Happy Father's Day

WWE.com recently published a list of father-son combinations in WWE history. They listed, Bret & Stu Hart, Dustin & Dusty Rhodes, Randy & Bob Orton, Chavo & Chavo Guerrero and of course, Vince & Shane McMahon.

Of course, since this is a WWE list, they’ll only list fathers and sons who have been significant characters on their shows, so they can show you a little video. There are a ton more in wrestling history – so, as a father’s day special… Tha O Show presents, Wrestling’s Father / Son list.

I’m going to start by talking about a family that really should have their own entire article. One of the greatest (and most tragic), wrestling families of all time. The Von Erichs. The infamous ‘Von Erich curse’ is a name applied to the situation involving this legendary family. While patriarch Fritz lived till natural death, four of his five wrestling sons died premature deaths within a 10-year span.

• David had many memorable feuds, mostly in Fritz's World Class Championship Wrestling promotion. It was there that he faced off with Ric Flair several times for the NWA World Heavyweight Title (never winning), as well as teamed with brothers Kevin and Kerry against the Fabulous Freebirds.
  David died in 1984 shortly before he was booked to win the NWA World Heavyweight Title from Ric Flair. The official doctor's report states that he died of acute enteritis, but cynics suggest that it was a drug overdose that really killed him and that Bruiser Brody (a fellow wrestler who found David) disposed of the narcotics.


• Kerry was by far the most well known of the Von Erich Family.
  He won the NWA World Heavyweight Title from Ric Flair at the David Von Erich Memorial Parade Of Champions, a tribute show to his deceased older brother. Kerry lost the belt three weeks later to Flair. Kerry also had a WWF run and won the Intercontinental Title as the ‘Texas Tornado’.
  On June 4th, 1986, Kerry was in a horrendous motorcycle accident that nearly ended his life. With a dislocated hip and a badly injured right leg, Kerry was in bad shape. Doctors tried hard, but could not save his foot, eventually amputating it. He was able to continue wrestling after the accident with a fused ankle and until his death kept the amputation secret to the majority of fans and even some fellow competitors.
  Kerry, who had a long history of drug problems, committed suicide in 1993 on his father's ranch.


• Michael was very talented athletically, but never wanted to become a wrestler. Due to the death of his brother David, he was forced into the ring to continue the feud with the Fabulous Freebirds.
  After suffering a shoulder injury in in 1985 on a tour of Isreal, Michael was forced to have surgery. Shortly after, it was discovered that he suffered from Toxic Shock Syndrome, and was forced to retire after not being able to return to the ring at full strength anymore. He committed suicide in 1987 by intentional overdose of a tranquilizer.


• Chris was the youngest, shortest, and least athletic of the Von Erich family. He made many attempts to succeed in the squared circle due to an incredible love of wrestling that kept him going despite numerous injuries. He managed one major feud with Percy Pringle (Paul Bearer) in the USWA, but his career didn't take off like the rest of the family's.
  After several years of not being able to succeed in the wrestling business, Chris became depressed and frustrated. He committed suicide in 1991.

The only member of the Von Erich family still alive is Kevin. He was the second oldest, despite often being referred to as the oldest. The oldest boy was Jack – who actually died as a child after an accident where he was electrocuted and drowned.

Kevin’s son Ross has entered the business, making him a third generation star with many, many ghosts in his past,

Quick, name a father and two sons who have all been World Champion. If your answer was “Oh Funk”, you’re correct. Dory Sr., Dory Jr. and Terry have turned that trick. Dory Jr continues to train wrestlers while Terry is recovering from an INSANSE hardcore match at ECW One Night Stand. This guy must have a death wish.

Recently inducted in the WWE Hall Of Fame was Verne. Verne was a huge star in his AWA promotion and user his power to help his son Greg succeed as well.

”Cowboy” Bill Watts was also a well known promoter who was always trying to pulls strings for his son Eric, but unlike Greg, Eric didn’t want to be booked by dad. Eric had a run in the WWF as Troy of Teckno Team 2000, was a member of the WCW roster for years and spent time in TNA, as a wrestler and as the “Director of Authority”.

Matt Bourne is one of my favourite wrestlers of all time. He was the original ‘evil’ Doink, and had a great match with Ricky Steamboat at Wrestlemania 2 as Matt Bourne. Matt also had a red-hot run in ECW. His dad Tony was in the business, but never had any sort of success like his son did.

The "Professor" Boris Malenko & Dean Malenko are one of the more famous combos in wrestling lore. Boris Malenko had a run in the NWA and AWA, but made his greatest contributions to the sport as a trainer. A few of his students: Barry Horowitz, Demolition Ax, Gangrel, Norman Smiley, Paul Diamond, Mark Hildreth, Perry Saturn and Sean Waltman. His greatest pupil of all though, was his son Dean. Dean Malenko was pound for pound the best wrestler in the world for most of his career. Never utilized properly in WCW, Dean will likely not be remembered by history as the great technician he was, except by the die hards who loved him. He’s also a world class ribber.

Bruno & David Sanmartino are the answer to a bad trivia question. Kind of like Wayne & Brett Gretzky in the NHL. Bruno was an icon in the industry. David never really panned out. None the less, he did get to compete at Wrestlemania, something daddy never did.

Of course David has a lot in common with Ric Flair’s son of the same name!

Black Jack Mulligan was a rough, tough heel who brought us one of the top baby faces Texas has ever seen. Barry Windham (who chose his ring name because he didn’t want comparisons drawn to his dad) was a star in Texas, Florida and eventually on a national scale – with NWA / WCW and the WWF. He effectively ended his career shortly after a run with Bradshaw as “the New Blackjacks” in 1997. Barry had a brother who was also a wrestler – Kendall. Kendall never really took off, but did have limited success as Barry’s tag partner.

“Polish Power” Ivan Putski, Jerry “The King” Lawler, Curtis Iukea and Stan ‘The Man’ Stasiak all have something in common. Each had a son in the business who could never get over. Scott Putski tried under so many different gimmicks, but just couldn’t do it. Brian Christopher had a brief run as the “Grandmaster” with Too Cool but nothing since. WCW tried shoving Princ Iukea down our throats, but we spit him back up. Sean “Meat” Stasiak really should have just tried something else – like selling insurance.

“Bullet” Bob Armstrong brought us “The Road Dogg” Jesse James, Brad, Scott, Brad and Steve. Along with the Harts and the Von Erichs, the Armstrongs are at the top of the list of wrestling’s most successful families.

One of my all time favourites, Ted DiBaise actually had a mom and a dad in the business. “Iron” Mike DiBiase died of a heart attack in the ring when Ted was just 15. This left him with his mom, pro wrestler Helen Hild – who never fully recovered from the death of her husband. Today, Ted is a WWE road agent.

Mr. Perfect Curt Hennig. One of the great heels of the pre-attitude era, and always a tremendous wrestler. In WCW he was known more for his angle as a member of the “West Texas Rednecks”, where they sang a country song called “Rap is crap”. Larry “The Axe Hennig” was a tough as they came. A shooter, in the true sense, Larry was feared by peers in every territory. Hennig spent years paying his dues before reaching superstardom in the WWF and winning the Intercontinental title.

Not many people realy that “Macho Man” Randy Savage had a dad in the business. Angelo Poffo, had two wrestling sons – Randy and the poet laureate, Leapin’ Lanny.
Lanny Poffo was nothing more than a jobber on WWF tv through the 80’s, but Randy is one of the great icons in the history the sport. A multiple time world champion, an outstanding technical wrestler, and the innovator of high flying outside the ring in the WWF.

Many people believe that “The Living Legend” Larry Zybysko is a second generation star. He isn’t though. He took his ring name from Stanislaus Zbyszko, a polish wrestler that Larry idolized.

A couple more for ya … Doug Gilbert had two wrestling boys “Hot Stuff” Eddie and Mike Gilbert. Ed “Strangler” Lewis’ kid Dale also had a run in the ring.

Rocky Johnson’s dad was the great High Chief Peter Maivia. And I have heard that Rocky had a son in the business, but I’ve seen no such evidence of that.

I’m not even going to get into all the Samoan connections because, quite frankly, this article is long enough and I probably lost you 10 minutes ago!

Happy Father’s Day!

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