Gordon Solie
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Gordon Solie, real name Francis Jonard Labiak (January 26, 1929 – July 27, 2000), was a professional wrestling play-by-play announcer working for World Championship Wrestling. Solie was also the regular announcer for Georgia Championship Wrestling, Florida Championship Wrestling, and Continental Championship Wrestling among others.
Gordon Solie is possibly the most recognized voice from the days of "classic wrestling" (used here synonymous with the territorial system) and was nicknamed the "Dean" of wrestling announcers, the "Walter Cronkite of wrestling" and the "Howard Cosell of wrestling." He is best known for his laconic, intelligent commentary, and he tried to impart a seriousness to ring action that many of his coworkers eschewed for the loud, bombastic style more common today. One of his trademarks was his pronunciation of "suplex" as "su-play", a term later used by the AWA's Rod Trongard and wrestler/announcer Terry Taylor. Solie also pronounced a clothesline as a lariat, as did Taylor. Other famous Solieisms include: "He's not fast he's sudden", "his face is becoming a crimson mask" and "pier 6 brawl".
In 1995, "Macho Man" Randy Savage pushed for World Championship Wrestling to place his father, Angelo Poffo, in its Hall of Fame. Solie opposed this decision, because he felt wrestlers (or in this case, family of wrestlers) should not be asking for spots in the Hall — in this case, especially, since Poffo did not have much of a career in WCW. Gordon Solie was involved in the selection of the '93 and '94 inductees but was not consulted in regard to the '95 group. Although Solie was also inducted in the 1995 WCW Hall of Fame, he had already given his notice of termination. Poffo's induction went on and Solie left the company shortly after.
Solie has also been inducted into the National Wrestling Alliance Hall of Fame.
Solie's last announcing job was to be the Heroes of Wrestling pay-per-view in 1999, but he could not attend due to failing health.
In 2005, Florida Media, Inc. published Solie's memoirs in a book entitled "Gordon Solie...Something Left Behind."
[edit] Profile
- Real Name: Jonard Frank Labiak or Labak (both spellings used)
- Birthday: January 26, 1929
- Hometown: Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Died: July 27, 2000
- Cause of Death: Throat cancer
[edit] Championships and accomplishments
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter
- He is a member of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (inducted in 1996)
- 1981 Best Television Announcer
- 1982 Best Television Announcer
- 1983 Best Television Announcer
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- 1989 Pro Wrestling Illustrated Editor's Award for Lifetime Achievement
- World Championship Wrestling
- 1995 WCW Hall of Fame
- 1999 Wrestling Perspective Editor's Choice Award
- 2004 Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame
- 2005 National Wrestling Alliance Hall of Fame
