Anderson family

Last updated

The Anderson family is a family of professional wrestlers, largely consisting of brothers, cousins and children. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

Gene Anderson

NWA Hall of Famer Gene Anderson (the pioneer of the group), born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, started his professional wrestling career in 1958. Gene was trained by WWE Hall of Famer Verne Gagne. [4]

The Minnesota Wrecking Crew

After spending a few years working for WWE Hall of Famer Stu Hart's Canadian wrestling promotion Stampede Wrestling, Gene started working for Verne Gagne's Minneapolis, Minnesota based American Wrestling Association (AWA) in 1961. In 1965, Gene formed the tag team The Minnesota Wrecking Crew with fellow Minnesota native Larry Heiniemi, who had started his professional wrestling career that same year.

Lars Anderson

Larry, who had been performing under his real name, became Lars Anderson and was billed as being Gene's brother. [2] [3] [5]

Ole Anderson

In 1968, while working for Paul Jones' Georgia Championship Wrestling (GCW), Gene invited Alan Rogowski, who had been wrestling as Rock Rogowski since he started his professional wrestling career the year prior, to join the team. Alan began performing as Ole Anderson , the brother of Gene and Lars. The three would team together in different combinations until Lars moved to Hawaii in 1969. After Lars moved, Gene and Ole continued the team and Lars would only make sporadic appearances from then on. Gene and Ole remained a team until 1982. [2] [3] [5]

Arn Anderson

While working for Bill Watts' Mid-South Wrestling Association (MSW) in 1983, Martin Lunde, who started his professional wrestling career in 1981, was sitting in the locker room during an MSW event when Watts was having a conversation with Matt Osborne, Ted DiBiase and Jim Duggan. The three men Watts were talking to were nearing the end of their run with MSW and Watts was sending them to Atlanta, Georgia to work for GCW, which was owned by Jim Barnett at the time. Watts told Osborne that he was going to be managed by Paul Ellering and that he would be performing as a part of a tag team. Watts explained that they needed to find Osborne a tag team partner when Sylvester Ritter (Junkyard Dog), who was also in the locker room, suggested that since Martin strongly resembled Ole Anderson, who was currently working in GCW, he should be sent over to GCW as an Anderson and be Osborne's tag team partner. Watts looked over at Martin and agreed that he did in fact look a lot like Ole and then made the decision to send him to GCW as well. [2] [3] [5] [6]

When Martin arrived in Atlanta he introduced himself to Ole who immediately reacted to the fact that Martin did in fact look like him. Ole gave Martin, who had previously wrestled under his real name and Super Olympia, the new name Arn Anderson . Arn was ultimately billed as the brother of Gene, Lars and Ole but at other times he was billed as a cousin or nephew. Ole and Arn would start teaming together later that year, shortly after Arn's tag partner Osborne was released from GCW. Ole and Arn would remain a team until Ole retired in 1987. [2] [3] [5]


In combined total, the four original Andersons were tag team champions 41 times, winning 12 different tag team championships across the United States. Several modern tag teams have taken names similar to the Minnesota Wrecking Crew as an homage to the group. [2] [3] [7] [8] [9]

Ric Flair

As early as 1974, the 2 time WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair was being billed as the cousin of Ole and Gene, teaming with them sporadically until 1977. [10]

In 1977, Flair teamed with Blackjack Mulligan and Greg Valentine in a feud against his storyline cousins Gene and Ole. In 1981, Ric reunited with Gene and Ole. [10]

In 1985, while working for Southeastern Championship Wrestling (SECW), Arn was asked by SECW promoter Robert Fuller to ride with Flair while he was there working for the promotion. Arn, who was a fan of Flair, gladly accepted. Flair later convinced Arn to make the move from SECW, where he was very comfortable in his position in both his wrestling career and living situation in Pensacola, Florida, to Jim Crockett's Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling (MACW). Arn would once again need Flair's convincing when Arn was prepared to leave MACW after receiving a payout that was less than he was making with SECW. During this time in MACW, Flair began working as a team with Ole and Arn in different combinations in a feud against WWE Hall of Famer Dusty Rhodes, Magnum T. A., Billy Jack Haynes and Manny Fernandez. [2] [3] [11]

Rip Hawk

In 1974, at the same time as being billed as an Anderson cousin, Flair was also being billed as the nephew of American professional wrestler Rip Hawk . Hawk was by extension billed as related to the Anderson family. [10]

The Four Horsemen

In June 1984, Flair began a feud with Tully Blanchard, until November 1985 when they became a team. In early 1986, Flair and Blanchard allied themselves with Flair's storyline cousins Ole and Arn. Shortly afterward, J. J. Dillon, who was already managing Blanchard, joined the team as their manager. According to Arn Anderson, the team finally felt complete when Dillon joined the group. [2] [3] [12]

During an impromptu interview after an 8 man tag team match that the group won, Arn said, "The only time this much havoc had been wreaked by this few a number of people, you need to go all the way back to the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse". The name The Four Horsemen stuck and the team used that name going forward. [2] [3]

Over the following years the team would change in combination of different variations of existing and new members, including; Lex Luger, Barry Windham, Sting, Sid Vicious, Paul Roma, Brian Pillman, Chris Benoit, Steve McMichael, Curt Hennig, Dean Malenko and Jeff Jarrett. Flair and Arn were part of every iteration of the team until August 25, 1997 during World Championship Wrestling (WCW)'s live television broadcast of their TNT Network program Monday Nitro, Arn formally announced his retirement from in-ring work. [2] [3]

The stable was a major influence on professional wrestling in North America, creating the blueprint for future groups such as the New World Order, The Triple Threat, Evolution, The Four Horsewomen, The Pinnacle and The Extreme Horsemen. [2] [3]

Other storyline relatives

Other professional wrestlers, under the Anderson heritage popped up on the independent circuit in the 1990s. [13]

Rocky Anderson

Rocky Mills was the head trainer at Gene Anderson's gym. Rocky wrestled on the independent circuit as Rocky Anderson , a member of the Anderson family. [14] [15] [16] [17]

The Andersons

Pat Anderson

Rocky was contacted by Ivan Koloff who told him he had been training a guy named Pat Connors, who both looked and wrestled like an Anderson. Rocky attended a show in Monroe, North Carolina to watch Pat perform. Rocky was impressed and with the blessings of Gene he allowed Pat to use the Anderson gimmick. Pat worked his entire career as Pat Anderson . [14] [15] [16] [17]

C. W. Anderson

Shortly afterwards Pat met Christopher Wright at a show he was working at for Carolina Championship Wrestling Alliance (CCWA). Pat was impressed with Christopher's skills and looks, so before approaching him Pat asked the CCWA booker Jim Massingale if he could work as a tag team together with Christopher. Pat and Christopher had a conversation and Christopher agreed to the tag team work. Gene Anderson had died at this point so Pat called Rocky to ask for permission to make Christopher an Anderson. Rocky told Pat to use his judgement and Christopher began performing as C. W. Anderson . [14] [15] [16] [17]

During their time as a tag team Pat and C. W. were tag team champions 9 times, including the NWA World Tag Team Championship titles and they held 3 tag team championship titles from 3 different promotions concurrently. [14] [15] [16] [17]

Anderson family members

Championships and accomplishments

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ric Flair</span> American professional wrestler

Richard Morgan Fliehr, known professionally as Ric Flair, is an American professional wrestler currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW). Regarded by multiple peers and journalists as the greatest professional wrestler of all time, Flair has had a career spanning over 50 years in 6 decades.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arn Anderson</span> American professional wrestler, road agent, and author

Martin Anthony Lunde, better known by his ring name Arn Anderson, is an American professional wrestling road agent, author, and retired professional wrestler currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW). Although he is widely regarded as one of the greatest tag team wrestlers in history, he also had a successful singles career and became a four-time NWA/WCW World Television Champion, which he often called his "world title".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Four Horsemen (professional wrestling)</span> Professional wrestling stable

The Four Horsemen is an American professional wrestling stable who originally consisted of Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Ole Anderson, and Tully Blanchard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ole Anderson</span> American professional wrestler, referee and promoter (1942–2024)

Alan Robert Rogowski, better known by the ring name Ole Anderson, was an American professional wrestler, booker, and promoter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tully Blanchard</span> American professional wrestler and manager

Tully Arthur Blanchard is a Canadian-American professional wrestler and manager. He is best known for his appearances with Jim Crockett Promotions and the World Wrestling Federation in the mid-to-late 1980s as a member of The Four Horsemen and The Brain Busters. Championships held by Blanchard over his career include the NWA World Television Championship, NWA World Tag Team Championship, WWF World Tag Team Championship, and NWA United States Heavyweight Championship. He was inducted into the NWA Hall of Fame in 2009 and the WWE Hall of Fame in 2012.

David Richard Fliehr, better known by the ring name David Flair, is an American retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances in World Championship Wrestling (WCW), where he held the WCW United States Championship and WCW World Tag Team Championship. He is the son of professional wrestler Ric Flair, and the half-brother of professional wrestlers Charlotte Flair and Reid Flair.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ricky Morton</span> American professional wrestler

Richard Wendell Morton is an American professional wrestler, currently performing on the independent circuit. For most of his career, Morton has performed with Robert Gibson as the Rock 'n' Roll Express, described as "the consummate babyface tag team". Morton has wrestled for multiple promotions in the United States including the Continental Wrestling Association, Mid-South Wrestling, Jim Crockett Promotions/World Championship Wrestling, Smoky Mountain Wrestling, the World Wrestling Federation, and Extreme Championship Wrestling, as well as the Japanese promotions All Japan Pro Wrestling, New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and Wrestle Association R.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gene Anderson (wrestler)</span> American professional wrestler and manager

Eugene Avon Anderson was an American professional wrestler and professional wrestling manager. He is best known for being one-half of the tag team the Minnesota Wrecking Crew, first with Lars Anderson, then with Ole Anderson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Minnesota Wrecking Crew (professional wrestling)</span> Professional wrestling tag team

The Minnesota Wrecking Crew, also known simply as the Andersons, was originally a professional wrestling tag team that was formed by Gene and Lars Anderson but since then has featured a number of wrestlers who wrestled under the Anderson family name despite not being blood related.

Larry Heiniemi is an American retired professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Lars Anderson. His career spans over a decade of performing in National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) territories as well as the American Wrestling Association (AWA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brain Busters</span> Professional wrestling team

The Brain Busters was the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) name for the professional wrestling tag team of Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard. Anderson and Blanchard adopted this name after joining the WWF in 1988 after leaving Jim Crockett Promotions, where the two men had wrestled as part of The Four Horsemen stable and had won the NWA World Tag Team Championship twice. As a team, Anderson and Blanchard are regarded by WWE as three-time world tag team champions, having won the WWF Tag Team Championship during their time in the WWF.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rock 'n' Roll Express</span> Professional wrestling tag team

The Rock 'n' Roll Express is a professional wrestling tag team consisting of professional wrestlers Robert Gibson and Ricky Morton. The duo began teaming together in Memphis in the early 1980s, followed by Mid-South Wrestling, followed by Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP). They held the NWA World Tag Team Championship nine times, with the first four times in JCP. They also feuded with The Four Horsemen. In the late 1980s, they were contenders for the American Wrestling Association's AWA World Tag Team Championship. By 1991, the team was losing momentum, and Morton turned heel on his partner to join The York Foundation in World Championship Wrestling (WCW). In 1992, the team reformed in both the United States Wrestling Association and Smoky Mountain Wrestling, where they held the SMW Tag Team Championship ten times. The duo also worked in the World Wrestling Federation. On March 31, 2017, the Rock 'n' Roll Express was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by Jim Cornette. On April 15, 2023, the Rock n Roll Express was inducted into the ASW's Hall of Fame at the "Seventeenth Year Anniversary Rock N Roll Forever" show at the Madison Civic Center in Madison WV.

<i>Clash of the Champions</i> World Championship Wrestling professional wrestling television program

Clash of the Champions is an American series of professional wrestling television specials that were produced by World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP) in conjunction with the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA). The specials were supercards comprising pay-per-view caliber matches, similar to the World Wrestling Federation's Saturday Night's Main Event series. The Clash of the Champions shows were famous for typically not airing commercials during matches even though many of these matches lasted 20 minutes or more.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reid Flair</span> American professional wrestler (1988–2013)

Richard Reid Fliehr, better known by his ring name Reid Flair, was an American professional wrestler. He was the youngest son of professional wrestler Ric Flair, the younger half-brother of wrestler David Flair and the younger brother of wrestler Charlotte Flair. He was best known for his appearances alongside his father in World Championship Wrestling and for his appearances with All Japan Pro Wrestling.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Starrcade '85: The Gathering</span> 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions closed-circuit television event

Starrcade '85: The Gathering was the third annual Starrcade professional wrestling closed-circuit television event produced by Jim Crockett Promotions under the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) banner. It took place on November 28, 1985, from the Greensboro Coliseum Complex in Greensboro, North Carolina and Omni Coliseum in Atlanta, Georgia, with the event going back and forth from both arenas.

Robert Eugene Bruggers is an American retired American football player and professional wrestler. Bruggers played as a linebacker for five seasons for the Miami Dolphins and San Diego Chargers in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Starrcade '84: The Million Dollar Challenge</span> 1984 Jim Crockett Promotions closed-circuit television event

Starrcade '84: The Million Dollar Challenge was the second annual Starrcade professional wrestling closed-circuit television event that was produced by Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP) under the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) banner. It took place on November 22, 1984, at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex in Greensboro, North Carolina. The main event of the show was billed as "the Million Dollar Challenge" as the storyline was that the winner of the match would not only win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship but also win a $1,000,000 purse, part of the illusion that professional wrestling was a legitimate sporting competition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Starrcade '86: Night of the Skywalkers</span> 1986 Jim Crockett Promotions closed-circuit television event

Starrcade '86: Night of the Skywalkers was the fourth annual Starrcade professional wrestling closed-circuit television event, produced by Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP) under the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) banner. It took place on November 27, 1986, from the Greensboro Coliseum Complex in Greensboro, North Carolina and Omni Coliseum in Atlanta, Georgia.

References

  1. ↑ https://www.midatlanticgateway.com/2016/03/blood-thicker-than-water.html>
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Greg Oliver and Steve Johnson (2005). "Minnesota Wrecking Crew". The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Tag Teams. ECW Press. pp. 42–46. ISBN   978-1-5502-2683-6.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Robert, Todd (2012). "Minnesota Wrecking Crew". The Lost Art of Tag Team Wrestling. ECW Press. ISBN   978-1480204461.
  4. ↑ "Gene Anderson « Wrestlers Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database".
  5. 1 2 3 4 Greg Oliver and Steve Johnson (2005). "Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard". The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Tag Teams. ECW Press. pp. 74–76. ISBN   978-1-5502-2683-6.
  6. ↑ "Arn Anderson".
  7. ↑ "Titles « Minnesota Wrecking Crew « Tag Teams Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database".
  8. ↑ "Titles « Minnesota Wrecking Crew « Tag Teams Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database".
  9. ↑ "Titles « Minnesota Wrecking Crew « Tag Teams Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database".
  10. 1 2 3 4 "Mid-Atlantic Gateway: The Anderson Family Tree: How Ric Flair and Rip Hawk were all Part of Wrestling's Greatest Family".
  11. ↑ "Matches « Arn Anderson « Wrestlers Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database".
  12. ↑ "Matches « Ric Flair « Wrestlers Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database".
  13. 1 2 Scott E. Williams (13 December 2013). Hardcore History: The Extremely Unauthorized Story of ECW. Skyhorse Publishing Company, Incorporated. p. 227. ISBN   978-1-61321-582-1.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Genetically Superior: The Story of the Anderson Family". April 30, 2016.
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Colt Cabana's "Art of Wrestling" 289 - C.W. Anderson Interview (Feb. 18, 2016) - PWPodcasts". February 19, 2016.
  16. 1 2 3 4 Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2000). Wrestling Title Histories (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. ISBN   0-9698161-5-4.
  17. 1 2 3 4 "Wrestlingdata.com - The World's Largest Wrestling Database".
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.