Bob Starr (wrestler)
Encyclopedia
Robert A. "Bob" Starr is a semi-retired American
professional wrestler
, trainer
and manager
who has competed in numerous independent promotions
throughout the United States
since his debut in 1988. He is especially well known in the Mid-Atlantic region where he has competed for the Bad Crew
's Eastern Wrestling Federation, Eastern Championship Wrestling
, Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation
, National Wrestling League
, and the Virginia Wrestling Alliance. Starr also wrestled as a preliminary wrestler in both World Championship Wrestling
and the World Wrestling Federation throughout the 1990s.
One of the most dominant wrestlers in the MEWF's history, Starr was among the original wrestlers who helped create the promotion, serving as its booker in later years, and was widely considered "the face" of the company; he is a two-time MEWF Heavyweight Champion
, a record six-time MEWF Mid-Atlantic Champion
, and three-time MEWF Tag Team Champion
as one-half of the Hollywood Hunks with Lucifer
and Joe Thunder
. He is also the last official AWA World Television Champion and, as of 2010, was still defending the title on the "indy circuit" despite the close of AWA Superstars (Mike Schwabbs version) eight years before.
Starr, himself trained by Ricky Lawless
and the Monster Factory, has worked as an instructor at both the Bone Busters and Brain Busters training facilities in Baltimore
, and Gillberg's Pro Wrestling Academy in Severn, Maryland
. He is credited for training, among others, Lucifer, Fantasia
and Ruckus. In recent years, he has been associated with Maryland Championship Wrestling
as a referee
and manager. In 2010, MCW's second annual "Legends of Maryland" supercard, he was inducted into the MCW Hall of Fame.
where he would spend most of his childhood. Baltimore was a major wrestling town at this time with monthly visits from the "Big 3", the American Wrestling Association
, the National Wrestling Alliance
and the World Wrestling Federation. It was during the mid-1980s, searching for cartoon
s to watch while snowed in
at his home, that Starr came across a televised wrestling match of Paul Orndorff
and Roddy Piper
"[beating] the hell out of each other". He soon became an avid wrestling fan and, while attending Dundalk High School
, began training to be a pro wrestler after meeting "Bad Boy" Ricky Lawless
. He would be part of the same class which produced Axl Rotten
and Joey Maggs.
When Lawless was murdered after four months into his training, Starr continued on at the Baltimore Monster Factory before making his professional debut in 1988. His first match took place on September 18 of that year against Tim Tyson at the Langley Air Force Base fieldhouse in Hampton, Virginia
. He spent the next several years wrestling in a number of regional and independent promotions including All Star Wrestling, the Atlantic States Wrestling Alliance, Mario Savoldi's International Championship Wrestling
, Universal Independent Wrestling, and the Virginia Wrestling Alliance. He wrestled one of his first major opponents, Axl Rotten, at the ASWA's "Wrestling Fury" supercard in 1990.
& Agony
) and the Legion of Doom
(Hawk
& Animal
) at a television taping in Utica, New York
. Starr had been brought into the promotion by Tony Garea, on the advice of fellow Maryland wrestler Duane Gill
(Pain), and would continue to appear on WWF television and house shows up and down the East Coast
and Northeastern United States
during his first run in the promotion.
At the time he was working part-time at a used car dealership
when Gill convinced him to quit his job to tour with the WWF. A year later, Starr took part in a 40-man battle royal
including WWF Intercontinental Champion Bret Hart
, Davey Boy Smith
, Virgil
, Kato, Owen Hart
, Koko B. Ware, Tito Santana
, Kerry von Erich
, Tatanka
, Sgt. Slaughter
, Rick Martel
, Berzerker, Skinner
, Duane Gill
, Jim Brunzell, Barry Horowitz
, Jim Powers
, Barry Hardy
, Bob Knight, the Beverly Brothers
, the Nasty Boys, and WWF World Tag Team Champions Money Inc.
(Ted DiBiase
& IRS); Starr was eliminated by one of the Beverly Brothers. It was held at the Civic Centre
in Ottawa, Ontario and later aired on July 6 edition of WWF Prime Time Wrestling
.
In July 1991, Starr also made his debut in World Championship Wrestling
against Nikita Koloff
in Salisbury, Maryland
. With the exception of occasional appearances in the WWF (his last tour was in 1994), he would continue wrestling for the company making over 250 television appearances and countless house shows for the next 6 years.
It was during this period that Starr worked as an independent agent, like many who worked as preliminary wrestlers, allowing him to continue wrestling anywhere he wished, such as his later commitments to the Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation
, as long as he was able to make his television appearances. In time, he would become a familiar face on WWF and WCW television programming, in addition to television shows run by independent promotions.
, one of the earliest independent promotions in Maryland, along with co-founders Dennis Wippercht and Tim Burke. He wrestled Morgus the Maniac
on its first card held in Pasadena, Maryland
on August 2, 1991 He would remain one of the promotion's top stars for much of its 12-year history, considered the "face" of the company by the late-1990s, and later became involved in helping Burke run the promotion behind-the-scenes as a booker and in other roles.
On March 6, 1993, Starr defeated C.C. Danger in Gaithersburg, Maryland
to become the first MEWF Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Champion. He held the title for eight months before losing it to Mike Khoury
in Essex
on November 14, 1993; the title changed hands during an 8-man tag team elimination match pitting Bob Starr, Tommy Lee Manson, Max Thrasher, and Duane Gill
against Mike Khoury, Joe Thunder
, Tommy Dreamer
, and Max Moon. As a result of a pre-match stipulation, Khoury, as the sole survivor, was awarded the MEWF Mid-Atlantic title.
On May 21, 1993, Starr teamed with Joey Maggs in a losing effort against the Cole Twins
(Kent and Keith Cole
) at the Philadelphia Civic Center. Though both Starr and Maggs were both familiar stars in the region, WCW drew its lowest-ever crowd in the "hardcore mecca" of Philadelphia with only 600 fans in attendance. Nearly a year later he returned to Philadelphia to make a one-time appearance in Eastern Championship Wrestling
, due in part to Axl Rotten
, teaming with "The Extreme Shah" Hack Meyers
in his ECW debut against The Bruise Brothers (Don and Ron Bruise
) at the ECW Arena.
That same year, he also formed a successful tag team with Lucifer
called The Hollywood Hunks. The team toured the Mid-Atlantic circuit capturing the ECWA Tag Team Championship
in August 1993 which they held until dropping the belts to Ace Darling & Kid Flash two years later. In late-September 1994, he made a brief return to the WWF teaming with Chris Canyon
to take on Shawn Michaels
& Diesel
on the September 26th edition of Monday Night Raw
. He followed this up with back-to-back appearances for WWF house shows in Upstate New York
later aired on television. Starr wrestled in a tag team match with Barry Horowitz
against The Headshrinkers
(Fatu & Samu
) at the Mid-Hudson Civic Center
on September 27 and, in a singles match, against Adam Bomb
at the Westchester County Center
the following night. This was his last year touring for the company.
In November, he and Lucifer defeated The Goodfellows (Romeo Valentino & Dino Casanova
) for the MEWF Tag Team Championship
. Their MEWF tag title reign, however, lasted only a brief time as they were defeated by Road Warrior Hawk
and Ultimate Comet in Catonsville
days later. He also wrestled bouts against Mike Khoury
and Doink the Clown
during this time facing Doink and Dink
in a mixed tag team match at the end of the year.
. His initial attempts to be hired by the company, however, were ignored. He was later advised to contact Jody Hamilton
at the Power Plant
for bookings with the company. According to Starr, he left Hamilton a message every day "for at least two weeks" until he finally received a reply and eventually allowed to wrestle for the promotion. One of his first matches for WCW was against Big Van Vader immediately following his losing the WCW World Heavyweight Championship
to Ron Simmons
in Baltimore. Vader, allegedly upset that he had lost the title, wrestled stiff in his match against Starr battering him so hard that he thought his "eardrums would burst".
In November 1992, Starr was recuperating from his ear injury at home when he received a call from then booker Dusty Rhodes
. He had hung up the phone several times because he could not understand who was calling before realizing it was Rhodes contacting him for work in Atlanta. Starr took his girlfriend's car, driving without a license, and drove from Maryland to Atlanta where he wrestled Johnny B. Badd
and Van Hammer on WCW Saturday Night
and WCW Main Event
respectively. It was on the former show, WCW Saturday Night, that he would become a mainstay during his 6-year run with the company. In the next three years alone, he would wrestle Ice Train
, The Shockmaster
, Marcus Bagwell
, "Jungle" Jim Steele
, Thunder and Lightning
, The Guardian Angel
, Randy Savage
, Alex Wright
, The Renegade
, Kamala, Johnny B. Badd, Rockin' Rebel
, Road Warrior Hawk
, and Eddie Guerrero
.
Though primarily used as a preliminary wrestler, there were several occasions in which he had a memorable role. On April 20, 1994, in his match against WCW International World Champion
Sting
at Atlanta's Center Stage Theatre, he was pinned in 36 seconds following a Stinger Splash. Afterwards, in a rare show of sportsmanship
, the champion helped Starr to his feet. Starr would also occasionally team with Ricky Santana
, most notably, in matches against Brad & Scott Armstrong and The Nasty Boys
later in the year. The following year, he and Scott D'Amore
took on Big Van Vader in a handicap match.
Starr made notable appearances on other WCW programs such as WCW Worldwide
and WCW Pro
. On February 21, 1995, in a match later aired on WCW Pro, he and Dave Young
wrestled Stars 'n' Stripes
(Marcus Alexander Bagwell
& the Patriot
) in front of 1,800 fans at the sold-out Georgia Mountains Center
in Gainesville, Georgia
. That summer, he also received title shots for the WCW World Television Championship
; on May 3, 1995, he wrestled Arn Anderson
at Disney-MGM Studios
(WCW Worldwide) and The Renegade (WCW Pro) at the Macon Coliseum
on June 26, 1995. Subsequent returns to WCW Pro between 1995 and 1997 saw Starr wrestle Jushin Liger
, Scott Norton
, and Chavo Guerrero, Jr.
. He also appeared on the short-lived WCW Prime in matches against The Renegade, One Man Gang, The Shark
, The Nasty Boys, and The Blue Bloods ("Lord" Steven Regal and "Earl" Robert Eaton
).
, "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka
, Abuddah Singh
, and Pat Patterson, Jr. on MEWF's weekly television show during 1996. He also briefly formed a tag team with Cat Burglar, teaming up to take on Darkside (Glen Osborne
and Rockin' Rebel
) in Baltimore on August 11, 1996, and feuded his old tag team partner Lucifer.
On February 1, 1997, following the death of Neil Superior, Starr wrestled John Rambo for the vacant NWL Heavyweight Championship
but failed to win the title. In March, Starr wrestled both Raven and Hollywood Nova
from Extreme Championship Wrestling
as well as teaming with Julio Sanchez against Mark Shrader
and Devon Storm
on June 1, 1997. Four months later, he lost to Joey Maggs in a match for the vacant MEWF Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship. Starr began teaming with Joe Thunder and together defeated Marvelous Inc. (Jimmy Jannetty and Ramblin Rich Myers) for the MEWF Tag Team Championship
in Baltimore on September 18, 1998, but lost the titles a few weeks later to Bad Crew
(Bad Crew #1 & Bad Crew #2).
such as Syxx
and WCW World Tag Team Champions
The Outsiders (Scott Hall
& Kevin Nash
) with partner David Moore. Prior to Hulk Hogan
's heel turn at Bash at the Beach
, Starr's nickname was changed by the promotion to "Playboy" so as to avoid confusion between the two.
In his last run with WCW, he was earning $500 a night and was one of several wrestlers who brought in "crews" of preliminary wrestlers along with David Sierra
(Tampa) and Scott D'Amore
(Ontario). D'Amore had initially been part of Starr's "crew" and later brought in his own group of wrestlers from his native Canada which included Edge and Rhyno. Though hoping for a full-time contract with World Championship Wrestling by the end of 1999, he would no longer wrestle in the company after this point. In the meantime, he had become an instructor at the Bone Busters Pro Wrestling School (and later the Brain Busters facility) in Baltimore and was involved in training Fantasia
and Ruckus.
As of 1999, he had competed in over 75 independent promotions "all the way from Wisconsin to Indiana to California and back again" and wrestling an average of 6–10 shows a month. He also wrestled for Don McNeil Promotions in Wisconsin as well as smaller organizations in North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. The most notable of these was AWA Superstars based in Minneapolis, working for different versions under Dale Gagner and Mike Schwabb, and was the last AWA World Television Champion before it closed in 2001. Starr was never paid by Schwabb and so retained ownership of the physical belt which he continued to defend at independent shows as late as 2010.
and Mark Shrader left the MEWF due to creative control and salary disputes to form their own promotion, Maryland Championship Wrestling
. Much of the roster jumped to the newly-formed MCW, and which also received the ECW and independent stars formerly featured by the MEWF, leaving mostly students and longtime stars Starr and Morgus The Maniac. Starr also helped Tim Burke with the day-to-day running of the promotion, such as bringing in Tonya Stevens as a special guest announcer (her first break in pro wrestling), and was among several who served as a booker.
With few stars remaining in the MEWF, Starr and Morgus The Maniac kept the promotion going in the aftermath of the MEWF/MCW split. A few former WWF stars were brought in which saw Starr teaming with The Honky Tonk Man
and wrestling George "The Animal" Steele. Starr won the MEWF Heavyweight Championship
twice in 1999. He first defeated Morgus the Maniac
for the title on February 7, and The Honky Tonk Man in Dundalk on November 13, 1999. His second and final reign lasted a little over four months before he was defeated by Patch on March 31, 2000. His title reign was not without some controversy, however, as it was alleged that some wrestlers felt he had used his position as booker to "[put] the MEWF Championship on himself for a period of several months, despite a locker room feeling he was out of shape and had become a caricature of himself".
Reforming the Hollywood Hunks with Lucifer, the team defeated then MEWF Tag Team Champions The Tokyo Terrors in Dundalk on September 22, 2000, and successfully defended the titles against both Freak Show and Tommy Hawk & Jimmy Jannetty in Martinsburg, West Virginia
the following night. The title reign lasted over a year and ended after losing the belts to Rayne & Buzz Stryker on October 16, 2001. On June 9, 2002, he won the MEWF Mid-Atlantic Championship for the second time after defeating Drew Pain in Baltimore. Though losing the title to Barry Horowitz
on September 22, in a three-way dance with Hack Meyers
, at Baltimore's North Point Flea Market, he regained it from Horowitz a month later. On November 24, 2002, he and Max Thrasher lost to Chad Bowman
and Dino Casanova in a match for the vacant MEWF tag team titles.
On June 8, 2003, at an MEWF event in Northpoint, Maryland, Starr lost the MEWF Mid-Atlantic title to his old rival Morgus The Maniac but was able to win it back later on in the show. A month later, he lost to MCW Television Champion Doug Delicious in a three-way title unification match, involving Marquis Jordan, at Michaels 8th Avenue in Glen Burnie on July 16. The title change occurred at an interpromotional event between the MEWF and long-time rival Maryland Championship Wrestling
, the 5th annual Shane Shamrock Memorial Cup, serving as the latter's final show and attended by an estimated 1,000 fans.
Despite the loss, Starr was able to win back the title, which had become vacant, by defeating Chad Bowman in Northpoint on September 7, 2003. He lost title title to Romeo Valentine in Dundalk on January 11, 2004, in a Triple Threat match with Buzz Stryker, ending his fifth and final title reign.
His last appearance for the company was on March 28, 2004, at a house show held at Dundalk's Northpoint Flea Market where Starr teamed with Davey Boy Schitz against Chris Clow and a mystery partner which turned out to be Earl the Pearl, a match which Starr and Schitz lost. Also scheduled to be on the card was Reckless Youth
, Danny Doring
, Romeo Valentino, Chris Chetti
, Chad Bowman, and The Bruiser.
In April, Starr sent out an e-mail to a number of people, including internet "dirt sheet" writers, declaring the promotion "dead". The letter was prompted by the sudden cancellation of the promotion's show earlier that month. MEWF founder Tim Burke denied this claiming "the MEWF was strong as ever", however, internal problems in the MEWF locker room had long been apparent since the split between MEWF and MCW as well as rumors of Burke's "personal issues" earlier in the year.
's "Lord of the Rings" tournament in Newville, Pennsylvania
. Though he seemingly pinned his opponent, Pirate of the Caribbean, after using a pair of brass knuckles
referee Rob Lick reversed the decision after discovering the foreign object and the Pirate of the Caribbean ended up winning the match to advance to the semi-finals. In early-2005, Starr was one of several wrestlers signed to Dan Selsky's short-lived Maryland Wrestling Alliance. He appeared on its debut show, “Inaugural Bash”, on March 2, 2005, where he was pinned by Dino Devine. In October 2005, he suffered a serious knee injury with kept him out of action for four or five months.
, which had reopened that same year, serving as the promotion's senior referee. After being appointed by MCW Commissioner Jim Christian, he officiated a number of important events including Jason Static defeating Norman Smiley
for the vacant MCW Rage Television Championship
in November 2006. A year later Starr appeared at MCW's "Monster Mash" supercard on November 14, 2007, as the manager of The Headliners (Jimmy Jannetty & Ramblin Rich) which saw the team defeat The Best of Both Worlds (Doyle Day & Buck Chyld). At that year's "Holiday Homecoming", The Headliners attacked Ryan McBride
& Teddy Stigma prior to their match against then MCW Tag Team Champions
The Ghetto Mafia (2-Dope and Sydeswype) and took their place in the match. They were unable to win the championship, however, and all three men attacked special guest referee (and MEWF alumnus) Earl the Pearl who Starr blamed for the loss. The Headliners were then scheduled to face McBride and Stigma, with Earl the Pearl in their corner, at the 2008 MCW Anniversary Show in Dundalk, Maryland, on February 24, 2008. The winners were also to receive a title shot at the MCW Tag Team Champions.
, Brett Michaels, Motley Crue
, and Sugarland when performing in the Baltimore area. In January 2010, Starr managed Brian Hardy, the son of Barry Hardy
, in his match against Gill
berg at ACW Destiny. He had previously managed Hardy in a match against Buddy Landell for ACW Wrestling and also worked as an instructor at Gillberg's Pro Wrestling Academy in Severn, Maryland
.
On October 27, 2010, Starr was interviewed on the internet radio
show False Count Radio in which he discussed his early career, including road stories while working for WCW and the WWF, and memories of the Monday Night Wars
between the two organizations. He specifically talked about his thoughts on Eric Bichoff, defending his management of the organization, and the general atmosphere of the WCW locker room during this period. He also commented on his experiences wrestling for the WWF, the differences being employed by the WWF versus WWE, and the emphisis on modern "divas" at the expense of traditional female wrestlers. He was particularly critical of the inadequate training independent wrestlers received by unqualified wrestling schools in operation. Starr also revealed he had kept a modest collection of wrestling memorabilia throughout his 22-year career and possessed a 5,800 video library.
On October 30, at MCW's "Legends of Maryland 2" supercard, Starr teamed with "Mad Dog" Buzz Stryker against former student Ruckus and Cat Burglar. He was also inducted into the MCW Hall of Fame along with The Goodfellows (Rip Sawyer
and Dino Casanova
). A year later, he participated in an RF Video "Legends Q&A Session" in Baltimore with Terry Funk
, Manny Fernandez
, and Axl Rotten.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional wrestler
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...
, trainer
Personal trainer
A personal trainer is a fitness professional involved in exercise prescription and instruction. They motivate clients by setting goals and providing feedback and accountability to clients. Trainers also measure their client's strengths and weaknesses with fitness assessments...
and manager
Manager (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a manager is a secondary character paired with a wrestler for a variety of reasons. The manager is often either a non-wrestler, an occasional wrestler, an older wrestler who has retired or is nearing retirement or, in some cases, a new wrestler who is breaking into the...
who has competed in numerous independent promotions
Independent circuit
In professional wrestling, the independent circuit or indy circuit refers to the many independent promotions which are much smaller than major televised promotions. They are roughly analagous to a minor league for pro wrestling, or community or regional theatre.Specific promotions on the...
throughout the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
since his debut in 1988. He is especially well known in the Mid-Atlantic region where he has competed for the Bad Crew
Bad Crew
The Bad Crew was an American professional wrestling tag team consisting of Bad Crew #1 and Bad Crew #2 , who competed in North American regional and independent promotions throughout the 1990s including Extreme Championship Wrestling, Combat Zone Wrestling and World Xtreme Wrestling...
's Eastern Wrestling Federation, Eastern Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 by Tod Gordon and closed when his successor, Paul Heyman, declared bankruptcy in April 2001...
, Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation
Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation
The Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation was a Mid-Atlantic independent professional wrestling promotion based in Essex, Maryland. Founded by promoter Dennis Wippercht and wrestler Tim "Lucifer" Burke in 1991, the MEWF was one of the leading independent promotions on the East Coast during the 1990s...
, National Wrestling League
National Wrestling League
The National Wrestling League, headquartered out of Hagerstown, Maryland, was founded by Dick Caricofe in 1988, and has held professional wrestling events throughout the US and overseas in Guam, Saipan, Pohnpei, Hawaiian Islands, Palau, and the Marshall Islands...
, and the Virginia Wrestling Alliance. Starr also wrestled as a preliminary wrestler in both 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...
and the World Wrestling Federation throughout the 1990s.
One of the most dominant wrestlers in the MEWF's history, Starr was among the original wrestlers who helped create the promotion, serving as its booker in later years, and was widely considered "the face" of the company; he is a two-time MEWF Heavyweight Champion
MEWF Heavyweight Championship
The Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation Heavyweight Championship is the highest ranking singles title in the Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation, one of three in the promotion....
, a record six-time MEWF Mid-Atlantic Champion
MEWF Mid-Atlantic Championship
The Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship was the second highest ranking singles title in the Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation, one of three in the promotion....
, and three-time MEWF Tag Team Champion
MEWF Tag Team Championship
This is a chronological list of MEWF tag team champions. The MEWF Tag Team Championship is the oldest championship title in the Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation having been established when the Lords of Darkness defeated Cream Team at the MEWF's first show in Pasadena, Maryland on August 2, 1991...
as one-half of the Hollywood Hunks with Lucifer
Tim Burke (wrestler)
Timothy James "Tim" Burke , known by his ring name Lucifer, was an American professional wrestler, trainer and promoter who competed in numerous East Coast and Mid-Atlantic independent promotions during the 1990s and early 2000s; among the promotions he appeared in included the Atlantic Wrestling...
and Joe Thunder
Joe Thunder
Joe Carter , better known by his ring name Joe Thunder, is a retired American professional wrestler and trainer who competed on the East Coast and Mid-Atlantic independent circuit during the 1990s and early 2000s, primarily working for the Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation in Essex, Maryland during...
. He is also the last official AWA World Television Champion and, as of 2010, was still defending the title on the "indy circuit" despite the close of AWA Superstars (Mike Schwabbs version) eight years before.
Starr, himself trained by Ricky Lawless
Ricky Lawless
Medardo Jim "Jimmy" Leon, Jr. was an American professional wrestler, trainer and promoter, best known by his ringname "Bad Boy" Ricky Lawless, who competed in Eastern, Mid-Atlantic and Southern regional territories during the early-to mid 1980s, being a veteran of International Championship...
and the Monster Factory, has worked as an instructor at both the Bone Busters and Brain Busters training facilities in Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
, and Gillberg's Pro Wrestling Academy in Severn, Maryland
Severn, Maryland
Severn is a census-designated place in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. The population was 35,076 at the 2000 census, which is a 30 percent increase over the 24,499 population of 1990...
. He is credited for training, among others, Lucifer, Fantasia
Fantasia (wrestler)
Karen Simpson , better known by her ring name Fantasia, is an American professional wrestler, trainer, promoter, and manager competing throughout North America in independent promotions, custom DVD companies, and the UK....
and Ruckus. In recent years, he has been associated with Maryland Championship Wrestling
Maryland Championship Wrestling
Maryland Championship Wrestling is a regional independent wrestling promotion based in Dundalk, Maryland, and has regularly run events in the Mid-Atlantic region since the late 1990s as well as participating in numerous fundraising events throughout the state.Rivaling other east coast independent...
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...
and manager. In 2010, MCW's second annual "Legends of Maryland" supercard, he was inducted into the MCW Hall of Fame.
Early career (1988–1990)
Originally from Malibu Beach, California, Starr moved with his family to BaltimoreBaltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
where he would spend most of his childhood. Baltimore was a major wrestling town at this time with monthly visits from the "Big 3", the American Wrestling Association
American Wrestling Association
The American Wrestling Association was an American professional wrestling promotion based in Minneapolis, Minnesota that ran from 1960 to 1991. It was owned and founded by Verne Gagne and Wally Karbo...
, the National Wrestling Alliance
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 the World Wrestling Federation. It was during the mid-1980s, searching for cartoon
Cartoon
A cartoon is a form of two-dimensional illustrated visual art. While the specific definition has changed over time, modern usage refers to a typically non-realistic or semi-realistic drawing or painting intended for satire, caricature, or humor, or to the artistic style of such works...
s to watch while snowed in
Snow
Snow is a form of precipitation within the Earth's atmosphere in the form of crystalline water ice, consisting of a multitude of snowflakes that fall from clouds. Since snow is composed of small ice particles, it is a granular material. It has an open and therefore soft structure, unless packed by...
at his home, that Starr came across a televised wrestling match of Paul Orndorff
Paul Orndorff
Paul Parlette Orndorff, Jr. is a retired American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling as "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff...
and Roddy Piper
Roddy Piper
Roderick George Toombs , better known by his ring name "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, is a Canadian semi-retired professional wrestler and film actor who is currently signed to WWE. In professional wrestling, he is best known for his work with WWE...
"[beating] the hell out of each other". He soon became an avid wrestling fan and, while attending Dundalk High School
Dundalk High School
Dundalk High School is a four-year public high school in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. The school was opened in 1959.-About the School:...
, began training to be a pro wrestler after meeting "Bad Boy" Ricky Lawless
Ricky Lawless
Medardo Jim "Jimmy" Leon, Jr. was an American professional wrestler, trainer and promoter, best known by his ringname "Bad Boy" Ricky Lawless, who competed in Eastern, Mid-Atlantic and Southern regional territories during the early-to mid 1980s, being a veteran of International Championship...
. He would be part of the same class which produced Axl Rotten
Axl Rotten
Brian Knighton is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name, Axl Rotten.-Early years:After watching a professional wrestling match on television, Knighton decided to become a wrestler...
and Joey Maggs.
When Lawless was murdered after four months into his training, Starr continued on at the Baltimore Monster Factory before making his professional debut in 1988. His first match took place on September 18 of that year against Tim Tyson at the Langley Air Force Base fieldhouse in Hampton, Virginia
Hampton, Virginia
Hampton is an independent city that is not part of any county in Southeast Virginia. Its population is 137,436. As one of the seven major cities that compose the Hampton Roads metropolitan area, it is on the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula. Located on the Hampton Roads Beltway, it hosts...
. He spent the next several years wrestling in a number of regional and independent promotions including All Star Wrestling, the Atlantic States Wrestling Alliance, Mario Savoldi's International Championship Wrestling
International World Class Championship Wrestling
International World Class Championship Wrestling was an independent professional wrestling promotion based in Boston, Massachusetts. It was promoted by Angelo Savoldi and his sons Mario, Tom, and Joseph Savoldi....
, Universal Independent Wrestling, and the Virginia Wrestling Alliance. He wrestled one of his first major opponents, Axl Rotten, at the ASWA's "Wrestling Fury" supercard in 1990.
Work as a preliminary wrestler (1990–1991)
In 1990, Starr joined the World Wrestling Federation making his debut with Bobby Knight in a tag team match against both The Executioners (PainDuane Gill
Duane Gill is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his stint in the World Wrestling Federation as Gillberg, a parody of then-rival promotion World Championship Wrestling's top star Goldberg. During his tenure in the WWF, Gill became a one time Light Heavyweight Champion...
& Agony
Barry Hardy
Barry Hardy is an American professional wrestler and trainer who has competed in North American independent promotions since 1987, including East Coast Wrestling, Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation, the National Wrestling Alliance, New Millennium Wrestling and Larry Sharpe's World Wrestling...
) and the Legion of Doom
Road Warriors
The Road Warriors were a professional wrestling tag team composed of Michael "Hawk" Hegstrand and Joseph "Animal" Laurinaitis. They performed under the name "Road Warriors" in the American Wrestling Association, the National Wrestling Alliance, and World Championship Wrestling, and the name Legion...
(Hawk
Road Warrior Hawk
Michael James Hegstrand was an American professional wrestler. He is best remembered as Road Warrior Hawk, one half of the tag team known as the Road Warriors or The Legion of Doom , with Road Warrior Animal.-Early life:While living in Chicago, Hegstrand met Joe Lauranaitis, who would be later...
& Animal
Road Warrior Animal
Joseph Aaron "Joe" Laurinaitis is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring names, Road Warrior Animal and Road Warrior...
) at a television taping in Utica, New York
Utica, New York
Utica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
. Starr had been brought into the promotion by Tony Garea, on the advice of fellow Maryland wrestler Duane Gill
Duane Gill
Duane Gill is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his stint in the World Wrestling Federation as Gillberg, a parody of then-rival promotion World Championship Wrestling's top star Goldberg. During his tenure in the WWF, Gill became a one time Light Heavyweight Champion...
(Pain), and would continue to appear on WWF television and house shows up and down the East Coast
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
and Northeastern United States
Northeastern United States
The Northeastern United States is a region of the United States as defined by the United States Census Bureau.-Composition:The region comprises nine states: the New England states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont; and the Mid-Atlantic states of New...
during his first run in the promotion.
At the time he was working part-time at a used car dealership
Car dealership
A car dealership or vehicle local distribution is a business that sells new or used cars at the retail level, based on a dealership contract with an automaker or its sales subsidiary. It employs automobile salespeople to do the selling...
when Gill convinced him to quit his job to tour with the WWF. A year later, Starr took part in a 40-man battle royal
Battle royal (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a battle royal is a multi-competitor match type in which wrestlers are eliminated until one is left and declared winner...
including WWF Intercontinental Champion Bret Hart
Bret Hart
Bret Hart is a Canadian on-screen personality, writer, actor and Semi-retired professional wrestler. Like others in the Hart wrestling family, Hart has an amateur wrestling background, including wrestling at Ernest Manning High School and Mount Royal College...
, Davey Boy Smith
Davey Boy Smith
Davey Boy Smith was a British professional wrestler, better known as "The British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith, who was born in Golborne in North West England, United Kingdom. Smith is known for his appearances with Stampede Wrestling, the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling...
, Virgil
Mike Jones (wrestler)
Mike Jones is an American professional wrestler, who most recently performed for World Wrestling Entertainment under the ring name Virgil, where he appeared on its Raw brand as Ted DiBiase, Jr.'s personal assistant...
, Kato, Owen Hart
Owen Hart
Owen James Hart was a Canadian professional and amateur wrestler who worked for several promotions including Stampede Wrestling, New Japan Pro Wrestling , World Championship Wrestling , and most notably, the World Wrestling Federation , where he wrestled under both his own name, and ring name The...
, Koko B. Ware, Tito Santana
Tito Santana
Merced Solis better known by his ring name Tito Santana, is an American professional wrestler whose heyday spanned from the late 1970s to the early 1990s, though he continues to appear on the independent circuit. He is best known from his time in the World Wrestling Federation...
, Kerry von Erich
Kerry Von Erich
Kerry Gene Adkisson was an American professional wrestler under the ring names Kerry Von Erich, The Modern Day Warrior, and The Texas Tornado and was part of the Von Erich family of professional wrestlers...
, Tatanka
Chris Chavis
Christopher "Chris" Chavis , is a Native American professional wrestler best known for his work with World Wrestling Entertainment as Tatanka from 1991 to 1996 and from 2005 to 2007...
, Sgt. Slaughter
Sgt. Slaughter
Robert Remus , better known by his ring name Sgt. Slaughter, is an American former WWE personality and semi-retired professional wrestler. From the late 1970s to the early 1990s, Slaughter had success in the National Wrestling Alliance, American Wrestling Association, and World Wrestling...
, Rick Martel
Rick Martel
Richard Vigneault is a retired Canadian professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation between 1980 and 1995 under the ring name Rick Martel...
, Berzerker, Skinner
Steve Keirn
Stephen "Steve" Paul Keirn is an American retired professional wrestler. He is best known for being part of the tag team The Fabulous Ones, with Stan Lane, and later for a run in the World Wrestling Federation as Skinner, a gimmick that portrayed him as a tobacco spitting alligator hunter from...
, Duane Gill
Duane Gill
Duane Gill is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his stint in the World Wrestling Federation as Gillberg, a parody of then-rival promotion World Championship Wrestling's top star Goldberg. During his tenure in the WWF, Gill became a one time Light Heavyweight Champion...
, Jim Brunzell, Barry Horowitz
Barry Horowitz
Barry Horowitz is an American professional wrestler, best known for his time in the World Wrestling Federation.-Career:Horowitz, who is Jewish, attended Florida State University, where he studied sports nutrition and wrestled...
, Jim Powers
Jim Powers
James Manley , better known by his ring name Jim Powers is a retired American professional wrestler. He most notably wrestled for the World Wrestling Federation in the mid-to-late 1980s and early 1990s...
, Barry Hardy
Barry Hardy
Barry Hardy is an American professional wrestler and trainer who has competed in North American independent promotions since 1987, including East Coast Wrestling, Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation, the National Wrestling Alliance, New Millennium Wrestling and Larry Sharpe's World Wrestling...
, Bob Knight, the Beverly Brothers
Beverly Brothers
The Beverly Brothers were a professional wrestling tag team comprising Mike Enos and Wayne Bloom in the World Wrestling Federation. They were also known as The Destruction Crew in the American Wrestling Association and the Minnesota Wrecking Crew 2 in the National Wrestling Alliance...
, the Nasty Boys, and WWF World Tag Team Champions Money Inc.
Money Inc.
Money Inc. was a heel professional wrestling tag team in the World Wrestling Federation from February 1992 to August 1993. The team consisted of "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase and Irwin R. Schyster . They held the WWF Tag Team Championship three times, defeating the Legion of Doom, The Natural...
(Ted DiBiase
Ted DiBiase
Theodore Marvin "Ted" DiBiase, Sr. is a retired professional wrestler, manager, ordained minister and color commentator. DiBiase achieved championship success in a number of wrestling promotions, holding thirty titles during his professional wrestling career...
& IRS); Starr was eliminated by one of the Beverly Brothers. It was held at the Civic Centre
Ottawa Civic Centre
The Ottawa Civic Centre, also known as the J. Benson Cartage Centre for 2011–2012, is an indoor arena located in Ottawa, Ontario, seating 9,862. With temporary seating and standing room it can hold 10,585. Opened in December 1967, it is used primarily for sports, including curling, figure skating,...
in Ottawa, Ontario and later aired on July 6 edition of WWF Prime Time Wrestling
WWF Prime Time Wrestling
WWF Prime Time Wrestling is a professional wrestling television program produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It aired on the USA Network from 1985-1993. A precursor to Monday Night Raw, Prime Time Wrestling was a two-hour long, weekly program that featured stars of the World Wrestling...
.
In July 1991, Starr also made his debut in 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...
against Nikita Koloff
Nikita Koloff
Nikita Koloff is a retired American professional wrestler,. Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, he wrestled as "The Russian Nightmare" Nikita Koloff, which was a play on the nickname of fan favorite "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes .Nikita was brought into the National...
in Salisbury, Maryland
Salisbury, Maryland
-Demographics:Salisbury is the principal city of the Salisbury-Ocean Pines CSA, a Combined Statistical Area that includes the Salisbury metropolitan area and the Ocean Pines micropolitan area , which had a combined population of 176,657 at the 2010 census.As of the census of 2000, there were...
. With the exception of occasional appearances in the WWF (his last tour was in 1994), he would continue wrestling for the company making over 250 television appearances and countless house shows for the next 6 years.
It was during this period that Starr worked as an independent agent, like many who worked as preliminary wrestlers, allowing him to continue wrestling anywhere he wished, such as his later commitments to the Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation
Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation
The Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation was a Mid-Atlantic independent professional wrestling promotion based in Essex, Maryland. Founded by promoter Dennis Wippercht and wrestler Tim "Lucifer" Burke in 1991, the MEWF was one of the leading independent promotions on the East Coast during the 1990s...
, as long as he was able to make his television appearances. In time, he would become a familiar face on WWF and WCW television programming, in addition to television shows run by independent promotions.
Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation (1991–1994)
During the summer of 1991, Starr became involved the creation of the Mid-Eastern Wrestling FederationMid-Eastern Wrestling Federation
The Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation was a Mid-Atlantic independent professional wrestling promotion based in Essex, Maryland. Founded by promoter Dennis Wippercht and wrestler Tim "Lucifer" Burke in 1991, the MEWF was one of the leading independent promotions on the East Coast during the 1990s...
, one of the earliest independent promotions in Maryland, along with co-founders Dennis Wippercht and Tim Burke. He wrestled Morgus the Maniac
Morgus the Maniac
Morgus the Maniac is an American professional wrestler who has competed on the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern independent promotions including the Eastern Wrestling Alliance, Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation, National Wrestling League/House of Pain Wrestling Federation and Extreme Championship...
on its first card held in Pasadena, Maryland
Pasadena, Maryland
Pasadena is a census-designated place in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. The population was 12,093 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Pasadena is located at ....
on August 2, 1991 He would remain one of the promotion's top stars for much of its 12-year history, considered the "face" of the company by the late-1990s, and later became involved in helping Burke run the promotion behind-the-scenes as a booker and in other roles.
On March 6, 1993, Starr defeated C.C. Danger in Gaithersburg, Maryland
Gaithersburg, Maryland
Gaithersburg is a city in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. The city had a population of 59,933 at the 2010 census, making it the fourth largest incorporated city in the state, behind Baltimore, Frederick, and Rockville...
to become the first MEWF Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Champion. He held the title for eight months before losing it to Mike Khoury
Mike Khoury
Mike Khoury is a retired American professional wrestler who competed in East Coast and Mid-Atlantic independent promotions during the early-to mid 1990s...
in Essex
Essex, Maryland
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 39,078 people, 15,952 households, and 10,336 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 4,104.1 people per square mile . There were 16,997 housing units at an average density of 1,785.1 per square mile...
on November 14, 1993; the title changed hands during an 8-man tag team elimination match pitting Bob Starr, Tommy Lee Manson, Max Thrasher, and Duane Gill
Duane Gill
Duane Gill is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his stint in the World Wrestling Federation as Gillberg, a parody of then-rival promotion World Championship Wrestling's top star Goldberg. During his tenure in the WWF, Gill became a one time Light Heavyweight Champion...
against Mike Khoury, Joe Thunder
Joe Thunder
Joe Carter , better known by his ring name Joe Thunder, is a retired American professional wrestler and trainer who competed on the East Coast and Mid-Atlantic independent circuit during the 1990s and early 2000s, primarily working for the Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation in Essex, Maryland during...
, Tommy Dreamer
Tommy Dreamer
Thomas James "Tom" Laughlin is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Tommy Dreamer. He is currently working for various promotions on the independent circuit. He is best known for his time spent with Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment...
, and Max Moon. As a result of a pre-match stipulation, Khoury, as the sole survivor, was awarded the MEWF Mid-Atlantic title.
On May 21, 1993, Starr teamed with Joey Maggs in a losing effort against the Cole Twins
Cole Twins
The Cole Twins were a professional wrestling tag team consisting of twin brothers Kent and Keith Cole. They competed in North American regional and independent promotions, however the twins were best known for their stint in World Championship Wrestling during the early 1990s...
(Kent and Keith Cole
Cole Twins
The Cole Twins were a professional wrestling tag team consisting of twin brothers Kent and Keith Cole. They competed in North American regional and independent promotions, however the twins were best known for their stint in World Championship Wrestling during the early 1990s...
) at the Philadelphia Civic Center. Though both Starr and Maggs were both familiar stars in the region, WCW drew its lowest-ever crowd in the "hardcore mecca" of Philadelphia with only 600 fans in attendance. Nearly a year later he returned to Philadelphia to make a one-time appearance in Eastern Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 by Tod Gordon and closed when his successor, Paul Heyman, declared bankruptcy in April 2001...
, due in part to Axl Rotten
Axl Rotten
Brian Knighton is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name, Axl Rotten.-Early years:After watching a professional wrestling match on television, Knighton decided to become a wrestler...
, teaming with "The Extreme Shah" Hack Meyers
Hack Meyers
Donald Haviland is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Hack Meyers. A mainstay in Florida independent promotions during the 1990s, he is best known for his time in Extreme Championship Wrestling from 1993 to 1996.-Career:Haviland made his wrestling debut as Bronco...
in his ECW debut against The Bruise Brothers (Don and Ron Bruise
Ron Harris (wrestler)
Donald "Don" Harris and Ronald "Ron" Harris are American twin brothers who achieved fame as professional wrestlers...
) at the ECW Arena.
That same year, he also formed a successful tag team with Lucifer
Tim Burke (wrestler)
Timothy James "Tim" Burke , known by his ring name Lucifer, was an American professional wrestler, trainer and promoter who competed in numerous East Coast and Mid-Atlantic independent promotions during the 1990s and early 2000s; among the promotions he appeared in included the Atlantic Wrestling...
called The Hollywood Hunks. The team toured the Mid-Atlantic circuit capturing the ECWA Tag Team Championship
ECWA Tag Team Championship
ECWA Tag Team Championship are the tag team titles contested in the independent professional wrestling promotion, East Coast Wrestling Association.- Title history :...
in August 1993 which they held until dropping the belts to Ace Darling & Kid Flash two years later. In late-September 1994, he made a brief return to the WWF teaming with Chris Canyon
Chris Kanyon
Christopher Klucsarits was an American professional wrestler, best known for his work in World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation, under the ring names Chris Kanyon and Mortis.-Early career:After college, he began training under Pete McKay Gonzalez, Ismael Gerena and Bobby...
to take on Shawn Michaels
Shawn Michaels
Michael Shawn Hickenbottom , better known by his ring name Shawn Michaels, is an American television host and retired professional wrestler. He presents the Outdoor Channel show MacMillan River Adventures, and is currently signed to WWE, where he has served in an ambassadorial role since December...
& Diesel
Kevin Nash
Kevin Scott Nash is an American professional wrestler and actor. As of 2011, Nash is signed to a five year contract with WWE under their WWE Legends program and appears as part of their Raw brand roster...
on the September 26th edition of Monday Night Raw
WWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
. He followed this up with back-to-back appearances for WWF house shows in Upstate New York
Upstate New York
Upstate New York is the region of the U.S. state of New York that is located north of the core of the New York metropolitan area.-Definition:There is no clear or official boundary between Upstate New York and Downstate New York...
later aired on television. Starr wrestled in a tag team match with Barry Horowitz
Barry Horowitz
Barry Horowitz is an American professional wrestler, best known for his time in the World Wrestling Federation.-Career:Horowitz, who is Jewish, attended Florida State University, where he studied sports nutrition and wrestled...
against The Headshrinkers
The Headshrinkers
The Headshrinkers were a professional wrestling tag team in the World Wrestling Federation that consisted of Fatu and Samu. They previously competed under the name The New Wild Samoans in the National Wrestling Alliance , and as The Samoan Swat Team in World Championship Wrestling , World Class...
(Fatu & Samu
Samula Anoa'i
Samula Anoa'i is a professional wrestler best known as one half of The Headshrinkers/Samoan Swat Team under the name Samu. His father is Afa Anoa'i who trained Samula for his professional wrestling debut....
) at the Mid-Hudson Civic Center
Mid-Hudson Civic Center
The Mid-Hudson Civic Center is a venue in Poughkeepsie, NY, USA consisting of Mair Hall and the McCann Ice Arena . It was built in the 1970s as part of the general attempt at rehabilitation of the central district of the City of Poughkeepsie...
on September 27 and, in a singles match, against Adam Bomb
Bryan Clark
Bryan Emmeth Clark, Jr. is a American former professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling.-Early career:...
at the Westchester County Center
Westchester County Center
Westchester County Center is a 5,000-seat multi-purpose arena in White Plains, New York. It hosts various local concerts and sporting events for the area....
the following night. This was his last year touring for the company.
In November, he and Lucifer defeated The Goodfellows (Romeo Valentino & Dino Casanova
David DiMeglio
David Mark DiMeglio was an American professional wrestler, best known by his ring name Dino Casanova, who competed in Northeastern independent promotions including the National Wrestling Alliance, Extreme Championship Wrestling and the Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation, most notably as one half of...
) for the MEWF Tag Team Championship
MEWF Tag Team Championship
This is a chronological list of MEWF tag team champions. The MEWF Tag Team Championship is the oldest championship title in the Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation having been established when the Lords of Darkness defeated Cream Team at the MEWF's first show in Pasadena, Maryland on August 2, 1991...
. Their MEWF tag title reign, however, lasted only a brief time as they were defeated by Road Warrior Hawk
Road Warrior Hawk
Michael James Hegstrand was an American professional wrestler. He is best remembered as Road Warrior Hawk, one half of the tag team known as the Road Warriors or The Legion of Doom , with Road Warrior Animal.-Early life:While living in Chicago, Hegstrand met Joe Lauranaitis, who would be later...
and Ultimate Comet in Catonsville
Catonsville, Maryland
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:In 2010 Catonsville had a population of 41,567...
days later. He also wrestled bouts against Mike Khoury
Mike Khoury
Mike Khoury is a retired American professional wrestler who competed in East Coast and Mid-Atlantic independent promotions during the early-to mid 1990s...
and Doink the Clown
Doink the Clown
Doink the Clown is a professional wrestling gimmick, originally used by Matt Osborne in the World Wrestling Federation from 1993 to 1995. Since Osborne's departure from the WWF, the character has been played by several wrestlers, primarily on the independent circuit, as well as in sporadic special...
during this time facing Doink and Dink
Claude Giroux (wrestler)
Claude Giroux is a Canadian-born midget wrestler whose career spans over 20 years. He is still active in the Canadian Independent circuit. Giroux's biggest exposure came when he performed as Doink The Clown's sidekick Dink in the World Wrestling Federation between 1993 and 1995...
in a mixed tag team match at the end of the year.
World Championship Wrestling (1991–1995)
Though Starr competed for both WCW and the WWF during the 1990s, because of its closer vicinity to Maryland and "open-door policy", he remained largely loyal to WCW and was featured on virtually all of its television programing with the exception of WCW ThunderWCW Thunder
WCW Thunder was a professional wrestling show produced by World Championship Wrestling which aired on TBS from January 8, 1998 to March 21, 2001...
. His initial attempts to be hired by the company, however, were ignored. He was later advised to contact Jody Hamilton
Jody Hamilton
Joseph "Jody" Hamilton is an American retired professional wrestler and current wrestling promoter and trainer. In his active days Hamiltion was best known as known as one half of the tag team The Assassins where he was called "Assassin #1"...
at the Power Plant
WCW Power Plant
The WCW Power Plant was a professional wrestling school located in Atlanta, Georgia and owned and operated by World Championship Wrestling. The Power Plant, which was developed from a school operated by Jody Hamilton, was in operation throughout the 1990s...
for bookings with the company. According to Starr, he left Hamilton a message every day "for at least two weeks" until he finally received a reply and eventually allowed to wrestle for the promotion. One of his first matches for WCW was against Big Van Vader immediately following his losing the WCW World Heavyweight Championship
WCW World Heavyweight Championship
The World Championship Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation . It existed within WCW between 1991 and 2001. Following the acquisition of WCW by World Wrestling...
to Ron Simmons
Ron Simmons
Ronald "Ron" Simmons is an American semi-retired professional wrestler and retired American football player. He is recognised as being the first Black world heavyweight champion in professional wrestling and the first of only two African Americans to win the WCW World Heavyweight Championship,...
in Baltimore. Vader, allegedly upset that he had lost the title, wrestled stiff in his match against Starr battering him so hard that he thought his "eardrums would burst".
In November 1992, Starr was recuperating from his ear injury at home when he received a call from then booker Dusty Rhodes
Dusty Rhodes (wrestler)
Virgil Riley Runnels, Jr. , better known as "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes, is a semi-retired American professional wrestler currently working for WWE...
. He had hung up the phone several times because he could not understand who was calling before realizing it was Rhodes contacting him for work in Atlanta. Starr took his girlfriend's car, driving without a license, and drove from Maryland to Atlanta where he wrestled Johnny B. Badd
Marc Mero
Marc Mero is an American retired amateur boxer and professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation as Marc Mero and with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling under the ring name Johnny B. Badd...
and Van Hammer on WCW Saturday Night
WCW Saturday Night
WCW Saturday Night was a weekly Saturday night TV show on TBS produced by World Championship Wrestling. The program existed through various incarnations under different names before becoming WCW Saturday Night in 1992...
and WCW Main Event
WCW Main Event
WCW Main Event is a televised wrestling program of World Championship Wrestling that aired from 1988 to 1998. For most of its run, it was the promotion's secondary show and aired on Sunday evenings on TBS. The show originally aired in 1988 as NWA Main Event...
respectively. It was on the former show, WCW Saturday Night, that he would become a mainstay during his 6-year run with the company. In the next three years alone, he would wrestle Ice Train
Harold Hoag
Harold F. Hoag is an American former professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenure with World Championship Wrestling, where he wrestled under the ring names Ice Train and M.I. Smooth.-Debut:...
, The Shockmaster
Fred Ottman
Fred Ottman is a retired American professional wrestler best known as Tugboat or Typhoon and teaming with John "Earthquake" Tenta as The Natural Disasters in the World Wrestling Federation. Ottman is also well-known for his infamous "Shockmaster" gimmick in World Championship Wrestling...
, Marcus Bagwell
Buff Bagwell
Marcus Alexander Bagwell is an American professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring name, Buff Bagwell. He is best known for his tenure with World Championship Wrestling between 1991 and 2001, where he was a five time World Tag Team Champion.-Professional wrestling career: Bagwell...
, "Jungle" Jim Steele
Jim Steele (wrestler)
James Rocha is an American Professional Wrestler who competed in World Championship Wrestling and All Japan Pro Wrestling. He's perhaps best known for using the gimmick: Wolf Hawkfield, based on the video game character from the Virtua Fighter video game series.-World Championship Wrestling :Rocha...
, Thunder and Lightning
Thunder and Lightning (professional wrestling)
Thunder and Lightning is a Puerto Rican professional wrestling tag team consisting of masked wrestlers Reynaldo Rodriguez and Alex Cruz under the ring names Thunder and Lightning respectively.- World Wrestling Council :Both members trained in various small independent Puerto Rico wrestling...
, The Guardian Angel
Ray Traylor
Ray Walter Traylor, Jr. was an American professional wrestler. He was best known for his appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment under the ring name Big Boss Man and World Championship Wrestling under various ring names, most notably Big Bubba Rogers.-Early years:Traylor, a prison guard in...
, Randy Savage
Randy Savage
Randall Mario Poffo , better known by his ring name "Macho Man" Randy Savage, was an American professional wrestler, best known for his time with the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling .Savage held twenty championships during his professional wrestling career and was a...
, Alex Wright
Alex Wright
Alex Wright is a German-British former professional wrestler. He wrestled professionally in Germany and Japan before signing with World Championship Wrestling in 1994...
, The Renegade
Rick Williams
Richard C. "Rick" Williams was an American professional wrestler. He was best known for his tenure in World Championship Wrestling under the ring name Renegade, where he was a one time World Television Champion.-Professional wrestling career:After a stint as a male stripper, Williams began...
, Kamala, Johnny B. Badd, Rockin' Rebel
Rockin' Rebel
Chuck Williams is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Rockin' Rebel. He is best known for his appearances on the U.S...
, Road Warrior Hawk
Road Warrior Hawk
Michael James Hegstrand was an American professional wrestler. He is best remembered as Road Warrior Hawk, one half of the tag team known as the Road Warriors or The Legion of Doom , with Road Warrior Animal.-Early life:While living in Chicago, Hegstrand met Joe Lauranaitis, who would be later...
, and Eddie Guerrero
Eddie Guerrero
Eduardo Gory "Eddie" Guerrero was a Mexican-American professional wrestler born into the Guerrero wrestling family. He wrestled in Mexico and Japan for several major professional wrestling promotions...
.
Though primarily used as a preliminary wrestler, there were several occasions in which he had a memorable role. On April 20, 1994, in his match against WCW International World Champion
WCW International World Heavyweight Championship
The World Championship Wrestling International World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in World Championship Wrestling . "WCW International" referred to a fictional international subsidiary of World Championship Wrestling...
Sting
Sting (wrestler)
Steven James "Steve" Borden , better known by his ring name Sting, is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
at Atlanta's Center Stage Theatre, he was pinned in 36 seconds following a Stinger Splash. Afterwards, in a rare show of sportsmanship
Sportsmanship
Sportsmanship is an aspiration or ethos that a sport or activity will be enjoyed for its own sake, with proper consideration for fairness, ethics, respect, and a sense of fellowship with one's competitors...
, the champion helped Starr to his feet. Starr would also occasionally team with Ricky Santana
Aldo Ortiz
Aldo Ortiz , better known as Ricky Santana, is a professional wrestler who has worked for World Championship Wrestling, World Wrestling Federation, World Wrestling Council and the National Wrestling Alliance.-Professional wrestling career:...
, most notably, in matches against Brad & Scott Armstrong and The Nasty Boys
The Nasty Boys
The Nasty Boys are a professional wrestling tag team consisting of Brian Knobbs and Jerry Sags, active from the mid to late 1980s and throughout the 1990s. Their gimmick was that of anti-social punks who specialized in hardcore wrestling and brawling...
later in the year. The following year, he and Scott D'Amore
Scott D'Amore
Scott Francis D'Amore is a Canadian professional wrestler, manager, promoter, booker and entrepreneur. He formerly managed Team Canada in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. He was also the former head of the creative team...
took on Big Van Vader in a handicap match.
Starr made notable appearances on other WCW programs such as WCW Worldwide
WCW WorldWide
WCW WorldWide was a syndicated TV show produced by World Championship Wrestling.-Wide World Wrestling:The show began in 1975 , a syndicated one-hour program produced by Charlotte, North Carolina-based Jim Crockett Promotions...
and WCW Pro
WCW Pro
WCW Pro was a televised wrestling show presented by World Championship Wrestling. Along with WCW WorldWide, it was part of the WCW Disney tapings...
. On February 21, 1995, in a match later aired on WCW Pro, he and Dave Young
David Young (wrestler)
David Williams , better known by his ring name, David Young, is an American professional wrestler. Though he has mainly appeared with NWA Wildside and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, Young has also competed for Ring of Honor, Asistencia Asesoría y Administración and ZERO-ONE...
wrestled Stars 'n' Stripes
Stars 'n' Stripes
Stars 'n' Stripes was a professional wrestling tag team in World Championship Wrestling composed of The Patriot and Marcus Alexander Bagwell.-History:...
(Marcus Alexander Bagwell
Buff Bagwell
Marcus Alexander Bagwell is an American professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring name, Buff Bagwell. He is best known for his tenure with World Championship Wrestling between 1991 and 2001, where he was a five time World Tag Team Champion.-Professional wrestling career: Bagwell...
& the Patriot
Del Wilkes
Del Wilkes is a former American professional wrestler. Over the span of 14 years, he performed in various promotions such as American Wrestling Association, All Japan Pro Wrestling...
) in front of 1,800 fans at the sold-out Georgia Mountains Center
Georgia Mountains Center
Georgia Mountains Center is a multi-purpose facility located just off the square in downtown Gainesville, Georgia. It was built in 1980 by the City of Gainesville, which continues to operate it....
in Gainesville, Georgia
Gainesville, Georgia
-Severe Weather:Gainesville sits on the very fringe of Tornado Alley, a region of the United States where severe weather is common. Supercell thunderstorms can sweep through any time between March and November, but are concentrated most in the spring...
. That summer, he also received title shots for the WCW World Television Championship
WCW World Television Championship
The World Championship Wrestling World Television Championship was a professional wrestling championship in World Championship Wrestling....
; on May 3, 1995, he wrestled Arn Anderson
Arn 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...
at Disney-MGM Studios
Disney-MGM Studios
Disney's Hollywood Studios is a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort. Spanning 135 acres in size, its theme is show business, drawing inspiration from the heyday of Hollywood in the 1930s and 1940s...
(WCW Worldwide) and The Renegade (WCW Pro) at the Macon Coliseum
Macon Coliseum
The Macon Coliseum is a multi-purpose arena and convention center in Macon, Georgia, United States. It was home to the Macon Whoopee and Macon Trax ice hockey teams and also the Macon Knights arena football team until 2006. It is currently home to the Georgia Gwizzlies, a basketball team that plays...
on June 26, 1995. Subsequent returns to WCW Pro between 1995 and 1997 saw Starr wrestle Jushin Liger
Jushin Liger
, better known as and later, is a Japanese professional wrestler who primarily works for New Japan Pro Wrestling.He has wrestled and beaten many of the top smaller wrestlers in both Japan and the United States, and is frequently cited as one of the greatest and most revolutionary junior...
, Scott Norton
Scott Norton
Scott Michael Norton is an American semi-retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenures in World Championship Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling.-Before wrestling:...
, and Chavo Guerrero, Jr.
Chavo Guerrero, Jr.
Salvador "Chavo" Guerrero IV also known as Chavo Guerrero and Chavo Guerrero, Jr., is a third generation Mexican-American professional wrestler and member of the famed Guerrero wrestling family who was well known for working with World Wrestling Entertainment and World Championship Wrestling...
. He also appeared on the short-lived WCW Prime in matches against The Renegade, One Man Gang, The Shark
John Tenta
John Anthony Tenta was a Canadian professional wrestler known for his work in the World Wrestling Federation as Earthquake and later Golga, and in World Championship Wrestling as Avalanche and The Shark.-Early life:John Tenta was born in Surrey, British Columbia...
, The Nasty Boys, and The Blue Bloods ("Lord" Steven Regal and "Earl" Robert Eaton
Bobby Eaton
Robert Lee "Bobby" Eaton is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, who made his debut in 1976. Eaton is most famous for his work in tag teams, especially his days as one-half of the team the Midnight Express. Under the management of Jim Cornette, Eaton originally teamed with Dennis...
).
Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation (1996–1998)
Still a top contender in the MEWF, Starr wrestled stars such as Mad Dog O'MalleyMad Dog O'Malley
Mad Dog O'Malley is a retired American professional wrestler who competed on the East Coast and Mid-Atlantic independent circuit during the 1990s and early 2000s. He was one of the region's most dominant "heels" for much of the decade, billed as a 500 lbs...
, "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka
Jimmy Snuka
James William "Jimmy" Reiher is a semi-retired Fijian professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring name Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka. Originally from the Fiji Islands, Snuka wrestled for several promotions in the 1970s and 1980s. Snuka is a two-time world heavyweight champion, having been a...
, Abuddah Singh
Balls Mahoney
Jonathan Rechner better known by his ring name Balls Mahoney , is an American professional wrestler...
, and Pat Patterson, Jr. on MEWF's weekly television show during 1996. He also briefly formed a tag team with Cat Burglar, teaming up to take on Darkside (Glen Osborne
Glen Osborne
Glen Matthew Osborne is a New Zealand rugby union player, playing as a fullback and wing. He was born in Wanganui.Osborne played representative rugby for Wanganui in the National Provincial Championship from 1990–1991, then for North Harbour from 1992...
and Rockin' Rebel
Rockin' Rebel
Chuck Williams is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Rockin' Rebel. He is best known for his appearances on the U.S...
) in Baltimore on August 11, 1996, and feuded his old tag team partner Lucifer.
On February 1, 1997, following the death of Neil Superior, Starr wrestled John Rambo for the vacant NWL Heavyweight Championship
NWL Heavyweight Championship
The NWL Heavyweight Championship is the top professional wrestling title in the National Wrestling League promotion. It was created on March 3, 1989, when John Rambo defeated "Russian" Ivan Koloff in Elk Garden, West Virginia. The title is defended primarily in the Mid-Atlantic and East Coast, most...
but failed to win the title. In March, Starr wrestled both Raven and Hollywood Nova
Mike Bucci
Michael "Mike" Bucci is an American semi-retired professional wrestler. Bucci is probably best known for his appearances in Extreme Championship Wrestling as Nova, Super Nova, and "Hollywood" Nova and World Wrestling Entertainment as Simon Dean...
from Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 by Tod Gordon and closed when his successor, Paul Heyman, declared bankruptcy in April 2001...
as well as teaming with Julio Sanchez against Mark Shrader
Mark Shrader
Mark "The Shark" Shrader is a retired American professional wrestler, trainer and promoter who competed in numerous independent promotions throughout the United States during the 1990s and early 2000s...
and Devon Storm
Devon Storm
Christopher "Chris" Ford is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenure in World Championship Wrestling under the ring name Crowbar, where he was a one time Hardcore Champion, a one time World Tag Team Champion with David Flair and a one time Cruiserweight Champion, which he...
on June 1, 1997. Four months later, he lost to Joey Maggs in a match for the vacant MEWF Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship. Starr began teaming with Joe Thunder and together defeated Marvelous Inc. (Jimmy Jannetty and Ramblin Rich Myers) for the MEWF Tag Team Championship
MEWF Tag Team Championship
This is a chronological list of MEWF tag team champions. The MEWF Tag Team Championship is the oldest championship title in the Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation having been established when the Lords of Darkness defeated Cream Team at the MEWF's first show in Pasadena, Maryland on August 2, 1991...
in Baltimore on September 18, 1998, but lost the titles a few weeks later to Bad Crew
Bad Crew
The Bad Crew was an American professional wrestling tag team consisting of Bad Crew #1 and Bad Crew #2 , who competed in North American regional and independent promotions throughout the 1990s including Extreme Championship Wrestling, Combat Zone Wrestling and World Xtreme Wrestling...
(Bad Crew #1 & Bad Crew #2).
World Championship Wrestling and the indy circuit (1997–1999)
Starr, by now a regular on Monday Night Nitro, had faced several members of the New World OrderNew 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...
such as Syxx
Sean Waltman
Sean Michael Waltman is an American professional wrestler currently signed with WWE in their developmental program. He wrestled there under the ring names 1–2–3 Kid and X-Pac off and on from 1993–2002, World Championship Wrestling under the ring name Syxx, and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ...
and WCW World Tag Team Champions
WCW World Tag Team Championship
The World Championship Wrestling Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling world tag team championship in World Championship Wrestling...
The Outsiders (Scott Hall
Scott Hall
Scott Hall is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenure with the World Wrestling Federation in the early and mid 1990s under the ring name Razor Ramon, as well as for his period in the mid 1990s and early 2000s with World Championship Wrestling under his real name...
& Kevin Nash
Kevin Nash
Kevin Scott Nash is an American professional wrestler and actor. As of 2011, Nash is signed to a five year contract with WWE under their WWE Legends program and appears as part of their Raw brand roster...
) with partner David Moore. Prior to 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 ....
's heel turn at Bash at the Beach
Bash at the Beach
Bash at the Beach was a yearly professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Championship Wrestling . It was the company's PPV for the month of July, held from 1994 to 2000. The show centered around a beach theme, with the set around the entrance area for the wrestlers decorated with...
, Starr's nickname was changed by the promotion to "Playboy" so as to avoid confusion between the two.
In his last run with WCW, he was earning $500 a night and was one of several wrestlers who brought in "crews" of preliminary wrestlers along with David Sierra
David Sierra
Fidel Sierra David Cannell is a professional wrestler, better known as David Sierra, who is best known as a longtime veteran of the Puerto Rico-based World Wrestling Council as well as for his appearances in World Championship Wrestling and Pacific Northwest Wrestling during the 1980s and 90s...
(Tampa) and Scott D'Amore
Scott D'Amore
Scott Francis D'Amore is a Canadian professional wrestler, manager, promoter, booker and entrepreneur. He formerly managed Team Canada in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. He was also the former head of the creative team...
(Ontario). D'Amore had initially been part of Starr's "crew" and later brought in his own group of wrestlers from his native Canada which included Edge and Rhyno. Though hoping for a full-time contract with World Championship Wrestling by the end of 1999, he would no longer wrestle in the company after this point. In the meantime, he had become an instructor at the Bone Busters Pro Wrestling School (and later the Brain Busters facility) in Baltimore and was involved in training Fantasia
Fantasia (wrestler)
Karen Simpson , better known by her ring name Fantasia, is an American professional wrestler, trainer, promoter, and manager competing throughout North America in independent promotions, custom DVD companies, and the UK....
and Ruckus.
As of 1999, he had competed in over 75 independent promotions "all the way from Wisconsin to Indiana to California and back again" and wrestling an average of 6–10 shows a month. He also wrestled for Don McNeil Promotions in Wisconsin as well as smaller organizations in North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. The most notable of these was AWA Superstars based in Minneapolis, working for different versions under Dale Gagner and Mike Schwabb, and was the last AWA World Television Champion before it closed in 2001. Starr was never paid by Schwabb and so retained ownership of the physical belt which he continued to defend at independent shows as late as 2010.
Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation (1999–2004)
In 1998, Corporal PunishmentCorporal Punishment (wrestler)
Daniel "Dan" McDevitt , best known by his ring name Corporal Punishment, is a semi-retired American professional wrestler, trainer and promoter...
and Mark Shrader left the MEWF due to creative control and salary disputes to form their own promotion, Maryland Championship Wrestling
Maryland Championship Wrestling
Maryland Championship Wrestling is a regional independent wrestling promotion based in Dundalk, Maryland, and has regularly run events in the Mid-Atlantic region since the late 1990s as well as participating in numerous fundraising events throughout the state.Rivaling other east coast independent...
. Much of the roster jumped to the newly-formed MCW, and which also received the ECW and independent stars formerly featured by the MEWF, leaving mostly students and longtime stars Starr and Morgus The Maniac. Starr also helped Tim Burke with the day-to-day running of the promotion, such as bringing in Tonya Stevens as a special guest announcer (her first break in pro wrestling), and was among several who served as a booker.
With few stars remaining in the MEWF, Starr and Morgus The Maniac kept the promotion going in the aftermath of the MEWF/MCW split. A few former WWF stars were brought in which saw Starr teaming with The Honky Tonk Man
The Honky Tonk Man
Roy Wayne Farris , better known by his ring name The Honky Tonk Man, is an American professional wrestler. A 1975 graduate from University of Memphis with a B.S. degree in Education. Coached high school football 2 seasons at Munford High School in Munford, Tennessee...
and wrestling George "The Animal" Steele. Starr won the MEWF Heavyweight Championship
MEWF Heavyweight Championship
The Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation Heavyweight Championship is the highest ranking singles title in the Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation, one of three in the promotion....
twice in 1999. He first defeated Morgus the Maniac
Morgus the Maniac
Morgus the Maniac is an American professional wrestler who has competed on the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern independent promotions including the Eastern Wrestling Alliance, Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation, National Wrestling League/House of Pain Wrestling Federation and Extreme Championship...
for the title on February 7, and The Honky Tonk Man in Dundalk on November 13, 1999. His second and final reign lasted a little over four months before he was defeated by Patch on March 31, 2000. His title reign was not without some controversy, however, as it was alleged that some wrestlers felt he had used his position as booker to "[put] the MEWF Championship on himself for a period of several months, despite a locker room feeling he was out of shape and had become a caricature of himself".
Reforming the Hollywood Hunks with Lucifer, the team defeated then MEWF Tag Team Champions The Tokyo Terrors in Dundalk on September 22, 2000, and successfully defended the titles against both Freak Show and Tommy Hawk & Jimmy Jannetty in Martinsburg, West Virginia
Martinsburg, West Virginia
Martinsburg is a city in the Eastern Panhandle region of West Virginia, United States. The city's population was 14,972 at the 2000 census; according to a 2009 Census Bureau estimate, Martinsburg's population was 17,117, making it the largest city in the Eastern Panhandle and the eighth largest...
the following night. The title reign lasted over a year and ended after losing the belts to Rayne & Buzz Stryker on October 16, 2001. On June 9, 2002, he won the MEWF Mid-Atlantic Championship for the second time after defeating Drew Pain in Baltimore. Though losing the title to Barry Horowitz
Barry Horowitz
Barry Horowitz is an American professional wrestler, best known for his time in the World Wrestling Federation.-Career:Horowitz, who is Jewish, attended Florida State University, where he studied sports nutrition and wrestled...
on September 22, in a three-way dance with Hack Meyers
Hack Meyers
Donald Haviland is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Hack Meyers. A mainstay in Florida independent promotions during the 1990s, he is best known for his time in Extreme Championship Wrestling from 1993 to 1996.-Career:Haviland made his wrestling debut as Bronco...
, at Baltimore's North Point Flea Market, he regained it from Horowitz a month later. On November 24, 2002, he and Max Thrasher lost to Chad Bowman
Chad Slivenski
Chad Slivenski is a semi-retired American professional wrestler, known by his ringname Chad Bowman, who competed in East Coast and Mid-Atlantic independent promotions during the 1990s and 2000s...
and Dino Casanova in a match for the vacant MEWF tag team titles.
On June 8, 2003, at an MEWF event in Northpoint, Maryland, Starr lost the MEWF Mid-Atlantic title to his old rival Morgus The Maniac but was able to win it back later on in the show. A month later, he lost to MCW Television Champion Doug Delicious in a three-way title unification match, involving Marquis Jordan, at Michaels 8th Avenue in Glen Burnie on July 16. The title change occurred at an interpromotional event between the MEWF and long-time rival Maryland Championship Wrestling
Maryland Championship Wrestling
Maryland Championship Wrestling is a regional independent wrestling promotion based in Dundalk, Maryland, and has regularly run events in the Mid-Atlantic region since the late 1990s as well as participating in numerous fundraising events throughout the state.Rivaling other east coast independent...
, the 5th annual Shane Shamrock Memorial Cup, serving as the latter's final show and attended by an estimated 1,000 fans.
Despite the loss, Starr was able to win back the title, which had become vacant, by defeating Chad Bowman in Northpoint on September 7, 2003. He lost title title to Romeo Valentine in Dundalk on January 11, 2004, in a Triple Threat match with Buzz Stryker, ending his fifth and final title reign.
His last appearance for the company was on March 28, 2004, at a house show held at Dundalk's Northpoint Flea Market where Starr teamed with Davey Boy Schitz against Chris Clow and a mystery partner which turned out to be Earl the Pearl, a match which Starr and Schitz lost. Also scheduled to be on the card was Reckless Youth
Reckless Youth
Thomas Carter is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Reckless Youth. He has competed in numerous North American independent promotions including the East Coast Wrestling Association, Combat Zone Wrestling and Chikara, where he was one of the original founders alongside...
, Danny Doring
Danny Doring
Dan Morrison is an American wrestler better known as Danny Doring, most known for his time in Extreme Championship Wrestling, as the tag team partner of Roadkill...
, Romeo Valentino, Chris Chetti
Chris Chetti
Christopher "Chris" Chetti is an American professional wrestler. He is perhaps best known for his appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling between 1996 and 2000.-Extreme Championship Wrestling :...
, Chad Bowman, and The Bruiser.
In April, Starr sent out an e-mail to a number of people, including internet "dirt sheet" writers, declaring the promotion "dead". The letter was prompted by the sudden cancellation of the promotion's show earlier that month. MEWF founder Tim Burke denied this claiming "the MEWF was strong as ever", however, internal problems in the MEWF locker room had long been apparent since the split between MEWF and MCW as well as rumors of Burke's "personal issues" earlier in the year.
Independent circuit (2004–2005)
Following the close of the MEWF, Starr continued competing on the independent circuit. On August 14, 2004, he entered the second annual National Wrestling League / House of Pain Wrestling FederationNational Wrestling League
The National Wrestling League, headquartered out of Hagerstown, Maryland, was founded by Dick Caricofe in 1988, and has held professional wrestling events throughout the US and overseas in Guam, Saipan, Pohnpei, Hawaiian Islands, Palau, and the Marshall Islands...
's "Lord of the Rings" tournament in Newville, Pennsylvania
Newville, Pennsylvania
Newville is a borough in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania near Carlisle, Pennsylvania. The population was 1,367 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area.Newville is served by the Big Spring School District....
. Though he seemingly pinned his opponent, Pirate of the Caribbean, after using a pair of brass knuckles
Brass knuckles
Brass knuckles, also sometimes called knuckles, knucks, brass knucks, or knuckledusters, are weapons used in hand-to-hand combat. Brass knuckles are pieces of metal, usually steel despite their name, shaped to fit around the knuckles...
referee Rob Lick reversed the decision after discovering the foreign object and the Pirate of the Caribbean ended up winning the match to advance to the semi-finals. In early-2005, Starr was one of several wrestlers signed to Dan Selsky's short-lived Maryland Wrestling Alliance. He appeared on its debut show, “Inaugural Bash”, on March 2, 2005, where he was pinned by Dino Devine. In October 2005, he suffered a serious knee injury with kept him out of action for four or five months.
Maryland Championship Wrestling (2006–2008)
In 2006, Starr joined MEWF's one-time rival Maryland Championship WrestlingMaryland Championship Wrestling
Maryland Championship Wrestling is a regional independent wrestling promotion based in Dundalk, Maryland, and has regularly run events in the Mid-Atlantic region since the late 1990s as well as participating in numerous fundraising events throughout the state.Rivaling other east coast independent...
, which had reopened that same year, serving as the promotion's senior referee. After being appointed by MCW Commissioner Jim Christian, he officiated a number of important events including Jason Static defeating Norman Smiley
Norman Smiley
Norman Anthony Smiley is a British professional wrestler best known for his appearances in World Championship Wrestling...
for the vacant MCW Rage Television Championship
MCW Rage Television Championship
The MCW Rage Television Championship is a professional wrestling television championship owned by the Maryland Championship Wrestling promotion...
in November 2006. A year later Starr appeared at MCW's "Monster Mash" supercard on November 14, 2007, as the manager of The Headliners (Jimmy Jannetty & Ramblin Rich) which saw the team defeat The Best of Both Worlds (Doyle Day & Buck Chyld). At that year's "Holiday Homecoming", The Headliners attacked Ryan McBride
Ryan McBride
Ryan Cluney is an American professional wrestler who has worked for such independent wrestling promotions as Combat Zone Wrestling and Maryland Championship Wrestling.-Career:...
& Teddy Stigma prior to their match against then MCW Tag Team Champions
MCW Tag Team Championship
The MCW Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team championship owned by the Maryland Championship Wrestling promotion. The title was created and debuted on August 18, 1998 at a MCW live event....
The Ghetto Mafia (2-Dope and Sydeswype) and took their place in the match. They were unable to win the championship, however, and all three men attacked special guest referee (and MEWF alumnus) Earl the Pearl who Starr blamed for the loss. The Headliners were then scheduled to face McBride and Stigma, with Earl the Pearl in their corner, at the 2008 MCW Anniversary Show in Dundalk, Maryland, on February 24, 2008. The winners were also to receive a title shot at the MCW Tag Team Champions.
Recent years (2009–)
Starr's employment in the Maryland Department of Corrections limited his ring schedule, wrestling mainly on the weekends, though he continued to make regular appearances on the independent circuit, primarily for NWL/HOPWF in Hagerstown and MCW in Baltimore. As of 2010, he had competed in an estimated 100 regional and independent promotions throughout the continental United States. In addition, he worked part-time as a concert photographer for Kenny ChesneyKenny Chesney
Kenneth "Kenny" Arnold Chesney is an American country music singer and songwriter. Chesney has recorded 15 albums, 14 of which have been certified gold or higher by the RIAA. He has also produced more than 30 Top Ten singles on the U.S...
, Brett Michaels, Motley Crue
Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1981. The group was founded by bass guitarist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee, who were later joined by lead guitarist Mick Mars and lead singer Vince Neil...
, and Sugarland when performing in the Baltimore area. In January 2010, Starr managed Brian Hardy, the son of Barry Hardy
Barry Hardy
Barry Hardy is an American professional wrestler and trainer who has competed in North American independent promotions since 1987, including East Coast Wrestling, Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation, the National Wrestling Alliance, New Millennium Wrestling and Larry Sharpe's World Wrestling...
, in his match against Gill
Duane Gill
Duane Gill is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his stint in the World Wrestling Federation as Gillberg, a parody of then-rival promotion World Championship Wrestling's top star Goldberg. During his tenure in the WWF, Gill became a one time Light Heavyweight Champion...
berg at ACW Destiny. He had previously managed Hardy in a match against Buddy Landell for ACW Wrestling and also worked as an instructor at Gillberg's Pro Wrestling Academy in Severn, Maryland
Severn, Maryland
Severn is a census-designated place in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. The population was 35,076 at the 2000 census, which is a 30 percent increase over the 24,499 population of 1990...
.
On October 27, 2010, Starr was interviewed on the internet radio
Internet radio
Internet radio is an audio service transmitted via the Internet...
show False Count Radio in which he discussed his early career, including road stories while working for WCW and the WWF, and memories of the Monday Night Wars
Monday Night Wars
Monday Night Wars is the common term describing the period of mainstream televised American professional wrestling from September 4, 1995, to March 26, 2001. During this time, the World Wrestling Federation's Monday Night Raw went head-to-head with World Championship Wrestling's Monday Nitro in a...
between the two organizations. He specifically talked about his thoughts on Eric Bichoff, defending his management of the organization, and the general atmosphere of the WCW locker room during this period. He also commented on his experiences wrestling for the WWF, the differences being employed by the WWF versus WWE, and the emphisis on modern "divas" at the expense of traditional female wrestlers. He was particularly critical of the inadequate training independent wrestlers received by unqualified wrestling schools in operation. Starr also revealed he had kept a modest collection of wrestling memorabilia throughout his 22-year career and possessed a 5,800 video library.
On October 30, at MCW's "Legends of Maryland 2" supercard, Starr teamed with "Mad Dog" Buzz Stryker against former student Ruckus and Cat Burglar. He was also inducted into the MCW Hall of Fame along with The Goodfellows (Rip Sawyer
Rip Sawyer
Rip Sawyer is a retired American professional wrestler who competed in the Mid-Atlantic and East Coast independent circuit during the late 1980s and early 1990s. As one-half of The Cream Team with longtime tag team partner Dino Casanova, they won the MEWF Tag Team Championship in the Mid-Eastern...
and Dino Casanova
David DiMeglio
David Mark DiMeglio was an American professional wrestler, best known by his ring name Dino Casanova, who competed in Northeastern independent promotions including the National Wrestling Alliance, Extreme Championship Wrestling and the Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation, most notably as one half of...
). A year later, he participated in an RF Video "Legends Q&A Session" in Baltimore with Terry Funk
Terry Funk
Terrence "Terry" Funk is an American professional wrestler and actor known chiefly for the hardcore wrestling style he adopted in the latter part of his career that inspired many younger wrestlers, including Mick Foley...
, Manny Fernandez
Manny Fernandez (wrestler)
Emanuel "Manny" Fernandez is an American professional wrestler currently wrestling for different independent promotions. He is best known by the his ring name "The Raging Bull" Manny Fernandez.-Professional wrestling career:...
, and Axl Rotten.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
-
- The Star Blazer
- ManagersManager (professional wrestling)In professional wrestling, a manager is a secondary character paired with a wrestler for a variety of reasons. The manager is often either a non-wrestler, an occasional wrestler, an older wrestler who has retired or is nearing retirement or, in some cases, a new wrestler who is breaking into the...
- Joe Cool
- Barry Casino
- Sahara
- NicknameNicknameA nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
s- "Hollywood" Bob Starr
- "Mr. Hollywood"
- "Playboy" Bob Starr
- "Loverboy" Bob Starr
- Wrestlers managedManager (professional wrestling)In professional wrestling, a manager is a secondary character paired with a wrestler for a variety of reasons. The manager is often either a non-wrestler, an occasional wrestler, an older wrestler who has retired or is nearing retirement or, in some cases, a new wrestler who is breaking into the...
- Brian Hardy
- Tag teams managed
- The Headliners (Ramblin Rich & Jimmy Jannetty)
- Wrestlers trained
- LuciferTim Burke (wrestler)Timothy James "Tim" Burke , known by his ring name Lucifer, was an American professional wrestler, trainer and promoter who competed in numerous East Coast and Mid-Atlantic independent promotions during the 1990s and early 2000s; among the promotions he appeared in included the Atlantic Wrestling...
- FantasiaFantasia (wrestler)Karen Simpson , better known by her ring name Fantasia, is an American professional wrestler, trainer, promoter, and manager competing throughout North America in independent promotions, custom DVD companies, and the UK....
- Ruckus
- Lucifer
Championships and accomplishments
- AWA Superstars
- AWA World Television Championship (1 time, current)
- All Star Wrestling Federation
- ASWF Television Championship (2 times)
- East Coast Wrestling AssociationEast Coast Wrestling AssociationEast Coast Wrestling Association is an American professional wrestling promotion, founded by promoter Jim Kettner in 1967. It is home to the annual Super 8 Tournament, one of the longest-running independent wrestling tournaments in the country...
- ECWA Tag Team ChampionshipECWA Tag Team ChampionshipECWA Tag Team Championship are the tag team titles contested in the independent professional wrestling promotion, East Coast Wrestling Association.- Title history :...
(1 time) – with LuciferTim Burke (wrestler)Timothy James "Tim" Burke , known by his ring name Lucifer, was an American professional wrestler, trainer and promoter who competed in numerous East Coast and Mid-Atlantic independent promotions during the 1990s and early 2000s; among the promotions he appeared in included the Atlantic Wrestling...
- ECWA Tag Team Championship
- Maryland Championship WrestlingMaryland Championship WrestlingMaryland Championship Wrestling is a regional independent wrestling promotion based in Dundalk, Maryland, and has regularly run events in the Mid-Atlantic region since the late 1990s as well as participating in numerous fundraising events throughout the state.Rivaling other east coast independent...
- MCW Hall of Fame (Class of 2010)
- Mid-Eastern Wrestling FederationMid-Eastern Wrestling FederationThe Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation was a Mid-Atlantic independent professional wrestling promotion based in Essex, Maryland. Founded by promoter Dennis Wippercht and wrestler Tim "Lucifer" Burke in 1991, the MEWF was one of the leading independent promotions on the East Coast during the 1990s...
- MEWF Heavyweight ChampionshipMEWF Heavyweight ChampionshipThe Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation Heavyweight Championship is the highest ranking singles title in the Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation, one of three in the promotion....
(2 times) - MEWF Mid-Atlantic ChampionshipMEWF Mid-Atlantic ChampionshipThe Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship was the second highest ranking singles title in the Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation, one of three in the promotion....
(6 times, first) - MEWF Tag Team ChampionshipMEWF Tag Team ChampionshipThis is a chronological list of MEWF tag team champions. The MEWF Tag Team Championship is the oldest championship title in the Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation having been established when the Lords of Darkness defeated Cream Team at the MEWF's first show in Pasadena, Maryland on August 2, 1991...
(3 times) – with Lucifer (2) and Joe ThunderJoe ThunderJoe Carter , better known by his ring name Joe Thunder, is a retired American professional wrestler and trainer who competed on the East Coast and Mid-Atlantic independent circuit during the 1990s and early 2000s, primarily working for the Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation in Essex, Maryland during...
(1)
- MEWF Heavyweight Championship
- Pro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
- PWI ranked him #454 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 1998
- Virginia Wrestling Alliance
- VWA Television Championship (1 time)
- Other titles
- Global Television Championship (1 time)