Birth name | Bill Terry |
---|---|
Born | April 10, 1942 Hamilton, Ontario, Canada |
Died | March 13, 1999 Hamilton, Ontario |
Professional wrestling career | |
Ring name(s) | Big Bill Terry Kurt Von Hess |
Billed height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
Billed weight | 270 lb (120 kg) |
Debut | September 1968 |
Retired | 1986 |
Bill Terry (April 10, 1942 – March 13, 1999) was a Canadian professional wrestler, known by his ring name Kurt Von Hess, who competed in North American and international promotions during the 1970s and 1980s, including International Wrestling Enterprise, Maple Leaf Wrestling and Stampede Wrestling. A regular tag team partner of Karl Von Schotz, the two were one of the most hated "heels" in the Detroit-area while competing in the National Wrestling Alliance during the early 1970s.
Making his debut in September 1968, Terry began wrestling in Ontario for promoter Frank Tunney's Maple Leaf Wrestling as "Big" Bill Terry during the late 1960s. After a brief stint in World Class Championship Wrestling in late 1968, he later won the Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship defeating Bob Lueck in 1971. After losing the title to Tor Kamata in February 1972, he returned to Ontario.
After John Anson had arrived from Calgary later that year, the two began teaming together as Kurt Von Hess and Karl Von Schotz and soon rose to the top of the tag team division defeating Jacques Rougeau and Gino Brito for the International Tag Team Championship in September 1972. Often headlining events at Maple Leaf Gardens between October 1972 and September 1973, they would also wrestle in Detroit for promoter Ed Farhat defeating Ben Justice and The Stomper for the NWA World Tag Team Championship on December 9, 1972.
Losing the tag team titles to Fred Curry & Tony Marino later that month, they would feud with Curry and Marino for the tag team titles during throughout early 1973 and won the NWA World Tag Team Championship 3 more times from them until losing the titles to Tony Marino and Bobo Brazil in early 1974. Winning the NWF World Tag Team Championship in May, the two would remain tag team champions until the promotions close later that year. While touring New Japan Pro Wrestling, he and Von Schotz won the NWA North American Tag Team Championship defeating Johnny Powers and Pat Patterson before losing the titles to Antonio Inoki and Seiji Sakaguchi in Los Angeles, California on August 16, 1974.