Gene Kiniski

NOTE: A couple of weeks ago, we lost a good friend of the wrestling business, Johnny Weaver. Last week, another good friend has been called to that big ring in the sky, Don Curtis. May you both rest in peace, as you fought some pretty big battles here on Earth--Percival

Probably one of the most awesome athletes in the ring during the 50's thru the 70's was Gene Kiniski, former NWA World Champion. He was born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and later moved to Blaine, Washington.

Gene started amateur wrestling at the Edmonton YMCA when he was just 15. Three years later, when he graduated, he began a football career with the Edmonton Eskimos. He was scouted by the Los Angeles Rams but declined, as he was involved with professional wrestling. He told the scouts that he enjoyed hurting people and that he couldn't do that on the gridiron and get away with it.

He began professional wrestling in the mid-50's and, early on, captured the World Tag Team Championship with Lord James Blears. The following year, he went to Texas and beat Pepper Gomez to become the state Heavyweight Champ.

In 1957, he went to Toronto and captured the tag team titles with Waldo Von Erich. When all the competition had been beaten, he ventured back to the West Coast and became British Empire champ in Vancouver.

In 1960, he ventured to Indiana and soon captured the tag team titles and held them until he became the AWA Heavyweight Champ. After being beaten for that title, he teamed with Hard Boiled Haggerty, and they became the AWA tag champs.

From 1960 thru 1965, he campaigned all over the world, seeking out and gaining more titles and beating the very best the business had to offer. Names like Verne Gagne, Dick the Bruiser, Wilbur Snyder, Dory Funk Sr. (the man he trained under in Texas from the start), Dutch Savage, Don Leo Jonathon, Bruno Sammartino, Stan Stasiak, Steve Bolus, and Ben and his brother Mike Sharpe.

His crowning achievement was defeating the legendary Lou Thesz in 1966 to become NWA Heavyweight Champ. He held the title for three years until he met Dory Funk Jr., the son of the man that taught him.

I can remember being in the studio the day they signed a match between Gene and Bobo Brazil in Toronto. Gene was seated on one side of Frank Tunney and Bobo on the other, and he calmly looked over at Brazil and said, "I don't think an X is sufficient for a contract as big as this is." That statement caused a riot the night they wrestled before an SRO audience in Toronto.

His ring mannerism was that of a no-nonsense type of guy that gave no quarter and took none back in return. He spilled the blood of opponents all over the world and left a trail of broken, bruised up bodies from Tampa to Tokyo.

He is one of the true heroes in my book because, off camera and away from the ring, he was the best friend you could ever want. Gene has been elected to many Halls of Fame, including the George Tragos/Lou Thesz International Wrestling Museum in Newton, Iowa.

The “Champ” will be inducted into yet another Hall of Fame in Amsterdam, New York at the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame on May 23-24. He will be beside other greats in this business to be honored, like Bret Hart, Bob Backlund, Bobo Brazil, Giant Baba, The Dusek Brothers and more.

I am proud to have know this great man, Gene Kiniski, who fought so hard in the ring to get the titles he wanted. I am only thankful that I never had the pleasure of stepping thru the ropes and getting the taste of "BIG THUNDER" and the sometimes crippling backbreaker that he used to win his matches with.

Keep winning all the accolades you can, Gene, as you worked very hard getting there…

Percival A. Friend, Retired
The Epitome of Wrestling Managers

2003 BWC Hall of Fame Inductee
2004 CAC Hall of Fame Inductee
2006 LWA Hall of Fame Inductee
2007 TCCW Hall of Fame Honoree