Jerry Blackwell
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Jerry Blackwell (April 26, 1949 - January 22, 1995) was a professional wrestler, better known by his stage name "Crusher" Jerry Blackwell.
[edit] Career
Nicknamed the "Mountain from Stone Mountain", "Crusher" Jerry Blackwell was one of wrestlings top big men in the 1980s. Despite his considerable bulk, Blackwell was quite nimble and a gifted worker, able to throw a standing dropkick and take incredible bumps in the ring.
His career really took off after the departure of Hulk Hogan from the AWA in late 1983. Verne Gagne tapped Blackwell to be Hogan's replacement as the top good guy or babyface. Prior to that, Blackwell was an integral part of Sheik Adnan Al-Kaissey's army, feuding with both Verne, his son Greg, and Greg's tag-team partner "Jumpin'" Jimmy Brunzell (the team called the "High Flyers"). Blackwell and Ken Patera defeated the High Flyers to win the AWA Tag-Team Championship, but were later de-throned by the legendary team of The Crusher and Baron Von Rashke. Blackwell became a face immediately after winning a battle-royal, when he was attacked by Al-Kaissey and Bruiser Brody (billed as "King Kong Brody" in the AWA out of respect for Dick the Bruiser). Blackwell began teaming with Greg Gagne in a feud against Al-Kaissey and King Kong Brody, and later teamed with Sgt. Slaughter in a feud against the Road Warriors.
Blackwell would go on to receive numerous title shots at Stan Hansen and Curt Hennig throughout 1986 and 1987. But due to poor health, he stopped wrestling full-time, making only sporadic appearances thereafter. Blackwell made his last appearance in the AWA during a television taping in Rochester, Minnesota in October 1989. Wrestling in a singles match against Tom Stone and in a 6-man tag team match with Bobby Fulton and Jackie Fulton against Johnny Valiant, Mike Enos, and Wayne Bloom. The AWA took the opportunity to push an angle between Blackwell and Adnan's new protege Kokina Maximus, but the match never took place.
Jerry Blackwell died on January 22, 1995 due to complications from pneumonia.
[edit] Championships and accomplishments
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- CWA Super Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- National Wrestling Alliance
- Regional
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- NWA Missouri Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
- NWA Southeastern Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with The Invader (1) and Dick Slater (1)
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- PWI ranked him # 116 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003.
- PWI ranked him # 75 of the 100 best tag teams during the "PWI Years" – with Ken Patera
