freddie blassie wife freddie blassie wife

*Blassie also told Greenberg that women used to come up to him on the street and gawk at him because he was Gods gift to women! His penchant for biting opponents earned him the nickname "The [11], On June 12, 1961, Blassie defeated the "Flying Frenchman" douard Carpentier in a best-of-three-falls match for his first WWA World Heavyweight Championship. 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. Accounts about his early athletic career do not quite agree, but he 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. * Blassie also told Greenberg that women used to come up to him on the street and gawk at him because he was God's gift to women! comes a time when every man must fight for that he believes in. Managed by "Loud" Lou Albano, Blassie continued his winning ways, but never won the WWWF's championship. (Use code PWS for a nice surprise). [4] 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.. Jamie Greer joined LWOPW in 2015 and was the site's Managing Editor from 2016 through 2020. 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.). Linda's dual role (as director and actress) was scripted as an irritating fan who requests Andy's autograph after he washes his hands. His career began in earnest after his service in the United States Navy during World War II. Blassie retired from active wrestling in 1974, due to a California law that prohibited anyone over 55 from getting a wrestling license. [8] He married a girl in California while on shore leave. [21] His book, Listen You Pencil Neck Geeks, was released on May 13, 2003. 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. At the age of 13, after Jacob had beaten Anna again, Frederick threatened his father with a baseball bat; instead he lived with his aunt for six months until his mother asked him to return home. He won the WWA World Heavyweight Wrestling Championship from French star Edouard Carpentier at the L.A. Sports Arena in 1961. During these runs, hed take part in a couple of title feuds for the WWE Championship, challenging Bruno Sammartino in the 1960s and Pedro Morales in the 1970s, not to mention coming after Bobo Brazils US Heavyweight Title. , money, salary, income, and assets. In January 1962, Blassie and Mr. Moto defeated Hans Hermann and Jesus Ortega for the California version of the WWA International TV Tag Team title. 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. 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. Before The Client List is an extension of our ongoing series, Before They Were Famous, which looks at wrestlers before they became internationally famous. Im not implying that Bruno would ever have any dealings with the mafia on his own. Blassie originally wrestled mainly in the Southeast and West Coast, winning many titles in both. By doing this, he saved Freddie Blassies life. By using this site, you agree to the legal terms set out in ourDisclaimer, Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Disclosure. Blassie would eventually come to be known as a manager (see below) in WWE, but in the 1960s and 1970s, he actually wrestled for the promotion, back then known as the World Wide Wrestling Federation. "Classy" Freddie Blassie is a legendary wrestling personality, both as a wrestler and a manager. [6] On July 7, Blassie successfully defended his title against the former NWA World Heavyweight Champion Lou Thesz. [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. [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. 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. 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). [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. He liked to use a variety of names but had trouble gaining the affection of fans who gravitated toward the likes of Lou Thesz and Gorgeous George. Hed also regularly tag with Gorilla Monsoon, another wrestler better known for his non-wrestling roles. Moto-1964 and w/Buddy Austin-1967); NWA America's Heavyweight championships (5); Georgia Heavyweight title; "Beat The Champ" TV Title; NWA America's Brass Knuckles Title. Occasionally, he would get too close to the action and get beaten up himself, much to the crowd's delight. As a wrestling manager, wore shirts and trousers of the exact same color, sometimes with a matching jacket. Fred Blassie was born and raised in the St. Louis, Missouri, area. Many people close to him actually had no idea that he had children in the first place. During this time, he went to New York City to work for promoter Jess McMahon. 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.. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Three injured in shooting outside Bronx funeral home, Canadian teacher with size-Z prosthetic breasts placed on paid leave, What's next for Buster Murdaugh after dad's murder conviction, life sentence, US home prices just did something they haven't done since 2012, How a retired detective snared his seventh 'Torso Killer' confession, It's insane that NYers can use but not buy pepper spray for self-defense: Change this now, Celeb-loved jewelry brand Dorsey drops dazzling new styles, White Lotus actor jokes about being hit on following shows success, Is this the couple behind the Worst Art Job Listing Ever?, Undertaker transforms coffin into barbecue grill, Kellyanne Conway and George Conway to divorce. 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. Despite Blassie not actually holding any titles to unify, his feud with Sammartino saw Bruno become a national hero, but in the process, Blassie became lifelong friends with another WWWF employee, Gorilla Monsoon. "Typical Italian stunt! Managed by "Loud" Lou Albano, Blassie continued his winning ways, but never won the WWWF's championship. When the wife of WWEs Chairman and CEOhad heard about this, she accosted Blassie saying, "I didnt even realize you had any kids!". 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. mainly in the Southeast and West Coast, winning many titles in both. On top of that, hed take on English legend Billy Robinson, WWE Champion Superstar Billy Graham, and legendary masked heel wrestler Destroyer. Around 1980, he adopted a new moniker: "Ayatollah Blassie." [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. [8] His final wrestling appearance was May 12, 2003 in Philadelphia on Raw, three weeks before his death. He delivered a rousing speech, dramatically standing up from his wheelchair to get the WWE-loyal wrestlers pumped up for the next battle. He, Albano, and "The Grand Wizard of Wrestling" (Ernie Roth) formed the WWWF's "Evil Trinity" of heel managers. . However, Blassie wanted nothing to do with him because he too had a massive drinking problem and felt that it would "hit too close to home." 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. 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. [7] Later, he received regular work wrestling at local carnivals. . American professional wrestler and manager, Worldwide Wrestling Associates (19601968), World Wide Wrestling Federation (1964; 1971). He bleached his hair and quickly became a One poll ranked him as the most hated wrestler in the United States. Who Is Freddie Blassie's Wife? He kept track of all of his matches during his career, including personal anecdotes. RELATED: 10 Performers Who Were Great As Both A Wrestler & Manager. After being pounded by a longer-limbed opponent, he Even more important than that, Blassie would make a change that would make him an icon. Lanny would state that Jerry Graham "had no business living the last 15 years of his life" due to his drinking problems. Originally from Chicago, he has called London home since 2008. We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 8 February. His penchant for biting opponents earned him the nickname "The Vampire". "I want you to get four Orange Juliuses for me, the girls, and you.". He was feuding with a wrestler known as The Geek who had a neck like a stack of dimes, making him a literal pencil neck geek. [6] Blassie described this performer as "having a neck like a stack of dimes and a real pencil-neck geek". 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. [18][19] Blassie also appeared in the SummerSlam opening video. By the mid-1970s, Freddie Blassie was in his 50s and began to settle into a role as a manager in WWE, though he would still occasionally wrestle a match. Miyako Blassie, 68, says in court papers that she was shopping for groceries when she tripped near the entrance to a Pathmark in Westchester. Keith Elliot Greenberg has been doing his part to preserve professional wrestling history for the past few decades. However, later that year Blassie suffered from kidney stones and had surgery to remove them. "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. This resulted in a weak relationship between the two. the late 1960s, he moved to the East Coast and the World-Wide Wrestling 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. 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)). 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. He returned to AJPW again in 1973, but the following year in 1974, he jumped to New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) for his final tour of Japan. [5], Blassie was born Frederick Kenneth Blassman in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1918. In this series, we will look at some of pro wrestlings greatest and most well-known managers and/or valets, but explore their prior career as an in-ring professional wrestler. 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. 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. His father was an abusive alcoholic, prompting Frederick to stay with his grandparents whenever Jacob beat Anna. He briefly turned face in 1989, making an appearance on Prime Time Wrestling angry with Bobby Heenan over money Heenan hadn't paid him back. Blassie wrestled as a dark-haired good guy until he found out that the "heels" (bad guys) got better pay. His heels were always a bit more exotic and meaner than most. When Gene Okerlund confronted Blassie in an interview after the match, Blassie said, "what cane, I didn't have no cane!". [7] As the wrestlers became familiar with him, they began teaching him holds. However, he became increasingly interested in wrestling. Born Fred Blassman in St. Louis, Blassie played baseball and football in high school. Blassie retired from wrestling in 1986, turning over his stable of heels to another manager called Slick. According to Walton, Blassies biggest achievement came Aug. 27, 1971, when he met and defeated Canadian wrestler Golden Greek John Tolos at the Coliseum before 25,000 wrestling fans. [3], In 1952, Blassie moved to Los Angeles to work for Jules Strongbow. Also learn how He earned most of Freddie Blassie networth? 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. In 1964, Dick the Bruiser defeated Blassie to become champion, and Blassie headed east to work for the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF). Why FREDDIE BLASSIE Was So Great f/ WRESTLINGBIOS - YouTube DAVE KNOWS that Classy Freddie Blassie is a Pro Wrestling legend. RELATED: 10 Managers With The Best Claim To Be On A Wrestling Mount Rushmore. Discover Freddie Blassie's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. He did an advice segment on the Tuesday Night Titans TV program, made personal appearances and did radio interviews. [2] In 1963, Bearcat Wright defeated him to become champion, and it was quite a statement during the fight for civil rights that an African-American had won such a title. [spoken to the WWF wrestlers during Invasion 2001] Gentleman, there 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. [15] Blassie led Shiek to the WWF World Heavyweight Championship over Bob Backlund on December 26, 1983, in Madison Square Garden. It made Japanese wrestling a commodity on the West Coast and had given Rikidozan the credibility of conquering America. 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. 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. You pencil neck geek! For those who were brought up on pro wrestling in the 1980s and 1990s, one of the most colorful managers of the day was WWF stalwart, Classy Freddie Blassie. By this time, Blassie has acquired a cult following, leading to appearances in several feature films. Stats: 6' 0" 220 lbs. Freddie Blassies income source is mostly from being a successful Actor. 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. [3] Blassie also publicly represented Ali for media events and interviews for a period in the mid-1970s. 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. [2] During that same title reign, in a match against Lord James Blears a fan threw acid on his back, and he had to return immediately to the locker room to wash it off; over the course of his career, he was also stabbed 21 times and lost vision in his right eye after being struck by a thrown hard-boiled egg. Recommended:10 Wrestling Book Must Reads and 5 You Dont Want To Waste Your Time On. He would become a frequent foe of Morales throughout the rest of his in-ring career in WWWF. "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. 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. Freddie Blassie, the silver-maned . His last name is slightly easier to pronounce than it looks. 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). Blassie was more than willing to let the talented Bearcat Wright take the gold and make history. . Blassie did not just fade away after he left the ring. Among the men he managed were Nikolai Volkoff,[2] The Iron Sheik,[2] Blackjack Mulligan,[2] High Chief Peter Maivia,[2] "The Crippler" Ray Stevens,[2] Adrian Adonis,[2] Jesse Ventura,[2] Dick Murdoch,[2] Swede Hanson,[2] Killer Khan,[2] George 'The Animal' Steele,[2] Professor Tanaka,[2] Mr. Fuji,[2] Ivan Koloff,[2] Tor Kamata,[2] Masa Saito,[2] Lou Albano,[2] Victor Rivera,[2] Kamala,[2] Hercules Hernandez,[2] and Hulk Hogan. After the war, he continued to wrestle professionally in the Midwest. As a German descent American, he was often faced with questions of loyalty, despite marrying a Jewish woman. [13][6][dubious discuss], While touring Japan in 1965, and by this point divorced, Blassie met the woman who would eventually become his third wife, Miyako Morozumi, at a train station. Some NFL teams dont make the grade, players say, New era of football begins at Mater Dei under coach Frank McManus. Blassie also was seen with the comedian Andy Kaufman in ''My Breakfast With Blassie,'' a 1983 spoof of ''My Dinner With Andre.''. (bad guys) got better pay. 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. One that stands out was his rivalry with Bruno Sammartino in the early 1960s. His heels were always a bit more exotic and meaner than most. At 85 years old, Freddie Blassie height [20] Images from his WrestleMania XV promo were also included in the opening of the 2001 Survivor Series. 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. Frederick Kenneth Blassie (Classy Freddy Blassie, The Vampire, Sailor Fred Blassie, The Hollywood Fashion Plate, The Fashion Plate of Professional Wrestling) was born on 8 February, 1918 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA, is an Actor. JP Zarka created Pro Wrestling Stories in May 2015. Hell, the article is entitled "Freddie Blassie - The Truth (and Somewhere In-Between)" for crying out loud. [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. . His career began in earnest after Blassie is survived by his wife, Miyako, and three children. Recommended:The Time WWE Hall of Famer DR. JERRY GRAHAM Kidnapped His Mothers Dead Body. Some wrestlers choose to play a villain as a way of promoting their career, while others are forced to by their promoters. [8], Blassie appeared in an episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show that featured a new dance craze called The Twizzle. Blassie's interference at Wrestlemania 2 cost Volkoff his match with Kirchner, when the cane was grabbed by Kirchner instead of Volkoff. (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. [6] He performed for that promotion until his full retirement from professional wrestling in 1986. Following a stint in the California wrestling scene, Freddie Blassie headed southeast to the Georgia territories in the 1950s, where he would enjoy a whopping 17 reigns with the big title of the region, the NWA Georgia Southern Heavyweight Championship between 1954 and 1960. This benefactor was later revealed to be Slick. Vampire". So when I saw this book I had to get it and read it. [6] In later years, Blassie also appeared on The Mike Douglas Show when Philbin was a guest host. [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. [3], One of Blassie's most famous proteges was The Iron Sheik. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Lakers playoff hopes take another hit after comeback fades vs. Minnesota, Ducks strike with a pair of late power-play goals to defeat Canadiens, With Norman Powell out, Clippers are edged at Sacramento for fifth loss in a row, Desperate mountain residents trapped by snow beg for help; We are coming, sheriff says, Newsom, IRS give Californians until October to file tax returns, 15 arrested across L.A. 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Hed continue being a heel, managing a number of bad guys like George The Animal Steele, Hercules, and Blackjack Mulligan. [24], In the early 1990s, the wrestler starred in a documentary directed by Jeff Krulik, titled Mr. Blassie Goes To Washington. Download 100+ Free Freddie Blassie Wallpaper Images & 500,000+ Wallpapers for Free. . If they refused to drop a title, it didnt matter what the bookers thought. For Freddie Blassie, there was no question why he took on a villian's persona - he loved it. He did an advice segment on the ''Tuesday Night Titans'' TV program, made personal appearances and did radio interviews. He achieved the rank of Petty Officer (Second Class) before he was discharged. We have estimated Freddie Blassie Height 5'10" Weight 220 lbs Hometown St. Louis Signature Move Stomach Claw Career Highlights 1994 WWE Hall of Fame Inductee Freddie Blassie: Bio "Classy" Freddie Blassie is one of the most memorable Superstars to ever set foot inside the squared circle. . The series began at Roosevelt Stadium, Jersey City, New Jersey in 1964, with Blassie winning on a technicality, but not a pin. [3], In 1953, he worked in the Atlanta, territory for Paul Jones (the wrestler of the 1930s, not the wrestler/manager of the 1980s). He also reportedly excelled as a boxer. Despite that, Blassie ended the year by leaving WWWF and returning to Los Angeles and the WWA. After a move to the West Coast, he tried a different promotional scheme -- that of a villain. Frederick was an only child. 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. [6] Blassie lost the title to Rikidzan on March 28, 1962.[9]. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. Learn how and when to remove this template message, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=My_Breakfast_with_Blassie&oldid=1107033235, Articles needing additional references from June 2021, All articles needing additional references, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 27 August 2022, at 19:43. This film article about a 1980s comedy is a stub. What did Disney actually lose from its Florida battle with DeSantis? From there, he moved on to become a regular writer, contributor, and reporter for WWE. his service in the United States Navy during World War II. Blassie is survived by his wife, Miyako, and three children. He was 85. [6] He also began boxing at a local community center and won a heavyweight championship title. He began wrestling professionally in 1935 and it was soon after that he came up with his famous pencil neck geek insult. 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 was a regular on the WWWF's "All-Star Wrestling" and "Championship Wrestling" weekly TV shows that were videotaped at small arenas in Pennsylvania and aired throughout the Northeast. His matches with Freddie Blassie were legendary. When meeting someone, he would ask where they were from, and no matter their response, he would reply with, "Oh, that's God's country!". Still claiming to be the West Coast Champion, entered into a feud with Bruno Sammartino to unify the titles. This story has been shared 143,593 times. Blassie is survived by his wife, Miyako, and three children. Managed by "Loud", Countless World Wrestling Federation TV and Pay Per View Ads. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. While there, he feuded with Soulman Rocky Johnson, The Sheik, and "The Golden Greek" John Tolos. 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. 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. We've received your submission. She . After being pounded by a longer-limbed opponent, he switched to professional wrestling. for the WWF. [9][6], On June 2, 2003, Blassie died of heart and kidney failure at the age of 85. Notable Title Wins Include: NWA Southern Heavyweight title (14); WWA (Los Angeles) World Heavyweight title (4); WWA World Tag Team title (2 times w/Mr. [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. Freddie accomplished that goal and did so in grand style, as only he could. "Classy" Freddie Blassie WWE Hall of Fame Induction Speech [1994]June 9, 1994 egomaniac then known as Cassius Clay. A fierce competitor in the ring known for unorthodox methods and a penchant for bloodletting, Blassie was verbose and boastful. 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. 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." "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.