Neff Maiava
Neff Maiava | |
---|---|
Birth name | Neff Alfred Maiava[1] |
Born | Tula, Tutuila, American Samoa[1] | May 1, 1924
Died | April 21, 2018[2] Honolulu, Hawaii, United States[1] | (aged 93)
Children | 9[3] |
Family | Kaluka Maiava (grandson)[4] |
Professional wrestling career | |
Ring name(s) | Big Head Maiava Neff Maiava Prince Maiava Prince Ulu Maiava |
Billed height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)[2] |
Billed weight | 282 lb (128 kg)[2] |
Billed from | "Samoa"[5] |
Trained by | Al Karasik[2] |
Debut | 1952[6][7] |
Retired | 1974[6][7] |
Neff Alfred Maiava (May 1, 1924 – April 21, 2018) was an American Samoan
Early life
Maiava was born in
Professional wrestling career
Maiava was trained to wrestle by Al Karasik, debuting in 1952.
Maiava became a highly popular wrestler due to his "combination of athletic ability, comedy and exotic flair".[3] Playing on his Samoan origin, Maiava developed a "colorful and charismatic" character. He became known for antics such as performing fire knife dances, playing a ukulele, walking on a bed of nails,[6] breaking wooden boards over his head, and wearing a necklace made from boar's teeth.[14] During his matches, Maiava would use his wild hair to entrap and "cut" opponents' hands. His finishing move, the "Coconut Head-butt", gave rise to the professional wrestling trope that Samoan wrestlers have "hard heads". He was managed by Coconut Willie, who supposedly issued orders to Maiava by beating a drum.[3][15] On one occasion, he wrestled a bear. To preserve the mystique of his character, Maiava did not speak English in public while travelling outside of Hawaii.[3]
In the late-1950s, Maiava began appearing regularly with the
Maiava retired from professional wrestling in 1974.[6] He went on to run a tree-trimming company and purchased a portfolio of rental properties on Oahu.[3]
Personal life
Maiava had five sons and four daughters.[3] His grandchildren included American football linebacker Kaluka Maiava.[4]
In 1997, Maiava published "Da Grouchy Moocher Boogie Man", a children's book.[22]
Death
Maiava died in his sleep on April 21, 2018, in Honolulu at the age of 93.[1][3] At the time of his death he was reckoned by journalist Dave Meltzer to be the world's second oldest living professional wrestler.[6] He was inurned with military honors at the Diamond Head Mortuary.[7]
Bibliography
- Da Grouchy Moocher Boogie Man (1997)
Championships and accomplishments
- 50th State Big Time Wrestling
- NWA Hawaii Heavyweight Championship (6 times)[16]
- NWA Hawaii Tag Team Championship (6 times) – with Billy White Wolf (1 time), Lord James Blears (4 times), and Pampero Firpo (1 time)[18]
- Dallas Wrestling Club
- NWA Texas Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Ray Gunkel[11][23]
- Salt Lake Wrestling Club
- NWA World Tag Team Championship (Salt Lake Wrestling Club version) (1 time) – with Oni Wiki Wiki[12][13]
References
- ^ a b c d e f "Neff Alfred "Prince Neff" Maiava". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Black Press. May 25, 2018. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
- ^ a b c d e Philip Kreikenbohm. "Neff Maiava". Cagematch.net. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Michael Tsai (May 3, 2018). "Pioneering pro wrestler 'Prince' Maiava from Laie dies at 93". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Black Press. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
- ^ a b Jodie Valade (October 14, 2012). "Cleveland Browns Kaluka Maiava on wrestling, The Rock and winter weather: five questions". Cleveland.com. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
- ^ a b "Chris Tolos grapples South Sea Islander". Syracuse Herald-Journal (via NewspaperArchive.com). March 8, 1955. p. 22.
Chris Tolos, Canadian heavyweight, will attempt to ruin the Syracuse wrestling debut of Prince Ulu Maiava of Samoa when they meet tonight in the feature of the grappling show on the War Memorial mat.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Dave Meltzer (May 5, 2018). "Prince Neff Maiava passes away at 93 years old". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
- ^ a b c "Services to be held for Hawaii wrestling pioneer Neff Maiava". KHON-TV. May 31, 2018. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
- ^ Warren Nishimoto (July 31, 1992). "Oral history interview #451-1 with John Meatoga" (PDF). National Park Service. Retrieved November 15, 2018.
JM: [...] Neff [Maiava] came here when he was two years old. I believe he's three years older than I am. So anyway... WN: Neff was born in Samoa? JM: He was born in Samoa.
- ISBN 978-1-77090-004-2.
- ^ a b c Philip Kreikenbohm. "Neff Maiava – Career". Cagematch.net. Retrieved October 19, 2018.
- ^ a b "NWA Texas Tag Team Title". Wrestling-Titles.com. October 3, 2017. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
- ^ a b "World Tag Team Title [Northwest Tri-State]". Wrestling-Titles.com. April 11, 2017. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
- ^ a b "Western Tag Team Title [Idaho / Utah]". Wrestling-Titles.com. March 14, 2017. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
- ^ Bob D'Angelo (May 4, 2018). "Pioneering pro wrestler 'Prince' Neff Maiava dead at 93". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Cox Enterprises. Retrieved November 16, 2018.
- ^ Blaine Van Der Griend (December 28, 2011). "Islanders put family first in wrestling business". Canoe.com. Archived from the original on January 20, 2016. Retrieved November 15, 2018.
- ^ a b "Hawaii Heavyweight Title". Wrestling-Titles.com. September 7, 2017. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
- ISBN 978-1-4766-7483-4.
- ^ a b "NWA Hawaii Tag Team Title". Wrestling-Titles.com. September 7, 2017. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
- ^ "HPD History: Wrestling Riot 1961". Honolulu Police Department. May 5, 2018. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
- ^ "8 charged in wrestling show riot". The Honolulu Advertiser (via Newspapers.com). August 18, 1961. p. 4.
- ISBN 978-1-77305-065-2.
- ISBN 978-0-8108-7926-3.
- ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
External links
- Neff Maiava's profile at Cagematch.net, Wrestlingdata.com