Bob Geigel
| Bob Geigel | |
|---|---|
 Geigel in April 2009 | |
| Ring name(s) |
A-Bomber "Texas" Bob Geigel |
| Billed height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
| Billed weight | 230 lb (100 kg; 16 st) |
| Born |
October 1, 1924[1][2] Algona, Iowa[2] |
| Resides | Kansas City, Missouri |
| Billed from | Algona, Iowa |
| Debut | 1950 |
| Retired | 1976 |
Robert "Bob" Geigel (born October 1, 1924) is a former American professional wrestling promoter and also a former professional wrestler. Geigel ran the NWA Central States promotion between 1963 and 1986, until it was bought out by Jim Crockett Promotions. He was also president of the National Wrestling Alliance for most of the years 1978 to 1987.
Early life
Born October 1, 1924, in Algona, Iowa, Geigel entered the navy after high school and fought in the Pacific Theatre during World War II as a member of the Seabees.[1] After the war, he attended the University of Iowa from 1946 to 1950, graduating with a degree in Physical education.[1] Geigel was a champion amateur wrestler during his college years, coming in at third place during the 1948 NCAA Championships.[1][2]
Professional wrestling career
Wrestling
Geigel was recruited into professional wrestling by Alphonse Bisignano.[1] Wrestling primarily in Pinkie George's Midwest Wrestling Association out of Kansas City, and also in Amarillo, Texas, Geigel generally played the part of the "heel" or antagonist.[1] He became a full-time professional wrestler in 1952.[2] Though he was generally introduced as being from Algona, Iowa, he was billed as "Texas" Bob Geigel. He also wrestled as A-Bomber while working under a mask in Amarillo.
Geigel frequently held tag team championships in his home promotion, holding the NWA Central States World Tag Team Championship four times,[3] and the NWA North American Tag Team Championship nine times.[4] One of Geigel's co-holders of the North America belts was Bill Miller, with whom he also formed an earlier alliance while both were in the AWA territory in the early 1960s. During that time period, Geigel acted as a policeman for Miller who was working under a mask as Mister "M". He retired from the ring in 1976.
Promoting
Geigel became a promoter in 1963, when he took over management of the Kansas City office. Partnering with Gus Karras and Pat O'Connor, he renamed the promotion Heart of America Sports Attractions.[2] He then took his place on the board of the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA). In that same year, Geigel was cited as a co-defendant in an anti-monopoly case brought against the Central States territory by previous owner Pinkie George. Along with his partners Karras and O'Connor, and fellow co-defendant George Simpson, he refuted the charge, and it was eventually dropped.[1]
In 1978, Geigel became President of the NWA, his first term lasting until 1980. During this term he strongly supported Harley Race, a part-owner of Heart of America, as NWA World Heavyweight Champion.[1] Geigel and Race bought out Sam Muchnick's portion of the St. Louis Wrestling Club,[1] a cornerstone territory of the NWA. Geigel served a second and third term as NWA President from 1982 to 1987.[2]
Personal life
Geigel has been married to his wife Vera for over 60 years.[2] They have three daughters.[2]
Championships and accomplishments
- American Wrestling Association
- AWA Midwest Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Bob "The Viking" Morse.
- AWA World Tag Team Championship (3 times) - with Hard Boiled Haggerty (1), Otto von Krupp (1), and Stan "Krusher" Kowalski (1)
- Cauliflower Alley Club
- Art Abrams Lifetime Achievement Award (2007)[2]
- Central States Wrestling
- NWA Central States Heavyweight Championship (6 times)
- NWA North American Tag Team Championship (Central States version) (9 times) - with Bob Brown (5), Bill Miller (1), Bob "The Viking" Morse (1), The Stomper (1), and Rufus R. Jones (1)[4]
- NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Central States version) (2 times)
- NWA World Tag Team Championship (Central States version) (4 times) - with Rufus R. Jones (2), Akio Sato (1), and Pat O'Connor (1)[3]
- NWA Western States Sports
- NWA North American Heavyweight Championship (Amarillo version) (1 time)
- NWA Southwest Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
- NWA Southwest Tag Team Championship (4 times) - with Dory Funk (2), Mike Gallagher (1), and Boris Kalmikoff (1)
- Other titles
- North Dakota Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
Job titles
- NWA President (1978 to 1980; 1982 to 1985; 1986 to 1987)[2]
- NWA Central States promoter (1958 to September 1986; February 1987 to 1988)
- NWA St. Louis promoter (1982 to 1986)
| Preceded by Edward Gossett |
President of the National Wrestling Alliance 1978–1980 |
Succeeded by Jim Crockett, Jr. |
| Preceded by Jim Crockett, Jr. |
President of the National Wrestling Alliance 1982–1985 |
Succeeded by Jim Crockett, Jr. |
| Preceded by Jim Crockett, Jr. |
President of the National Wrestling Alliance 1986–1987 |
Succeeded by Jim Crockett, Jr. |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 Hornbaker, Tim (2007). National Wrestling Alliance: The Untold Story of the Monopoly that Strangled Pro Wrestling. ECW Press. ISBN 978-1-55022-741-3.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 Nation, Ryan (April 19, 2007). "A lifetime of rewards for Bob Geigel". SLAM! Wrestling. Retrieved 2009-12-10.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 NWA World Tag Team Championship (Central States) at Wrestling-Titles.com
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 NWA North American Tag Team Championship at Wrestling-Titles.com
External links
- Profile at Online World Of Wrestling