Fritz Von Erich

Wrestler: Fritz Von Erich
Real Name: Jack B. Adkisson
Birthday: August 16, 1929
Hometown: Dallas Texas
Marital Status: Married to Doris
Height & Weight:
Trained by: Fritz von Erich
Debut:
Previous Gimmicks: Tetsu no Tsume (iron claw) JAPAN
Finishing Move: Iron Claw
Favorite Moves:
Notable Feuds: Giant Baba
Joe Blanchard
John Paul Hennig
Ernie Ladd
Bull Curry
The Freebirds

# Texas Brass Knucks title 58/04/15
# N.W.A. World Tag Team (Minneapolis) 58/07/01 w/ Hans Hermann
# N.W.A. U.S. Heavyweight (Detroit) 61/12/01
# N.W.A. U.S. Heavyweight (Detroit) 63/06/08
# World Heavyweight (Omaha) 62/07/31
# World Heavyweight (Omaha) 63/07/27
# A.W.A. World Heavyweight 63/07/27
# N.W.A. U.S. Heavyweight (Detroit) 63/10/19
# N.W.A. Texas Heavyweight 65/01/05
# N.W.A. Texas Heavyweight 65/04/30
# N.W.A. World Tag Team (Texas) 65/06/29 w/ Killer Karl Kox
# N.W.A. World Tag Team (Texas) 66/03/01 w/ Duke Keomuka
# N.W.A. American Heavyweight 66/06/06
# N.W.A. American Heavyweight 66/08/04
# N.W.A. Texas Heavyweight 67/01/16
# N.W.A. American Tag Team 67/02/21 w/ Waldo von Erich
# N.W.A. American Heavyweight 67/03/27
# N.W.A. American Tag Team 68 w/ Billy Red Lyons
# N.W.A. American Heavyweight 68/06/03
# N.W.A. American Tag Team 68/07/19 w/ Grizzly Smith
# N.W.A. American Tag Team 69 w/ Dan Miller
# N.W.A. American Tag Team 69/03 w/ Fred Curry
# N.W.A. American Heavyweight 69/08/04
# N.W.A. American Heavyweight 70/06/14
# N.W.A. American Heavyweight 71/02/22
# N.W.A. American Tag Team 72/01/25 w/ Dean Ho
# N.W.A. International Tag Team 73/04/18 w/ Killer Karl Krupp
# N.W.A. American Heavyweight 73/08/07
# N.W.A. American Heavyweight 74/04/18
# N.W.A. American Heavyweight 74/12/29
# N.W.A. American Heavyweight 77/04/12
# N.W.A. American Heavyweight 77/12/12
# N.W.A. American Heavyweight 82/06/14
# World Six Man Tag Team 84/05/06 w/ Kevin & Mike Von Erich

# A former collegiate football star at Southern Methodist University and played professionally with the Dallas Texans.
# Began his wrestling career under the name Fritz Von Erich, a villain working under the premise of being a Nazi sympathizer..
# November, 1966: Fritz had his first match in Japan..
# In Japan, it is believed that Jack was born in Berlin, Germany and immigrated to Dallas, Texas when he was 13.
# As a promoter, he worked with the governing bodies of the NWA in promoting the sport in his native Texas.
# Father of the great Von Erich brothers, Kevin, David, Kerry, Mike & Chris.
# When a dispute arose among the NWA members, Fritz formed World Class Wrestling, headquartered in Dallas, Texas.
# His dream was to build an entertainment empire - his plan was to use his sons as the foundation upon which to build that empire.
# May 6, 1984 in Irving, Texas: Fritz came out of retirement and teamed with his sons Kevin and Mike and they defeated the Freebirds in a 6-man match. But that night will long be remebered for Kerry Von Erich defeated NWA champion Ric Flair with a backslide at 25:42 , which was voted match of the year in 1984, in front of 43,517 fans.
# September 10, 1997: Fritz von Erich passed away at his home in Lake Dallas..

WRESTLING COLUMNS
Patriarch of famed Von Erichs wrestling family dies at 68.
By CHRIS NEWTON - Associated Press.

DALLAS -- Jack Adkisson, patriarch of the famed Texas wrestling family the Von Erichs, died at his Denton County home Wednesday, about two months after he was diagnosed with cancer. He was 68.

Adkisson, who went by the name Fritz Von Erich during a 35-year wrestling career, was diagnosed in July with lung cancer that had spread to his brain and adrenal glands. A statement from the family said he died of a brain tumor at his home in Lake Dallas, about 20 miles north of Dallas.

Adkisson and his five sons were long associated with wrestling triumph in Texas. Five sons -- Kevin, David, Kerry, Mike and Chris -- also wrestled under the Von Erich name.

Jack Adkisson for years produced a syndicated wrestling show, World Class Championship Wrestling, that was seen in 66 U.S. television markets, Japan, Argentina and the Middle East.

But in recent years, there has mostly been pain. Five of Jack Adkisson's sons preceded him in death. One died as a child in the 1950s, three committed suicide since 1987 and the fifth died of an apparent drug overdose in 1984.

The only surviving son is the oldest, Kevin, 40.

"We would like to express thanks to the fans and the community for their prayers, love and support," Kevin Adkisson said. "Dad loved them very much."

David, probably the best wrestler of the sons, died at the age of 25 in 1984 from an apparent overdose while on a wrestling tour of Japan. Suicide claimed the lives of Mike, 23, in 1987; Chris, 21, in 1991; and Kerry, 33, in 1993. Another son, Jack Jr., died at the age of 7 in 1959 from electrical shock.

"It hurt him desperately," said Tom Pulley, a longtime friend of the Von Erichs. "It's hard for any of us to imagine losing one son, much less five sons. It changed his life and it definitely took the wind out of his sails."

Until Fritz Von Erich retired in 1980, he was one of the stars of professional wrestling. The former Southern Methodist and Dallas Texans lineman stood 6-foot-4 and weighed 260 pounds. He turned to wrestling in the 1950s after being injured.

The Von Erichs once wrestled in front of 40,000 people at Texas Stadium and regularly filled the arenas where they competed.

In their hayday, the Von Erichs were the good guys of the wrestling world, vanquishing trash-talking, loudmouthed wrestlers in black garb. The continuing family tragedies brought them -- and their sport -- even more fame.

Pulley said Fritz Von Erich had a vision for what wrestling could be on television.

"What he did back in the '80s really started wrestling on television," Pulley said. "There's no question that the brains behind what you see today was Fritz Von Erich. It took wrestling from being a small regional sport to being international in scope, and I give him the credit for that."

Jack Adkisson is survived by his son Kevin, daughter-in-law Pam, their four children and two other grandchildren. He and his wife, Doris, divorced several years ago.

He Will Be Missed By Many, Thank You Fritz


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