Randy Anderson
Encyclopedia
Randy "Pee Wee" Anderson (July 17, 1959 – May 5, 2002) was a professional wrestling
referee who worked for the National Wrestling Alliance
(NWA)'s Jim Crockett Promotions
and World Championship Wrestling
.
. He started out training for a professional wrestling
career with Arn under the tutelage of Ted Allen. Anderson started working as a referee upon his graduation in 1980 in Mid-South Wrestling
. He also refereed in Florida Championship Wrestling before arriving in the National Wrestling Alliance
(NWA)'s Jim Crockett Promotions
in 1985. He quickly rose up the referee ranks and was the referee for several main event matches.
In 1988, when Ted Turner
bought Crockett and renamed it World Championship Wrestling
, Anderson stayed on.
Anderson was the referee in charge of the main event six-man tag match at Bash at the Beach 1996
which saw the heel turn of Hulk Hogan
and the formation of the nWo
.
The most fame Anderson received was in 1997 when Eric Bischoff
and the nWo
bullied him around. Bischoff fired Anderson and he ended up having a match against fellow referee Nick Patrick
of the nWo and defeated him by using a foreign object to get his job back.
WCW would retcon this story after an absence by Randy Anderson, and in 1999 when Ric Flair became the President, they ran a story line that Randy Anderson was still fired, and then became reinstated by Ric Flair, never mentioning that he had beaten Nick Patrick for his job back in 1997.
Anderson continued as a referee in WCW until he was forced to retire in 1999 due to his battle with cancer.
Anderson was diagnosed with testicular cancer at the age of 36. He was diagnosed after recognizing his symptoms while reading a medical magazine. Because of a malignant
tumor, he had to have his left testicle removed. He died on May 5, 2002 at the age of 42. He was survived by his wife Kristy, daughter Montana, and son Chase.
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...
referee who worked for the National Wrestling Alliance
National Wrestling Alliance
The 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)'s Jim Crockett Promotions
Jim Crockett Promotions
Jim Crockett Promotions was a professional wrestling promotion owned by Jim Crockett, Jr. until the late 1980s. It was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance and was the forerunner to World Championship Wrestling .-Early history:...
and World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
.
Professional wrestling career
Anderson was a childhood friend of Arn AndersonArn Anderson
Martin Anthony Lunde better known by his ring name Arn Anderson, is a former American professional wrestler and author. His career has been highlighted by his alliances with Ric Flair and various members of the wrestling stable, The Four Horsemen, in the NWA/WCW...
. He started out training for a professional wrestling
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...
career with Arn under the tutelage of Ted Allen. Anderson started working as a referee upon his graduation in 1980 in Mid-South Wrestling
Universal Wrestling Federation (United States)
The Universal Wrestling Federation was owner Bill Watts' attempt at taking his Mid-South Wrestling promotion to a national level in 1986. The attempt failed and in 1987, Watts sold the promotion to Jim Crockett Promotions and became part of what would later be known as World Championship Wrestling...
. He also refereed in Florida Championship Wrestling before arriving in the National Wrestling Alliance
National Wrestling Alliance
The 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)'s Jim Crockett Promotions
Jim Crockett Promotions
Jim Crockett Promotions was a professional wrestling promotion owned by Jim Crockett, Jr. until the late 1980s. It was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance and was the forerunner to World Championship Wrestling .-Early history:...
in 1985. He quickly rose up the referee ranks and was the referee for several main event matches.
In 1988, when Ted Turner
Ted Turner
Robert Edward "Ted" Turner III is an American media mogul and philanthropist. As a businessman, he is known as founder of the cable news network CNN, the first dedicated 24-hour cable news channel. In addition, he founded WTBS, which pioneered the superstation concept in cable television...
bought Crockett and renamed it World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
, Anderson stayed on.
Anderson was the referee in charge of the main event six-man tag match at Bash at the Beach 1996
Bash at the Beach (1996)
Bash at the Beach was the third annual Bash at the Beach professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Championship Wrestling . It took place on July 7, 1996 from the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, Florida...
which saw the heel turn of Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan
Terrance Gene "Terry" Bollea , better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, and musician currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
and the formation of the nWo
NWO
NWO may refer to:*Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, the Dutch Organisation for Scientific Research, a scientific research organisation in the Netherlands*New World Order...
.
The most fame Anderson received was in 1997 when Eric Bischoff
Eric Bischoff
Eric Aaron Bischoff is an American entrepreneur, and professional wrestling booker and on-screen personality currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
and the nWo
New World Order (professional wrestling)
The New World Order was a professional wrestling stable that originally wrestled for World Championship Wrestling . The group later appeared in the World Wrestling Federation after the purchase of WCW by the WWF...
bullied him around. Bischoff fired Anderson and he ended up having a match against fellow referee Nick Patrick
Nick Hamilton
Joseph Nicholas "Nick" Patrick Hamilton Jr. , better known by his ring name Nick Patrick, is a professional wrestling referee. He is a former referee for World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment...
of the nWo and defeated him by using a foreign object to get his job back.
WCW would retcon this story after an absence by Randy Anderson, and in 1999 when Ric Flair became the President, they ran a story line that Randy Anderson was still fired, and then became reinstated by Ric Flair, never mentioning that he had beaten Nick Patrick for his job back in 1997.
Anderson continued as a referee in WCW until he was forced to retire in 1999 due to his battle with cancer.
Personal life
Anderson was an amateur wrestler in high school, winning a state championship in the 119-lb class.Anderson was diagnosed with testicular cancer at the age of 36. He was diagnosed after recognizing his symptoms while reading a medical magazine. Because of a malignant
Malignant
Malignancy is the tendency of a medical condition, especially tumors, to become progressively worse and to potentially result in death. Malignancy in cancers is characterized by anaplasia, invasiveness, and metastasis...
tumor, he had to have his left testicle removed. He died on May 5, 2002 at the age of 42. He was survived by his wife Kristy, daughter Montana, and son Chase.