They were just two rough wrestlers who enjoyed beating the hell out of each other. Wahoo also stood up for young rookies getting abused by veterans and for all the boys in the locker room when it came to getting paid what they deserved, be it a shady promoter trying to pull one over all the wrestlers or just his presence on the card that helped increase everyones payday. Nonetheless, he didnt regret his wrestling career, often speaking fondly of his time in the ring. Slater was accidentally shot by colleague Wahoo McDaniel after the Native American legend pistol-whipped a fan whod drawn a knife on wrestler Tommy Rich. Edward "Wahoo" McDaniel (June 19, 1938 - April 18, 2002) was a Choctaw-Chickasaw Native American who achieved fame as a professional American football player and later as a professional wrestler. The Native American Superstar, a proud member of the Choctaw-Chickasaw tribe, lettered in football and wrestling at the University of Oklahoma before turning pro in the American Football League. 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. Despite a wild life, Dick Slater lived to the age of 67, passing away on October 18, 2018. > WrestleMania, Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress, Stuntwork and cereal make J. Spade a Wildcard, WWE Raw: Rollins and K.O. Longtime friend Tommy "Flat Top" Johnson championed McDaniel's cause for years, helping to let people know who McDaniel was and what he did. opposed to the many wrestlers of various ethnic ancestry that portrayed Native American McDaniel was originally a football player. [2] He became a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity and was also a part of Wilkinson's Sooners football program, where he holds the record for the longest punt at 91 yards. In his first season with the Jets, he described himself in an interview as: ''Robust, jolly, outspoken. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. Even though Wahoo died in 2002, he seems to be a participant in the book because Karen was right there. 4. Date Of Death: Apr 18th 2002: Cause of Death: diabetes: . Former wrestler David Isley explained in Wrestling Classics.com the kind of ". Obituaries for April 26. By then he had established a name in wrestling, bounding into the ring in his signature feathered headdress, toting a tomahawk and doing a caricatured version of a war dance. No BS. with the Los Angeles Chargers, Miami Dolphins, Houston Oilers, Denver Broncos, and New McDaniel. Those were just some of the stories that continued the folklore that followed McDaniel during his life. Dick Slater was also known for his brutality outside the ring. [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. Gagne, Hard Boiled Haggerty, Larry Hennig, Killer Kowalski, Ernie Ladd, Angelo Mosca Sr, Denise covers the final edition of Dynamite before Sunday's pay-per-view event. This text is hidden because it is only available in German language. What are your memories of Dick Slater? Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? Edward McDaniel was cremated. McDaniel started his pro football career with the Houston Oilers in the American Football League's debut season of 1960, and ended it, after stops in Denver and New York, with the Miami Dolphins in 1968. McDaniel became a popular figure on the wrestling circuit. 2 The Origin Of "Wahoo". watching yet one more time. McDaniel was brought up in Midland, Tex., became an all-state fullback in high school and played at the University of Oklahoma. McDaniel's football career ended after the 1968 season, but it was early in his pro career that he began wrestling, and it didn't take him long to become a box office draw. Streaming now http://TitleMatchNetwork.com Thank you for 1.9M subscribers Subscribe to Title Match http://YouTube.com/TitleMatchWrestling?sub_confirmation=1Back in the 1970s, one of the biggest angles in wrestling happened when Greg Valentine broke Wahoo McDaniel's leg on TV. You can always change this later in your Account settings. As time went on, McDaniel's prowess on the fields of Midland was somewhat forgotten in his hometown. Once described as the football Jets first real hero, McDaniel joined them in 1964, their first year at Shea Stadium. [2], Last edited on 27 February 2023, at 17:07, NWA United States Heavyweight Championship, inaugural AFL Championship-winning season, Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling / Jim Crockett Promotions, NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship, Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum, Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame, "Wahoo McDaniel, 63, a Wrestler and a Folk Hero for Fans of the Early Jets", "Ric Flair, Wahoo among President George H.W. A number of factors may contribute to this scary statistic. McDaniel spent time with various territories including the WWWF, NWA, Mid-Atlantic, AWA, WWC, and CWF. Get the occasional email with the latest wrestling tributes and memorials, Search by ring name, real name, cause of death, organization, time period (2000s, etc) or specific year, WWE Hall of Famer Ravishing Rick Rude was an amazing individual in and out of the ring. (AP Photo/Dave Pickoff), MISD Athletic Hall of Legends induction ceremony Friday at Grande Stadium. His wife, Charlie updated people regularly, using terms Lou lived his life with. McDaniel's feuds over a 20 plus year career included Blackjack Mulligan, Ric This book also shines the light on Wahoo, and how he helped many young wrestlers, from Ric Flair to Magnum T.A. New Wrestling Observer Newsletter plus tons of downloadable podcasts every week, Get breaking news alerts & weekly roundups sent to your inbox. By Ryan on October 25, 2016 2000s 2002 Kidney Failure camaro_mang 5 years ago He is notable for having held the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship five times. And this weekend was a chance for those who didn't know him to find out who he was, and for those who did know him to remember some old stories. cemeteries found in will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Date Of Death: Apr 18th 2002: Cause of Death: diabetes: Place of Death: Houston, Texas, United States : Ring Name(s): Wahoo McDaniel: WWWF matches wrestled by Wahoo McDaniel . "He was the toughest son of (a gun) that I knew, and also, if you could believe this, at the very same time he was one of the nicest people you could run across," said longtime friend and former professional wrestler Dory Funk Jr. "He had a heart of gold, but at the same time if you crossed him he'd fight you at the drop of a hat. He paved the way for legitimate Native wrestlers like Jay Youngblood, Mark 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. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? (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. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. The Passing of a Legend Wahoo McDaniel. A system error has occurred. Author: F4W Staff. McDaniel was born on June 19, 1938, in Louisiana to Hugh "Big Wahoo" McDaniel and Catherine McDaniel. NOW HE JUST HOPES TO STAY ALIVE LONG ENOUGH TO RAISE HIS SON", "WHATEVER HAPPENED TO . What made Wahoo tick and what ticked Wahoo off. He wrestled for a number of years, continuing to wear the full Native American head dress. McDaniel was brought up in Midland, Tex., became an all-state fullback in high school and played at the University of Oklahoma. The matches between Valentine and Wahoo were some of the toughest in history.Find out about the one night when Greg fought back during a match and punched Wahoo for real! Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. In an era where sports entertainment wins out over the art of Greg is a wrestling historian and avid collector of wrestling results and memorabilia. Along with Johnny Valentine, Superstar Billy Graham was regarded as one of McDaniel's earliest and bitter rivals. McDaniel was a two-time all-state player and led the state in rushing in 1954. The new book about Wahoo McDaniel, appropriately titled Wahoo, is a rarity, as we get insight from the wife, in this case Karen McDaniel. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. boys' and hearing a lot of Chief's war stories. . At this time, A.F.L. The 252-page book digs deep into the beginnings of Ed McDaniel, with help from his sisters and childhood friends. Year should not be greater than current year. > Books "Anybody who knows anything about football in West Texas, they knew about Wahoo," said former Texas Tech coach Spike Dykes, who is a native of Ballinger. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). It's not public knowledge who his ashes were given to. McDaniel was on. [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. Wahoo takes on Colone Debeers. 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. I made a bunch of friendships with both Midland High and Lee kids. McDaniel was born in Louisiana as the son of an oil patch welder and earned the nickname "Wahoo" because his father, Hugh, was "Big Wahoo." Slater had several brothers and sisters and one daughter. Well-liked. Its not public knowledge who his ashes were given to. Jim Kiick, who were McDaniel's teammates shared colorful remembrances in the Miami Herald. Mar 5: AEW Revolution Johnson taught biology during his tenure at Lee, along with coaching baseball. "He was a good father, and he loved his two little girls, and later in his life he had a son," White said. As most readers know by now, wrestling legend Wahoo McDaniel died last week at Wahoo didnt need to brag about how great he was; he showed it in the ring and left nothing back whenever he climbed inside those ropes. > Collectibles Soon, the public-address announcer proclaimed, Tackle by . This is a carousel. Dick Slater, the former professional wrestler and National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) Champion, died this week, WWE confirmed. In his first year as a full-time wrestler, McDaniel became involved in NWA Texas and won the NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship. ", "Believability, storytelling made pro wrestling great", NWA Southern Heavyweight Title (Florida) history, NWA United States Tag Team Title (Florida) history, NWA World Tag Team Title (Florida) history, NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Title history, NWA/WCW United States Heavyweight Title history, NWA World Tag Team Title (Mid-Atlantic/WCW) history, "NWA Hall of Fame Class for 2011 announced", "NWA United States Heavyweight Title (1967-1968/05) - American Heavyweight Title (1968/05-1986/02)", SCW Southwest Television/Heavyweight Title history, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wahoo_McDaniel&oldid=1141935529, ACW World Heavyweight Championship (1 time), NWA United States Championship Tournament (1984), This page was last edited on 27 February 2023, at 17:07. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. Soon, the public-address announcer proclaimed, ''Tackle by . Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. "You were going to make money in the ring with Wahoo.". (Theres Linda Hogans book and one from Bruiser Brodys widow.). Dykes had a four-year record at Lee of 34-11-1, with the best season the 1983 season. There were also the stories of McDaniel throwing a soda machine off the second story dormitory at Oklahoma, and Funk even related a story of McDaniel bringing a blank pistol to a wrestling match. Ed McDaniel Actor | World Wide Wrestling Ed "Chief Wahoo" McDaniel will always be recognized as one of the most influential Native American wrestlers of all time. [2] Contents 1 Professional wrestling career 1.1 Cobra Corps in Mid-Atlantic 1.2 World Wrestling Federation 1.3 Return to NWA 2 Other media 3 Death 4 Championships and accomplishments After being traded to the NY Jets, he worked briefly for Vince McMahon's WWWF and made his Madison Square Garden debut in January of 1965, defeating Boris Malenko. 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. [2][7] After he started playing as a linebacker for the New York Jets in 1964, McDaniel started wearing a custom jersey which had the name "Wahoo" sewn on the back above jersey 54, and whenever he made a tackle as a Jet, the public address announcer would ask the crowd WHO made that tackle, in which the crowd would shout, "Wahoo! McDaniel's exploits on the playing fields of Midland are sometimes overshadowed by his time playing college and professional football and as a popular professional wrestler. cartoon character image often associated with other such characters. classic strap matches against Ric Flair, Angelo (Big Nasty) Mosca and the late Johnny [3][4] He has four grandchildren, and two great grandchildren from Dustin (Vayda and Bo Wayne) and Brittany through Nikki and twins, Morgan and Taylor, through Cindi. it via video tape and film, because of the realism that these two wrestlers could We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. Even against Abilene High in 1954 he still found a way to gain more than 100 yards but the Bulldogs ultimately fell in that game. from the classic era of wrestling, and more recent names ranging from Ernie Ladd to Brian This angle is particularly remembered for a follow-up interview weeks later with Flair and Valentine throwing change at McDaniel, and Valentine asking him if he needed a custom-made wheelchair for his fat body. However, Slaters wild ways continued long after he left the ring, with some surprised he made it to the age of 67. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. 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. McDaniel's football teammates remembered him this past week. AEW Dynamite: Bryan Danielson is ready to fight for everything at Revolution, Hardwood reveals how MJF shunned Tully Blanchard, The final years and legacy of Seelie Samara, NWA POWERRR: Its a hard Knox life for Bully Ray, NXT: Dolin Shines as Hayes Makes his Case, MLW Underground: Hennigans cheapest, most rigged victory yet, Chris Jericho: I have zero interest in ever going back to WWE. Juice Robinson, Evil Uno and ROH Women's Champion Athena were all in action. His stint in the DEA included a 38-month tour in Afghanistan working for the agency prior to his retirement. He was on a waiting list to receive a kidney transplant at the time of his death. ACW Heavyweight Title Steel Cage: Bone Crusher (c) defeats Wahoo McDaniel. said. 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. Most notably, Wahoo played for the Jets in the 60s. 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. I only saw McDaniel only a few times live, including at one of the first AWA Wrestlerock, 1986. photo: youtube.com. Wonderful Orndorff. Valentine. .. Puroresu.com, Wahoo was a tough son of a gun and never trusted any promoter when it came to money. [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. McDaniels was on a waiting list to receive a kidney transplant. ''Well-liked. Wahoo McDaniel defeats The Desperado by DQ. Hobbs has earned a TNT Championship match that will take place on next week's Dynamite. About Johnson: Johnson, 80 and a native of Dublin, pursued a professional baseball career in the early 1950s after he served in the Army but later settled on teaching and coaching. What you wont hear, since Wahoo is no longer with us, are rants about how he was the greatest and how so-and-so held him back. He spent the next nine months in the service. 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. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Also on a dare and $100 he ran from Norman to Chickasha in Oklahoma in the heat of summer. He also was successful in track and field and also on the baseball field. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? Spike was affable and very well thought of, and he ramped up the rivalry there is no question about that. 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wahoo mcdaniel cause of death
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