Ron Bass (wrestler)

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Ron Bass
Houston, Texas (WWF)
Debut1971[2]
Retired2013

Ronald Heard (December 21, 1948 – March 7, 2017) was an American professional wrestler, best known under the name "The Outlaw" Ron Bass. His gimmick was a Texan cowboy who entered World Wrestling Federation (WWF) rings to the sound of a bullwhip.[4]

Professional wrestling career

National Wrestling Alliance (1971–1987)

Heard started wrestling as Ron Bass in 1971 in the Gulf Coast territory.[2] Throughout the 1970s, he performed primarily in National Wrestling Alliance territories.[5] He was known as "Cowboy" Ron Bass,[6] Sam Oliver Bass, and "Outlaw" Ron Bass, depending on which territory he was working at the time.[7]

In the early 1980s, he wrestled in Championship Wrestling from Florida and Jim Crockett Promotions, frequently teaming with Black Bart as The Long Riders in both promotions.[2] He also teamed and feuded with Barry Windham in Florida. As a face he would feud with Angelo Mosca and Kendo Nagasaki. Bass would later turn heel after turning on Dusty Rhodes during a match where Bass was a special referee in a match against Harley Race, costing Rhodes the NWA title. Bass' feud with Barry Windham (over a saddle given to Bass by Dusty Rhodes) led to Windham losing a "loser-leaves-town" match to Bass and coming back to wrestle as the masked "Dirty Yellow Dog. "[8]

World Wrestling Federation (1987–1989)

In 1987, Bass (using the "Outlaw" name) went to the

Bobby "The Brain" Heenan, who was recovering from his storyline injury from Ken Patera
.

At the 1988

hair vs. hair match.[4][16] He competed in the 1989 Royal Rumble (sans hair).[1] After Bass' feud with Beefcake, he was used mainly as a preliminary wrestler and left the WWF in March.[12]

Retirement

Bass wrestled in the independents before retiring in 1991 due to the injuries sustained over his career.[4]

In 2005, he returned to wrestling making an appearance at WrestleReunion on January 29 and teamed with Larry Zbyszko to defeat Barry Windham and Mike Rotunda.[17] He continued to work in the independents until retiring for good in 2013.

Bass and

Brian Blair both starred in the film Silent Times directed by Geoff Blanchette and Christopher Annino,[18] which was released in 2018. Bass plays a 1920s professional football coach named Coach Joseph Arcarese.[2]

Personal life and death

After retiring, Heard returned to Tampa, Florida, where he golfed, became religious, and earned his bachelor's degree from Arkansas State University.[2][4] Subsequently, he worked in sales in Florida's construction market.[4] He also became an Amway salesman in the Tampa area. He had one son, named Joe, who debuted as a professional wrestler in September 2019, competing under the ring name Ron Bass, Jr.[4]

In July 2016, Heard was named part of a class action lawsuit filed against WWF which alleged that wrestlers incurred traumatic brain injuries during their tenure and that the company concealed the risks of injury. The suit was litigated by attorney Konstantine Kyros, who has been involved in a number of other lawsuits against WWF.[19] Following his death, in December 2018, Kyros' law firm received a postmortem report from the Heard family stating he had suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy, which has become common among professional wrestlers. Over a year after his death, US District Judge Vanessa Lynne Bryant dismissed the lawsuit in September 2018.[20]

In March 2017, Heard was hospitalized due to a burst appendix.[2] He died on March 7, 2017, at the age of 68 due to complications following surgery.[21][2]

Championships and accomplishments

References

  1. ^ a b c "Ron Bass profile". Retrieved 2017-03-09.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Oliver, Greg (March 7, 2017). "'Outlaw' Ron Bass dead at 68". SLAM! Wrestling. Archived from the original on March 8, 2017. Retrieved March 7, 2017.
  3. ^
    ISBN 978-0-7566-4190-0
    .
  4. ^
    World Wrestling Entertainment
    . Retrieved 2008-03-12.
  5. ^ Glasspiegel, Ryan (8 March 2017). "Pro Wrestlers Pay Tribute to "The Outlaw" Ron Bass". The Big Lead. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  6. ^ "Former professional wrestler 'Cowboy' Ron Bass dies at TGH". WFLA.com. 7 March 2017. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  7. ^ Gnetz, Brandon (7 March 2017). "Former WWE Star "Outlaw" Ron Bass Passes Away". ComicBook. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  8. ^ "'The Outlaw' Ron Bass passes away at 68". Cageside Seats. 8 March 2017. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  9. ^ a b Holroyd, Caitlyn (8 March 2017). "Former WWE star 'The Outlaw' Ron Bass dies at 68". theScore.com. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  10. ISBN 9781304101907
    .
  11. ^ "WWE wrestler DIES from burst appendix". Tuko.ce.ke. 8 March 2017. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  12. ^ a b Thomas, Jeremy (8 March 2017). "UPDATED: WWE Issues Statement on "Outlaw" Ron Bass' Passing". 411 Mania. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  13. ISBN 978-1-4165-5890-3
  14. ^ "World Wrestling Entertainment Substitutions". Softwolves. Retrieved 2008-01-28.
  15. ^ "Survivor Series 1988". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved 2008-01-28.
  16. ^ "Saturday Night's Main Event #19". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved 2008-01-28.
  17. ^ "WrestleReunion Wrestling Card: January 29, 2005". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2008-01-28.
  18. ^ Annino, Christopher (2019-01-29), Silent Times, Geoff Blanchette, Saschia Johnson, Olga Kurkulina, retrieved 2018-06-07
  19. ^ "WWE sued in wrestler class action lawsuit featuring Jimmy 'Superfly' Snuka, Paul 'Mr Wonderful' Orndorff". FoxSports.com. Fox Entertainment Group (21st Century Fox). July 18, 2015. Retrieved July 20, 2016.
  20. ^ Robinson, Byron (September 22, 2018). "Piledriver: WWE uses 'Hell in a Cell' as springboard to future shows". Montgomery Advertiser. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  21. ^ "Former professional wrestler ‘Cowboy’ Ron Bass dies at Tampa General Hospital", by WFLA Web Staff
  22. ^ "NWA International Tag Team Title". Wrestling Titles. Retrieved 2008-01-28.
  23. ^ "NWA World Tag Team Title (Central States)". Wrestling Titles. Retrieved 2008-01-29.
  24. ^ "NWA Bahamas Heavyweight Title". Wrestling Titles. Retrieved 2008-01-28.
  25. ^ "NWA Global Tag Team Title". Wrestling Titles. Retrieved 2008-01-29.
  26. ^ "Florida Heavyweight Title". Wrestling Titles. Retrieved 2008-01-28.
  27. ^ "NWA Southern Heavyweight Title (Florida)". Wrestling Titles. Retrieved 2008-01-29.
  28. ^ "NWA United States Tag Team Title (Florida)". Wrestling Titles. Retrieved 2008-01-29.
  29. ^ "NWA National Heavyweight Title". Wrestling Titles. Retrieved 2008-01-28.
  30. ^ "NWA Gulf Coast Heavyweight Title". Wrestling Titles. Retrieved 2008-01-29.
  31. ^ "Gulf Coast Tag Team Title". Wrestling Titles. Retrieved 2008-01-28.
  32. ^ "NWA Southeastern Heavyweight Title". Wrestling Titles. Retrieved 2008-01-28.
  33. ^ "NWA Southeastern Tag Team Title". Wrestling Titles. Retrieved 2008-01-28.
  34. ^ "NWA Tennessee Tag Team Title". Wrestling Titles. Retrieved 2008-01-28.
  35. ^ "Bass Knuckles Title (Mid-Atlantic)". Wrestling Titles. Retrieved 2008-01-29.
  36. ^ Hoops, Brian (January 17, 2019). "Pro wrestling history (01/17): Vader wins IWGP heavyweight title". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  37. ^ "NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Title". Wrestling Titles. Retrieved 2008-01-29.
  38. ^ "NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Title". Wrestling Titles. Retrieved 2008-01-29.
  39. ^ "NWA Television Title". Wrestling Titles. Retrieved 2008-01-29.
  40. ^ "NWA Americas Tag Team Title". Wrestling Titles. Retrieved 2008-01-28.
  41. ^ "NWA/AWA Southern Heavyweight Title". Wrestling Titles. Retrieved 2008-01-28.
  42. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4
    .
  43. ^ "Southern Tag Team Title". Wrestling-Titles. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
  44. ^ "NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Title". Wrestling Titles. Retrieved 2008-01-28.
  45. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4
    .
  46. ^ "NWA United States Tag Team Title (Mid-America)". wrestling-titles.com. Retrieved April 23, 2015.
  47. ^ "NWA Arkansas Heavyweight Title". Wrestling Titles. Retrieved 2008-01-28.
  48. ^ "NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Title". Wrestling Titles. Retrieved 2008-01-28.
  49. ^ "NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Title". Wrestling Titles. Retrieved 2008-01-28.
  50. ^ "Pro Wrestling Illustrated's Top 500 Wrestlers of the PWI Years". Wrestling Information Archive. Archived from the original on 2011-07-07. Retrieved 2008-01-28.
  51. ^ Rodgers, Mike (2004). "Regional Territories: PNW #16". KayfabeMemories.com.

External links

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