wrestling / Columns
The 411 Wrestling Top 5 06.15.11: Week 130 – Wrestling Fathers
Hello everyone and welcome to 411 Wrestling’s Top 5 List. What we are going to is take a topic each week and all the writers here on 411 wrestling will have the ability to give us their Top 5 on said topic, plus up to three honorable mentions. Most of our topics will be based on recent events in the Wrestling World, looking at those events that make us think of times past.
So, on to this week’s topic…
So what did our group of writers select? Let’s find out…
Scott Rutherford
Just want to clarify that I’m going to focus on fathers that had successful offspring more than what they were like as actual parents. While I’m not going to include him, Grizzly Smith had three successful wrestling sons or daughters but is an accused rapist. Only Jake Roberts was any good so I didn’t include him, but if he had three highly successful kids, I would have. Right?
HM: Afa & Sika – Who cares which kids are who, they have been responsible for a crap load of entertaining wrestlers.
HM: Jerry Jarrett – Renowned good guy in a shit business. His son Jeff has been fighting the good fight for 10 years to keep wrestling afloat outside of the WWE
5. Gory Guerrero – Also see my number one pick. Gory was an institution in Mexico and most of his children ended up in the business in some capacity. He was responsible for Lucha taking hold as the main style in Mexico and a large hand for wrestling’s enduring popularity to this day. His sons proudly carried on his legacy and in Eddy, we had someone that was probably the wrestler of his generation. While Stu Hart ruled the North and McMahon rules the middle ground, Gory turned the south on its head.
4. Vince McMahon Sr – His son has made the most money of anyone in pro wrestling. He himself was one of the most respected and successful promoters of his time. Both changed the business in their own was (Senior by pulling away from the NWA and Junior buy killing the NWA territories altogether). They only sit so low on my list because one never wrestled and the other has had all of 30 matches meaning others deserve higher accolade.
3. Fritz Von Erich – Had four sons that all achieved some good level of fame in the business with equal measures of tragedy. David was slated to be NWA Champion at one point but his death lead to Kerry getting the chance. Ironically this played against Kerry who probably would have been champ at some point anyway, but ended up with a tainted reign. Kevin and Mike were solid hands who achieved great fame in Japan and Texas. Who knows what would have become of the four if the stayed sane and healthy. Even though their story is tinged with sadness, the great fame they achieved would probably have not been possible without the guidance of the legendary Texan Fritz.
2. Dory Funk – Gave birth to Dory Jr and Terry. Two NWA Worlds Champions, at a time when hardly ANYONE was crowned as such. While every expected Dory Jr to take the mantle some day, Terry became champ as a complete surprise to most. Dory Sr raised two tough, uncompromising, talented wrestlers that respected the business. Even past their primes they continue to give back and pass on their knowledge.
1. Stu Hart – Like most of my other choices, it’s not hard to understand why I selected them. With Stu, it wasn’t so much the success all of his wrestling sons had, it was the fact that all of his boys contributed to the survival of the territory that was Stampede. It truly was a family run business as they all had their place in the scheme of things. Stu himself was a legendary tough man with a soft spot for anyone doing it tough and stories of his generosity are probably under appreciated. Many wrestlers and their families owe the fact they were able to work and put food on the table of their families to him. It would be fair to say many wrestlers though of Stu as a father figure. A rare, kind and trustworthy man in a slimy business.
Aaron Frame
HM: Vince Sr. – Paved the way for Vince Jr.
HM: “Cowboy” Bob Orton – Such a good dad he even refuses to mention his son was a failure before wrestling.
HM: Dusty Rhodes – The man is responsible for two great names in wrestling.
5. Roddy Piper – Met him and his son at WrestleReunion back in January. I could tell right away that those two were a well-bonded father and son. And Piper talked about his kid. A lot. It’s obvious the man loves his kid.
4. Chris Jericho – The guy obviously loves his kid and he even went so far as to say that everything he does is because of his offspring. If it means leaving something he loves, he’ll do it.
3. Mick Foley – After reading his books I realize that this man loves his kids more than wrestling. And the things he does for his kids makes me all warm and fuzzy on the inside.
2. Stu Hart – According to what was said in the Heart and Soul documentary Stu really cared about his kids and wanted them to have everything to make them happy. Good dad.
1. Vince McMahon – Vince has done a lot for his kids. And a lot to ensure the success for his kids. He’s going to hand over the company to probably Steph and her big nosed eogmaniac of a husband. A man who would willingly give the company to his kid knowing she’s married to that guy is a man who cares about his daughter. Or…then again maybe he doesn’t since he let her marry him.
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Thomas Hall
HM: Al Wilson – Anyone involved in us seeing Torrie Wilson and Dawn Marie kissing is a good man.
HM: Bob Orton Jr. – We hear him referenced so often that it wouldn’t really be right to not include him.
HM: Rocky Johnson. He fathered the Rock. That sums him up as well as I can say.
5. Gory Guerrero – He founded the Guerrero wrestling family which had more awesome children than you can ask for. Hector might have been better than Eddie and Chavo is no slouch at all. Hard to leave him off here as he has probably the most famous Hispanic wrestling family ever.
4. Afa – The Samoans are an institution in wrestling and this guy started it all. In short, think of a Samoan wrestler. Odds are Afa is related to them or trained them. He’s related to Rock, Rikishi, Umaga, Yokozuna, Manu, Samu, the Usos, Tama, Sika and Rosey among others. Hard to argue against him.
3. Stu Hart – The man fathered not only the Hart Family but think of the amount of people he had a hand in training: Edge, Christian, Chris Jericho, Chris Benoit, Davey Boy Smith, Dynamite Kid, Ken Shamrock and I could go on. This is all on top of the Hart Family, who had some pretty good wrestlers in their own right. You could argue that Stu is the greatest trainer ever and I wouldn’t really disagree that much.
2. Dusty Rhodes – Stu should probably be ahead of Dusty but I feel sorry for him so he gets the second spot. I still believe that Dusty’s children are the biggest rib in wrestling history. You have Dusty as the son of a plumber and the common man, and then you have his kids: a guy that is obsessed with movies, makes out with men, wears bondage gear and dressed up like an adult baby including a diaper. His other son was a metrosexual that taught us how to trim our nose hair. Do I need to go on with this one?
1. Vince McMahon – This is kind of a stretch but isn’t McMahon the father of modern wrestling in general? Not to mention he came up with how many of the most famous characters and feuds ever? He also had Shane who put on some incredibly good matches for a guy that wrestles like 3 times a year. There’s also Stephanie and anyone that created something that looks like her is a good person.
Robert S. Leighty Jr
HM: Larry “The Axe” Hennig – The father of Mr. Perfect deserves at least an honorable mention.
HM: “Cowboy” Bob Orton – Orton was a fixture when WWF went mainstream, and his son is one of the brightest stars of the last 10 years in the WWE.
HM: Grizzly Smith – Sure he wasn’t a great father according to Jake in his WWE DVD, but man still gave us one of the greatest (and most troubled) minds this business has ever seen. Plus he is the father of Sam Houston and Rockin Robin.
5. Rocky Johnson – He was part of the 1st Black Tag Team in WWF History and fathered the most electrifying man in the history of the business: The Rock. I was tempted to tie the entire Samoan Family in this list, but figuring who beget who in that family leaves me scratching my head, so just go with the safe choice in Johnson.
4. Dusty Rhodes – Dusty Rhodes was a huge star in the NWA in the 80s, and gave us the mother of all gimmick matches to blow off a feud in War Games. He also produce 2 sons that have or are currently leaving their mark on the business. Dustin Rhodes stepped out of his dad’s footsteps with one of the most controversial and successful characters in Goldust, and now Cody Rhodes is finally making waves on SmackDown.
3. Gory Guerrero – The Guerrero family is practically royalty in Mexico, and that’s thanks to the hard work of Gory and his 4 sons. The most famous of which is the late Eddie Guerrero who went on to break the mold of what a WWE Champion should look like and be.
2. Stu Hart – Stu is the patriarch of a wrestling dynasty. Stu was a very busy man with his wife and that produced sons and daughters that have deep roots in the wrestling business. The 2 bright stars being WWE Hall of Famer and 5 Time WWE Champion, Bret Hart, and the late, great, Owen Hart.
1. Vince McMahon Jr – This was the first father of thought of, and really was a no brainer to me as #1 father. He is the most powerful man in the history of the business and is the son of a wrestling promoter himself. Vince’s children both have had found their way on camera and inside a ring, and to their credit they have gone all out just as their father has.
Wes Kirk
HM: Mark Henry – He and Mae Young deserve a Hand!
HM: Jerry Lawler – Yes, he IS Jerry’s Kid!
HM: Paul Bearer – Remember, he slept with the Undertaker’s momma!
5. Cowboy Bob Orton, Jr – The Cowboy seems to be most famous these days for being the father of Randy Orton, but Cowboy Bob was also a trendsetter in his day as well. He brought the superplex to America and served as the loyal bodyguard of “Rowdy” Roddy Piper as well. Recent years saw the Cowboy appear to help his son out against the Undertaker in 2005 as well as being inducted into the Hall of Fame.
4. Rocky Johnson – Finally, the father of the most ELECTRIFYING MAN in sports entertainment has come to THE TOP 5! If it wasn’t for Johnson, we’d never have had the legendary Rock himself, although in his day Rocky Johnson was a solid wrestler and a great tag team competitor. Rocky never made it big the way his son did, but no doubt he has a smile on his face whenever “IF YOU SMELL…” can be heard over the arena speakers, whether he is there or watching on TV.
3. Ted Dibiase – The “Million Dollar Man” was a rich and successful businessman in the ring, and out of it a hard-working wrestler looking to put food on the table for his wife and children. Ted’s own father died in the ring, and Ted luckily avoided the curse of repeating history when he was forced to retire due to a neck injury. With three sons already in the wrestling business and two appearing in the WWE, the Dibiase legacy looks to continue a rich and illustrious history well into the 21st century.
2. Dusty Rhodes – One of the greats in the 1980’s was the NWA’s own Dusty Rhodes, a multi-time world heavyweight champion and top promo man for years. As Dusty’s in-ring career began winding down, his oldest son Dustin would come join him for an occasional match as well as start his own singles career, and breakout as Goldust in 1995 in the WWF. Dusty would then see his youngest son Cody compete for the same organization in 2006. Since then, both have proven themselves to be good in their own right, and maintained their genetics as far as stellar mic work goes.
1. Vince McMahon – Can you really expect anybody else to top this list? Vince McMahon himself is a third-generation wrestling promoter, following in the footsteps of Vince Sr. and his grandfather Jess McMahon. When everybody said it was impossible Vince stepped forward and conquered the territories, nationalizing wrestling under the WWF banner and fathering Stephanie and Shane McMahon who were not only promoters of the product but competed, as did Vince himself. Vince had the Midas Touch when it came to wrestling and the opposite outside of it, but perhaps his children will be able to inherit that special gift passed down three generations thus far.
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5. CHOICE: Explanation
4. CHOICE: Explanation
3. CHOICE: Explanation
2. CHOICE: Explanation
1. CHOICE: Explanation
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