However, Slaters wild ways continued long after he left the ring, with some surprised he made it to the age of 67. Bishop was part of the Broncos teams that participated in Super Bowls XXI, XXII and XXIV. The promoter wanted him to play off his Native American heritage, thus he was given the moniker "Chief" Wahoo McDaniel. "Everybody loved to wrestle with him in the ring, and he was a box office attraction who had sellout crowds," Funk said. Les Thatcher had told me after Wahoo told him he lost a lot of money playing Trevino, he asked Wahoo if Trevino would wrestle him for money; you can guess the answer. He wrestled until 1989. . If you want a good read about a wrestling legend and an American football hero, I highly recommend Wahoo by Karen McDaniel and John Cosper. Throughout his career, Wahoo had notable feuds with Roddy Piper, Ric Flair, Sgt. of us at PWBTS.com. Dykes had a four-year record at Lee of 34-11-1, with the best season the 1983 season. NWAs official Twitter account noted that Slater died from heart complications. During his time in pro football, McDaniel began his career in pro wrestling and later became one of its most popular stars as "Chief Wahoo." McDaniel died in 2002 after complications from. He also was successful in track and field and also on the baseball field. Valentine. He married his wife Gayle in 1963 and they have two daughters, and have four grandchildren. ", "Believability, storytelling made pro wrestling great", NWA Southern Heavyweight Title (Florida) history, NWA United States Tag Team Title (Florida) history, NWA World Tag Team Title (Florida) history, NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Title history, NWA/WCW United States Heavyweight Title history, NWA World Tag Team Title (Mid-Atlantic/WCW) history, "NWA Hall of Fame Class for 2011 announced", "NWA United States Heavyweight Title (1967-1968/05) - American Heavyweight Title (1968/05-1986/02)", SCW Southwest Television/Heavyweight Title history, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wahoo_McDaniel&oldid=1141935529, ACW World Heavyweight Championship (1 time), NWA United States Championship Tournament (1984), This page was last edited on 27 February 2023, at 17:07. [2], Last edited on 27 February 2023, at 17:07, NWA United States Heavyweight Championship, inaugural AFL Championship-winning season, Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling / Jim Crockett Promotions, NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship, Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum, Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame, "Wahoo McDaniel, 63, a Wrestler and a Folk Hero for Fans of the Early Jets", "Ric Flair, Wahoo among President George H.W. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); No spam. I have always missed Bob Caudle saying,
The matches between Valentine and Wahoo were some of the toughest in history.Find out about the one night when Greg fought back during a match and punched Wahoo for real! Karen doesnt pull the punches on what she had to deal with from the fights and heartbreak she endured living with Wahoo. His father was a Choctaw Indian known as Big Wahoo. ''Well-liked. While many people think of wrestling as an entertaining stage show, there is one thing about the sport that isn't funny: the alarmingly high death rate. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. Discover information about Wahoo McDaniel and view their match history at the Internet Wrestling Database. He was 63. McDaniel's exploits on the playing fields of Midland are sometimes overshadowed by his time playing college and professional football and as a popular professional wrestler. McDaniel became a popular figure on the wrestling circuit. Edward McDaniel was born in Burnice, La., on June 19, 1938. [13] He also worked in independent shows until retiring in 1996. Your email address will not be published. Edward McDaniel was cremated. York Jets, and a college career with the University of Oklahoma during the late 1950s. Its not public knowledge who his ashes were given to. Of the tens of thousands of names that have graced this profession over the past 100 plus years, there have been stars too numerous to mention. In his first season with the Jets, he described himself in an interview as: ''Robust, jolly, outspoken. Long before there was The Lunatic Fringe, there was Dirty Dick Slater, a roughhouse redneck who brawled in and out of the ring; proving he didnt live his gimmick he was his gimmick. 3. McDaniel played for Midland High in the mid-1950s as a bruising fullback and linebacker for Bulldog teams that were one of the few squads to challenge the famous Abilene High "streak" teams of that era. McDaniel, whose real name was Ed, was a linebacker who returned a punt 91 yards for a touchdown against Iowa State in 1958. My dad was a homebuilder, and whatever house we didnt sell thats the home we moved into. It became something that lasted for quite some time.. He then was a defensive player in the old American Football League. Even outside of Midland he became a well-known high school superstar. Johnson passed away earlier this year after a long battle with cancer. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. In his opening game, he made 10 tackles from his middle linebacker position. it via video tape and film, because of the realism that these two wrestlers could
Wahoo coped with things by drinking heavily and often. His wife, Charlie updated people regularly, using terms Lou lived his life with. opposed to the many wrestlers of various ethnic ancestry that portrayed Native American
WAHOO MCDANIEL? Many wrestlers die long before they reach age 65, and more than a few never reach age 40 or 30. Aug 5: WWE SummerSlam, > Archives
Dykes went on to a successful career at Texas Tech where was the head coach from 1986-99. He later played for Baylor in 1978 and 1979 in the early years of the Grant Teaff era. Please click this line if you do not care and want to view it anyway. He was just amazing.". Gagne, Hard Boiled Haggerty, Larry Hennig, Killer Kowalski, Ernie Ladd, Angelo Mosca Sr,
> Career Records
McDaniel's feuds over a 20 plus year career included Blackjack Mulligan, Ric
And this weekend was a chance for those who didn't know him to find out who he was, and for those who did know him to remember some old stories. He ran over me a bunch of times., Sport(s): Baseball, assistant football coach. A number of factors may contribute to this scary statistic. Wahoo McDaniel, who capitalized on his American Indian heritage as a football player and then a professional wrestler, died last Thursday at a hospital in Houston. Despite a wild life, Dick Slater lived to the age of 67, passing away on October 18, 2018. His feud with Johnny Valentine is part of wrestling legend, and he also went into the ring with the likes of Funk, Ric Flair and Rowdy Roddy Piper. The late senior McDaniel, who had operated McDaniel Welding Works in Midland, was "very known . Soon, the public-address announcer proclaimed, Tackle by . Learn more about managing a memorial . He never set down real roots anywhere.". Fans may be wondering just what the story is behind "Wahoo.". As time went on, McDaniel's prowess on the fields of Midland was somewhat forgotten in his hometown. Wahoo McDaniel defeats The Desperado by DQ. 79705. In December 2003, Slater was accused of stabbing his girlfriend Theresa Halbert with a butchers knife. Get the occasional email with the latest wrestling tributes and memorials, Search by ring name, real name, cause of death, organization, time period (2000s, etc) or specific year, WWE Hall of Famer Ravishing Rick Rude was an amazing individual in and out of the ring. Your email address will not be published. Wahoo McDaniel Birth name Edward McDaniel Born June 19, 1938 Bernice, Oklahoma Died April 18, 2002 (aged 63) Houston, Texas Cause of death Kidney failure Professional wrestling stats Known as Wahoo McDaniel Height 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) Weight 265 lb (120 kg) Trained by Dory Funk Sr. McDaniel was on the waiting list to receive a kidney when he died because of complications arising from renal failure, the National Football League Players Association said. During his tenure, Johnsons teams won seven district championships and qualified for the state tournament in 1964 and 1969. Day of death: 18.04.2002 (at the age of 63) Cause of death: Nierenversagen Gender: male Height: 5' 11" (180 cm) Weight: 251 lbs (114 kg) Background in sports: Football, Ringen, Baseball Career Data Alter egos: Wahoo McDaniel Roles: Singles Wrestler Tag Team Wrestler Booker Beginning of in-ring career: 1961 End of in-ring career: 1996 Juice Robinson, Evil Uno and ROH Women's Champion Athena were all in action. Lees home field is named for Johnson, and he still attends football and baseball practices regularly. Wahoo didnt need to brag about how great he was; he showed it in the ring and left nothing back whenever he climbed inside those ropes. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. McDaniel was originally a football player. Also on a dare and $100 he ran from Norman to Chickasha in Oklahoma in the heat of summer. boys' and hearing a lot of Chief's war stories. Chief Wahoo McDaniel - The early Years and some of his opponents. On September 7, 1977, Valentine regained the title at the WRAL-TV studio tapings, breaking McDaniel's leg in the process. An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request, There is an open photo request for this memorial. To those who knew him, though, they say he touched more lives than he could count, and even a decade after his death, he is still talked about with reverence, and that he was an original, whose legend was incubated here in Midland. Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Wahoo McDaniel (6522480)? Wahoo McDaniel, who capitalized on his American Indian heritage as a football player and then a professional wrestler, died last Thursday at a hospital in Houston. He's been in Pro Football for six years. the Cy-Fair Medical Clinic in Houston as a result of longtime complications from renal
Bush. Charles Donald Kernodle Jr. (May 2, 1950 - May 17, 2021) was an American professional wrestler with the National Wrestling Alliance 's Jim Crockett Promotions. [4] He attended Midland High School, where he was a track state champion in the shot put and second in the state in the discus. Wahoo also was a star behind the scenes, booking shows with his keen sense of how angles worked and what would make money. > The Artist Canvas
You learn about his high school years and college, where his legend started and just grew with time. McDaniel was trained by Dory Funk, Sr. and he initially competed in Funk's Amarillo territory while playing for the Oilers and, later, the Broncos. Drag images here or select from your computer for Wahoo McDaniel memorial. Slaughter, Paul Jones, to his 1984 heel turn and run with the US Title and his matches with Magnum T.A. telling a story, this simple art stands out more and more every day. What you wont hear, since Wahoo is no longer with us, are rants about how he was the greatest and how so-and-so held him back. The younger McDaniel took the name as his own, using it as not only his ring name but . AEW Dynamite: Bryan Danielson is ready to fight for everything at Revolution, Hardwood reveals how MJF shunned Tully Blanchard, The final years and legacy of Seelie Samara, NWA POWERRR: Its a hard Knox life for Bully Ray, NXT: Dolin Shines as Hayes Makes his Case, MLW Underground: Hennigans cheapest, most rigged victory yet, Chris Jericho: I have zero interest in ever going back to WWE. There have been Hall of Famers and even a few true icons. 2 The Origin Of "Wahoo". Wahoo takes on Colone Debeers. feelings that McDaniel could give someone who was first a fanthen got into the business
Apr 1: WWE WrestleMania The good, the bad and the ugly are all documented here and, after doing years of research on Wahoo myself, that is really all needed to piece together the violent and complicated life of this wrestling legend. He was
Some people were bigger television stars over a shorter period of time. Bush's ties to pro wrestling", "WAHOO MCDANIEL HE WAS A FLAMBOYANT FOOTBALLER AND A WACKO WRESTLER. Whether it was [heat rub] in the jockstraps or critters in your shoes, Wahoo did it all.'. He earned all-state football honors, and led the state in rushing in his junior year. Slaughter, Gino Hernandez, and Greg Valentine, to name a few. Well-liked. This segues right into Wahoos famous pro football career where he bounced around a little, even becoming a fan favorite in New York that rivaled Joe Namath. Wahoo McDaniel: def. White credits much of his success to the mentoring of former MHS coach Thurman "Tugboat" Jones, and said it was because of him that McDaniel became the athlete that he was. (Tommy Johnson) worked all his lifetime trying to get Wahoo in the (Midland High) Hall of Fame and we kept running up against brick walls. Greg Valentine discusses his brutal matches vs Chief Wahoo McDaniel in the Mid-Atlantic. Apr 2: WWE WrestleMania But most of all it was a chance for his hometown to honor him after all these years. I made a bunch of friendships with both Midland High and Lee kids. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. As most readers know by now, wrestling legend Wahoo McDaniel died last week at
McDaniels was on a waiting list to receive a kidney transplant. to Sam Houston. [2] He became a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity and was also a part of Wilkinson's Sooners football program, where he holds the record for the longest punt at 91 yards. They were just two rough wrestlers who enjoyed beating the hell out of each other. "You never knew what you were going to get with Wahoo," Funk said. Penny Banner, Red Bastein, Tully Blanchard, The Crusher, Don Curtis, Terry Funk, Verne
Home; Cards; PWI. The 252-page book digs deep into the beginnings of Ed McDaniel, with help from his sisters and childhood friends. He had head coaching stops at Coahoma, Belton, Big Spring and Alice before becoming a college assistant, including a stint at Texas under () and finally coming to Lee. Later, after I broke into the business, what a real joy to work with this
Dodson is the first person who is not an athlete or coach to be inducted into the Hall of Legends. and Ricky Steamboat. With that already on his resume, he went to Oklahoma, where he lettered for three years playing running back and later defensive end, and still holds the school record for the longest punt at 91 yards. Author: F4W Staff. Wahoo! Now for the first time, we have listed all major Old School Wrestling Stars who are no longer with us, including their date & cause of death: R.I.P. > Movies & TV
Johnson said two of his biggest accomplishments as baseball coach was helping to establish the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association and helping start the annual Tournament of Champions. Before he knew it, he was teaming with stars such as Dusty Rhodes, Bruiser Brody, Dick Murdoch, Jimmy Golden, and Greg Valentine working in promotions such as Championship Wrestling from Florida, Jim Crockett Promotions, Georgia Championship Wrestling, and Mid-South Wrestling. Slater would team with Cowboy Bob Orton to kayfabe break Slick Rics neck with a devastating spike piledriver, just one of many heinous acts on Slaters resume as a heel. Heart complications noted that Slater died from heart complications qualified for the state rushing! Mcdaniel he was some people were bigger television stars over a shorter period of time ancestry that portrayed American... On, McDaniel 's leg in the Mid-Atlantic ): baseball, assistant football coach however, wild. 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