Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Former AWA World champion Nick Bockwinkel passes away at age 80
http://www.f4wonline.com/news/all-time-great-nick-bockwinkel-passes-away-201736Nick Bockwinkel, one of the greatest pro wrestlers of the last 50 years, passed away a few hours ago just shy of his 81st birthday.
Bockwinkel, whose father was noted pro wrestler Warren Bockwinkel, started pro wrestling in the mid-1950s after losing his football career at the University of Oklahoma ended due to a knee injury. He was a star on the West Coast first, and traveled all over the world for 32 years as a headliner.
He was most famous in the AWA. He arrived there around 1970 and quickly became the go-to heavyweight singles heavyweight main eventer, and the main rival of Verne Gagne, the owner and perennial champion, for a decade. He held the AWA title on four occasions, most notably from 1975 to 1980, and again from 1981 to 1984. He was also AWA tag team champion three times, with Ray Stevens, in what was generally considered the best tag team unit of the 70s.
Bockwinkel, whose father was noted pro wrestler Warren Bockwinkel, started pro wrestling in the mid-1950s after losing his football career at the University of Oklahoma ended due to a knee injury. He was a star on the West Coast first, and traveled all over the world for 32 years as a headliner.
He was most famous in the AWA. He arrived there around 1970 and quickly became the go-to heavyweight singles heavyweight main eventer, and the main rival of Verne Gagne, the owner and perennial champion, for a decade. He held the AWA title on four occasions, most notably from 1975 to 1980, and again from 1981 to 1984. He was also AWA tag team champion three times, with Ray Stevens, in what was generally considered the best tag team unit of the 70s.
2 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
