- Buddy Wolfe
Infobox Wrestler
name=Les Wolff
img_capt=
names="Beautiful" Buddy Wolfe
"Golden Boy" Buddy Wolfe
Buddy Wolff
Spoiler #2
height= height|ft=6|in=1
weight= convert|260|lb|0
birth_date =1944
death_date =
birth_place =Minnesota ,United States
death_place =
resides=Hackensack, Minnesota
billed=
trainer=Verne Gagne
debut=1970
retired=1988
website= |Les Wolff (born
1944 ) is a retiredAmerican football player andprofessional wrestler , known by his ringname "Beautiful" Buddy Wolfe, who competed in North American regional promotions including theAmerican Wrestling Association ,National Wrestling Alliance and theWorld Wide Wrestling Federation during the 1970s and 80s. Although having a successful singles career, his found his greatest success as the tag team partner ofDon Jardine wrestling as the second incarnation of The Spoilers in the Tri-State territory. He was one of several men to team with Jardine as Spoiler #2, and arguably one of the most successful teamings, twice winning the NWA United States Tag Team Championship during the early 1970s. [ cite web |url=http://www.kayfabememories.com/Regions/tristate/tristate2-2.htm |title=Regional Territories: Tri-State #2, Page #2 |accessdate= |author=Miller, Bob |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year=2002 |month= |format= |work= |publisher=KayfabeMemories.com |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]Wolfe later formed a successful tag team with "Luscious" Larry Heinimi who together were considered one of the top "heel" tag teams in the
Midwest United States during the mid-1970s. cite web |url=http://www.kayfabememories.com/Regions/stlouis/stlouis10-2.htm |title=Regional Territories: WWA - Indianapolis #17, Page #2 |accessdate= |author=Edwards, John |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year=2002 |month= |format= |work= |publisher=ProWrestlingHistory.com |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]He was also the husband of
Vivian Vachon , a popularFrench-Canadian female wrestler and member of the famous Vachon wrestling family, to whom he was married from 1978 to 1979. [ cite web |url=http://www.garywill.com/wrestling/canada/vachon.htm |title=Canadian Pro Wrestling Page of Fame: Maurice "Mad Dog" Vachon, Paul "Butcher" Vachon and Vivian Vachon |accessdate= |author=Will, Gary |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year=2000 |month= |format= |work= |publisher=GaryWill.com |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] [ cite web |url=http://www.geocities.com/smokyrobmoore/jp020899.htm |title=View from the Rising Sun: The Black Harts |accessdate= |author=Horie, Masanori |authorlink= |coauthors= |date=1999-02-08 |year= |month=November |format= |work= |publisher=Rob Moore, Texas Wrestling Announcer |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]Career
Early life and career
Wolfe wrestled in high school and college, later attending
St. Cloud University , prior to becoming a formerdefensive end for theNorfolk Neptunes . He was voted Rookie of the Year during his first year in theContinental Football League but left the organization in 1968 to pursue a career in professional wrestling. cite web |url=http://www.wnbc.com/download/2007/0125/10845792.mp3 |title=Old School, New School, Episode 17 |accessdate= |author=Professor Wrestling |authorlink= |coauthors=George Schire and Dr. Mike Lano |date= |year=2004 |month= |format=Podcast |work= |publisher=WNBC.com |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]Trained by wrestler
Verne Gagne , Wolfe was one of several students to debut during the early 1970s including Rick "The Dragon" Steamboat, "Nature Boy" Ric Flair andPacific Northwest Wrestling mainstay "Playboy" Buddy Rose, [ cite web |url=http://canoe.ca/SlamWrestlingBiosL/lane_buddy-can.html |title=SLAM! Wrestling Canadian Hall of Fame: Buddy Lane |accessdate= |author=Oliver, Greg |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year=2001 |month=November |format= |work= |publisher=SLAM! Sports |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] whom he would become a mentor to during his early career. cite web |url=http://playboybuddyrose.com/QandA/QandA-07.html |title=Playboy's Q & A #7 |accessdate= |author=Rose, Buddy |authorlink=Buddy Rose |coauthors= |date= |year=2004 |month=February |format= |work= |publisher=PlayboyBuddyRose.com |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] In one of his earliest matches, he lost to his future brother-in-law Maurice "Mad Dog" Vachon inFargo, North Dakota on December 20, 1970. [ cite web |url=http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/ResultsArchive/Wrestlers/vachon-maurice.html |title=Wrestlers Results Archive: Mad Dog Vachon |accessdate= |author=Navada, Vance |authorlink= |coauthors=Matt Farmer, Mike Rodgers and Jim Zordani |date=2008-04-29 |year= |month= |format= |work= |publisher=SLAM! Wrestling |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]From Atlanta to Texas
He spent his first years in
Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling feuding with fellow Minnesota State alumni Ole andLars Anderson . Wolfe dominated his feud with Ole Anderson and, to further the storyline, a real-life incident in which Ole Anderson broke his nose while the two attended college was often referenced by Anderson who frequently claimed that Wolfe was trying to end his wrestling career.During the summer of 1971, Wolfe wrestled in the Dallas-area for promoter
Jack Adkisson . On July 20, he andBronko Lubich foughtNick Kozak &Johnny Valentine to a draw at The Sportatorium. Later single matches againstBobby Shane and Johnny Valentine also resulted in draws. He scored one of his earliest victories when he defeatedThe Great Scott on August 10, however this was followed by a defeat in an 8-man tag team match with Bronko Lubich,Toru Tanaka andSkandor Akbar losing to Nick Kozak & Johnny Valentine,Rey Mendoza andJose Lothario on August 17.He continued feuding with Kozak and Valentine, fighting to a draw with Kozak on August 31 and defeating Valentine on September 7. The following week, he lost to
Wahoo McDaniel in a best 2-of-3 pinfalls match. On September 21, he teamed with Toru Tanaka andThunderbolt Patterson in a 6-man tag team match losing to Johnny Valentine, Jose Lothario andFritz von Erich . He faced Paterson and Valentine in a three-way elimination match with Valentine defeating pinning Patterson and himself on September 28. Although the "Dallas Morning News " reported that this match was the first "3-man free-for-all wrestling match" held in Dallas, this statement in inaccurate.On October 5, he teamed with Lubich, Patterson, Tanaka and
George Hultz in a 10-man tag team match losing to Kozak, Valentine, Jose Lothario,Sabu Singh andBobby Burns . He defeated Burns in a singles match later that night. In another best 2-of-3 falls match, he teamed with Wahoo McDaniel and lost to Thunderbolt Patterson and Toru Tanaka on October 26. In the following weeks, he faced Toru Tanaka, Patterson andJoe Dusek . He fought his last match in the promotion fighting former tag team partner Bronko Lubich on December 14, 1971. [ cite web |url=http://www.legacyofwrestling.com/Results_-_Dallas_1971.html |title=Dallas Wrestling Results - 1971 |accessdate= |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year= |month= |format= |work= |publisher=LegacyOfWrestling.com |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]World Wide Wrestling Federation
In late-1972, Wolfe began competing in the World Wide Wrestling Federation. He defeated
Blackjack Slade in his debut match atMadison Square Garden on October 16, 1972. He defeatedEl Olympico but lost toChief Jay Strongbow andTony Garea during the next few weeks. He also faced his old trainer Verne Gagne at Madison Square Garden on November 27. The next month, he defeatedSonny King but lost toVictor Rivera via disqualification on December 29. [ cite web |url=http://www.nyprowrestling.com/results/1972.html |title=Results: 1972 |accessdate= |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year= |month= |format= |work= |publisher=NYProWrestling.com |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]The following year, he faced then WWWF World Heavyweight Champion
Pedro Morales at theWestchester Civic Center inWhite Plains, New York on January 24, 1973. He would be the first of several major opponents to challenge Morales for the title that year. [ cite web |url=http://members.aol.com/rcbac/sw70s.htm |title=Memories of Studio Wrestling: Studio Wrestling & The 1970's |accessdate= |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year=2001 |month=November |format= |work= |publisher= |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] Three days later, substituting forProf. Toru Tanaka , he facedChief Jay Strongbow atSunnyside Gardens inQueens, New York . Later that day, he teamed withMoondog Mayne andKing Curtis in a 6-man tag team match against Pedro Morales, Chief Jay Strongbow andGorilla Monsoon inPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania on January 27.On February 10, he would score his first victory defeating
Mike Conrad and would face Pedro Morales in several matches during the year. Teaming with Prof. Toru Tanaka &Mr. Fuji losing to Pedro Morales, Gorilla Monsoon andBobo Brazil at theBaltimore Civic Center inBaltimore, Maryland on February 20 and again faced Morales in a singles match at theZembo Mosque inHarrisburg, Pennsylvania on February 23. During the match, Wolfe sustained a serious head wound after hitting one of the turnbuckles and the referee stopped the match.He would also face
Mil Máscaras andLee Wong during the next several weeks before losing to Pedro Morales in a Texas Death match on March 16 and, the following night, teamed with Moondog Mayne and Toru Tanaka in a 6-man tag team match against Gorilla Monsoon, Sonny King and El Olympico. On March 26, he would loose toAndré the Giant in his debut match atMadison Square Garden on March 26 [ cite web |url=http://www.andrethegiant.com/bio.html |title=The Official Site of Andre the Giant: Biography |accessdate= |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year=2002 |month= |format= |work= |publisher=AndretheGiant.com |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] and to Pedro Morales inNew London, Connecticut on April 13.He would again face Morales on April 21, during which time the match was again stopped by the referee due to a serious wound being sustained. He and
Frank Valois would face André the Giant in a handicap match inAugusta, Maine on April 26 as well as facing Gorilla Monsoon and "Classie" Freddie Blassie before leaving the promotion in late April 1973. [ cite web |url=http://www.angelfire.com/wrestling/cawthon777/73.htm |title=WWWF: 1973 |accessdate= |author=Cawthon, Graham |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year=2001 |month=November |format= |work= |publisher=Graham Cawthon's History of the WWE |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]American Wresting Association & National Wrestling Alliance
Later that year, he and Lars Anderson (under the name "Luscious" Larry Heinimi) began teaming together and billed as "cousins" although this was
kayfabe . While in the Midwest, they were one of the top tag teams in the World Wrestling Association. They also had successful runs in theAmerican Wrestling Association and in the Tri-State territory. For a brief time in the mid-1970s, he and Anderson owned and operated a chain of "shirt shacks" selling tie-dye shirts.Wolfe also traveled to Japan along with Ric Flair,
Skandor Ackbar and The Outlaws (Dick Murdoch & Dusty Rhodes) and toured withIsao Yoshihara 'sInternational Wrestling Enterprise promotion from June 18 to July 15, 1973. [ cite web |url=http://www.geocities.com/smokyrobmoore/jp082399.htm |title=View from the Rising Sun: To Be The Man, You've Got To Beat The Man! |accessdate= |author=Horie, Masanori |authorlink= |coauthors= |date=1999-08-23 |year= |month=November |format= |work= |publisher=Rob Moore, Texas Wrestling Announcer |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] The next year, he made an appearance for Verne Gagne'sAmerican Wrestling Association fighting Greg Gagne to a time limit draw atComiskey Park inChicago, Illinois on September 7, 1974. [ cite web |url=http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/misc/awa/stadium.html#comiskey74 |title=AWA Stadium Shows: Comiskey Park 1974 |accessdate= |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year=2002 |month= |format= |work= |publisher=ProWrestlingHistory.com |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]After Anderson lost a retirement match to
Billy Robinson forcing him to leave the AWA, Wolfe announced he had found a new tag team partnerKim Duk . He and Kim Duk had a brief but memorable run as a tag team, however they were ultimately unsuccessful in winning theAWA World Tag Team Championship and split up soon after. In one of their last appearances as a team, they lost to Greg Gagne &Jim Brunzell at theOmaha Civic Auditorium on August 19, 1975.In October, while in NWA Texas, he scored victories over
Red Bastien ,Abe Jacobs andBruiser Blackwell before fighting to a draw against NWA Texas Heavyweight ChampionAl Madril inDallas, Texas on October 28. The next night, he andJohn Tolos lost a tag team match toAndré the Giant andJose Lothario in San Antonio. [ cite web |url=http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/ResultsArchive/Wrestlers/tolos-john.html |title=Wrestlers Results Archive: John Tolos |accessdate= |author=Navada, Vance |authorlink= |coauthors=Matt Farmer, J. Michael Kenyon, Greg Oliver, Andy Oren, Mike Rodgers, Ron Witmer and Jim Zordani |date=2008-04-29 |year= |month= |format= |work= |publisher=SLAM! Wrestling |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] On November 3, he defeated Al Madril for theNWA Texas Heavyweight Championship . He successfully defended the title againstTony Atlas and in rematches with Al Madrill before he losing to John Tolos later that month. [ cite web |url=http://www.worldclasswrestling.info/results/1975res.htm |title=WCCW Results: 1975 |accessdate= |author=Dananey, John |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year= |month= |format= |work= |publisher=World Class Memories |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]In June 1976, he was a wrestling
sparring partner forMohammed Ali and later faced him in an exhibition match at an AWA event inChicago . At the time, Ali was preparing for his match against Japanese wrestlerAntonio Inoki . [Blassie, Fred and Keith Elliot Greenberg. "Classy" Freddie Blassie: Listen, You Pencil Neck Geeks". New York: Simon & Schuster, 2003. (pg. 207) ISBN 0-7434-6316-1] He was also a sparring partner forKenny Jay . The next month he lost toMoose Cholak atComiskey Park inChicago, Illinois on August 27, 1976. [ cite web |url=http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/misc/awa/stadium.html#comiskey76 |title=AWA Stadium Shows: Comiskey Park 1976 |accessdate= |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year=2002 |month= |format= |work= |publisher=ProWrestlingHistory.com |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] Later that year, he traveled to Japan where he facedAbdullah the Butcher in a rare meeting. [ Best of Abdullah The Butcher In Japan, Vol. 1. Perf. Buddy Wolfe and Abdullah the Butcher. 2004. Videocassette. Coliseum of Wrestling & Boxing. ]While in
NWA Florida , he teamed with "Superstar" Billy Graham and Steve Strong against Rhodes, Jack andJerry Brisco at North Dade Jr. College inMiami on January 12, 1977. [ cite web |url=http://superstarbillygraham.net/Graham/html/year/1977.html |title=1977 |accessdate= |author=Graham, Billy |authorlink=Superstar Billy Graham |coauthors= |date= |year=2006 |month= |format= |work= |publisher=SuperstarBillyGraham.net |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] He also defeatedSteve Keirn in a tournament final to win the vacant NWA Florida Heavyweight Championship in March before losing it to Dusty Rhodes three months later. The following year, he and "Killer" Karl Kox feuded with Rhodes andWahoo McDaniel inFlorida Championship Wrestling facing them in several tag team matches. Teaming with Ric Flair andOx Baker , Wolfe lost to Andre the Giant andDick the Bruiser in a three-on-two handicap match inSt. Louis, Missouri on March 17, 1978. [ cite web |url=http://www.kayfabememories.com/Regions/stlouis/stlouis10-2.htm |title=Regional Territories: St. Louis #10, Page #2 |accessdate= |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year=2002 |month= |format= |work= |publisher=ProWrestlingHistory.com |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] That same year, he and female wrestlerVivian Vachon became married.Due to the stress of their careers the relationship failed.Vivian married Gary Carnegie the following year and had two children,Ian (1980) and Julie (1982). [http://www.wwedaily.com/vivian-vachon/]Later career and retirement
He defeated Lars Anderson for the WWL Heavyweight Championship in
Joplin, Missouri on January 18, 1983. [ cite web |url=http://www.wrestlingclassics.com/wawli/Nos.753-758.htm |title=The WAWLI Papers #758... Wrestling Results From Global Wrestling #88 |accessdate= |author=Burke, Tom |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year=2003 |month= |format= |work= |publisher=WrestlingClassics.com |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] After this point, Wolfe began to slow down making brief appearances in various regional territories. He teamed withKen Timbs againstTojo Yamamoto &Johnny Wilhoit at theMid-South Coliseum inMemphis, Tennessee on July 16, 1984. [ cite web |url=http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/memphis/jarrett/1984.html#071684 |title=Mid-South Coliseum 1984 (Jarrett) |accessdate= |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year=2006 |month= |format= |work= |publisher=ProWrestlingHistory.com |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]He eventually returned to the AWA where he spent the last years of his career. At the supercard Brawl in St. Paul, Wolfe fought
Buck Zumhofe to a time limit draw atComiskey Park inChicago, Illinois on December 25, 1986. [ cite web |url=http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/misc/awa/miscawa.html#brawl |title=Misc. AWA Cards: Brawl in St. Paul |accessdate= |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year=2003 |month= |format= |work= |publisher=ProWrestlingHistory.com |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] The following year at SuperClash II, withDoug Somers & "Mr. Magnificent" Kevin Kelly, Wolfe lost toRay Stevens andThe Midnight Rockers (Shawn Michaels &Marty Jannetty ) in a 6-man tag team match at theCow Palace inSan Francisco, California on May 2, 1987. [ cite web |url=http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/misc/awa/superclash.html#sc2 |title=SuperClash II |accessdate= |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year=2002 |month= |format= |work= |publisher=ProWrestlingHistory.com |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] [ cite web |url=http://www.411mania.com/wrestling/columns/66735 |title=The Best Of Times 1.31.08: May 1987 |accessdate= |author=Adamson, Matt |authorlink= |coauthors= |date=2008-01-31 |year= |month= |format= |work= |publisher=411mania.com |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]Vivian Vachon and her daughter were killed in a
drunk driving accident inMontreal on August 24, 1991.Recent years
Following his retirement, he eventually moved to
Hackensack, Minnesota and formed a successful company, Banner Saver Pro 2000, which manufactures special custombrackets to keep banners from falling off signs in strong winds. He came up with the idea while watching the2002 Winter Olympics and saw some of the banners being blown off signs.In 2003, he made a public appearance with the Vachon brothers at the 2003 Cauliflower Alley Club Banquet & Reunion in
Las Vegas, Nevada from April 4-6, 2003. [ cite web |url=http://www.bigbillanderson.com/new_page_6.htm |title=CAC Memories: The Cauliflower Alley Club |accessdate= |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year=2003 |month= |format= |work= |publisher=BigBillAnderson.com |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] At the event, he was one of several legends in attendance to give a speech.Championships and accomplishments
*
National Wrestling Alliance :National:*NWA United States Tag Team Championship (Tri-State version) (2 times) - withDon Jardine [ cite web |url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/midsouth/nwa/tri-us-t.html |title=N.W.A. United States Tag Team Title (Tri-State) |accessdate= |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year=2003 |month= |format= |work= |publisher=Puroresu Dojo |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] :Regional :*NWA Florida Heavyweight Championship (1 time) [ cite web |url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/fl/fl-h.html |title=N.W.A. Florida Heavyweight Title |accessdate= |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year=2003 |month= |format= |work= |publisher=Puroresu Dojo |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] :*NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship (1 time) [ cite web |url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/tx/tx-h.html |title=N.W.A. Texas Heavyweight Title |accessdate= |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year=2003 |month= |format= |work= |publisher=Puroresu Dojo |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]*World Wrestling League :*WWL Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
References
External links
* [http://www.cwfarchives.com/Wrestler.php?id=763 Wrestler: Buddy Wolff]
* [http://wrestling.xwiki.com/xwiki/bin/view/Main/BuddyWolfe Buddy Wolfe] at the [http://wrestling.xwiki.com/ WrestleWiki]
* [http://www.tummytwister.com Lars and Les's inventions,the Tummy Twister]
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