Dr. Jerry Graham
Encyclopedia
Jerry Martin Matthews better known by his ring name
Dr. Jerry Graham, was an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his time spent in the World Wide Wrestling Federation and as the founder of the Graham wrestling family.
Jerry Martin Matthews was adopted by his stepfather Harold Graham and his name was legally changed. Dr. Graham began wrestling at the age of 14 in his hometown of Phoenix
. He was the founder of the storyline Graham wrestling family, which held numerous titles. The family included "Crazy" Luke Graham (James Grady Johnson)
, "Superstar" Billy Graham (Wayne Coleman), Eddie Graham (Edward Gossett)
, and Mike Graham (Mike Gossett). Jerry sold out Madison Square Garden
many times in the 1950s and late 1960s with Eddie Graham, when they were known as the Golden Grahams. After his tag team success, Dr. Graham brought "Crazy" Luke Graham and "Superstar" Billy Graham into the Graham family.
Graham feuded with Buddy Rogers in 1956 which set attendance records at that time. On November 19, 1957, one of the most infamous matches in wrestling history occurred when Graham and Dick the Bruiser wrestled Argentina Rocca and Edouard Carpentier
at Madison Square Garden
. During the match a major riot exploded and many fans were arrested, with eight police officers being injured from chairs that were thrown by fans. All of the wrestlers during the match were fined unknown amounts of money, and Dick the Bruiser was banned for life from wrestling in New York
. When Dr. Graham wrestled Bruno Sammartino
for his WWWF (World Wide Wrestling Federation) title, Madison Square Garden was so packed that more than 10,000 fans were turned away. Jerry held the WWWF United States Tag Team Championship
6 times, including several reigns with Eddie Graham and one with Johnny Valentine
.
Ring name
A ring name is a stage name used by a professional wrestler, martial artist, or boxer. While some ring names may have a fictitious first name and surname, others may simply be a nickname, such as The Undertaker.-Wrestling:...
Dr. Jerry Graham, was an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his time spent in the World Wide Wrestling Federation and as the founder of the Graham wrestling family.
Jerry Martin Matthews was adopted by his stepfather Harold Graham and his name was legally changed. Dr. Graham began wrestling at the age of 14 in his hometown of Phoenix
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
. He was the founder of the storyline Graham wrestling family, which held numerous titles. The family included "Crazy" Luke Graham (James Grady Johnson)
Grady Johnson
James Grady Johnson better known as professional wrestler Crazy Luke Graham, was a member of the Graham family, a storyline family of wrestlers.-Career:...
, "Superstar" Billy Graham (Wayne Coleman), Eddie Graham (Edward Gossett)
Eddie Graham
Edward Gossett was a professional wrestler. He was also the promoter and booker for Championship Wrestling from Florida and President of the NWA in the 1970s. His son, Mike Graham, was also a professional wrestler.-Career:Edward F...
, and Mike Graham (Mike Gossett). Jerry sold out Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
many times in the 1950s and late 1960s with Eddie Graham, when they were known as the Golden Grahams. After his tag team success, Dr. Graham brought "Crazy" Luke Graham and "Superstar" Billy Graham into the Graham family.
Graham feuded with Buddy Rogers in 1956 which set attendance records at that time. On November 19, 1957, one of the most infamous matches in wrestling history occurred when Graham and Dick the Bruiser wrestled Argentina Rocca and Edouard Carpentier
Édouard Carpentier
Édouard Ignacz Weiczorkiewicz was a Québécois professional wrestler better known by his ring name Édouard Carpentier. In a career that spanned from the 1950s into the 1970s, he garnered several world championships.-Early life:...
at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
. During the match a major riot exploded and many fans were arrested, with eight police officers being injured from chairs that were thrown by fans. All of the wrestlers during the match were fined unknown amounts of money, and Dick the Bruiser was banned for life from wrestling in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. When Dr. Graham wrestled Bruno Sammartino
Bruno Sammartino
Bruno Leopoldo Francesco Sammartino is an Italian-American former professional wrestler, best known for being the longest-running champion of the World Wide Wrestling Federation , holding the title across two reigns for over 11 years in total, as well as the longest single WWE Championship reign...
for his WWWF (World Wide Wrestling Federation) title, Madison Square Garden was so packed that more than 10,000 fans were turned away. Jerry held the WWWF United States Tag Team Championship
WWWF United States Tag Team Championship
The WWWF United States Tag Team Championship was a major tag team title in the World Wide Wrestling Federation from 1963 until 1967. Originally, the WWF was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance operating out of the Northeast and was called the Capitol Wrestling Corporation...
6 times, including several reigns with Eddie Graham and one with Johnny Valentine
Johnny Valentine
Johnny Valentine was a professional wrestler with a career spanning almost three decades. He has been inducted into four halls of fame for his achievements in wrestling...
.
Personal life
It is well documented that Dr. Graham had many run-ins with the law and had alcohol problems. When his mother died, he grabbed a shotgun from the back of his car and took his mother's corpse out of Phoenix General Hospital. After the incident he spent time in the Arizona State Mental Hospital Chapel. In "Superstar" Billy Graham's book Tangled Ropes he speaks about the real life hatred that Dr. Graham had for Freddie Blassie. In 2005 Dr. Graham was inducted into the GeorgiaWrestlingHistory.com Hall Of Fame.In wrestling
- Finishing moves
-
- Diving knee drop
- Swinging neckbreaker
Championships and accomplishments
- Capitol Wrestling Corporation (World Wide Wrestling Federation)World Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
- NWA United States Tag Team Championship (Northeast version)WWWF United States Tag Team ChampionshipThe WWWF United States Tag Team Championship was a major tag team title in the World Wide Wrestling Federation from 1963 until 1967. Originally, the WWF was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance operating out of the Northeast and was called the Capitol Wrestling Corporation...
(4 times) - with Eddie GrahamEddie GrahamEdward Gossett was a professional wrestler. He was also the promoter and booker for Championship Wrestling from Florida and President of the NWA in the 1970s. His son, Mike Graham, was also a professional wrestler.-Career:Edward F... - WWWF United States Tag Team ChampionshipWWWF United States Tag Team ChampionshipThe WWWF United States Tag Team Championship was a major tag team title in the World Wide Wrestling Federation from 1963 until 1967. Originally, the WWF was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance operating out of the Northeast and was called the Capitol Wrestling Corporation...
(1 time) - with Luke GrahamLuke GrahamLuke Graham is a footballer who plays for Forest Green Rovers as a defender.-Club career:Born in Kettering, Northamptonshire, Graham started his career with Northampton Town in their youth system. He was on loan at Billericay Town from November 2003 to February 2004, making nine appearances and...
- Gulf Coast Championship WrestlingContinental Championship WrestlingContinental Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion based out of Knoxville, Tennessee from 1974 until 1988 and Dothan, Alabama from 1978 to 1990, managed by Ron Fuller. When Fuller sold the promotion to David Woods, it changed name to the Continental Wrestling Federation...
- NWA Gulf Coast Heavyweight ChampionshipNWA Southeastern Heavyweight Championship (Southern Division)The NWA Southeastern Heavyweight Championship was originally the primary singles championship for Gulf Coast Championship Wrestling and was originally named the NWA Gulf Coast Heavyweight Championship...
(1 time)
- Maple Leaf WrestlingMaple Leaf WrestlingMaple Leaf Wrestling was the unofficial name in the 1970s and 1980s of the professional wrestling promotion run by Frank Tunney in Toronto.-Queensbury Athletic Club:...
- NWA International Tag Team Championship (Toronto version)NWA International Tag Team Championship (Toronto version)The Toronto version of the NWA International Tag Team Championship was the top tag team professional wrestling championship in the Canadian promotion Maple Leaf Wrestling from 1961 through 1977...
(1 time) - with Bulldog BrowerBulldog BrowerRichard Gland was an American professional wrestler who used the ring name Bulldog Brower.-Professional wrestling career:...
- Mid-South SportsGeorgia Championship WrestlingGeorgia Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion whose self-titled TV program aired in the 1970s and 1980s on Atlanta, U.S., superstation WTBS. Though based in Atlanta, the company also ran live wrestling shows throughout its geographic "territory" of Georgia Georgia...
- NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship (Georgia version)NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship (Georgia version)The Georgia version of the National Wrestling Alliance Southern Heavyweight Championship was a secondary singles championship used in Georgia Championship Wrestling off-and-on from 1948 to 1972....
(2 times) - NWA World Tag Team Championship (Georgia version)NWA World Tag Team Championship (Georgia version)The Georgia version of the NWA World Tag Team Championship existed from 1954 until 1969.-Title history:-See also:*National Wrestling Alliance*NWA World Tag Team Championship*Georgia Championship Wrestling...
(1 time) - with Don McIntyreDon McIntyreDon McIntyre was an Australian rules footballer who played with Carlton in the VFL.McIntyre played as a defender, usually in the back pocket. He won a Best and Fairest in 1937 and was premiership player with Carlton in 1938....
- NWA All-Star Wrestling
- NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship (Vancouver version)NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship (Vancouver version)The Vancouver version of the NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship was established in 1962 as the top tag team title in NWA All-Star Wrestling. The title held that status until late summer 1985, when the title was renamed the UWA Tag Team Championship upon All-Star Wrestling's departure as a member of...
(1 time) - with Abdullah the ButcherAbdullah the ButcherLawrence Robert "Larry" Shreve best known as Abdullah the Butcher, and also at times The Madman from the Sudan, is a semi-retired Canadian professional wrestler known as one of the most brutal or "hardcore" professional wrestlers of all-time... - NWA World Tag Team Championship (Vancouver version)NWA World Tag Team Championship (Vancouver version)The Vancouver, British Columbia version of the NWA World Tag Team Championship existed from 1966 to 1967, and was the top tag team title in Vancouver-based NWA All Star Wrestling during that period.-History:-External links:* *...
(1 time) - with Abdullah the ButcherAbdullah the ButcherLawrence Robert "Larry" Shreve best known as Abdullah the Butcher, and also at times The Madman from the Sudan, is a semi-retired Canadian professional wrestler known as one of the most brutal or "hardcore" professional wrestlers of all-time...
- Stampede WrestlingStampede WrestlingStampede Wrestling is a Canadian professional wrestling promotion based in Calgary, Alberta and was for nearly 50 years one of the main promotions in western Canada and the Canadian Prairies...
- NWA International Tag Team Championship (Calgary version) (1 time) - with Jim WrightJim WrightJames Claude Wright, Jr. , usually known as Jim Wright, is a former Democratic U.S. Congressman from Texas who served 34 years in the U.S. House of Representatives and was the Speaker of the House from 1987 to 1989.-Early life:...
- World Wrestling AssociationWorld Wrestling Association (Indianapolis)The World Wrestling Association was an Indianapolis-based pro wrestling promotion which was operated by Dick "The Bruiser" Afflis and his business partner Wilbur Snyder. The WWA was affiliated with the larger American Wrestling Association and recognized its champions, though the WWA also had its...
- WWA World Tag Team ChampionshipWWA World Tag Team ChampionshipThe WWA World Tag Team Championship was the primary tag team title in the Indianapolis-based World Wrestling Association from the promotion's formation in 1964 until the late 1980s when the promotion closed.-Title history:...
(2 times) - with Don Kent (wrestler)Don Kent (wrestler)Leo Joseph "Joe" Smith Jr. was an American professional wrestler who wrestled as Don Kent and also as The Black Dragon, Doug Kent, Joe Smith and Super Medico III during his 20 years in professional wrestling.Don Kent is one half of The Fabulous Kangaroos alongside partners Al Costello, Bruno...
External links
- http://www.obsessedwithwrestling.com/profiles/j/jerry-graham.php
- http://www.bodyslamming.com/deceased/jerrygraham.html
- http://www.obsessedwithwrestling.com/profiles/g/graham-family.php
- http://www.mikemooneyham.com/pages/viewfull.cfm?ObjectID=059DFFB9-A900-459E-A0CEDCD98F4267F1
- http://www.ugo.com/sports/tag-team-greats/?cur=graham&morepics=17
- http://www.azwrestlinglegends.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=33&Itemid=59
- http://www.hospital-data.com/hospitals/PHOENIX-GENERAL-HOSPITAL-PHOENIX.html (PHOENIX GENERAL HOSPITAL - PHOENIX, AZ)
- http://www.modernphoenix.net/churches/azstatemental.htm (Arizona State Mental Hospital Chapel)
- http://books.google.com/books?id=Y6Yb4ojtx6EC&dq=tangled+ropes&printsec=frontcover&source=bl&ots=lCFHRjPYws&sig=-kO0E8fNdDDdZEnmmeHWiumKSGA&hl=en&ei=kSeISfCoEcyatwfB9K2gBw&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=4&ct=result (Tangled Ropes by Billy Graham)
- http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/j/jerry-graham.html
- http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=12102152
- http://wiki.attitude.pl/index.php?title=Jerry_Graham&printable=yes&printable=yes
- http://www.angelfire.com/wrestling3/thenandnow/interviews/TheTimeTraveler.html
- http://www.georgiawrestlinghistory.com/halloffame/home.html