Blond Bombers
The Blond Bombers is a name used by several
History
Rip Hawk and Swede Hanson
After joining Jim Crockett Promotions in the early 1960s, Rip Hawk met Swede Hanson, who was competing as a singles wrestler. Hawk approached Jim Crockett, Sr. about forming a tag team with Hanson, and Crockett agreed. Both had blond hair and were powerful wrestlers, so they called themselves the Blond Bombers.[1][2] They were managed by Gary Hart and later by Homer O'Dell.[3] Hawk spoke for the team during interviews while Hanson stood silently beside him.[4]
After teaming for several years, Hawk and Hanson won the Florida version of the
Much of their success, however, came in Jim Crockett Promotions, where they were hated heel (villain) wrestlers.[7] They won the NWA Atlantic Coast Tag Team Championship four times between 1968 and 1971.[8] They feuded with several teams, including Johnny Weaver and George Becker as well as the pairing of Paul Jones and Nelson Royal.[2] Jim Crockett Promotions also held matches in which heel teams faced other heel teams. The Blond Bombers faced such teams as the Anderson Brothers (Gene and Ole) or Brute Bernard and Skull Murphy These matches, known as "Battles of the Bullies", were unusual because heels almost always compete against faces (fan favorites).[2][9]
Hanson had a heart attack in 1971,[2] and Hawk was teamed with rookie wrestler Ric Flair.[10] Hanson became a face upon his return to the ring, and he feuded with Hawk and faced him in a series of matches.[4] They began wrestling in Texas, where they won the NWA Western States Tag Team Championship three times from 1976 to 1977.[11] Hanson left the territory after their final reign, which ended the tag team combination.[2] They were inducted as a team into the NWA Legends Hall of Heroes in 2007 by former manager Gary Hart.[12]
Hanson died of sepsis on February 19, 2002. Hawk died on December 22, 2012. Gary Hart died following a heart attack on March 16, 2008.
Pat Patterson and Ray Stevens
While wrestling in Oregon, Pat Patterson heard many wrestlers tell him that he would be a natural fit as a tag team partner of Ray Stevens, who competed in San Francisco. Patterson moved to San Francisco and dyed his hair blond to match Stevens, who had used the nickname "The Blond Bomber" as a singles wrestler.
When Patterson returned to the San Francisco area, he feuded with Stevens, who had become a face.
The pair were later reunited in the American Wrestling Association, where they won the AWA World Tag Team Championship on September 23, 1978.[19] The following year, Patterson began competing primarily in the World Wrestling Federation, although he and Stevens continued to team occasionally in the AWA until late 1982.[13][17] They were inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame as a team in 2006 and have been described as the "single greatest tag team" of all time.[13]
Patterson died of liver failure caused by a blood clot on December 2, 2020. Stevens died of a heart attack on May 3, 1996.
Larry Latham and Wayne Farris
Latham and Farris both made their wrestling debuts in 1976 and later signed with the
After dropping the AWA Southern Tag Team Championship for a third and final time, the Blond Bombers began to challenge for the
Latham died of a heart attack in the ring during Jerry Lawler's "birthday bash" show on November 29, 2003.
Stanley Lane and Bryan St. John
Stanley Lane, who had dubbed himself the "Nature Boy" in honor of his trainer, "Nature Boy" Ric Flair, debuted for Championship Wrestling from Florida in December 1978. He was soon paired with Bryan St. John, and the team dubbed themselves the Blonde Bombers.[32] St. John had been feuding with Ray Stevens, and the Bombers continued this rivalry. Together, they challenged NWA Florida Tag Team Champions Stevens and Mike Graham for the title belts. On October 30, 1979, the heel duo of Lane and St. John defeated the champions to win the title. As a result, St. John claimed victory in his rivalry with Stevens.[33] The following week, they defended the belts against Mr. Hito and Mr. Sakurada.[34] Because of a controversial finish, the championship was vacated, and a tournament was held. St. John sustained a wrist injury, however, and the Bombers were unable to participate. Graham teamed with Steve Keirn to win the tournament on November 13 by defeating Hito and Sakurada.[35]
When St. John recovered, he and Lane faced the new champions and defeated them for the title on November 25.
Tank Toland and Chad Toland
The Toland Brothers (Tank and Chad) also used the name in
Championships and accomplishments
- Rip Hawk and Swede Hanson
-
- 1 time)[6]
- Pat Patterson and Ray Stevens
-
- AWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time)[19]
- AWA World Tag Team Championship (San Francisco version) (2 times)[15]
- Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame
- Class of 2006
- Larry Latham and Wayne Farris
- Stanley Lane and Bryan St. John
- Chad Toland and Tank Toland
References
- ^ Chappell, David. "The Gateway Interview: Rip "The Profile" Hawk, Part Two". Mid-Atlantic Gateway. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
- ^ a b c d e Mooneyham, Mike. "Hawk and Hanson: The Blond Bombers". The Wrestling Gospel According to Mike Mooneyham. Archived from the original on March 12, 2008. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
- ^ Chappell, David. "The Gateway Interview: Rip "The Profile" Hawk, Part Three". Mid-Atlantic Gateway. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
- ^ a b Chappell, David. "Remembering Big Swede Hanson". Mid-Atlantic Gateway. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
- ^ a b "NWA World Tag Team Title (Florida)". Wrestling Titles. Retrieved 2009-01-17.
- ^ a b "International Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Title". Wrestling Titles. Retrieved 2009-01-22.
- ^ "The late Swede Hanson—a wrestler with heart: Page 1". Wrestling Digest. 2002. Archived from the original on 2007-11-07. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
- ^ a b "NWA Atlantic Coast Tag Team Title". Wrestling Titles. Retrieved 2009-01-22.
- ISBN 0-8223-2737-6.
Matches rarely put face against face, or heel against heel.
- ISBN 978-1-55022-759-8.
- ^ a b "NWA Western States Tag Team Title". Wrestling Titles. Retrieved 2009-01-22.
- ^ "Hall of Heroes Class of 2007: Swede Hanson". Mid-Atlantic Gateway. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
- ^ a b c d "Ray Stevens & Pat Patterson". The Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum. Archived from the original on 2008-08-20. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
- ^ Mooneyham, Mike (1996-05-19). "Ray "The Crippler" Stevens: Bombs Away". The Wrestling Gospel According to Mike Mooneyham. Archived from the original on May 14, 2008. Retrieved 2009-02-21.
- ^ a b "AWA (San Francisco) World Tag Team Title". Wrestling Titles. Retrieved 2009-01-22.
- ^ "Wrestling History". Pro Wrestling Illustrated. Archived from the original on 2010-04-10. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
- ^ a b c "Pat Patterson". SLAM! Wrestling. Archived from the original on 2013-01-15. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "NWA World Tag Team Title (San Francisco)". Wrestling Titles. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
- ^ a b "AWA World Tag Team Title". Wrestling Titles. Retrieved 2009-01-22.
- ^ Pytlarz, Cory (2006-05-04). "Honky Tonk Man still rolling". SLAM! Wrestling. Archived from the original on 2012-07-29. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ Oliver, Greg (2003-11-30). "Moondog Spot dies during match". SLAM! Wrestling. Archived from the original on 2012-07-20. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ Lawler, Jerry (2004-05-20). "Update: 05/20/04". Official Home of Jerry Lawler. Retrieved 2009-02-21.
- ^ "Memphis/CWA #38 Page #2". Kayfabe Memories. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
- ^ ISBN 1-58261-817-8.
- ^ "Interview With Scott Bowden". Memphis Wrestling History. Archived from the original on August 14, 2010. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
- ^ a b c d "NWA (Mid-America)/AWA Southern Tag Team Title". Wrestling Titles. Retrieved 2009-01-22.
- ^ a b c "NWA Mid-America Tag Team Title". Wrestling Titles. Retrieved 2009-01-22.
- ^ "Bobby Eaton Page 2". Kayfabe Memories. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
- ^ "Caribbean Heavyweight Title". Wrestling Titles. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
- ^ "History of the World Tag Team Championship". WWE. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
- ^ "WWWF/WWF/WWE World Tag Team Title". Wrestling Titles. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
- ^ a b Mooneyham, Mike. "Stan Lane: Tag-Team Specialist". The Wrestling Gospel According to Mike Mooneyham. Archived from the original on March 12, 2008. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
- ^ "Lane, St. John Win Tag Title". Championship Wrestling from Florida. 1979-11-12. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
- ^ a b c d "NWA Florida Tag Team Title History". Solie's Wrestling Titles. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
- ^ "Graham & Keirn Win Tag Team Title". Championship Wrestling from Florida. 1979-11-21. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
- ^ "Brown, Blondes win titles!". Championship Wrestling from Florida. 1979-12-05. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
- ^ "Did Mike Unmask the Super Destroyer?". Championship Wrestling from Florida. 1979-12-11. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
- ^ "Brisco & Garvin Beat Blondes!". Championship Wrestling from Florida. 1980-03-18. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
- ^ "Wrestler Profiles: Bryan St. John". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
- ^ "Johnny Jeter". SLAM! Wrestling. Archived from the original on 2012-07-21. Retrieved 2009-01-22.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ a b "OVW Title Histories". Ohio Valley Wrestling. Archived from the original on April 5, 2011. Retrieved April 6, 2012.
- ^ "Wrestler Profiles: Chad Wicks". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2009-01-22.
- ^ "Wicks, Tolland released". WWE. 2006-02-22. Retrieved 2009-01-22.
External links
- Championship Wrestling from Florida match information and news archives
- Hawk and Hanson: The Blond Bombers – by Mike Mooneyham
- Ray Stevens & Pat Patterson Hall of Fame biography