Art Crews

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Art Crews
Statistics
Ring name(s)	Art Crews
Billed height	6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Billed weight	240 lbs.
Born	January 3, 1959 Topeka, Kansas
Resides	Topeka, Kansas
Billed from	Topeka, Kansas
Trained by	Pat O'Connor and Ronnie Etchison
Debut	1980s
Retired	Late 80's. early 90's.

Art Crews (born January 3, 1959 in Topeka, Kansas) was a professional wrestler, working mainly in Midwest and Southern promotions.

Crews was widely respected as a good "underneath wrestler" throughout his career, but also captured the NWA Central States Tag Team Championship, and the NWA Central States Television title (two times).

[edit] Career

Art Crews wrestled in the 1980s and he spent a lot of time in the Central States area of The National Wrestling Alliance. He won the Central States TV title in a tournament in Wichita, Kansas by defeating Scott Ferris in the first round, Marty Jannetty in the second round and "Crazy" Luke Graham in the finals.

Art wrestled for approximately 8 years. He wrestled in the Pacific Northwest, St. Louis, Kansas City, and other Midwest cities, and finally, in Louisiana. He also wrestled in Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma and Mississippi. He also wrestled overseas in Africa and Japan on several tours. He was named "Rookie of the Year" in 1981 for the Northwest Tour.

He decided to retire in 1987 to pursue a career in law enforcement and corrections. He attended Trade School in Portland, Oregon, to learn to be a Corrections Officer. He launched his "new" career after being hired by the Oregon State Corrections Department to teach defense techniques and compliance holds to other Corrections Officers. He also furthered his education by obtaining a degree in Criminal Justice Management from La Salle University in Pennsylvania.

He worked for a short time in Louisiana at a private correctional facility where he acquired much needed experience in the private corrections sector. He has been in corrections for some 13-plus years where he has served as an instructor, officer, and finally, an administrator and executive manager. He is presently the Chief of Security at the Yakima Department of Corrections in Yakima, Washington, where he supervises 184 employees.

[edit] Finishers

• Reverse Neck Breaker
• Power Slam

[edit] Miscellanea

In Shawn Michaels's autobiography Heartbreak & Triumph, Michaels explains that Art Crews was the very first person he wrestled in his career, making him the very first person to defeat Michaels.

Also, while not specifically stated in the book, Michaels hints that Art Crews was the very first person that he defeated in his career.