Buddy Rogers (wrestler)
| Buddy Rogers | |
|---|---|
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|
| Birth name | Herman Gustav Rohde Jr. |
| Born |
February 20, 1921 Camden, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Died | June 26, 1992 (aged 71) Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S. |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Buddy Rogers Dutch Rogers Herman Rohde |
| Billed height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Billed weight | 227 lb (103 kg) |
| Trained by | Joe Cox Fred Grubmeyer |
| Debut | 1939 |
| Retired | 1982 |
Herman Gustav Rohde Jr. (February 20, 1921 – June 26, 1992), better known by the ring name Buddy Rogers, was an American professional wrestler.
One of the biggest professional wrestling stars in the beginning of the television era, Rogers' performances inspired generations of professional wrestlers, such as Butch Reed during his "Natural" phase, and the "Nature Boy" Ric Flair, who used Rogers' nickname, as well as his look, attitude and finishing hold, the figure-four leglock. Rogers was a two-time world champion, holding the top championship in both the NWA and the WWWF, today known as WWE (he was the inaugural WWWF World Heavyweight Champion). Rogers is one of three men in history to have held both titles, along with Ric Flair and AJ Styles.
The son of German immigrant parents, Rogers was an outstanding athlete, taking up wrestling at age nine at the local YMCA. Upon the advice of one of his instructors, he joined the Camden YMCA Wrestling League, winning its heavyweight championship. He also excelled in football, boxing, and track, but perhaps his best sport was swimming. In 1937, he won the YMCA’s three-mile swimming championship, and throughout his life was known as a charismatic figure.
Joining the Dale Brothers Circus as a wrestler at age 17, he then went to work at a shipyard and became a police officer, but one day he went to the offices of professional wrestling promoters Ray and Frank Hanley, who gave him his first match on July 4, 1939 against one Moe Brazen, which Rogers won.
Rogers soon became a top professional wrestler using his real name around his hometown where he gained his first major win over Ed "Strangler" Lewis. Like many professional wrestlers, Rogers was likely not the height and weight listed, as he probably stood 5'11" tall and weighed in at 195 pounds.
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