Roger Kirby (wrestler)
Roger Kirby | |
---|---|
The Sheik[4] | |
Debut | 1960 |
Retired | 1986[5] |
Willis Kirby (December 14, 1939 – March 18, 2019), better known by the
Early life
Willis Kirby was born on December 14, 1939, in Muncie, Indiana, and raised in Dunkirk, Indiana.[8] He is a cousin of fellow professional wrestler Les Thatcher[7]
Professional wrestling career
A
Kirby made his name wrestling through the territories of Georgia, Florida, Oregon, Minnesota and Kansas City (where he lived until his death). He was a prolific traveller, competing throughout the National Wrestling Alliance.[7] With blonde hair and a resemblance to his close friend Buddy Rogers[7][8] he took on the moniker "Nature Boy", wrestling as a heel and taking on numerous world champions, including Pat O'Connor. He also wrestled overseas in Mexico and Puerto Rico, along with six tours wrestling in Japan. Fellow wrestler and booker Bill Howard has stated that "Roger was the best there ever was. He could do everything that they're doing today, and probably even better. He had the body, the looks, the arrogance."
In 1967, Kirby won his first championship, when he and Les Thatcher won the NWA (Mid-America) United States Tag Team Championship.[8] He would achieve success as a tag team competitor throughout the Mid America and Gulf Coast territories throughout the same year, winning the NWA Gulf Coast Tag Team Championship three times and the NWA (Gulf Coast) United States Tag Team Championship, all with his relative, Dennis Hall. For the rest of the 1960s, he became a successful singles competitor throughout the American South, becoming a prominent star in the Central States and Pacific Northwest territories. He defeated Ron Etchison on August 12, 1969, to capture the NWA Central States Heavyweight Championship and won the NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship two times (both with victories over Moondog Mayne) the following year in 1969.[8]
On May 20, 1971, Kirby defeated Danny Hodge to become the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion. Bill Watts had decided that Kirby was the man to carry the Junior Heavyweight Championship, which he went on to lose to Ramon Torres. Hodge called Kirby a "first class" wrestler who had "the right personality, the right actions, the right steps".[7] In turn, Kirby stated that Hodge was the toughest man he ever wrestled with.[7] As champion, Kirby worked extensive programmes with Tom Jones, with whom he started with wrestling in Indiana. "We sold out everything we touched", Kirby remarked about his bouts with Jones.
Kirby continued to capture NWA championships throughout the 1970s and on April 1, 1978, he teamed with Igor Volkoff to win the WWA Tag Team Championship.[9] The following year he won the titles on two more occasions, both times with Paul Christy.[8]
Roger Kirby briefly wrestled for the
Personal life
After retirement, Kirby had both knees and hips replaced along with his shoulder.
Championships and accomplishments
- Capitol Sports Promotions
- WWC North American Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- NWA North American Tag Team Championship (Puerto Rico/WWC version)(1 time)
- Cauliflower Alley Club
- Championship Wrestling from Florida
- NWA Florida Tag Team Championship (5 times)
- Georgia Championship Wrestling
- NWA Georgia Tag Team Championship (1 time)
- Gulf Coast Championship Wrestling
- Pacific Northwest Wrestling
- National Wrestling Alliance
- NWA Central States Wrestling
- NWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Lord Alfred Hayes[12]
- NWA Central States Heavyweight Championship (5 times)
- NWA Central States Tag Team Championship (5 times)
- NWA Central States Television Championship (2 times)[13]
- NWA North American Tag Team Championship (Central States version) (4 times)
- NWA Heart of America Championship
- NWA United States Championship (Central States version) (2 times)
- NWA Mid-America
- NWA United States Tag Team Championship (Mid-America version)
- NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Championship (Tennessee/Alabama) (2 times)
- AWA Southern Tag Team Championship (NWA Mid-America) (2 times)
- NWA Western States Sports
- World Wrestling Association
- WWA World Tag Team Championship (3 times)
References
- ^ "ROGER "NATURE BOY" KIRBY - Facebook". www.facebook.com.
- ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip. "Matches « Roger Kirby « Wrestlers Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database". www.cagematch.net.
- ^ TheIronClaw1 (26 June 2011). "Kevin Von Erich Vs Roger Kirby" – via YouTube.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ ISBN 9781554902842– via Google Books.
- ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip. "Roger Kirby « Wrestlers Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database". www.cagematch.net.
- ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip. "Career « Roger Kirby « Wrestlers Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database". www.cagematch.net.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Peers celebrate Roger Kirby's skills". Archived from the original on 2016-03-12.
- ^ a b c d e "Roger Kirby".
- ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip. "Titles « Roger Kirby « Wrestlers Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database". www.cagematch.net.
- ^ a b "2010 Honorees - Cauliflower Alley Club". www.caulifloweralleyclub.org. Archived from the original on 2017-12-01. Retrieved 2017-11-23.
- ^ ""Nature Boy" Roger Kirby dies". Archived from the original on 2019-03-19.
- ^ Hoops, Brian (January 17, 2019). "Pro wrestling history (01/17): Vader wins IWGP heavyweight title". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
- ^ Hoops, Brian (January 13, 2019). "Pro wrestling history (01/13): TNA Genesis 2013". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
External links
- Roger Kirby's profile at Cagematch.net