Billy Darnell
Encyclopedia
Billy Darnell was an American
professional wrestler and major star of the 1940s and 1950s, with his career spanning over twenty years with championships in the National Wrestling Alliance
and World Wide Wrestling Federation.
. At age sixteen, while working as a lifeguard in Wildwood, New Jersey
, he was playfighting with co-workers and a wrestling promoter spotted him and asked him to help with his roster as many current ones were seeing action in World War II
.
. Post-war
Darnell returned to wrestling in Texas
, once more with Rogers, who had previously wrestled under his real name Herman Rohde. At the time he was becoming "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers, and Darnell was booked as his brother Billy Rogers. This was largely in part to promoter and Rogers' booker Jack Pfefer
, though Darnell himself has stated he wasn't sure if the idea for the brother gimmick was Rogers' or Pfefer's.
Darnell and Rogers next went to California
, with wrestling reaching new popularity thanks to television
exposure. For the showmanship of it Rogers donned sequin
ed capes, whereas Darnell first donned the leopard
-skin outfit, for which he would become famous. Their careers would become forever intertwined when they began facing each other with Rogers as the heel
champion and Darnell becoming a heavy fan favorite. Promoters nationwide wanted the Rogers-Darnell match, with more than 200 matches occurring between them. Despite their history Rogers still crushed discs in Darnell's neck with a botched
piledriver, though he himself accidentally knocked out some of Rogers' teeth. Les Thatcher
has even stated that Darnell's matches with Rogers inspired him to enter the wrestling business.
Darnell was also known for a well recognized team with Bill Melby, winning the Chicago
version of the NWA World Tag Team Championship
with him in 1953. In 1954, he worked with Sam Muchnick
in St. Louis and also booked for an Indiana promotion.
He used his World War II G.I. Bill to attend aviation
school and become a pilot
, flying himself to his matches. He also ran a nightclub
until 1985. Though Darnell retired in 1961, he would wrestle sparsely into the next year, then went to a chiropractic
school in Glendale, California
, finishing in Indiana. He would begin practicing in his home of New Jersey and moved to Florida
for a period, getting back in touch with Rogers, before returning to New Jersey. Darnell regularly attended Cauliflower Alley Club
reunions and received the Senator Hugh Farley Award from the Amsterdam, New York-based Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame
. Darnell died on September 7, 2007 at his home in Maple Shade, New Jersey.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional wrestler and major star of the 1940s and 1950s, with his career spanning over twenty years with championships 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...
and World Wide Wrestling Federation.
Early life
Darnell was born in Camden, New JerseyCamden, New Jersey
The city of Camden is the county seat of Camden County, New Jersey. It is located across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 77,344...
. At age sixteen, while working as a lifeguard in Wildwood, New Jersey
Wildwood, New Jersey
Wildwood is a city in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area and is a popular summer resort destination. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's year-round population was 5,325...
, he was playfighting with co-workers and a wrestling promoter spotted him and asked him to help with his roster as many current ones were seeing action in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Career
His first match with later rival Buddy Rogers was in February 1944, tagging with him in Philadelphia and Baltimore-Washington. Darnell would himself leave wrestling for WWII service in December 1944, joining the United States ArmyUnited States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. Post-war
Post-war
A post-war period or postwar period is the interval immediately following the ending of a war and enduring as long as war does not resume. A post-war period can become an interwar period or interbellum when a war between the same parties resumes at a later date...
Darnell returned to wrestling in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, once more with Rogers, who had previously wrestled under his real name Herman Rohde. At the time he was becoming "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers, and Darnell was booked as his brother Billy Rogers. This was largely in part to promoter and Rogers' booker Jack Pfefer
Jack Pfefer
Jack Pfefer was an professional wrestling promoter during the early-to-mid 1900's. He pioneered an earlier form of sports entertainment, as he was one of the first promoters to visualize the pro wrestling business in the mold of theater...
, though Darnell himself has stated he wasn't sure if the idea for the brother gimmick was Rogers' or Pfefer's.
Darnell and Rogers next went to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, with wrestling reaching new popularity thanks to television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
exposure. For the showmanship of it Rogers donned sequin
Sequin
Sequins are disk-shaped beads used for decorative purposes. They are available in a wide variety of colors and geometrical shapes. Sequins are commonly used on clothing, jewelry, bags, shoes and lots of other accessories. Large sequins, fastened only at the top, have been used on billboards and...
ed capes, whereas Darnell first donned the leopard
Leopard
The leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its...
-skin outfit, for which he would become famous. Their careers would become forever intertwined when they began facing each other with Rogers as the 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...
champion and Darnell becoming a heavy fan favorite. Promoters nationwide wanted the Rogers-Darnell match, with more than 200 matches occurring between them. Despite their history Rogers still crushed discs in Darnell's neck with a botched
Botch (professional wrestling)
To botch in professional wrestling means to attempt a scripted move that does not come out as it was originally planned due to a mistake, miscalculation, or a slip-up. Most botches are harmless but embarrassing, such as a wrestler simply flubbing a line or missing a cue, or falling before his...
piledriver, though he himself accidentally knocked out some of Rogers' teeth. Les Thatcher
Les Thatcher
Leslie Alan Malady better known by the name Les Thatcher is a former professional wrestler who achievied many accolades over his career...
has even stated that Darnell's matches with Rogers inspired him to enter the wrestling business.
Darnell was also known for a well recognized team with Bill Melby, winning the 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...
version of the NWA World Tag Team Championship
NWA World Tag Team Championship
The National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Championship is the professional wrestling world tag team championship within the NWA framework.-History:...
with him in 1953. In 1954, he worked with Sam Muchnick
Sam Muchnick
Sam Muchnick was an American professional wrestling promoter from St. Louis, Missouri. He is often deemed as wrestling’s equivalent of Pete Rozelle , and he was instrumental in establishing the National Wrestling Alliance, which became the industry’s top governing body, in 1948...
in St. Louis and also booked for an Indiana promotion.
He used his World War II G.I. Bill to attend aviation
Aviation
Aviation is the design, development, production, operation, and use of aircraft, especially heavier-than-air aircraft. Aviation is derived from avis, the Latin word for bird.-History:...
school and become a pilot
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
, flying himself to his matches. He also ran a nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
until 1985. Though Darnell retired in 1961, he would wrestle sparsely into the next year, then went to a chiropractic
Chiropractic
Chiropractic is a health care profession concerned with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disorders of the neuromusculoskeletal system and the effects of these disorders on general health. It is generally categorized as complementary and alternative medicine...
school in Glendale, California
Glendale, California
Glendale is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the city population is 191,719, down from 194,973 at the 2000 census. making it the third largest city in Los Angeles County and the 22nd largest city in the state of California...
, finishing in Indiana. He would begin practicing in his home of New Jersey and moved to Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
for a period, getting back in touch with Rogers, before returning to New Jersey. Darnell regularly attended 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....
reunions and received the Senator Hugh Farley Award from the Amsterdam, New York-based Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame
Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame
The Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum is an American professional wrestling hall of fame and museum located in Amsterdam, New York. It was previously located in Schenectady, New York...
. Darnell died on September 7, 2007 at his home in Maple Shade, New Jersey.
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 (2004)
- National Wrestling AllianceNational 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...
- Regional
- NWA World Tag Team Championship (Chicago & Indianapolis version) (2 times) - with Bill Melby
- NWA World Tag Team Championship (Los Angeles version) (1 time) - with Sandor Szabo
- Midwest Wrestling Association
- Ohio Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
- Ohio Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Rocco Columbo
- World Wrestling Association (Los Angeles)
- WWA International Television Tag Team ChampionshipWWA International Television Tag Team ChampionshipThe WWA International Television Tag Team Championship was the tag team title in the Los Angeles-based World Wrestling Association from the promotion's formation in 1954 until 1964 when it was unified with the WWA World Tag Team Championship. -Title history:...
(1 time) - with Sandor Szabo
- Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum
- 2007 Senator Hugh Farley Award recipient
- Other Titles
- World Heavyweight Championship (Jack Pfeffer version)
External links
- Profile at SLAM! Sports
- Profile at Online World Of Wrestling