He was 85.Mr. . Blassie, Murray wrote, has dedicated his life to wrapping up as much hate as one man can safely carry in a lifetime. . Looking to talk wrestling, pro football, or any number of sports? Fred Blassie was born and raised in the St. Louis, Missouri, area. In the summer of 1986, Blassie started to slowly phase himself out of the WWF and into retirement. With Andy Kaufman, Freddie Blassie, Laurie Burton, Linda Hirsch. His last name is slightly easier to pronounce than it looks. Wrestler's widow goes to the mat - New York Post Blassie appeared alongside Slick to co-manage Sheik and Volkoff for a few television appearances before finally bowing out in November 1986, with Albano, the final member of the Three Wise Men, retiring a few weeks later. Blassie did not just fade away after he left the ring. According to Greenberg, Gorgeous George, towards the end of his career, wanted to form a tag team with Blassie. Occasionally, he would get too close to the action and get beaten up himself, much to the crowd's delight. Federation (WWWF, later the World Wresting Federation (WWF) and now 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. Freddie Blassie | Pro Wrestling | Fandom Head on over to theLWOS Boardsto engage in conversation with fellow fans! My wife joined Toastmasters International in October of last year. My Breakfast with Blassie is a 1983 film starring Andy Kaufman and professional wrestler "Classy" Freddie Blassie. 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. 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Classy car for a class act | WWE Still claiming to be the West Coast Champion, entered into a feud with Bruno Sammartino to unify the titles. When Gene Okerlund confronted Blassie in an interview after the match, Blassie said, "what cane, I didn't have no cane!". 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. [2] He sporadically returned to make brief appearances following his retirement in 1986, mostly in produced video packages hyping the "new generation" of wrestling. [4] He is regarded as one of the greatest wrestling heels, or villains, of all time. Backstage, Jilly Rizzo club owner, Frank Sinatra's bodyguard, and . Blassie is survived by his wife, Miyako, and three children. 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. "CLASSY" FRED BLASSIE on Twitter: "Your trad wife, sir. https://t.co 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. [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. Im not implying that Bruno would ever have any dealings with the mafia on his own. Freddie Blassie - The Truth (and Somewhere In-Between) (Use code PWS for a nice surprise). Freddie Blassie | WWE 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). Born Fred Blassman in St. Louis, Blassie played baseball and football in high school. 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). However, later that year Blassie suffered from kidney stones and had surgery to remove them. 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. Freddie never held a true world title but he was still one of the greatest of the 50s through the 60s". Fans might recall his interviews with local announcer Dick Lane in which he would proclaim his vast superiority over a number of lesser opponents, branding them all pencil-neck geeks. Those colorful interviews helped make him a celebrity in the newly expanding medium of television. The Legends of Wrestling - "Classy" Freddie Blassie After handing over ME duties to Alex Richards, he remains a frequent contributor to the site. He felt this was his chance to tell his life story before moving on. Miyako Blassie, 68, says in court papers that she was shopping for groceries when she tripped near the entrance to a Pathmark in Westchester. [4] 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." He bleached his hair and quickly became a heel's heel, outraging crowds by gleefully breaking every rule in the book. 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. After being pounded by a longer-limbed opponent, he switched to professional wrestling. [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. [9], In 1968, Blassie returned to Japan and was reunited with Miyako. He joined the Navy at the start of World War II and started wrestling under the name of Sailor Fred Blassie while stationed at Port Hueneme in California. His net worth has been growing significantly in 2021-2022. 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. 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. In 1964, Blassie once again captured the WWA World title for the third time (again from Carpentier), but upon losing to Dick The Bruiser in April, he headed to the newly minted World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF). "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. [8] The fans consistently booed him because he was considered a "Yankee". 'The Destroyer' Dick Beyer story archive | Slam Wrestling When the wife of WWEs Chairman and CEOhad heard about this, she accosted Blassie saying, "I didnt even realize you had any kids!". On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. (1965 - 1968)( divorced), Nettie Needles (September 1942 - 1964)( divorced)( 3 children). JP Zarka created Pro Wrestling Stories in May 2015. Worldwide star. Fred Blassie was born and raised in the St. Louis, Missouri, area. [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. Frederick was an only child. "Classy" Freddie Blassie WWE Hall of Fame Induction Speech [1994]June 9, 1994 Blassie also resented "Superstar" Billy Graham, at first, due to his association with Dr. Jerry Graham, who in kayfabe was Billys older brother. 10 Things Fans Should Know About Classy Freddie Blassie - TheSportster "That's why he was 'Classy' Freddie Blassie." Blassie held various regional titles, Walton said, including the WWA World Title on five separate occasions, the Americas Heavyweight Title nine times and tag team belts with various partners over the years. After a move to the West Coast, he tried a different promotional scheme -- that of a villain. Blassie also mastered the television interview, boasting his superiority over other wrestlers he liked to call ''pencil-neck geeks.'' 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. wrestled as a dark-haired good guy until he found out that the "heels" A child of two German immigrants, Freddie Blassie was born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1918. The closest I ever saw him to loosing the mask was against Cowboy Bob Ellis, I believe in the mid 60's. I can still remember old Dick Lane calling the action. Blassie wrestled as a dark-haired good guy until he found out that the "heels" (bad guys) got better pay. He married his first wife Nettie Needles while on shore leave during the war. 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). [15] Blassie led Shiek to the WWF World Heavyweight Championship over Bob Backlund on December 26, 1983, in Madison Square Garden. Hell, the article is entitled "Freddie Blassie - The Truth (and Somewhere In-Between)" for crying out loud. One that stands out was his rivalry with Bruno Sammartino in the early 1960s. Blassie was a contemporary of six-time NWA world champion Thesz, who died in 2002 at the age of 86. (bad guys) got better pay. He achieved the rank of Petty Officer (Second Class) before he was discharged. Blassie originally wrestled mainly in the Southeast and West Coast, winning many titles in both. Recommended:The Time WWE Hall of Famer DR. JERRY GRAHAM Kidnapped His Mothers Dead Body. He started a second career as a manager in the WWWF. A child of two German immigrants, Freddie Blassie was born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1918. ", "Heres some money," Blassie would say. , money, salary, income, and assets. The Legends of Wrestling - "Classy" Freddie Blassie: Listen, You Pencil 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. If they refused to drop a title, it didnt matter what the bookers thought. Now is 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. Without further ado, lets do an overview of Blassies career for fans who may not know much about him. By this time, Blassie has acquired a cult following, leading to appearances in several feature films. Of course, these mobsters thought he was putting them down for real. His wife is Miyako Morozumi (30 September1968 - 2 June2003)( his death), ? One of the men was Jilly Rizzo, Frank Sinatras number one sidekick and the owner of his own saloon. As much as governing body politics held back minorities, the wrestlers themselves had even more power. Credited with bringing a young Hulk Hogan into the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) in late 1979. [3], In 1953, he worked in the Atlanta, territory for Paul Jones (the wrestler of the 1930s, not the wrestler/manager of the 1980s). My Breakfast with Blassie - Wikipedia In the 1950s, Fred Blassie was hands down the most hated wrestler in the southeastern territory. [6] He also began boxing at a local community center and won a heavyweight championship title. [7], After the US entered World War II, Blassie enlisted in the Navy and served in the Pacific Theater for 42 months. This story has been shared 104,709 times. Blassie later challenged Morales for the WWWF Championship, but came up short. One poll ranked him as the most hated wrestler in the United He spent his time in the Missouri territory, working mainly in St. Louis and Kansas City, but when the U.S. entered the Second World War, he enlisted in 1942 and joined the U.S. Navy, where he spent four years (42 months) in combat in the U.S. battles in the Pacific. . 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. 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. "Typical Italian stunt! Blassie worked for the World Wrestling Federation, now known as World Wrestling Entertainment, which presented him with its lifetime achievement award in 1996. Vampire". Bruno had gotten so famous that he couldnt always pick the boneheads from the rest. [6] In later years, Blassie also appeared on The Mike Douglas Show when Philbin was a guest host. This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. 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 . The nastier he was in the ring, the more popular he became to fans on the other side of the ropes. Replying to. You can watch him on Autopsy: The Last Hours of on Reelz in the United States and Channel 5 in Great Britain. for the WWF. His wife is Miyako Morozumi (30 September 1968 - 2 June 2003) ( his death), ? He began wrestling professionally in 1935 and it was soon after that he came up with his famous pencil neck geek insult. He came up with it back in his carnival days, when describing a literal carnival geek -- as in, a performer who bites the heads off of chickens -- who had a slender neck. During this time, he went to New York City to work for promoter Jess McMahon. "Classy" Freddie Blassie appeared in a live-action segment of the cartoon "Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling." Blassie continued to manage Sheik and Volkoff even after they lost the tag team titles. [18][19] Blassie also appeared in the SummerSlam opening video. He also bleached his hair at this time, as many of the other stars of the era did, such as Gorgeous George, Johnny Valentine, and "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers. [8] Blassie also appeared in a segment at the Vengeance pay-per-view event in December 2001, where an "undisputed" champion would be crowned. [8] He teamed with Billy McDaniel as the McDaniel Brothers, but when they went east, they were known as the Blassie Brothers. Feb 27. 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. One poll ranked him as the most hated wrestler in the United States. 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. The Genius Cast with Lanny Poffo (2018-19), HOMAGE.com Our favorite in retro wrestling attire! Returning to the WWA, Blassie began feuding with the likes of Bobo Brazil, Mil Mascaras, and others, as well as teaming with another known violent savage, Mad Dog Vachon. Freddie Blassie decided to stop being a fixture of wrestling in 1986 but was no stranger to making the odd guest appearance. World Wrestling Entertainment WWE)). The terminology would follow him for the rest of his career. As a German descent American, he was often faced with questions of loyalty, despite marrying a Jewish woman. The Life and Times of Classy Freddie Blassie Quiz Freddie Blassie. 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. Why FREDDIE BLASSIE Was So Great f/ WRESTLINGBIOS - YouTube DAVE KNOWS that Classy Freddie Blassie is a Pro Wrestling legend. By the 1970s, Blassie had relocated to the East Coast where he successfully pursued his mat career. Born Fred Blassman in St. Louis, Blassie played baseball and football in high school. Freddie never held a true world title but he was still one of the greatest of the 50s through the 60s". Freddie Blassie, the silver-maned . He lives in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, with his wife and son. Download 100+ Free Freddie Blassie Wallpaper Images & 500,000+ Wallpapers for Free. Stats: 6' 0" 220 lbs. She . Hed also regularly tag with Gorilla Monsoon, another wrestler better known for his non-wrestling roles. His heels were always a bit more exotic and meaner than most. In the late 1960s, he moved to the East Coast and the World-Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF, later the World Wresting Federation (WWF) and now World Wrestling Entertainment WWE)). 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. His eagerness to learn from 1935 to 1942 led to many of the circuits top stars sharing knowledge with Blassie, and when he returned home to the U.S. in 1946, he was determined to make an honest run as a professional wrestler. 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). American professional wrestler and manager, Worldwide Wrestling Associates (19601968), World Wide Wrestling Federation (1964; 1971). Many people close to him actually had no idea that he had children in the first place. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. [21] His final words on WWE television were "D-Von, get the table! He graduated from McKinley High School and began work at a meatpacking plant. 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. [3] Blassie also publicly represented Ali for media events and interviews for a period in the mid-1970s. Recommended:10 Wrestling Book Must Reads and 5 You Dont Want To Waste Your Time On. "Classy" Freddie Blassie with Keith Elliot Greenberg, NWA Georgia Southern Heavyweight Championship, WWWF United States Heavyweight Championship, NWA North American Heavyweight Championship, NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship, North American Wrestling Alliance/Worldwide Wrestling Associates/ NWA Hollywood Wrestling, WWA International Television Tag Team Championship, NWA Southern Junior Heavyweight Championship, Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum, Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame, "Classy Freddie Blassie was pro wrestling's 'Fashion Plate', "Before The Client List: "Classy" Freddie Blassie", "Blassie toast of Cauliflower Alley Club", "WWF WrestleMania XV Results - 3/28/99 (Stone Cold vs. Freddie Blassie's net worth 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. 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. [7] As the wrestlers became familiar with him, they began teaching him holds. 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. Patrick Stewart In A Checkered Coat Wallpaper. Freddie Blassie retired as an active wrestler in 1974 in part because of the difficulty of securing a wrestling license . [1] It is a mostly improvised parody of the art film My Dinner with Andre and is set in a Sambo's restaurant where Kaufman and Blassie have a discussion over breakfast. 10 Wrestlers Managed By Classy Freddie Blassie Fans Should Know About 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. Fred Blassie was born and raised in the St. Louis, Missouri, area. Hed also engage in big title feuds with serious GOATs like Japans Rikidozan and Americas Lou Thesz, both of whom are considered among the most influential wrestlers of all time. [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. 2018 Remaster of Andy Kaufman on The Late Show w/ David Letterman w/ "Classy" Fred Blassie on February 23rd, 1983.More remastered Andy Kaufman - https://goo.. Funeral services will be held at noon Friday at Hitchcock Presbyterian Church in Scarsdale, N.Y. Blassie was more than willing to let the talented Bearcat Wright take the gold and make history. Fred Blassie was born and raised in the St. Louis, Missouri, area. 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 He hated his father for it. Blassie retired from wrestling in 1986, turning over his stable of heels to another manager called Slick. So, how much is Freddie Blassie worth at the age of 85 years old? G&K did not respond to calls for comment. 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. 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. But while his US in-ring career ended (while still working for WWWF), he remained employed by WWWF and became a manager instead. 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. And more wrestling fans definite need to know about the. Since his retirement, he has occasionally worked as a "goodwill ambassador" (!) Sadly, the gimmick was a bomb, and Blassie jumped around territories, including working in New York City for Jess McMahon (grandfather of Vince McMahon Jr.).