McDaniel is often compared to his contemporary, Chief Jay Strongbow, due to both portraying similar Native American gimmicks. [2] Valentine then infuriated fans (thus building up the demand for a rematch) by parading around in T-shirts which read "I Broke Wahoo's Leg" and "No More Wahoo. In his first season with the Jets, he described himself in an interview as: Robust, jolly, outspoken. We had a fantastic faculty and our school administration was second to none., Linebacker Edward "Wahoo" McDaniel of the New York Jets posed with this expression as the American Football League team opened its training camp July 15, 1965 at Peekskill Military Academy in Peekskill, N.Y. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. Those stories, though, for his friends and family overshadowed what type of person he was when he was not on the football field or in the wrestling ring. That was kind of neat., Bishop on playing for former Lee coach Jim Acree: Being a starter, coach Acree was such a motivation for me and I was really blessed to have him as a coach during those formative years in high school.. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Wahoo McDaniel I found on Findagrave.com. He was athletically gifted, but was also a great promoter for himself both in football and in wrestling, and also had a reputation for doing some wild things that sometimes got him in trouble. Oops, something didn't work. Those were just some of the stories that continued the folklore that followed McDaniel during his life. He is notable for having held the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship five times. He was a standout linebacker at the University of . Between 1973 and 1974, McDaniel And Superstar would engage in numerous wrestling bouts in what was considered one of the AWA's top-drawing feuds of the 1970s. Longtime friend Tommy "Flat Top" Johnson championed McDaniel's cause for years, helping to let people know who McDaniel was and what he did. LIST Frank Gotch - December 16, 1917 - Uremic Poisoning "The French Angel" Maurice Tillet - August 4, 1954 - Heart Disease Rikidozan - December 15, 1963 - Stabbed Click here to submit your listings. While co-author John Cosper does an excellent job filling in the historical significance of Wahoo McDaniels career, in both football and pro wrestling, its Karens insight into what Wahoo was thinking or doing and his reactions to things that make the book even better. Karen doesnt pull the punches on what she had to deal with from the fights and heartbreak she endured living with Wahoo. Soon, the public-address announcer proclaimed, ''Tackle by . Few of his feuds were as legendary as his programs with Johnny Valentine, that Current subscribers click here to continue reading. What are your memories of Dick Slater? This means a lot to us, and hes well deserving for it., Former Abilene High football player David Bourland on playing against McDaniel: He was tough as a boot, and he played fullback and linebacker and he weighed about 230 or 240 pounds in high school. 13.04.1996. watching yet one more time. (Photo from The Mid-Atlantic Wrestling Gateway Wahoo AS I SEE IT - 4/23/2002: Of the tens of thousands of names that have graced this profession over the past 100 plus years, there have been stars too numerous to mention. It means a great deal because that job meant so much to me., Former Permian coach John Wilkins on Dykes: He had a really good reputation coming from Texas when he took the job. ". telling a story, this simple art stands out more and more every day. Edward McDaniel was born in Burnice, La., on June 19, 1938. But its ultimately his wrestling career that wrestling fans want to hear about and it is well covered in this book, including his long run in Jim Crocketts Mid-Atlantic Wrestling with all the in-depth stories from Greg Valentine breaking his leg, his feuds with Ric Flair, Sgt. The late senior McDaniel, who had operated McDaniel Welding Works in Midland, was "very known . At a time when sensibilities about ethnicity were not as pronounced as they are today, McDaniel himself, news media representatives, teammates and fans readily spoke about his being on the warpath or wanting more wampum in contract disputes. McDaniel was originally a football player. Slater was convicted in 2004 and sentenced to one year of house arrest, two years probation, ordered to stay away from Halbert, and assessed with $18,000 in restitution. Eddie Guerrero's cause of death released, TNA Turning Point. McDaniel is survived by two daughters and a son. Publish date: May 13, 2019. . At the same time, Wahoo embarked on a pro wrestling career to supplement the lack of money back in the 1960s for pro football players. . Discover information about Wahoo McDaniel and view their match history at the Internet Wrestling Database. But most of all it was a chance for his hometown to honor him after all these years. Antonio Pugliese & Wahoo McDaniel: def. There have been local and even national legends. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. From the time McDaniel roamed the playing fields of Midland as a young teenager playing for a baseball team coached by George H.W. players received $50 apiece for playing exhibition games. Recruited by wrestler Mike Graham, Slater (like many athletes) heard the siren call of quick cash and entered the squared circle. Wow, I could feel those beatings all the way down in my ringside seat at the Jungle Boy would be the eighth match official for Sunday's PPV. Unlike Strongbow (who was Italian-American), McDaniel was legitimately Native American. failure and diabetes, finally succumbing to a stroke on Thursday. Some of these bouts included Indian Strap Matches and also tag team matches which pitted McDaniel and The Crusher against Superstar and Ivan Koloff. may have found a path, and Miz finds a social media superstar partner. said. Wahoo McDaniel died on April 18, 2002 at the age of 63. With that already on his resume, he went to Oklahoma, where he lettered for three years playing running back and later defensive end, and still holds the school record for the longest punt at 91 yards. The good, the bad and the ugly are all documented here and, after doing years of research on Wahoo myself, that is really all needed to piece together the violent and complicated life of this wrestling legend. [4] He attended Midland High School, where he was a track state champion in the shot put and second in the state in the discus. Slater was accidentally shot by colleague Wahoo McDaniel after the Native American legend pistol-whipped a fan who'd drawn a knife on wrestler Tommy Rich. Your email address will not be published. You can always change this later in your Account settings. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. I know we all must go, but this is never easy. (AP Photo/Dave Pickoff), MISD Athletic Hall of Legends induction ceremony Friday at Grande Stadium. A lot of times they didn't tackle him, and they'd hit him and (get dragged) five yards before they could get him down. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. He earned all-state football honors, and led the state in rushing in his junior year. Long before there was The Lunatic Fringe, there was Dirty Dick Slater, a roughhouse redneck who brawled in and out of the ring; proving he didnt live his gimmick he was his gimmick. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); No spam. Location unknown. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. The Destination opens for 2023 season, JC BASEBALL: Chaps suffer first loss after DH split with NCTC, JC MENS BASKETBALL: Chaps can end postseason drought against SPC, Hikers may encounter temporary closures at Big Bend, Region 18 Education Service Center hosts school safety summit. White credits much of his success to the mentoring of former MHS coach Thurman "Tugboat" Jones, and said it was because of him that McDaniel became the athlete that he was. He was a man who was proud of his Native American heritage -- he was part Choctaw and Chickasaw -- and even when his time on the road kept him away from his family he worked at being a good father when he had the chance. There have been Hall of Famers and even a few true icons. CT at the Pipkin Funeral Home, located at 2508 North Big Spring Street, Midland, Texas "He was just away from them, and you know how that goes when you are never home. On May 23, 1999, in Kansas, Missouri, during the Over the Edge PPV, Owen Hart fell 78 feet into the ring and was pronounced dead on arrival at the Truman Medical Center. In 2019, Wahoo McDaniel was posthumously inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. While many people think of wrestling as an entertaining stage show, there is one thing about the sport that isn't funny: the alarmingly high death rate. There was a problem getting your location. really believed in wrestling. The Jets paid McDaniel $15,000 a season. "I'm not sure that with our linebackers, that (coach Chuck) Moser didn't tell them to tackle him whether he had the ball or not. Home; Cards; PWI. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. Posted by Greg "Count Grog" Mosorjak | Feb 21, 2022, There have been a lot of books written about pro wrestlers, some by the wrestlers themselves, some by writers without much knowledge of wrestling, and some by wrestling historians. Author: F4W Staff. of us at PWBTS.com. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. This segues right into Wahoos famous pro football career where he bounced around a little, even becoming a fan favorite in New York that rivaled Joe Namath. What does it mean to be inducted into the Hall of Legends: Its a real thrill anytime youre inducted into a hall of honor, especially in a place like Midland. (Tommy Johnson) worked all his lifetime trying to get Wahoo in the (Midland High) Hall of Fame and we kept running up against brick walls. After his professional career ended, Bishop returned to Baylor to finish his degree in 1990 and then went to work for the Drug Enforcement Agency. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. > Obituary Archive If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. McDaniel had been Try again later. According to the NY times, he had suffered from kidney failure. It's great to be able to recognize how special he was.". Throughout his career, Wahoo had notable feuds with Roddy Piper, Ric Flair, Sgt. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. His father was a Choctaw Indian known as Big Wahoo. See the article in its original context from. Nick Bockwinkel, and Sgt. ''Well-liked. quotes from Miami Herald and Wrestling Classics.com), _________________________________________________________, (If you have comments or questions, I can be reached by 2 The Origin Of "Wahoo". Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. www.profightdb.com. Fans may be wondering just what the story is behind "Wahoo.". McDaniel spent time with various territories including the WWWF, NWA, Mid-Atlantic, AWA, WWC, and CWF. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. "My kids are getting to come and I have twin girls who are 16, and when he passed they were real little and didn't get to know him well. Greg "Count Grog" Mosorjak is a long time Indy wrestling promoter/ manager/ wrestler based in North Carolina. So from January to June, he wrestled six nights a week. But what is undeniable is the man who was simply known as "Wahoo" for much of his life to those outside his family, and either Daddy or Edward to his family, he was an American original. Wahoo coped with things by drinking heavily and often. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. Many wrestlers die long before they reach age 65, and more than a few never reach age 40 or 30. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. McDaniel graduated from MHS in 1956 and went to the University of Oklahoma, where he played both offense and defense during his three years, finishing up as a defensive player. What made Wahoo tick and what ticked Wahoo off. McDaniel. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. suffering from severe kidney problems for over four years, which required dialysis. James Durbin/Reporter-Telegram, Wahoo McDaniel in 1959, Oklahoma starting left end, who kicked longest punt in nation in 1958, 91 yards against Iowa State. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. After McDaniels last season playing football, he became one of wrestlings enduring good guys, facing opponents like Ric Flair, Rowdy Roddy Piper and Bobo Brazil. McDaniel's football teammates remembered him this past week. According to one account, Slater was working with Sting in Bill Watts Mid-South Wrestling when he punched out a young Sting, dunking Stings head into a toilet for Stings alleged alliance with Dark Journey. Year should not be greater than current year. McDaniels sister Margaret Smith on what it means for him to be elected into the Hall of Legends: I think its been a long time coming. . on a waiting list to receive a kidney transplant at the time of his death. York Jets, and a college career with the University of Oklahoma during the late 1950s. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). His feud with Johnny Valentine is part of wrestling legend, and he also went into the ring with the likes of Funk, Ric Flair and Rowdy Roddy Piper. Despite a wild life, Dick Slater lived to the age of 67, passing away on October 18, 2018. "He was a good father, and he loved his two little girls, and later in his life he had a son," White said. > Career Records Hobbs has earned a TNT Championship match that will take place on next week's Dynamite. 3. New Wrestling Observer Newsletter plus tons of downloadable podcasts every week, Get breaking news alerts & weekly roundups sent to your inbox. That byplay was part of McDaniel's fame with the Jets, even though he was with them only one more season. Funk said McDaniel would be a big draw even today, and even if he tried he could never be a "heel," the wrestling term for the bad guy. After his stint with the Air National Guard, he returned to Midland and spent the rest of his career at MHS, working numerous sporting events and becoming one of the most well known trainers in West Texas. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. [9] He was awaiting a kidney transplant [8] when he suffered a stroke and died of complications from diabetes and kidney failure on April 18, 2002 in Houston, Texas. He formally retired in 1989. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. Capitalizing on his stardom from the gridiron, he became one of the country's most popular and beloved wrestlers. He had head coaching stops at Coahoma, Belton, Big Spring and Alice before becoming a college assistant, including a stint at Texas under () and finally coming to Lee. Johnson taught biology during his tenure at Lee, along with coaching baseball. Mid-Atlantic and Mid- South territories. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. cartoon character image often associated with other such characters. His legend began to foster itself when he played youth baseball, but it was on the football field where it started to take on a life of its own. Dodson also has the honor of being the first high school trainer chosen to work the Olympic Games when he went to Munich in 1972. In his opening game, he made 10 tackles from his middle linebacker position. He also was successful in track and field and also on the baseball field. Pillman; McDaniel made the move from professional football to wrestling, after a career Dykes had a four-year record at Lee of 34-11-1, with the best season the 1983 season. When Dodson retired, he went to work with the Southwest Orthopedic and Spine Center and Dr. Don Floyd, and started a Saturday morning injury clinic for athletes. 4. A few were bigger drawing cards. Kiick said he remembered a moment from his rookie year in 1968, McDaniel's Photo by Howard Baum. Try again later. Slater, who struggled with addiction and was arrested for a violent. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request, There is an open photo request for this memorial. With your free account at foundagrave.com, you can add your loved ones, friends, and idols to our growing database of "Deceased but not Forgotten" records. That byplay was part of McDaniels fame with the Jets, even though he was with them only one more season. Try again later. [2][3] After he was traded to the New York Jets in 1964,[9] McDaniel began wrestling for Vincent J. McMahon's World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF). [12] At Slamboree on May 23, 1995, he defeated Murdoch. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. Sorry! He was an affable fellow away from the football field. Slater would team with Cowboy Bob Orton to kayfabe break Slick Rics neck with a devastating spike piledriver, just one of many heinous acts on Slaters resume as a heel. Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. Part one of a series of videos.This is a revised video with all graphics included. cemeteries found in will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Please reset your password. The hardest part in assessing Edward "Wahoo" McDaniel's life is to figure out what is fact and what is fiction. Wahoo coped with things by drinking heavily and often. Weve updated the security on the site. The Internet Wrestling Database. "You were going to make money in the ring with Wahoo.". Lord Charles Montague (c) & The Great Malenko (c) 2 out of 3 falls Tag Match: NWA American Tag Team Titles (title change) To show more matches, change the "Results per Page" value above. Former wrestler David Isley explained in Wrestling Classics.com the kind of Dick Slater, the former professional wrestler and National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) Champion, died this week, WWE confirmed. [4][7] He then played for the Denver Broncos between 1961 and 1963. It became something that lasted for quite some time.. 'We went out drinking in Buffalo, me and Wahoo and John Bramlett,' Kiick Spike was affable and very well thought of, and he ramped up the rivalry there is no question about that. ACW - Event @ Glenn Wood Rec Center in Greensboro, North Carolina, USA. [10][6], McDaniel was married four times to three different women. Karen is just one of several wives McDaniel had over the years, and, good or bad, his family is detailed, as well as his up and down relationships with his peers. During his tenure, Johnsons teams won seven district championships and qualified for the state tournament in 1964 and 1969. 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