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After being pounded by a longer-limbed opponent, he switched to professional wrestling. He achieved the rank of Petty Officer (Second Class) before he was discharged. 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. My wife joined Toastmasters International in October of last year. The evocative turn of phrase stuck and became Blassies catchphrase to the point where it inspired the name of his autobiography and a novelty single (see below). The widow of pro-wrestling villain "Classy" Freddie Blassie got thrown for a fall by a supermarket floor mat. 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. 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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. [3], In 1953, he worked in the Atlanta, territory for Paul Jones (the wrestler of the 1930s, not the wrestler/manager of the 1980s). Without further ado, lets do an overview of Blassies career for fans who may not know much about him. As a wrestling manager, wore shirts and trousers of the exact same color, sometimes with a matching jacket. He began wrestling professionally in 1935 and it was soon after that he came up with his famous pencil neck geek insult. 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. Credited with bringing a young Hulk Hogan into the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) in late 1979. . 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. When the wife of WWEs Chairman and CEOhad heard about this, she accosted Blassie saying, "I didnt even realize you had any kids!". [22][2] Rose Marie's character Sally Rogers brought him on at the end of the episode claiming to have discovered another new dance sensation. Blassie claims that he made Regis Philbin into the celebrity he is today. His parents, Anna (ne Sind) and Jacob Blassman, were German immigrants who arrived in the United States prior to World War I.[3]. This resulted in a weak relationship between the two. Blassie retired from wrestling in 1986, turning over his stable of heels to another manager called Slick. Danny Djeljosevic is a writer based in San Diego, CA. After being pounded by a longer-limbed opponent, he 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. We've received your submission. [22], Filmed in 1982, My Breakfast with Blassie featured Andy Kaufman and Freddie Blassie eating at a Sambo's in Los Angeles. [2] He was given a commentary tryout in 1986 and 1987 for WWF Wrestling Challenge, calling a few matches with Gorilla Monsoon. 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). Bruno Sammartino and Vince McMahons Venomous 25-Year Feud, Bob Backlund Humble Beginnings to Championship Gold, World Wrestling Association: WWA Indianapolis Wrestling Territory, Rise and Sad Demise of The Midnight Express, Greatest Challenge Yet for Pro Wrestling Stories Author Jim Phillips, Adrian Street The British Brawler Who Wore Sequins, Ric Flair and Terry Funk: A Feud to Remember, Lou Thesz The Side Business Hustles of a Champion Wrestler, Velvet McIntyre | WWEs Original Irish Lass Kicker, Big Time Wrestling in San Francisco | Wrestling Territories, Wrestlers Who Shouldnt Have Followed Fathers Footsteps, Jack Donovan Deal One of Wrestlings Most Heinous Attacks. [21] His final words on WWE television were "D-Von, get the table! Freddie Blassie Also known as Fred Blassie, Fred McDaniel Overview Career Career highlights Titles Matches Match Statistics Matchguide Feuds Promos Tournaments Tag Teams & Stables Entourage Awards Books Wrestling Games Movies Commentary Career Ratings Comments Matches Displaying items 1 to 100 of total 1631 items that match the search parameters. 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 . 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. Given that Hogan was the top babyface in the 1980s, this iteration of The Hulkster was actually a heel and would depart in 1981 after a dispute with Vince McMahon Sr. over Hogans taking a role in Rocky III. 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". Vampire". 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 kept track of all of his matches during his career, including personal anecdotes. Freddie accomplished that goal and did so in grand style, as only he could. "Typical Italian stunt! [9] However, they eventually consented and Miyako returned with Blassie to the United States; they were married on September 30, 1968. Hear Keith Elliot Greenbergs share stories about "Classy" Freddie Blassie on The Genius Cast below: Over his 22-year wrestling career, Freddie Blassie had many notable feuds. G&K did not respond to calls for comment. RELATED: 10 Managers With The Best Claim To Be On A Wrestling Mount Rushmore. [3], In 1964, Blassie feuded with Bruno Sammartino and Bobo Brazil. According to Greenberg, Gorgeous George, towards the end of his career, wanted to form a tag team with Blassie. Fred Blassie was born and raised in the St. Louis, Missouri, area. mainly in the Southeast and West Coast, winning many titles in both. 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. 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. Blassie died in Hartsdale, N.Y., Jeff Walton, a former wrestling publicist, told The Los Angeles Times. (and of course, Bubba Ray and D-Von take care of Bischoff and his cronies). Originally from Chicago, he has called London home since 2008. 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 originally wrestled Hogan would return in late 1983, turning face almost immediately after and thus separating from Freddie Blassie. In addition to his pro wrestling notoriety, Classy Freddie Blassie also has some amusing notability in wider pop culture. In order to impress a girl, he entered a carnival show match in a shoot fight and won. Despite being a 7-year pro before his duty in World War II, Blassie was still a journeyman. A third-generation wrestling fan and senior writer for World Wrestling Entertainment publications, Greenberg is the author of more than thirty nonfiction children's books, and has written for The New York . Fred Blassie had a shocking heel turn during his stint in Georgia, which led to him becoming an extremely hated wrestler! "No. As much as governing body politics held back minorities, the wrestlers themselves had even more power. He started a second career as a manager in the WWWF. (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. He was now hooked, and he decided that pro wrestling was his destiny and not his backbreaking work in the meatpacking plant. Those colorful interviews helped make him a celebrity in the newly expanding medium of television. Fred Blassie was born and raised in the St. Louis, Missouri, area. A child of two German immigrants, Freddie Blassie was born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1918. 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. Blassie got involved when he threw his cane into the ring, with Sheik and Volkoff using it to their advantage to gain the victory. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Occasionally, he would get too close to the action and get beaten up himself, much to the crowd's delight. (1965 - 1968)( divorced), Nettie Needles (September 1942 - 1964)( divorced)( 3 children). In 1950, he had his first challenge for the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship, facing championLou Theszin Kentucky. "Classy" Freddie Blassie WWE Hall of Fame Induction Speech [1994]June 9, 1994 Stats: 6' 0" 220 lbs. It was not until he moved to the West Coast that fans began supporting him. As a result he has wrought something of a revolution in the unmanly art of exhibition wrestling.. He graduated from McKinley High School and began work at a meatpacking plant. One poll ranked him as the most hated wrestler in the United 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 Comedian Andy Kaufman & professional wrestler Classy Freddie Blassie eat breakfast & discuss life. Born in 1918 to German parents who escaped World War I, Blassie took up boxing as a teenager, but found a growing interest in wrestling and actually snuck into matches, eventually befriending catch wrestlers and learning holds from them. 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.". He, Albano, and "The Grand Wizard of Wrestling" (Ernie Roth) formed the WWWF's "Evil Trinity" of heel managers. Lanny approached Blassie, who always had three girls with him, saying he "needed some relief. 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. Head on over to theLWOS Boardsto engage in conversation with fellow fans! Around 1980, he adopted a new moniker: "Ayatollah Blassie." However, sadly, Freddie passed away before he could ever speak to his son again. [7], His career continued as he was hired by more established promoters, including Tom Packs in St. Louis and George Simpson in Kansas City. 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. [3], One of Blassie's most famous proteges was The Iron Sheik. Blassies father was a heavy alcoholic and was abusive towards his beloved mother. My Breakfast with Blassie is a 1983 film starring Andy Kaufman and professional wrestler "Classy" Freddie Blassie. 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. [17] In 2000, Blassie made an appearance at the Royal Rumble as a judge in the Miss Rumble 2000 Swimsuit contest, which was won by Mae Young. Even more important than that, Blassie would make a change that would make him an icon. . Linda's dual role (as director and actress) was scripted as an irritating fan who requests Andy's autograph after he washes his hands. The widow of pro-wrestling villain Classy Freddie Blassie got thrown for a fall by a supermarket floor mat. Freddie Blassie decided to stop being a fixture of wrestling in 1986 but was no stranger to making the odd guest appearance. His father was an abusive alcoholic, prompting Frederick to stay with his grandparents whenever Jacob beat Anna. Freddie never held a true world title but he was still one of the greatest of the 50s through the 60s". His career began in earnest after his service in the United States Navy during World War II. [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. After regaining the WWA Championship from Rikidzan on July 25, 1962, Blassie lost the title two days later to the "Masked Destroyer" Dick Beyer. If they refused to drop a title, it didnt matter what the bookers thought. 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. On a mid-July 2001 episode of Raw, the Invasion storyline was in full swing, and Blassie was brought in to motivate the WWE in the face of their ongoing war with the WCW/ECW Alliance. In the early 1970s, Blassie "turned face", or became a good guy, since so many fans were cheering his famous antics. My Breakfast with Blassie was conceived of by Linda Lautrec and Johnny Legend as a satire on My Dinner with Andre. Some wrestlers choose to play a villain as a way of promoting their career, while others are forced to by their promoters. [3], Blassie returned to WWA in 1968 just as promoter Mike LeBell decided to rejoin the NWA. [9] The sight of the Japanese legend covered in his own blood gave several viewers heart attacks, and some reportedly died. 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. Upon his return to the U.S. and the pro-wrestling circuit full time in 1946, he was repackaged by promoters as Sailor Freddie Blassie, as promoters looked to capitalize on U.S. patriotism following the war. Freddie had been estranged from his children for the majority of their lives. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. [6] His cousin John Frank Holaus often refereed his matches. Freddie Blassie retired as an active wrestler in 1974 in part because of the difficulty of securing a wrestling license . 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. 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. [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. (Use code PWS for a nice surprise). Blassie retired from active wrestling in 1974, due to a California law that prohibited anyone over 55 from getting a wrestling license. He continued to outrage crowds by distracting referees so that his men could cheat and by getting in his own cheap shots when the refs weren't looking. [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. At Freddie Blassies wake, a family member came up to Keith Elliot Greenberg, saying that Freddies son had read the book and was ready to make peace with his father. Fred McDaniel "Ayatollah" Blassie The Vampire The Hollywood Fashion Plate Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) Weight 220 lbs (100 kg) Born February 8, 1918 Birth Place St. Louis, Missouri Died June 2, 2003 (aged 85) Death Place Hartsdale, New York Trainer Billy Longson Everett Marshall Warren Bockwinkle Billy Hanson Debut 1935 Retired 1986 Blassie, Murray wrote, has dedicated his life to wrapping up as much hate as one man can safely carry in a lifetime. Courtesy of the award-winning WWE Network.. He did an advice segment on the ''Tuesday Night Titans'' TV program, made personal appearances and did radio interviews. After Sheik lost the belt to Blassie's former managed wrestler Hulk Hogan, Blassie managed Sheik in various rematches around the country throughout the first half of 1984, culminating into another major televised rematch on December 28, 1984, once again in Madison Square Garden. "The Fashion Plate of Wrestling" Freddie Blassie calls his interviewer and the fans "pencil neck geeks" and shows why he will always be remembered as one of the greatest managers in WWE history. Miyako Blassie, 68, says in court papers that she was shopping for groceries. By this time, Blassie has acquired a cult following, leading to appearances in several feature films. It was also during this period of his career when he dropped his babyface gimmick and became a full-fledged heel. PWSTees.com Your favorite Pro Wrestling Stories, on a tee! ", Bruno kayfabed him. 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. One poll ranked him as the most hated wrestler in the United States. That revolution -- making the villain the hero -- put fans in the seats and money in Blassies pocket. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title.