Solies big commentary gigs would be for the 1994 and 1995 editions of the Slamboree pay-per-view, which had the theme of Legends Reunion and featured some older legend wrestlers on the card. While the money wasnt much, Luttralls advice would be indispensable: Its like your paycheck. Sign up for the During this time, Gordon Solie worked with Jim Crockett Promotions and the NWA, once again finding himself as the lead announcer for the companies all the way until the bankruptcy and closure of the companies. I do it all the time and look what I got. I do not feel that I have become president of this country by accident, but that I have been chosen because nobody can accuse me of favouring the Albanian Muslims or the Orthodox. Whos left? He felt a strong sense of guilt and responsibility about the situation in which he found himself, but he knew that he had to make it work. When I got the job, I went to (my boss) Cowboy Luttrall and asked him how he wanted me to handle it. Flair, lets not have anymore, before shoving the microphone back in the wrestlers face to let him continue ranting; ramping up the upcoming match with Atlas. However, politics in the WCW Hall of Fame committee would eventually lead to Gordon Solies departure from the promotion entirely. [4] During that time, he commentated on matches featuring some of pro wrestling's biggest legends, including WWE Hall of Famer Dusty Rhodes, The Brisco Brothers and Dory Funk Jr., among numerous others. [3], 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. Cowboy Luttralls Tampa-based promotion, started up in 1949, would eventually evolve into Championship Wrestling From Florida once Eddie Graham became a co-owner of the promotion in the early 1960s. The Fora platform includes forum software by XenForo. A little while after her divorce from Austin, Jeanie was at home when she accidentally overdosed on both Ambien and Xanax pills. Other announcers at the time treated wrestling like a comedy act, Solie said during his final media interview before passing away from cancer in 2000. He feuded regularly with Jerry Lawler and teamed with Bill Dundee to dominate the tag team matches of that time. | Contact Us Solie was the one who coined the phrase "crimson mask" for when a wrestler had a bloodied face, and . But to be independent when you haven't got a thing, that's the Lord's test. Gordon Solie was no stranger to Jim Crockett Promotions, the ever-expanding entity that would eventually be purchased by Turner Broadcasting in 1888 and rebranded as World Championship Wrestling. Solie was regarded by many to be the single most important person in the early days of wrestling broadcasting. Solie was regarded by many to be the single most important person in the early days of wrestling broadcasting. Just a personal critique. Lance Russell from down in the Continental area was tremendous. [12/90] 12 Feb 2023 22:43:03 GORDON SOLIE: A DAUGHTER REMEMBERSTonight We Remember The Master himself "THE DEAN OF PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING" GORDON SOLIE as told by his beloved daughter.Gordon Solie, was a Florida-based professiona. Speedy Hugh Nichols was a professional wrestler turned promoter in the 1920s to the 1950s. Being totally humiliated in front of the entire barCameron ran off crying. You can read all previous Wrestling with Sin pieces here. He liked the sound of them together, so he legally made it so. Sometimes called The Walter Cronkite of pro wrestling Gordon Solie continued to make a name for himself in the American territories and Puerto Rico. Solie, Gordon A. Rufus Lackland Taylor Jr.1 January 6 1910 September 14 1978 was an officer in the United States Navy.23 Eventually he became Director of the Office Jeanie Clark aka Lady Blossom was a former World Class and WCW valet and the wife of Stone Cold Steve Austin. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission, which supports our community. Danny Djeljosevic is a writer based in San Diego, CA. Like any pro wrestling commentator worth remembering, Gordon Solie had a number of famous go-to phrases that he would use while calling matches, some of which continue to show up in modern broadcasts. His body was found by his wife. Georgia Championship Wrestling was broadcast on Ted Turners TBS from the mid-1970s to the mid-1980s, until the infamous Black Saturday incident where Vince McMahon bought GCW to take its timeslot. Solie also worked for promotions in Alabama, Puerto Rico, and Georgia, gaining national exposure with the third. Gordon Solie Motherfuckers - More Than Just Alive. Solie had his hand in every pay-per-view that WCW released until his retirement in 1995. This may be one of those times. He left soon after though. Oops. Solie was even offered a position inside WWE at one point, but turned it down, because he didnt want to wear a tuxedo. This work is from the Florida Memory Project hosted at the State Archive of Florida, and is released to the public domain in the United States under the terms of Section 257.35(6), Florida Statutes.. Wrestling, Pick My Brain interview with Bob Allyn, author of "Gordon Solie Something Left Behind", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gordon_Solie&oldid=1135685472, This page was last edited on 26 January 2023, at 05:30. person. 1:15. My faith is a very important part of my life. Gordon Solie created the blueprint for modern wrestling announcers, and there are a lot of things fans should know about him. I still dont. So many great friends from the wrestling industry on this card, some have gone to a better place & some are still here & doing well! He wanted golf fans, tennis fans, football fans and basketball fans to be wrestling fans. 9:37. Daniel J. Boorstin, Everybody wants to be a professional baseball player and, sure, as a kid, I wanted to do that. [8] Solies broadcast partner Roddy Piper saved Solie, turning babyface in the process. [4] He learned about stock car racing by competing as an amateur chauffeur on Florida's Suncoast and announcing outdoors at tracks around the United States. Both have very distinctive voices that are fun to listen to and their great calls kind of stick in your head. [10] Solie also worked for the Continental Wrestling Federation and USA Championship Wrestling based out of Knoxville. While WWEs amounted to a video package and a non-existent physical location, WCW actually televised its induction ceremonies and planned for a physical location at Atlantas CNN building. Gordon Solie passed away in 1999 after a long hard battle with throat cancer. Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. He spent some time in the . Born in 1929 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Gordon Solie grew up studying radio in high school, gaining some broadcast experience before serving in the Air Force. This is the 180th installment of the Wrestling with Sin series. Harrison Schmitt, We understand the lights. Solo Sikoa smiled because he got married. He knew what was about to happen, but youd never know it. Solie wasn't free from scandal himself during his life. He NEVER over sold a match, yet still kept you interested throughout. The way we send the message is often just as important as the content of the message itself. He was 71. So why should an announcer not reflect that with his play calling? He doesnt nearly get the respect or admiration as he should. Hailed as the greatest commentator during the "Golden Age of Wrestling," and the best ever by many, Solie wooed millions of television viewers with his . Originally formed as a side project to Nine Shocks Terror, GSMF (a combination of legendary pro-wrestling announcer Gordon Solie and Italian hardcore band Cheetah Chrome Motherfuckers) was formed to pretty much destroy the watered down, wholesome and fashionably safe hardcore punk that was dominating the scene. Some of his quotes are in factlegendary. Very interesting! I'm still in awe of it. Born in Minneapolis in 1929, Solie broke into the wrestling business as a ring announcer in Tampa in 1950. After Atlas struck Flair in the face, starting another of the WCWs staged fracases, Solie pleaded with Flair, Please Mr. This Week In Wrestling | Ring the Damn Bell, Black Drop: A History of Black Trailblazers in Pro Wrestling, Downed On The Farm: Top WWE Developmental Prospects That Never Made ItPart 100, Beginner's guide to New Japan Pro Wrestling, History of the WWE Intercontinental Title, Styles Clash: Clash of The Champions Revisited, The Many Failures That 14 Year Old Me Would Never See Coming. [4] He moved to Tampa, Florida, in the 1950s after completing military service in the United States Air Force. And while he didn't single anyone out by name, he knew some were in attendance that night. Solie's background meant that he sounded like a real sportscaster, and it was a treat to listen to. (It's blasphemous for some to have . Mere months after WWE introduced its Hall of Fame in 1993, WCW established one of its own that appeared to be more ambitious than the competitions. After a TNA Impact TV taping in March of 2010a large contingent of TNA wrestlers and personnel went to a bar in the area. Pingback: This Week In Wrestling | Ring the Damn Bell, Your email address will not be published. The nanny called for help and it took several paramedics and firefighters to resuscitate her back to consciousness. Please enter a valid email and try again. His net worth has been growing significantly in 2020-2021. Gordon Solie was considered the "Voice of Professional Wrestling" for his many years calling the action in several territories. Kash then focused his attention on a female camera operator and allegedly assaulted her in some way. I watched wrestling first in the 90s, so heard Monsoon and JR first who I still both like, but got to admit I like Gordon Solie's commentary on the old 80s Jim Crockett PPVs. I never really understood why he was considered by many, as the greatest announcer in wrestling history. Solie was regarded by many to be the single most important person in the early days of wrestling broadcasting. It was believed that failing health and his severe bouts of depression were the cause for his suicide. Gilbert then opens the leather pouch and the two announcers, especially Jim Ross, jaws drop. [8], According to wrestling lore, Solie had wrestlers that he was interviewing place him in holds so he could understand them better and call them more realistically, because he wanted to learn how it felt to be on the defensive end of a hold. He wanted to keep the job raw and pure, so thats how he wanted to know the characters he was interviewing and commentating for. [2] He is regarded by many as one of the greatest and most influential wrestling announcers. Gordon T Solie of New Port Richey, Pasco County, Florida was born on January 26, 1929, and died at age 71 years old on July 28, 2000. [8], That was a natural transition for "The Dean," who had also been Georgia Championship Wrestling's lead announcer before it became a subsidiary of NWA/WCW. Gordon Solie not only hosted the induction ceremony, but he was also head of the committee that chose inductees, focusing on fully retired wrestlers who performed for the National Wrestling Alliance. I never really understood why he was considered by many, as the greatest announcer in wrestling history. Solie was also the regular announcer for Georgia Championship Wrestling, Championship Wrestling from Florida and Continental . He kept newspaper articles and even went so far as to outline what he wanted to be an autobiography. Your email address will not be published. However, the term appears in print as early as 1933: Learn how and when to remove this template message, George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame, Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum, "AS I SEE IT 10/28: Wrestling loses two of its best", "Gordon Solie: So Long From The Sunshine State", "Gordon Solie, Wrestling's Lost Voice, Still Lingers", "Gordon Solie's Championship Wrestling Trivia Game", "Examining Jim Ross' Legacy Following Retirement from WWE", "Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame Finalizes 2021 Class: Mark Henry, Trish Stratus, More", Gordon Solie feature from SLAM! Wahoo McDaniel, Angelo Poffo, Terry Funk, Antonio . [3][5] Solie had also worked for New Japan Wrestling as a commentator for overseas tapes and videos. Most often, bacteria are keeping us well." Much of his early career was in the NWA's Championship Wrestling from Florida territory where Gordon Solie was the head . Related: 10 Pictures Of Jim Ross Like You've Never Seen Him Before. Before wrestling, Gordon got his start working racetracks and doing PA work for the races. He was called the Walter Cronkite of wrestling announcers, for both his longevity and influence on the industry. Mr. Solie called the matches of wrestlers such as Jack Brisco, The Great Malenko, Handsome Harley Race and Nature Boy Ric Flair. Gordon Solie is the most recognized voice of the days of Classic Wrestling.. July 27, 2000: Gordon Solie passed away.. March 28, 2008-SmackDown! Primarily remembered for his time as ECW and "WWE SmackDown" General Manager, and fondly remembered for his habit of booking tag team matches, it was only ever a matter of time until people realized what he brought to the table. It is not skeptics or explorers but fanatics and ideologues who menace decency and progress. Another nuance that made Gordon stand out was that he refused to learn wrestlers real names. On August 11, 2009, Solie's biography, The Solie Chronicles was released by Crowbar Press. Slamboree of that same year was his last live broadcast. Gordon Solie interviews the new NWA World Champion Terry Funk. So in closingis Gordon Solie a Legend? Bill Mercer who was the voice for the World Class area was another underrated announcer in his time. Briefly describes the history of wrestling, traces Gordon Solie's broadcasting career, and explains how he became involved with professional wrestling Read more Previous page Those of us who grew up in the Southeast in the late 60s and early 70s remember this as being one of Gordon Solie's favorite expressions. Many of the stories involve such subjects as sex, drugs, greed and in some cases even murder! Early life. Ten years later, he started announcing the Championship Wrestling from Florida television show that aired in the state every Saturday from 1960-87. Hilary Kornblith, It is easy to be independent when you've got money. 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