Buddy Rogers (wrestler)
Buddy Rogers ( born February 20, 1921 in Camden, New Jersey, † June 26, 1992 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida ) was an American professional wrestler. He was born as Herman Gustav Rohde Jr. His parents were German -born emigrants Hermann G. Rohde and Rohde Freda born Technol.
Career
Rohde was first policeman and trained the way of Joe Cox and Fred Meier Grub for wrestlers. From 1939 he appeared at fairs, partly as Dutch Rogers, partly under his real name. In the 1940s, he joined with his brother John, who was called Buddy Rogers, and her alleged brother Billy, who later under his real name Billy Darnell also a well-known wrestler, was on.
When his brother gave up wrestling, Hermann took the name of Buddy Rogers. This was actually borrowed from the actor Charles Rogers. In Ohio, Rogers met the promoter Jack Pfefer, who missed him the nickname Nature Boy ( after the song ) and advised him to bleach his hair and go up a arrogant style.
With this gimmick, he met the zeitgeist. The television sat up straight through and with his charisma and physique Rogers was one of the biggest wrestling stars of the 1950s.
World Heavyweight Champion was Rogers but only on 30 June 1961, when he was allowed to shoulder in front of the then record crowd of 38 622 spectators Pat O'Connor. Reason for this was that Lou Thesz had always refused to lose the title to Rogers, since this was not a hooker.
As a champion Rogers worked preference for Capitol Wrestling, the League of Vincent J. McMahon and Toots Mondt, which other promoters were able to offer their viewers no longer a world championship fights. To put an end to this state, was allowed in 1963 Lou Thesz to win the title by Rogers defeated this with his real martial arts skills.
The consequence was, that McMahon and other promoting the title change is not recognized and renounced under the name of Worldwide Wrestling Federation of the NWA. The first World Champion was Rogers, who had allegedly won a title tournament in Rio de Janeiro. Since Rogers had however to contend with health problems, to the title made him soon lose out to Bruno Sammartino. Rogers ended his active career and now acted as manager for wrestlers like Jimmy Snuka.
In 1979 he rose again in the ring to move in a Battle of the Nature Boys by Ric Flair, who had taken the gimmick to be defeated. With the win, Flair took a big step on the career ladder. Then Rogers returned to the - back renamed the WWWF, where he got a private interview segment called Rogers' Corner in the TV shows - now in WWF.
1992 was in the Tri States Wrestling Association (later ECW) again a battle of the Nature Boys planned, in which the 70 -year-old Rogers Buddy Landell against should get in the ring, but Rogers died before a heart attack.
Achievements
Comments
Buddy Rogers held the AWA Eastern States Heavyweight Championship, NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Championship as well as the WWWF World Heavyweight Championship as first title holder. In addition, he was the only title holder of the AWA Eastern States Heavyweight Championship.
Five of his six title reigns as NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship took place before it was fought under the flag of the National Wrestling Alliance ( NWA). These regencies but were, like those of the NWA Texas Tag Team Championship, later recognized by the NWA.