Melvin Nelson
Encyclopedia
Melvin Nelson is a retired American professional wrestler
. He competed in the United States under the ring name
s Jimmy Jones and Burrhead Jones. As an African American
wrestler, he was not permitted to wrestle against caucasians
in some territories, thus he also worked as a referee
.
. His father left before he was born, and his mother moved away to find work when Nelson was two years old. He grew up with his grandparents and five siblings. He worked in the family's cotton fields for several years before moving to New York City
at age 17. He found employment at a vegetable packing plant and later worked as an elevator operator at a store.
upon being hired to compete in the World Wide Wrestling Federation
. He competed in occasional matches for the WWWF from 1968 to 1971. His WWWF stint included a match against Ivan Koloff, who went on to win the WWWF Championship
two months later.
Nelson also competed in several other promotions, as many wrestling organizations in the United States were racially segregated
, and there were not enough African American
s in any single promotion to provide sufficient competition. As a result, Nelson also worked as a referee
when no African American opponent was available.
In the early 1970s, Nelson wrestled in the Continental Wrestling Association
, based in Tennessee
. He teamed with Bearcat Brown and Charlie Cook and had a series of matches against Jerry Lawler
, Jim White
, and Sam Bass. In the middle of the decade, he competed in the Tennessee-based Gulf Coast Championship Wrestling
.
Nelson's ring name was changed as a joke by promoter and wrestler Billy Hines. He told the media that Nelson would be competing as Cockleburrhead Jones, although the promotion later shortened the name to Burrhead Jones. The name, which some people believe to be a racial slur, was a reference to Nelson's afro
hairstyle. As Burrhead Jones, Nelson also competed for Montgomery, Alabama
's Tri-State Wrestling, where he originally competed as a heel
(villain). After losing a tar-and-feather match, which saw Jones end up covered in molasses
and feathers, Jimmy Golden came to the ring and asked to team with him. Golden was a face
(fan favorite), and the storyline saw Golden convert Jones. Together, the pair later held the Tri-State Wrestling Tag Team Championship. Jones also competed in, and lost, a tar-and-feather match in Hattiesburg, Mississippi
. After the match in Mississippi, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
(NAACP) protested and several wrestling shows were cancelled as a result.
Nelson continued to reside in Moncks Corner, South Carolina
, where he found work as a forklift operator after retiring from wrestling. In 2006, he moved to New York City
to be closer to his children.
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
. He competed in the United States under the ring name
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:...
s Jimmy Jones and Burrhead Jones. As an African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
wrestler, he was not permitted to wrestle against caucasians
White people
White people is a term which usually refers to human beings characterized, at least in part, by the light pigmentation of their skin...
in some territories, thus he also worked as a referee
Referee (professional wrestling)
A professional wrestling referee is the official figure that makes sure that wrestling matches move smoothly in an attempt to maintain kayfabe. The referee also has the ultimate power in the ring...
.
Early life
Nelson was born and raised in Moncks Corner, South CarolinaMoncks Corner, South Carolina
Moncks Corner is a town in and the county seat of Berkeley County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 5,952 at the 2000 census....
. His father left before he was born, and his mother moved away to find work when Nelson was two years old. He grew up with his grandparents and five siblings. He worked in the family's cotton fields for several years before moving to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
at age 17. He found employment at a vegetable packing plant and later worked as an elevator operator at a store.
Career
Nelson began training with professional wrestlers at a gym near the store where he worked. After gaining muscle and learning how to wrestle, he was given the ring name Jimmy Jones by Vincent J. McMahonVincent J. McMahon
Vincent James "Vince" McMahon, better known as Vince McMahon, Sr. was an American professional wrestling promoter. He is best known for founding the American promotion, World Wide Wrestling Federation, which is now known as WWE.-Early life:Vincent James McMahon was born on July 6, 1914 in Harlem,...
upon being hired to compete in the World Wide Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment
World 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...
. He competed in occasional matches for the WWWF from 1968 to 1971. His WWWF stint included a match against Ivan Koloff, who went on to win the WWWF Championship
WWE Championship
The WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963...
two months later.
Nelson also competed in several other promotions, as many wrestling organizations in the United States were racially segregated
Racial segregation
Racial segregation is the separation of humans into racial groups in daily life. It may apply to activities such as eating in a restaurant, drinking from a water fountain, using a public toilet, attending school, going to the movies, or in the rental or purchase of a home...
, and there were not enough African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
s in any single promotion to provide sufficient competition. As a result, Nelson also worked as a referee
Referee (professional wrestling)
A professional wrestling referee is the official figure that makes sure that wrestling matches move smoothly in an attempt to maintain kayfabe. The referee also has the ultimate power in the ring...
when no African American opponent was available.
In the early 1970s, Nelson wrestled in the Continental Wrestling Association
Continental Wrestling Association
The Continental Wrestling Association was a wrestling promotion managed by Jerry Jarrett. The CWA was the name of the "governing body" for the Championship Wrestling, Inc. promotion which was usually referred to as Mid-Southern Wrestling...
, based in Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. He teamed with Bearcat Brown and Charlie Cook and had a series of matches against Jerry Lawler
Jerry Lawler
Jerry O'Neil Lawler is an American professional wrestler, wrestling commentator, musician, businessman, commercial artist and film actor, known throughout the wrestling world as Jerry "The King" Lawler. He is currently signed to WWE, working on its Raw brand as the color commentator and occasional...
, Jim White
Jim White (wrestler)
James "Jim" White was an American professional wrestler during the 1960s and 1970s in the southern United States. He was the frequent tag team partner of Jerry Lawler.-Professional wrestling career:...
, and Sam Bass. In the middle of the decade, he competed in the Tennessee-based Gulf Coast Championship Wrestling
Continental Championship Wrestling
Continental 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...
.
Nelson's ring name was changed as a joke by promoter and wrestler Billy Hines. He told the media that Nelson would be competing as Cockleburrhead Jones, although the promotion later shortened the name to Burrhead Jones. The name, which some people believe to be a racial slur, was a reference to Nelson's afro
Afro
Afro, sometimes shortened to fro and also known as a "natural", is a hairstyle worn naturally by people with lengthy kinky hair texture or specifically styled in such a fashion by individuals with naturally curly or straight hair...
hairstyle. As Burrhead Jones, Nelson also competed for Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery is the capital of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is the county seat of Montgomery County. It is located on the Alabama River southeast of the center of the state, in the Gulf Coastal Plain. As of the 2010 census, Montgomery had a population of 205,764 making it the second-largest city...
's Tri-State Wrestling, where he originally competed as a heel
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
(villain). After losing a tar-and-feather match, which saw Jones end up covered in molasses
Molasses
Molasses is a viscous by-product of the processing of sugar cane, grapes or sugar beets into sugar. The word molasses comes from the Portuguese word melaço, which ultimately comes from mel, the Latin word for "honey". The quality of molasses depends on the maturity of the sugar cane or sugar beet,...
and feathers, Jimmy Golden came to the ring and asked to team with him. Golden was a face
Face (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a babyface or face or in simple words, a fan favorite is a character who is portrayed as a heroic relative to the heel wrestlers, who are analogous to villains...
(fan favorite), and the storyline saw Golden convert Jones. Together, the pair later held the Tri-State Wrestling Tag Team Championship. Jones also competed in, and lost, a tar-and-feather match in Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Hattiesburg is a city in Forrest County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 44,779 at the 2000 census . It is the county seat of Forrest County...
. After the match in Mississippi, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, usually abbreviated as NAACP, is an African-American civil rights organization in the United States, formed in 1909. Its mission is "to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to...
(NAACP) protested and several wrestling shows were cancelled as a result.
Retirement
Nelson also worked in advertising for a local Montgomery, Alabama furniture store. His famous line from those ads was:" We can whips those credick monsters!" It created quite a local buzz.Nelson continued to reside in Moncks Corner, South Carolina
Moncks Corner, South Carolina
Moncks Corner is a town in and the county seat of Berkeley County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 5,952 at the 2000 census....
, where he found work as a forklift operator after retiring from wrestling. In 2006, he moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to be closer to his children.
Championships and accomplishments
- NWA Mid-AmericaNational Wrestling AllianceThe National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
- NWA Southern Junior Heavyweight ChampionshipNWA Southern Junior Heavyweight ChampionshipThe NWA Southern Junior Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling title for lighter wrestlers, board-controlled by the National Wrestling Alliance since December 1999....
(1 time)
- NWA Southern Junior Heavyweight Championship
- Tri-State Wrestling
- Tri-State Wrestling Tag Team Championship (1 time)