Wrestling Pro
Wrestling Pro | |
---|---|
Birth name | Edward Leon Baxter[1] |
Born | [1] Donalsonville, Georgia, U.S.[2] | June 4, 1938
Died | August 15, 2019 Dothan, Alabama, U.S. | (aged 81)
Professional wrestling career | |
Ring name(s) | (The) Wrestling Pro Tarzan Baxter Masked Superstar #1 Masked Gaucho #1 Wrestling Pro #1 The Pro |
Billed height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) |
Billed weight | 229 lb (104 kg) |
Debut | 1963 |
Retired | 1978 |
Edward Leon Baxter (June 4, 1938 – August 15, 2019) was an American
Professional wrestling career
Early career
Baxter was raised in
Becoming Wrestling Pro
As part of a
NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship
Wearing a white mask and costume, Pro would switch between
Pro was weighed in the ring by promoter and wrestler "Cowboy" Bob Kelly before the match and made the weight. The bout concluded with the referee being "knocked out" and distracted and The Pro clearly winning the match. A second referee however came to the ring, counted out the Pro and awarded the match to Mantell.[4] The crowd cheered loudly, wanting Pro to unmask. As he was taking his mask off, Kelly returned to the ring and stopped him. He told the crowd that he would like Pro to unmask as well, but he had to do what was right. He told the crowd that as The Pro had beaten Mantell fair and square that as far as he was concerned, Pro was the rightful NWA Junior Heavyweight Champion.
Pro was recognised and announced in the territory as the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion. After NWA President
Feud with NWA World Heavyweight Champion Jack Brisco
As The Wrestling Pro, Baxter remained a headliner for
Murder Inc.
Soon thereafter, Wrestling Pro aligned with
Southeastern Championship Wrestling and later career
Baxter travelled to Tennessee and competed in
In the later stage of his career, Baxter continued to wrestle for Southeastern Championship Wrestling (who had begun promoting in the Gulf Coast), putting over up and comers Austin Idol and Terry "The Hulk" Boulder (who would later become Hulk Hogan.[3]
Retirement and Death
Baxter retired from in-ring competition around 1978. His last appearance as part of a wrestling show was in 2004 at "The Continental Reunion" event, where he - as Wrestling Pro - finally unmasked.[3] He was known to also attend the annual Gulf Coast Wrestlers Reunions.[3] In his retirement, Baxter was involved with the local stockyard in Dothan, Alabama.[3] He died on August 15, 2019, at age 81.
Championships and accomplishments
- National Wrestling Alliance
- NWA World Tag Team Championship
- NWA Gulf Coast Heavyweight Championship(nine times)
- NWA Alabama Heavyweight Championship (six times)
- NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship (only recognised in Gulf Coast territory)
- NWA United States Tag Team Championship (Gulf Coast version) (three times)
- NWA Continental Tag Team Championship (two times)
- NWA Gulf Coast Tag Team Championship (five times)
- NWA Tri-State
References
- ^ a b "Wrestlingdata.com - The World's Largest Wrestling Database". wrestlingdata.com. Retrieved 2017-11-20.
- ^ "Obituaries » Leon Baxter".
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Wrestling Pro". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2017-11-20.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Elite Pro Wrestling Training". epwt.com. Retrieved 2017-11-20.
- ^ "Wrestlers Who Saved Their Money....And Those Who Didn't". onlinewrldofwrestling.com. Retrieved 2017-11-20.
- ^ "Elite Pro Wrestling Training". www.epwt.com. Retrieved 2017-12-28.
- ^ a b "Titles « Wrestling Pro « Wrestlers Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database". cagematch.net. Retrieved 2017-11-20.
- ^ "The Wrestling Pro". oocities.org. Retrieved 2017-11-20.