Ox Baker
Ox Baker | |
---|---|
Birth name | Douglas Allen Baker |
Born | [1] Sedalia, Missouri, U.S. | April 19, 1934
Died | October 20, 2014 Hartford, Connecticut, U.S. | (aged 80)
Cause of death | Myocardial infarction |
Professional wrestling career | |
Ring name(s) | Doug Baker Ox Baker The Ox The Arkansas Ox |
Billed height | 6 ft 6 in (198 cm)[2] |
Billed weight | 320 lb (145 kg)[2] |
Billed from | Waterloo, Iowa |
Trained by | Buddy Austin Pat O'Connor Bob Geigel |
Debut | 1964[3] |
Retired | April 19, 2014 |
Douglas Albert Baker Sr. (April 19, 1934 – October 20, 2014) was an American professional wrestler and actor, better known professionally as Ox Baker. He was famous for his distinctive eyebrows and finishing move, the
Early life
Baker was an accomplished high school athlete in his adopted hometown of Waterloo, Iowa, but he quit school. Later he began wrestling to provide financial support to his family, having married and had children at a young age.[2]
Professional wrestling career
Baker was trained by Buddy Austin, Pat O'Connor, and Bob Geigel, and debuted in 1964. As time went on, he was winning a majority of his matches by knockout caused by the Heart Punch; he later renamed the move the Hurt Punch when Stan Stasiak, from whom Baker adopted the move, objected. Initially debuting as a kind, horn-rimmed-glasses-wearing country simpleton, Baker later turned into a villain. He was known for his unique look with his shaved head and black bushy mustache and eyebrows and ability to cut a promo.[4] He was also famous for wearing T-shirts to the ring, declaring himself "The Great Heart Puncher".[3]
In 1967 Baker worked for the
During his career he defeated "Cowboy" Bob Ellis for the
He returned to the WWF in 1980 and was given The Grand Wizard as his manager. Baker appeared at a TV taping in Allentown, Pennsylvania, on March 25, but left shortly after and never wrestled for the WWF again.
In 1988, Baker returned to the AWA and remained under contract with them until later that same year when he officially retired from wrestling. The following year in 1989, he opened "Ox Baker's Wrestling School", becoming a renowned wrestling trainer. His students include
Acting career and other media
During the midst of his professional wrestling career, Baker appeared in many films from time to time, most notably during the late 1970s and early 1980s. He appeared as a fighter in
In 2005, a documentary based on the life and career of Baker was filmed, directed by Halfbreed Billy Gram, with the working title of I Love the People I Hurt: The Life and Legend of the Mighty Ox Baker. A short comedy feature titled My Smorgasboard with Ox, co-written and co-starring Baker and Gram, was also filmed during this time, with both remaining in post-production status.
In 2006, the North Carolina-based indie band the Mountain Goats released a song on their Babylon Springs EP titled "Ox Baker Triumphant", in which Baker is betrayed by the wrestling community and rises up to strike vengeance upon them. In 2011, Baker self-published his own cookbook, which included recipes and stories during his time in the wrestling business.[4] In 2015, Veteran Pro Wrestling out of Groton, Connecticut held the first annual Ox Baker Memorial Cup. The winner for 2015 was Bad News Walter Swan and US Army Veteran "The Patriot Paul Severe", aka Jared Keefe. In 2016, the winner was "Rescue 911", aka Christopher Annino.[8]
Personal life
Baker was married to Peggy Ann Kawa from 1996 to her passing in 2010. He had one son, Garren, who died in 2022, and one daughter, Meghan, two grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.
Death
Baker died on October 20, 2014, in Hartford, Connecticut,[9] due to complications from a heart attack he suffered earlier that year.[10][11]
Championships and accomplishments
- All Star Pro Wrestling (New Zealand)
- American Wrestling Association
- AWA Midwest Tag Team Championship (3 times) – with Rock Rogowski (1), The Claw (1) and The Great Kusatsu (1)[13]
- Atlantic Coast Wrestling
- ACW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Purple Haze[14]
- Big Time Wrestling
- 1 time)[15]
- Cauliflower Alley Club
- Championship Wrestling from Florida
- Superstar Billy Graham[17]
- NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship (Florida version) (1 time)[18]
- International Wrestling Association
- Memphis Wrestling Hall of Fame
- Class of 2022
- Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling
- NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Carl Fergie[20]
- Mid-South Sports
- Midwest Championship Wrestling
- MCW International Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[14]
- National Wrestling Alliance
- NWA Hall of Fame (2014)
- NWA Big Time Wrestling
- NWA Hollywood Wrestling
- NWA Americas Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Enforcer Luciano[26]
- 1 time) – with Enforcer Luciano[27]
- NWA New Zealand
- 1 time)[28]
- National Wrestling Federation
- New England Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame
- Class of 2009
- Pro Wrestling Academy (Connecticut)
- Ox Baker "Old School" Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- Ranked No. 360 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI Years in 2003[30]
- Ranked No. 360 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the
- Southeastern Championship Wrestling
- 1 time)[31]
- Stampede Wrestling
- 1 time)[32]
- World Championship Wrestling (Australia)
- World Wrestling Association
- 1 time)[34]
- WWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Chuck O'Connor[35]
- World Wrestling Council
See also
References
- ^ "2014 Finishes (RIP)". Cauliflower Alley Club. Archived from the original on August 19, 2014. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
- ^ a b c d e Russo, Ric (June 15, 2000). "WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO . . . OX BAKER?". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e Held, Kevin S. (October 20, 2014). "Missouri native, wrestling legend Ox Baker dead". KSDK. Archived from the original on March 18, 2023. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
- ^ )
- ^ Johnson, Steven (June 27, 2008). "How Ray Gunkel's death changed wrestling". Slam Wrestling. Archived from the original on September 28, 2022. Retrieved October 20, 2014.
- )
- ^ Barnes (October 20, 2014). "Ox Baker, Pro Wrestler Turned Actor, Dies at 80". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
- user-generated source]
- ^ Johnson, Mike (October 20, 2014). "Douglas 'Ox Baker' passes away". PWInsider. Retrieved October 20, 2014.
- )
- ^ Namako, Jason (October 20, 2014). "Wrestling legend Ox Baker passes away today". WrestleView. Retrieved October 20, 2014.
- ^ NWA Australasian Tag Team Title history At wrestling-titles.com
- ^ AWA Midwest Tag Team Title history At wrestling-titles.com
- ^ ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
- ^ NWA United States Heavyweight Title (Chicago/Detroit) history At wrestling-titles.com
- ^ "List of CAC Award Winners". Cauliflower Alley Club. Archived from the original on March 24, 2016. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
- ^ Florida Tag Team Title history At wrestling-titles.com
- ^ NWA Southern Heavyweight Title (Florida) history At wrestling-titles.com
- ^ IWA North American Heavyweight Title history At wrestling-titles.com
- ^ NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Title history At wrestling-titles.com
- ^ NWA Georgia Tag Team Title history At wrestling-titles.com
- ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
- ^ "NWA United States Heavyweight Title (1967-1968/05) - American Heavyweight Title (1968/05-1986/02)". Wrestling-Titles. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
- ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
- ^ "NWA Texas Heavyweight Title". Wrestling-Titles. Retrieved March 30, 2017.
- ^ NWA Americas Tag Team Title history At wrestling-titles.com
- ^ NWA World Tag Team Title (Los Angeles version) history At wrestling-titles.com
- ^ NWA British Empire/Commonwealth Heavyweight Title history At wrestling-titles.com
- ^ NWF North American Heavyweight Title history At wrestling-titles.com
- ^ "PWI 500 PWI Years 2003". Retrieved August 21, 2018.
- ^ NWA Southeastern Heavyweight Title (Southern Division) history At wrestling-titles.com
- ^ Stampede Wrestling North American Heavyweight Title history At wrestling-titles.com
- ^ NWA Austra-Asian Tag Team Title history At wrestling-titles.com
- ^ WWA World Heavyweight Title (Indianapolis) history At wrestling-titles.com
- ^ WWA World Tag Team Title (Indianapolis) history At wrestling-titles.com
- ^ WWC Puerto Rico Heavyweight Title history At wrestling-titles.com
- ^ WWC Universal Heavyweight Title history At wrestling-titles.com
External links
- Ox Baker at IMDb