Pat O'Connor

Match three, Wilbur Snyder versus Smasher Riker.

Match four, Blackjack Lanza versus Pat O'Connor.

Semi-final special event, Half-Beast Man Pampero Firpo-

[laughs]

It was Guy Mitchell and Joe Tomasso that were the tag champs for Bruiser in '65, '66, that period of time.

That's the first team Bobby Heenan managed.

Um, Blackjack Lanza against Pat O'Connor.

This was pre-Blackjack Mulligan.

So over the years, a lot more has come out about it, but it seems like he was really just a mid-card and lower-card journeyman wrestler.

He was trained by Tony Morelli and former NWA World Heavyweight Champion Pat O'Connor.

That's definitely a big-time name in the 1950s in pro wrestling.

And he wrestled, debuting in 1955 under the name of Johnny Walker.

I have an article in, um, I think it's boxing and wrestling illustrated.

They covered the, um, Buddy Rogers, Pat O'Connor match from Comiskey Park.

So that's 1961.

I don't know if this is true or not, you know, wrestling magazines, but the guy who writes the article, apparently he's there at Comiskey.

Yeah, a little bit of cauliflower ears.

That would be Mr. Pat O'Connor, the guy who, you know, I think it's been mentioned once or twice.

was not the very first AWA World Heavyweight Champion.

He was the NWA Champion, and part of a storyline, when he would not defend his championship against Vern Gagne, the number one contender, within 90 days, the AWA group of promoters went their own way and proclaimed Vern the new Heavyweight Champion of the world, but Pat O'Connor, Again, this goes back to the NWA days, Minneapolis territory.

He was really over great scientific wrestler, former NWA world heavyweight champion who lost the title to Buddy Rogers.

in 1961 at Comiskey Park in Chicago, which may or may not have been the actual transition point for professional wrestling historians.

No doubt about it.

Wrestled Nick Bockwiggle.

... two out of three falls.

Pat O'Connor versus Hans Schmidt.

Primo Carnera-

Jesus

Herb Larson and Swede Hanson, what a stiff team that must have been.

They'd beat the shit out of you.

Pat O'Connor, obviously a former NWA World Champion.

During this time, he would've just, probably just lost it maybe months before, if not the year before.

But that's what they eventually do here because we know, like you said, Dick Hutton was not much of a draw as the world champion, a guy who was a fantastic world champion.

Pat O'Connor going to defeat Hutton for the belt January 9th, 1959.

They're in St. Louis in 59.

And O'Connor over Hutton.

And now O'Connor recognized as the world champion.

And around that time was when they finally commissioned that new NWA championship title belt.

So finally... reuniting the officially recognized champion, which is now Pat O'Connor, with possession of physically having a belt.

So this is something I didn't look up because this was meant to be the Georgia story.

And that is the fact that in 1965, there was a handicap match booked in St. Louis.

Munchnick and Pat O'Connor had booked a handicap match with Dick the Bruiser against Senior and Junior.

And Bruiser was supposed to go over.

Well, senior didn't make it to the match because he had a pickup truck on the accident on the ranch.

But that's what they eventually do here because we know, like you said, Dick Hutton was not much of a draw as the world champion, a guy who was a fantastic world champion.

Pat O'Connor going to defeat Hutton for the belt January 9th, 1959.

They're in St. Louis in 59.

And O'Connor over Hutton.

And now O'Connor recognized as the world champion.

And around that time was when they finally commissioned that new NWA championship title belt.

So finally... reuniting the officially recognized champion, which is now Pat O'Connor, with possession of physically having a belt.

So this is something I didn't look up because this was meant to be the Georgia story.

I saw Gene Kiniski in the ring.

I saw Pat O'Connor wrestle many, many times.

He was the booker in St. Louis, and then bought the promotion from Sam Muchnick, along with his partner, Bob Geigel.

My sister Vicki and I saw Pat O'Connor's retirement match on January 1st, 1982.

So those first NWA world champions, I saw Lou Thesz make appearances.

Never saw Dick Hutton.

I saw Pat O'Connor more times than I can count, on TV and at Kiel Auditorium in the Checkered Dome.

I did not see Nature Boy Buddy Rogers.