 02/23/1983 [8] He teamed with Billy McDaniel as the McDaniel Brothers, but when they went east, they were known as the Blassie Brothers. He began wrestling professionally in 1935 and it was soon after that he came up with his famous pencil neck geek insult. This story has been shared 143,593 times. After being pounded by a longer-limbed opponent, he He is a writer and editor-in-chief here on the site, a podcast producer, the chief graphic designer of the cover art for the sites articles, the former host of The Genius Cast with Lanny Poffo, and an elementary school teacher and assistant principal who enjoys playing guitar and spending time with his lively daughters! He was 85. Because of his close relationship with Vince McMahon, Sr. and his family, Blassie remained on the WWF payroll until the day he died. World Wrestling Entertainment WWE)). Freddie accomplished that goal and did so in grand style, as only he could. [6] His knees were also in terrible condition, which also contributed to his retirement.