Danny Miller

This week’s column is in honor of my good friend Danny Miller. Dan was born in Fremont, Ohio, about 30 miles east of where I live today. He grew up on his parents’ farm, known as Twin Pines.

They raised things like soybeans and corn, along with pigs, for a national market. Along with his brother Bill, Dan attended Ohio State in Columbus and is degreed.

Wrestling was always a first in activities for the Miller boys when growing up. They loved to go behind the barn, where they had a huge mound of straw that they would toss each other around in. Usually, this would happen after all their daily chores and homework was completed.

Danny was the smallest of the Miller boys, standing six-foot-one and weighing 245 pounds. At 21, Dan chose to join his famous brother Bill and their wresting brother Ed in the mat wars worldwide. He first went to Calgary when Bill got his leg broken in a match with Stu Hart. Bill found out the hard way that you didn't mess with Stu and was out of action for over six months.

Dan was an excellent choice for tag partner to Big Ed Miller, and they went on a few months later to capture the North American tag belts. Dan ventured to Montreal and then to Texas, where he would meet Doc Scarpolis, a promoter of nearly 40 years.

Doc nurtured Dan and showed him the right way to do a lot of new things in the ring. He was a huge influence on Dan's life, and they had a great partnership during the 2 years that Dan was there.

Between sessions in some of the biggest territories, Dan would come home to Ohio and wrestle for promoters in a tri-state area that included Michigan and Indiana. I had the chance to meet Danny face to face in a ring in Saginaw, Michigan, in the early part of my career. It was the longest 30 minutes of my life, and I fought him with everything I had. We wrestled to a draw, and then he shook my hand gave me a hug and then raised my hand in an act of respect for the draw that I had gotten from him. The fans appreciated him, and so did I, as Buddy Rogers, my mentor, applauded us as well from the stage area at the auditorium.

Dan's background in sports during his educational years at Ohio State also proved to be an asset in the wrestling business. Football, shot put, discus throwing and amateur wrestling placed Dan on a better level than most of his opponents. Having that knowledge gave Dan the chance to become the Rocky Mountain heavyweight champion by beating Ricky Romero.

Of course, the title didn't stay around his waist too long, as Romero proved to be just what he was referred to … ONE TOUGH COOKIE. Ricky was the kind of guy that would let you get more than your fair share of holds on him and tire yourself out physically, and then when you were least expecting it he would grab you in an airplane spin or Boston Crab and cause your defeat.

Danny once told a reporter for the Amarillo Globe-News that he had the background for professional wrestling. He stated that he had won the amateur heavyweight title in 1950 at Ohio State. He had also placed third on the AAU wrestling team in Cleveland. He was also an All-Buckeye tackle for Fremont Ross High School. That title is only given to the very best in the entire state, Dan said.

Dan's career took him to many parts of the globe, including most of our 50 United States. He also has toured Japan, Mexico, South America, Canada and Australia.

Following a super career that lasted for over two decades, Dan was offered a chance to become a promoter in North Carolina for the Jim Crockett office, based in Charlotte. Dan had the distinction of attracting the most fans to the arenas that he was in charge of. Bringing the very best that the world had to offer to the towns that he ran for the promotion led Dan to take yet another challenge.

Eddie Graham needed a good man for his Tampa based office that covered all of the Sunshine State. Dan became an important part of that office, often putting his family second to his love of the business. Again, Dan was very successful in being the very best that only he could be. Attendance records were bursting at the seams, as the Florida territory was where everybody wanted to go that was involved in our business.

Following Eddie Graham’s demise, Dan went to work for Tampa Electric as a security guard and retired with full benefits from it. He lives a quiet live with his wife and is near his family.

Last January, I was in Silver Springs to spend a few days with my uncle for his birthday and had the pleasure of seeing Dan and Sputnik Monroe. We had the opportunity to renew a friendship that has lasted nearly 40 years.

This coming January, I will spend more time with this super icon of our industry at his home in Tampa. I would rather shake his hand than get back into the ring against him, as I have done in the past. He is truly a legend that I look up to and respect. He is also a man that I can call one of my best friends.

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