Wilbur Snyder
| Wilbur Snyder | |
|---|---|
Sandor Szabo | |
| Debut | 1953 |
| Retired | 1984 |
Wilbur Snyder (September 15, 1929 – December 25, 1991) was an American
Wrestling career
Snyder's wrestling debut occurred during football's 1953 off-season. He was trained by
Snyder was a regional champion in a myriad of territories that were affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA).[2] One of those championships was an offshoot of the world title that he won from Verne Gagne on November 15, 1958 in Omaha, Nebraska.
After the departure of Jim Barnett, Snyder bought into the Indianapolis territory with Dick the Bruiser. The enterprise was known as Championship Wrestling Inc. on April 27, 1965.[2] Snyder's wife Shirlee was listed as the registered agent. Snyder and Dick's mother, M.A. (Margaret) Johnston were listed as directors of the company, to keep the wrestler's ownership of the territory private.[2]
The defeat of
Snyder was often billed as "The World's Most Scientific Wrestler". On Bret Hart's greatest hits video Wilbur Snyder also gets a mention by Bobby "The Brain" Heenan and "Macho Man" Randy Savage. Heenan claiming Snyder basically invented the abdominal stretch.
Snyder's legacy was cemented by WWE announcer Jim Ross who would refer to "shades of the late Wilbur Snyder" anytime somebody used the abdominal stretch for most of the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Personal life
Wilbur married Shirlee Ann Hanson in 1948. His son in law is Steve Regal. He died on December 25, 1991, aged 62, in Pompano Beach, Florida.[3]
Championships and accomplishments
- American Wrestling Alliance
- AWA World Tag Team Championship (Indiana version) (2 times) – with Dick the Bruiser
- American Wrestling Association
- AWA United States Heavyweight Championship (3 times)
- AWA World Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Leo Nomellini (1) and Pat O'Connor (1)
- 2 times)
- Big Time Wrestling (San Francisco)
- Fred Kohler Enterprises
- George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame
- Class of 2014[4]
- International Wrestling Association (Montreal)
- Japan Wrestling Association
- Midwest Wrestling Association
- NWA Eastern States Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- NWA United States Tag Team Championship (Ohio version) (1 time) – with Dick the Bruiser
- NWA Detroit
- World Wrestling Associates/NWA Hollywood Wrestling
- NWA "Beat the Champ" Television Championship (2 times)
- WWA International Television Tag Team Championship (4 times) – with Sandor Szabo (2) and Bobo Brazil (2)
- NWA Western States Sports
- NWA World Tag Team Championship (Texas version) (2 times) – with Verne Gagne (1) and Pepper Gomez (1)[5][6]
- St. Louis Wrestling Hall of Fame
- Class of 2014
- World Wrestling Association
- Dominic Denucci (1), and Spike Huber (2)[7]
- Worldwide Wrestling Associates
- WWA International Television Tag Team Championship (4 times) – with Sandor Szabo (2) and Bobo Brazil (2)[8]
See also
References
- ^ ISBN 1-55022-741-6
- ^ ISBN 1-55022-741-6
- ^ Hornbaker, Tim (2007). National Wrestling Alliance: the Untold Story of the Monopoly That Strangled Professional Wrestling. ECW Press. p. 238.
- ^ "Wilbur Snyder | National Wrestling Hall of Fame". nwhof.org. Retrieved 2017-04-26.
- ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
- ^ "National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Title [E. Texas]". Wrestling-Titles. Retrieved February 21, 2017.
- ^ "W.W.A. World Tag Team Title (Indianapolis)". Puroresu Dojo. 2003.
- ^ "International Television Tag Team Title (Los Angeles)". Puroresu Dojo. 2003.
External links
- Wilbur Snyder's profile at Cagematch.net , Internet Wrestling Database
