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Ernie Ladd
Novewmber 28th, 1938 - March 10th, 2007
Wrestler: Ernie "The Cat" Ladd
Birthday: November 28, 1938
Hometown: Originally from Orange, Texas Billed from Orange Grove, Texas Retired in Franklin, Louisiana
Marital Status: Married to Roslyn Ladd
Height & Weight: 6'9" - 320 lbs
Trained by: Freddie Blassie
Debut: 1961
Previous Gimmicks: "The Big Cat", "The Cat"
Finishing Move: Kick to the Head
Favorite Moves: Thumb to the Throat, Guillotine Drop, Abdominal Stretch
Notable Feuds: Johnny Powers, Waldo Von Erich, Bruno Sammartino, Gene Kiniski, Dominic DeNucci, Dick the Bruiser, Ox Baker, Andre the Giant
Titles Held:
# WWA (Los Angeles) World Tag Team titles w/Edouard Carpentier defeating ? (Febuary ??, 1964)
# NWA Texas Heavyweight title defeating Fritz Von Erich (????, 1965)
# NWF (Cleveland & Buffalo) North American Heavyweight title defeating Bulldog Brower (December 5, 1970)
# NWF (Cleveland & Buffalo) Brass Knuckles title defeating Luke Graham (May 18, 1972)
# NWF (Cleveland & Buffalo) World Heavyweight title defeating Waldo Von Erich (June 9, 1972)
# NWA (Los Angeles) Americas Heavyweight title defeating John Tolos (July 28, 1972)
# WWA (Indianapolis) World Tag Team titles w/Baron Von Raschke defeating Crusher & Dick the Bruiser (Febuary 24, 1973)
# NWA (Los Angeles) Americas Heavyweight title defeating Porkchop Cash (July 12, 1974)
# WWC (World Wrestling Council) North American Heavyweight title defeating Carlos Colon (October 21, 1974)
# NWA (Los Angeles) Americas Heavyweight title defeating Louie Tillet (October ??, 1975)
# NWA Florida Heavyweight title defeating Dusty Rhodes (July 15, 1977)
# NWA (Tri State) North American Heavyweight title defeating Dick Murdoch (Febuary 14, 1978)
# NWA (Tri State) United States Tag Team titles w/Assassin defeating Steven Little Bear & Ray Candy (April 5, 1978)
# NWA (Tri State) North American Heavyweight title defeating Paul Orndorff (June ??, 1978)
# NWA (Tri State) North American Heavyweight title defeating August 15, 1978)
# NWA Arkansas Heavyweight title won a tournament (October 26, 1978)
# NWA (Tri State) North American Heavyweight title defeating Ray Candy via forfeit (December 25, 1978)
# NWA (Florida) Southern Heavyweight title defeating King Curtis Iaukea (October ??, 1979)
# NWA Georgia Tag Team titles w/Ole Anderson defeating Tommy Rich & Crusher Lisowski (October 5, 1979)
# Mid South Louisiana Heavyweight title defeating Mike Sharpe (January 18, 1980)
# NWA Central States Tag Team titles w/Bruiser Brody defeating Jerry & Ted Oates in a tournament final (Febuary 3, 1980)
# Mid South Tag Team titles w/Leroy Brown defeating Terry Orndorff & Junkyard Dog (November ??, 1980)
# WWA (Indianapolis) World Heavyweight title defeating Dick the Bruiser (November 1, 1980)
# Mid South Louisiana Heavyweight title defeating Jake Roberts (January 16, 1981)
# Mid South Tag Team titles w/Leroy Brown defeating Killer Karl Kox (Febuary 1, 1981)
# NWA (World Class) American Heavyweight title defeating Kerry Von Erich (May 11, 1981)
# NWA Texas Brass Knuckles title defeating Jose Lothario (November ??, 1981)
# Mid South North American Heavyweight title defeating Magnum T.A (October 16, 1984)
# AFL (American Football League) Hall of Fame Inductee ()
# Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame Inductee ()
# WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) Hall of Fame Inductee (1994)
# Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Inductee (1994)
# San Diego Hall of Champions Inductee (February 22, 2005);
Career Highlights:
In the Beginning
# 1960s: Ernie Ladd played professionally for the San Diego Chargers, Houston Oilers and Kansas City Chiefs.
# Ernie Ladd was selected 15th in the American Football League draft by San Diego out of Grambling College.
# Ernie Ladd was the first football player to make the transition to successful wrestler (recruited by Fred Blassie).
Getting Into The Business
# Ernie Ladd initially started to team with Bobo Brazil but eventually turned on him and started a run as an arrogant outspoken heel.
# 1963: Ernie Ladd earned his first World Heavyweight title shot against the legendary NWA World Champion, Lou Thesz
# August 14, 1970 - AWA Comiskey Park: Blackjack Lanza and Ernie "The Cat" Ladd fought to a Double Disqualification.
Mid-South Wrestling
# 1981-82: Ernie Ladd managed the Wild Samoans in Bill Watts' Mid-South Wrestling.
# ~~~The Wild Samoans won the Mid-South Tag Team titles under Ernie Ladd's guidance.
# ~~~The Wild Samoans turned on Ernie Ladd and joined General Skandar Akbar's Devestation Inc.
# ~~~Ernie Ladd recruited the legendary Assassin to help him battle the Wild Samoans.
# ~~~The Assassin ALSO turned on Ernie Ladd and joined Devestation Incorporated.
# ~~~Ernie Ladd then recruited Canadian wrestler "Iron" Mike Sharpe as his new partner.
# ~~~1982: Ernie Ladd & Mike Sharpe drove the Samoans out of Mid-South Wrestling.
# ~~~Ernie Ladd defeated The Assassin in several singles encounters.
Retirement
# 1984: Ernie Ladd retired from the squared circle due to the poor condition of his knees.
# Ernie Ladd briefly worked for the World Wrestling Federation as a broadcast announcer.
# 2000-01: Ernie Ladd helped out on the successful U.S. presidential campaign of George W. Bush.
# August 23, 2003: Ernie Ladd was featured in the cover story of WWE Confidential along with interviews from The Cat.
# Ernie Ladd appeared in an episode of That 70s show, the same one where The Rock played his own father, Rocky Johnson.
# April 2004: Ernie "The Cat" Ladd was the man who officially inducted the Junkyard Dog into the WWE Hall of Fame.
# February 2005: Ernie Ladd has fully recovered from colon cancer that at one point was expected to be terminal.
# February 22, 2005: Ernie Ladd was honored in the San Diego Hall of Champions Hall of Fame.
# September 2005: Ernie Ladd ministered to evacuees at the Astrodome who had been transported from New Orleans after the floods.
# March 10, 2007: Ernie Ladd passed away from cancer (colon, stomach & bones) at the age of 68 in Franklin, Louisiana..
Thanks to onlineworldofwrestling for the above information.
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