Blackjack Mulligan

Infobox Wrestler
name=Blackjack Mulligan


names=Blackjack Mulligan
Big Bob Windham
Big Machine
height = height|ft=6|in=6
weight = convert|340|lb|kg st|abbr=on
birth_date = Birth date and age|1942|11|26
birth_place =
death_date =
resides=
billed=Eagle Pass, Texas
trainer= Verne Gagne
debut=
retired= |

Blackjack Mulligan (Born Robert Deroy Windham on November 26, 1942 in Sweetwater, Texas) is a former professional wrestler and a former American football player..

Career

Mulligan was a former Texas Western University football player who played for the New York Jets,(1966 preseason) received tryouts with the New Orleans Saints and Denver Broncos in the 1960s. After football,at the urging of Wahoo McDaniel, He trained with Joe Blanchard in Corpus Christi, Texas and later with Verne Gagne and became a professional wrestler in the old American Wrestling Association. He then moved to the World Wide Wrestling Federation and became the heel Blackjack Mulligan. At first Mulligan, donning black trunks, black hat, black glove, and using the iron claw submission, seemed to be an imitation of AWA wrestler Blackjack Lanza, managed by The Grand Wizard, Mulligan went on to greater success in the Northeast. He received a big push and went on to wrestle Pedro Morales and Bruno Sammartino.

Mulligan returned to the Midwest and tagged with Lanza to form The Blackjacks. The Blackjacks went on to capture numerous tag team championships in various NWA affiliated promotions as well as the WWWF World Tag Team Championship in August 1975.

Blackjack returned to singles wrestling in the Jim Crockett Promotions where he would go onto hold the NWA United States Heavyweight championship and the Mid-Atlantic's version of the NWA World Tag Team Championship with a young Ric Flair.

Mulligan often fought with André the Giant. The two wrestlers feuded in many different regions in the early 80's. When they brought their feud to the WWF in 1982, Mulligan would go onto wrestle in Florida as a face. He often teamed with West Texas stars Dusty Rhodes, Dick Murdoch, and his son Barry Windham.

In 1986, Mulligan wrestled under a mask as "Big Machine" part of a team with "The Giant Machine" (André the Giant) and "Super Machine" (Bill Eadie). (The Machines)

Mulligan and his Blackjacks partner, Jack Lanza were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame on April 1, 2006 by their manager, Bobby Heenan.

Championships and accomplishments

*Championship Wrestling from Florida:*NWA Florida Brass Knuckles Championship (1 time):*NWA Florida United States Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Dusty Rhodes

*European Wrestling Union:*EWU World Super Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

*International Pro Wrestling:*IWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Larry Hennig

*International Wrestling Federation:*IWF Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

*Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling:*NWA United States Heavyweight Championship "(Mid-Atlantic version)" (2 times):*NWA World Tag Team Championship "(Mid-Atlantic version)" (1 time) - with Ric Flair

*NWA Big Time Wrestling:*NWA American Heavyweight Championship (1 time):*NWA American Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Jack Lanza:*NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship (1 time):*NWA Texas Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Jack Lanza

*NWA Western States Sports:*NWA International Heavyweight Championship "(Amarillo version)" (2 times):*NWA Western States Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Dick Murdoch

*World Wrestling Association:*WWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time):*WWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Jack Lanza [cite web |url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/in/wwa/in-wwa-t.html |title=W.W.A. World Tag Team Title (Indianapolis) |accessdate= |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year=2003 |month= |format= |work= |publisher=Puroresu Dojo |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]

*World Wide Wrestling Federation | World Wrestling Entertainment:*WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2006):*WWWF World Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Jack Lanza

*Pro Wrestling Illustrated:PWI Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year (1978) [citeweb|url=http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/pwi/pwiinsp.htm|accessdate=2008-07-27|title=Pro Wrestling Illustrated Award Winners Inspirational Wrestler of the Year |publisher=Wrestling Information Archive] :*PWI ranked him #159 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003.

References

External links

* [http://blackjackmulligan.net/ Blackjack's Bar-b-que]