Bob Geigel
Bob Geigel | |
|---|---|
NWA Central States (1963–1986) | |
| Spouse |
Vera June Lackender (m. 1947)Pacific Theater ) |
Robert Frederick Geigel (October 1, 1924 – October 30, 2014) was an American
Early life
Geigel was born on October 1, 1924, in
After leaving the navy, Geigel began studying in the
Professional wrestling career
Geigel was recruited into professional wrestling by Alphonse Bisigniano.
Geigel frequently held tag team championships in his home promotion, holding the
Promoting career
Geigel became a promoter in 1963, when he took over management of the Kansas City office. Partnering with Gus Karras and Pat O'Connor, he renamed the promotion Heart of America Sports Attractions.[5] He then took his place on the board of the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA). In that same year, Geigel was cited as a co-defendant in an anti-monopoly case brought against the Central States territory by previous owner Pinkie George. Along with his partners Karras and O'Connor, and fellow co-defendant George Simpson, he refuted the charge, and it was eventually dropped.[4]
In 1978, Geigel became President of the NWA, his first term lasting until 1980. During this term he strongly supported
Geigel sold Heart of America Sports Attractions to Jim Crockett Jr. in September 1986. He repurchased the promotion in February 1987 but closed it in 1988.
Personal life
Geigel owned a bar in Kansas City called The Tender Trap.[10] Geigel worked security at The Woodlands racetrack in Kansas City, Kansas after retiring from wrestling, until suffering a broken hip in early 2014.[3][10] Geigel met his wife Vera at the University of Iowa, and they were married for more than 65 years.[10] They had three daughters.[5]
Death
He suffered from Alzheimer's disease.[3] Geigel died on October 30, 2014, in a nursing home in Kansas City.[3][10]
Championships and accomplishments
- American Wrestling Association
- AWA Midwest Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Bob "The Viking" Morse.
- 3 times) – with Hard Boiled Haggerty (1), Otto von Krupp(1), and Stan "Krusher" Kowalski (1)
- AWA Canadian Open Tag Team Championship (1 time) with Bill Miller
- Cauliflower Alley Club
- Central States Wrestling
- NWA Central States Heavyweight Championship (6 times)
- 2 times)
- NWA World Tag Team Championship (Central States version) (4 times) – with Rufus R. Jones (2), Akio Sato (1), and Pat O'Connor (1)[7]
- George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame
- Class of 2002
- Western States Sports
- NWA North American Heavyweight Championship (Amarillo version) (1 time)
- NWA Southwest Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
- NWA Southwest Tag Team Championship (4 times) – with Dory Funk (2), Mike Gallagher (1), and Boris Kalmikoff (1)
- NWA World Tag Team Championship (Amarillo version) (2 times) - with Dory Funk[11]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d "Robert Geigel". LentzFuneralHome.com. 2014. Retrieved December 3, 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f "Bob Geigel". Cagematch.net. Retrieved December 3, 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Smith, Tom (October 31, 2014). "Wrestler Bob Geigel was at the heart of the Kansas City wrestling scene". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved November 18, 2014.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-55022-741-3.
- ^ Canadian Online Explorer. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013. Retrieved December 10, 2009.
- ^ a b Kendall, Justin (October 30, 2014). "Bob Geigel, former NWA president and pro wrestler, has died at age 90". The Pitch. Archived from the original on November 29, 2014. Retrieved November 17, 2014.
- ^ a b NWA World Tag Team Championship (Central States) at Wrestling-Titles.com
- ^ ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
- ^ a b "NWA North American Tag Team Title (Central States version)". wrestling-titles.com. Retrieved March 24, 2015.
- ^ Canadian Online Explorer. Archived from the original on November 2, 2014. Retrieved November 18, 2014.
- ^ "National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Titles [W. Texas]". Wrestling-Titles. Retrieved February 21, 2017.
External links
- Bob Geigel's profile at Cagematch.net , Internet Wrestling Database
- Bob Geigel at IMDb
