Kerry Von Erich
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| Kerry Adkisson | |
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| Statistics | |
| Ring name(s) | The Modern Day Warrior Texas Tornado Kerry Von Erich Cosmic Cowboy#2 |
| Billed height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) |
| Billed weight | 254 lb (115 kg) |
| Born | February 3, 1960 Niagara Falls, New York |
| Died | February 18, 1993 Irving, Texas |
| Trained by | Fritz Von Erich |
| Debut | 1979 |
Kerry Gene Adkisson (February 3, 1960 – February 18, 1993) was an American professional wrestler under the ring names Kerry Von Erich and The Texas Tornado (World Wrestling Federation or WWF) and part of the famous Von Erich family.
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[edit] Career
Kerry was the son of legendary wrestler Fritz Von Erich. His brothers, David, Kevin, Mike, and Chris were also wrestlers.
Kerry excelled as a discus thrower in high school. He also played football at Lake Dallas High School. Kerry always had an impressive strongman physique, although his heavy use of steroids contributed. Some of his moves were the "Discus Punch" (renamed the "Tornado Punch" in the WWF) and the famous Von Erich family "Iron Claw."
Most of his fame was made in Texas' World Class Championship Wrestling, where he was nicknamed "The Modern Day Warrior" (his entrance music was Rush's "Tom Sawyer"). Kerry's biggest career highlight was on May 6, 1984, when he beat "Nature Boy" Ric Flair in front of a capacity crowd at Texas Stadium to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship.
Kerry's victory was a tribute to his brother David, who had died three months earlier, and whom the event (the David Von Erich Memorial Parade Of Champions) was named in honor of. He lost the belt 18 days later in Yokosuka, Japan back to Flair in a bout that was marred by controversy: Von Erich's feet were on the bottom rope following a reversed rollup, but the referee ignored this and made the count. Despite an appeal from many fans to overturn the decision, the NWA Championship Committee said the official's call would stand. In retrospect, Kerry had the third-shortest NWA World title reign in history.
On June 4th, 1986, Kerry was in a horrendous motorcycle accident that nearly ended his life. With a dislocated hip and a badly injured right leg, Kerry was in bad shape. Doctors tried hard, but could not save his foot, eventually amputating it. According to brother Kevin, Kerry injured the foot following surgery by attempting to walk on it prematurely, crushing the bones beyond repair and thus forcing the doctors to amputate it. He was able to continue wrestling after the accident with a fused ankle.
Kerry was able to keep his amputation secret for a while. However, during a match on an AWA card in Las Vegas against Colonel DeBeers, Kerry's secret was exposed. During the bout, DeBeers ended up on the outside, but he grabbed Kerry's foot, and tried to pull him out of the ring. However, he ended up pulling off Kerry's boot with the prosthetic foot attached.
He, along with his brothers, had a famous feud with another tag team called the Fabulous Freebirds (Michael P.S. Hayes, Terry "Bam-Bam" Gordy and Buddy "Jack" Roberts). Their six-man matches were some of the most exciting matches in WCCW history. Kerry was also engaged in lengthy feuds with "Gentleman" Chris Adams between late-1984 and early-1986, Brian Adias in 1986 and 1987 and Iceman Parsons in 1988. Kerry also had a long-standing feud with Gino Hernandez on and off during the 1980s.
Near the end of his career he ended up in the World Wrestling Federation as the "Texas Tornado" Kerry Von Erich, where he briefly held the WWF Intercontinental Championship after substituting for a hospitalized Brutus Beefcake at SummerSlam 1990. Kerry left the WWF in 1992 and returned to Dallas to compete in the Global Wrestling Federation, where he began teaming with former arch-rival Chris Adams.
[edit] Drug Problems & Death
Kerry's history of drug problems covered most of the 1980s. He was arrested at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport in 1983 after U.S. Customs agents, during a routine inspection, caught him with 18 unmarked tablets in his right front pocket. Inside the crotch of his pants was a plastic bag containing an assortment of nearly 300 other pills (including codeine, diazepam, Librium, and possibly Percodan), ten grams of marijuana, and 6.5 grams of "blue and white powder". Eighteen months later the charges were dropped by the Tarrant County district attorney.
Drugs were also a factor in his motorcycle crash in 1986 that cost him his right foot as it is believed he was under the influence at the time of the crash.
In February 1992, Kerry was arrested for forging a prescription. In October, he was sentenced to a $6000 fine and 10 years of probation.
On February 17, 1993, Kerry was arrested at an apartment complex in Irving, Texas, for possession of cocaine. Fearing a prison sentence for violating his probation, Kerry shot himself in the chest the next day and died. He used a .44 caliber pistol, which he had given to his father for Christmas the year before.
[edit] Finishing and signature moves
- Von Erich Clawhold (Clawhold)
- Tornado Punch (Discus Punch)
[edit] Championships and accomplishments
- Regional
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- NWA Missouri Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- NWA World Tag Team Championship (Texas Version) (3 times) - with Al Madril (1) and Terry Orndorff (2)
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- PWI ranked him # 24 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003.
- PWI ranked him # 23 of the best tag teams of the "PWI Years" in any combination of his brothers, David and Kevin.
- PWI Most Popular Wrestler of the Year award in 1984.
- PWI Match of the Year award vs. Ric Flair in 1984.
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- WCCW American Heavyweight Championship (5 times)
- WCCW American Tag Team Championship (6 times) - with Bruiser Brody (3), Kevin Von Erich (2), and Al Madril (1)
- WCCW Heavyweight Championship (4 times)
- WCCW Six-Man Tag Team Championship (8 times) with - David & Kevin Von Erich (2), Kevin & Mike Von Erich (3), Kevin Von Erich & Brian Adias (1), Lance & Kevin Von Erich (1), and Kevin Von Erich & Michael Hayes (1)
- WCCW Tag Team Championship (4 times) - with Kevin Von Erich (3) and Jeff Jarrett (1)
- WCCW Texas Heavyweight Championship (3 times)
- WCCW Texas Tag Team Championship (3 times) - with Bruiser Brody (1), Skip Young (1), and Tiger Conway, Jr. (1)
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- Feud of the Year in 1983 - with Kevin Von Erich and Mike Von Erich vs The Fabulous Freebirds.
- Feud of the Year in 1984 - with Kevin Von Erich and Mike Von Erich vs The Fabulous Freebirds.
- Match of the Year in 1984 - with Kevin Von Erich and Mike Von Erich vs The Fabulous Freebirds.
[edit] External links
Categories: 1960 births | 1993 deaths | American people | American professional wrestlers | People from Niagara Falls, New York | People from the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex area | World Champion professional wrestlers | Sportspeople who committed suicide | Suicides by firearm in the United States | Von Erich wrestling family | World Class Championship Wrestling alumni | World Wrestling Entertainment alumni | NWA Missouri Heavyweight Champion professional wrestlers
