Kenny Benkowski
Encyclopedia
Kenny Benkowski, better known as "Sodbuster" Kenny Jay or The Very Capable Kenny Jay (born March 27, 1937 in Holdingford, Minnesota
) is a retired professional wrestler who competed primarily in the American Wrestling Association
. Jay primarily performed as a jobber
.
When he wasn't performing in the wrestling ring, Kenny ran a landscaping business in the Twin Cities (which is how he got the name "Sodbuster").
Kenny was often paired with fellow AWA jobber Jake "The Milkman" Milliman
in tag team matches.
Even in his later years, Kenny Jay was known to work stiff (use more force than needed to achieve the effect) rather than show light in a match.
Later Wrestled in North Premier Wrestling with J.B. Trask, Jerry Lynn, Dan Jester and his enemy the Texas Badman.
Jay occasionally wrestled for some small local promotions in the 1990s and early 2000s.
. Kenny was a natural athlete in high school, lettering in both football
and shotput. When he graduated from high school in 1955, he moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin
where he found employment as a factory worker.
His first match was at the Southside Armory for John Hinds. Before long he was working larger venues at the Marigold Arena in Chicago
. His wrestling career took a hiatus when he joined the U.S. Army for a two year stint.
.
Whenever a new name would come in, they would give them to Kenny to make them look good. He used his mat-based scientific wrestling style
with the likes of Mad Dog Vachon, The Crusher
, Verne Gagne
, and Bruiser.
To help pay the bills, Kenny started his own landscape business, which is where he got the "Sodbuster" nickname. He never left the midwest area, as he was rooted in the area with his landscape business, wife, and three children. He continued working for the AWA for nearly thirty years until they went out of business in 1991.
In 1972 Kenny made his one overseas trip to Japan, where he worked 18 matches, including 5 cage matches, and won most of them.
In 1976 he took on Muhammad Ali
in a boxer vs wrestler match which he considers one of the high points of his career.
In 2005 the Cauliflower Alley Club
board of directors unanimously chose Kenny Jay to be honored.
Favorite Moves: Scientific Holds
Holdingford, Minnesota
Holdingford is a city in Stearns County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 708 at the 2010 census. It claims to be "The Gateway to Lake Wobegon", the fictional central Minnesota town created by Garrison Keillor.Holdingford is part of the St...
) is a retired professional wrestler who competed primarily in the American Wrestling Association
American Wrestling Association
The American Wrestling Association was an American professional wrestling promotion based in Minneapolis, Minnesota that ran from 1960 to 1991. It was owned and founded by Verne Gagne and Wally Karbo...
. Jay primarily performed as a jobber
Job (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling slang, the term job describes a losing performance in a wrestling match. It is derived from the euphemism "doing one's job", which was employed to protect kayfabe. As professional wrestling is scripted, inevitably a wrestler will be required to lose to an opponent.The term...
.
When he wasn't performing in the wrestling ring, Kenny ran a landscaping business in the Twin Cities (which is how he got the name "Sodbuster").
Kenny was often paired with fellow AWA jobber Jake "The Milkman" Milliman
Jake Milliman
Jake Milliman is a semi-retired American professional wrestler who competed in North American regional promotions during the 1980s including stints in the National Wrestling Alliance, the World Wrestling Federation and, most notably, as a longtime mainstay of the American Wrestling...
in tag team matches.
Even in his later years, Kenny Jay was known to work stiff (use more force than needed to achieve the effect) rather than show light in a match.
Later Wrestled in North Premier Wrestling with J.B. Trask, Jerry Lynn, Dan Jester and his enemy the Texas Badman.
Jay occasionally wrestled for some small local promotions in the 1990s and early 2000s.
Early life
Kenny Jay was born on March 27, 1937 in Holdingford, MinnesotaHoldingford, Minnesota
Holdingford is a city in Stearns County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 708 at the 2010 census. It claims to be "The Gateway to Lake Wobegon", the fictional central Minnesota town created by Garrison Keillor.Holdingford is part of the St...
. Kenny was a natural athlete in high school, lettering in both football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
and shotput. When he graduated from high school in 1955, he moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
where he found employment as a factory worker.
His first match was at the Southside Armory for John Hinds. Before long he was working larger venues at the Marigold Arena in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. His wrestling career took a hiatus when he joined the U.S. Army for a two year stint.
AWA years
After his military tour, he found employment with the AWA, wrestling every Saturday's TV taping and then house shows during the week for promoter Wally KarboWally Karbo
Walter J. Karbo was an American wrestling promoter, and co-founder of the American Wrestling Association with Verne Gagne...
.
Whenever a new name would come in, they would give them to Kenny to make them look good. He used his mat-based scientific wrestling style
Catch wrestling
Catch wrestling is a style of folk wrestling that was developed and popularised in the late 19th century by the wrestlers of traveling carnivals who incorporated submission holds, or "hooks", into their wrestling to increase their effectiveness against their opponents...
with the likes of Mad Dog Vachon, The Crusher
Reginald Lisowski
Reginald Lisowski was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, The Crusher ....
, Verne Gagne
Verne Gagne
Laverne Clarence "Verne" Gagne , is a retired American professional wrestler, football player, and professional wrestling trainer and promoter. He was the former owner/promoter of the American Wrestling Association , based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, which was the predominant promotion throughout...
, and Bruiser.
To help pay the bills, Kenny started his own landscape business, which is where he got the "Sodbuster" nickname. He never left the midwest area, as he was rooted in the area with his landscape business, wife, and three children. He continued working for the AWA for nearly thirty years until they went out of business in 1991.
In 1972 Kenny made his one overseas trip to Japan, where he worked 18 matches, including 5 cage matches, and won most of them.
In 1976 he took on Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali is an American former professional boxer, philanthropist and social activist...
in a boxer vs wrestler match which he considers one of the high points of his career.
In 2005 the Cauliflower Alley Club
Cauliflower Alley Club
The Cauliflower Alley Club is a non-profit fraternal organization, which includes a newsletter and website, comprising both retired and active professional wrestlers and boxers in North America....
board of directors unanimously chose Kenny Jay to be honored.
Championships and accomplishments
- Cauliflower Alley ClubCauliflower Alley ClubThe Cauliflower Alley Club is a non-profit fraternal organization, which includes a newsletter and website, comprising both retired and active professional wrestlers and boxers in North America....
- Other honoree (2005)
Favorite Moves: Scientific Holds