Death & Destruction
Encyclopedia
Death & Destruction was a professional wrestling
tag team
composed of Frank "The Tank" Parker and "Ruthless" Roger Anderson. They competed in numerous regional and independent promotions throughout the Southern United States
in the 1990s, and were arguably one of the region's top "heel"
teams during this period.
In their seven years as a team, Parker and Anderson competed in Atlantic Coast Championship Wrestling
, Cueball Carmichael
's Independent Professional Wrestling Alliance
, National Wrestling Alliance
, North American Wrestling Association, OMEGA
, Southern Championship Wrestling
, Southern States Wrestling
, Virginia Championship Wrestling, and the United States Wrestling Association
. They also occasionally appeared in the World Wrestling Federation during the "Attitude Era".
The two men won numerous tag titles and, among their list of accomplishments, were the first-ever IPWA Tag Team Champions
, winning the title a record 3-times, former SCW Tag Team Champions, and 8-time SSW Tag Team Champions
. They were also the first and longest reigning VCW Tag Team Champions, defending the belts for over two years, and the last NWA National Tag Team Champions
before the title was retired in 1997.
They also gained notoriety on the Southern independents feuding with the likes of the Batten Twins (Brad and Bart Batten), Serial Thrillaz (Shane Helms
& Mike Maverick), Thug Life (Christian Cage and Sexton Hardcastle), The Fantastic Express (Ricky Morton
and Bobby Fulton
), and The Rock 'n' Roll Express (Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson
).
in local independent promotions in Virginia, such as Mike Sampson's United Wrestling Association, in the summer of 1994. Initially brought together by Valiant, Parker's former trainer, the two men began teaming as "Death & Destruction" on the Southeastern independent circuit the following year.
's Southern States Wrestling
. They quickly captured the promotion's tag team championship
from The Young Guns (Scott Sterling and Jeff Lovin) in Fall Branch
on September 4, 1995. Their first championship reign lasted over three months until their defeat by Beau James and Dan Cooley on December 1, 1995. Although they regained it in Princeton, West Virginia
the following night, the team dropped the belts to Beau James and Ricky Morton
a week later in Ledger, North Carolina.
Their third reign started after beating The Beautiful Blondes (Eddie Golden and Stan Lee) in Fall Branch on February 16, 1996. They traded the belts with The Fantastic Express (Ricky Morton and Bobby Fulton
) in Johnson City, Tennessee
during the spring before eventually losing the titles to Scott Sterling and Dan Cooley on September 2, 1996.
's Independent Professional Wrestling Alliance in Alexandria, Virginia
. They became the first-ever IPWA Tag Team Champions
, defeating the American Patriot and Kevin Dillon, on the promotions's first show in Manassas
on March 9, 1996. They would go on to win the tag team titles a record 3-times during their 15 months in the IPWA. That summer, Wahoo McDaniel
came out of retirement to team with "Beastmaster" Rick Link
against Parker and Anderson at an ACW show in North Carolina.
Their loss to MEWF Tag Team Champions
Darkside (Glen Osbourne
and Rockin' Rebel
) in a "champions vs. champions", occuring during the team's second run as champions, saw Darkside win both the IPWA and MEWF titles. Death & Destruction's third and final reign began following their victory over Steve Corino
and Adam Flash
on March 22, 1997, in Goldsboro, North Carolina
and lasted until the championship became vacated that summer. It was around this tme that Parker and Anderson won the briefly revived NWA National Tag Team Championship
before it was retired that same year. A few months later, while working for Virginia Championship Wrestling, they also became the promotion's first tag team champions and held the titles over two years.
where, with manager Count Grog
, they feuded with Serial Thrillaz (Shane Helms
& Mike Maverick) and Thug Life (Christian Cage and Sexton Hardcastle). On June 14, 1997, they won the SCW Tag Team Titles from C.W. Anderson
and David Dawson (substituting for Pat Anderson) in Butner, North Carolina
and lost the belts to Northern Exposure (C.W. Anderson and Cueball Carmichael
) in Louisburg
in the fall.
Death & Destruction also received a tryout match for the World Wrestling Federation at the end of the year. Their first WWF appearance saw them take on The Legion of Doom (Hawk
and Animal
) on the December 6th 1997 edition Shotgun Saturday Night which ended in a double-countout. The team's name was not used, with Anderson wrestling as "Roger Hill", however color commentator
Jim Cornette
made a hidden reference
to their independent work when, during the match, he commented that "the LOD [are] destroying their opponents so badly, they might as well call them death and destruction."
for the SSW Tag Team Championship. They lost the titles to Beau James and a new partner K.C. Thunder, at a October 18th show in Mountain City, Tennessee
but won them back on December 19, 1997, and spent another three months as champions before losing the titles to Mike Cooper and Super Masked Man in Fall Branch on March 20, 1998.
, put them in a class of modern-day Southern brawlers such as C.W. Anderson
and Eddie Golden. DVDVR also listed both Parker (118) and Anderson (149) in the "Death Valley Driver 500" in 2001. Their former manager, Count Grog, named both men as his top 10 favorite wrestlers of all time. He specifically named Parker as his favorite American wrestler, claiming that he would have been a major territorial star in the 1970s, and expressed his surprise that neither had yet to be signed by either WCW or the WWF.
In early-1998, they started working for West Virginia
promoter Jim Hawkins and his Atlantic Coast Championship Wrestling
beating The Country Cousins (R.J. Stomper and Cousin Elmer) for the ACCW Tag Team Championship on April 11, 1998, in Buckhannon, West Virginia
. They held on to the titles for most of the year before dropping them to the Baltimore Bad Boys (Eddie Edmonds and Mike Morgan) on October 10, 1998. Parker and Anderson also continued feuding with the Serial Thrillaz over the OMEGA Tag Team Championship
in Matt and Jeff Hardy
's OMEGA
as well as in SCW. In Appalachian Mountain Wrestling later that year, Death & Destruction defeated Bryan Wayne and Scott Sterling (substituting for Stan Lee) in Coeburn, Virginia
for the APW Tag Team Championship.
before defeating them for the titles in Kingsport a week later. While still champions, they made their second WWF appearance as a team wrestling The Hardy Boyz (Matt
and Jeff Hardy
) at the sold-out UTC Arena in Chattanooga, Tennessee
in front of 7,900 fans; the match later aired on the February 27th edition of Shotgun Saturday Night.
They lost the belts back to the Christians back in Kingsport on April 25. The feuding continued, however, and a three-way match between the Christian Brothers, Death & Destruction and Steve Flynn & K.C. Thunder on July 10 in Kingsport, saw the titles go to the third team. The titles were eventually held up and declared vacant following "a wild brawl" between the three teams, with Beau James substituting for K.C. Thunder, on September 10. Parker and Anderson won the vacant titles in a match against the Memphis Bodyguards to begin their eighth and final title reign. They regularly appeared on the promotion's short-lived television show, defending the championship against such opponents as Joe Fillers & Slammin' Sam and The British Knights, before The New Rock 'n' Roll Express (Ricky Morton and Ricky Harrison) defeated them for the belts in Johnson City, Tennessee
on December 12, 1999. They also met the Batten Twins (Brad and Bart Batten) in Appalachia Pro Wrestling that same month.
referee
Brian Hildebrand
, held at the Ice Gardens in Rostraver, Pennsylvania on July 30. They were originally scheduled to wrestle The Public Enemy
(Rocco Rock
and Johnny Grunge
), however, Beau James ended up teaming Roger Anderson while Parker wrestled Julio Sanchez in a singles match; their longtime rival wrestled as an official member of Death & Destruction for one-night only. Like the rest of the talent, Parker and Anderson wrestled without payment in order to ensure that the maximum amount of money was raised. They also represented SSW at a second fundraiser, "Curtis Goes Home", in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
along with Beau James and Al Getz. Both shows featured wrestlers from Extreme Championship Wrestling
, World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation.
They also wrestled for KYDA Pro Wrestling, affiliated with Cueball Carmichael
's Keep Your Dreams Alive wrestling school in Staunton, Virginia
, which saw the team briefly split up. On March 11, 2000, a match between the two ended in a 10-minute time limit draw. On June 2, 2001 at the Salem Civic Center
, Death & Destruction wrestled on the North American Wrestling Association's Legends Tour which featured Doink the Clown
, Boris Zhukov, Ivan Koloff, Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat
, and Chief Wahoo McDaniel
. A month later, they won the BWF Tag Team Championship after defeating The Bushwackers (Luke and Butch) in a tournament final held in Puerto Rico
.
Death & Destruction spent their last year in various independents. Their most notable appearances were for National Pro Wrestling and Carolina Championship Wrestling. On June 22, 2002, they entered NPW's first-ever tag team tournament held at the Mullins Elementary School in Pikeville, Kentucky
. Their last appearance as a team was at a special CCW supercard, "Mid Atlantic Reunion", as a tribute to "the great legends of Mid Atlantic Wrestling's past". The show was held on July 6, 2002, at Uncle Bill's Flea Market in Sylva, North Carolina
and featured many former stars including Jimmy Valiant
, The Barbarian
, Mr. Hughes
, Greg "The Hammer" Valentine
, and Bunkhouse Buck. Magnum T.A.
also made a rare appearance in the semi-main event serving as the cornerman
of Ricky Morton and The Iron Sheik during their match against Buddy Landel
and George South
. Parker and Anderson beat Jason King and T.C. Carter. Frank Parker subsequently left the business while Roger Anderson returned to SSW. For a few years afterwards, Anderson continued wrestling on the independents as a singles wrestler before retiring to become a high school
teacher
in Tennessee.
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...
tag team
Tag team
Tag team professional wrestling is a variation in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. A tag team may comprise two wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of established teams who wrestle regularly as a unit and have a team name...
composed of Frank "The Tank" Parker and "Ruthless" Roger Anderson. They competed in numerous regional and independent promotions throughout the Southern United States
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
in the 1990s, and were arguably one of the region's top "heel"
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
teams during this period.
In their seven years as a team, Parker and Anderson competed in Atlantic Coast Championship Wrestling
Mason-Dixon Wrestling
Mason-Dixon Wrestling is an American independent wrestling promotion, formerly known as Atlantic Coast Championship Wrestling which spawned up in the Clarksburg area October 1997 after a promotional rift in the WVWA between Jim Hawkins, Buddy "Bubba" Rose and Greg Shriver, based in Nutter Fort,...
, Cueball Carmichael
Cueball Carmichael
Chris Jackson is an American professional wrestler, trainer and promoter, known by his ringname Cueball Carmichael, who competes in the Mid-Atlantic and East Coast independent circuit...
's Independent Professional Wrestling Alliance
Independent Professional Wrestling Alliance
The Independent Professional Wrestling Alliance was an American independent professional wrestling promotion that held events in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States, especially in the Carolinas and Virginia, from October 1995 to February 2001, when it was run by Cueball Carmichael and...
, National Wrestling Alliance
National Wrestling Alliance
The National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
, North American Wrestling Association, OMEGA
Organization of Modern Extreme Grappling Arts
The Organization of Modern Extreme Grappling Arts, also known as OMEGA, is an independent professional wrestling promotion based in central North Carolina....
, Southern Championship Wrestling
Southern Championship Wrestling
Southern Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that held events in the Southeastern United States, especially in eastern and central North Carolina, from November 1994 to November 2004, when it was run by Greg Mosorjak...
, Southern States Wrestling
Southern States Wrestling
Southern States Wrestling is an American independent professional wrestling promotion based in eastern Tennessee. Founded by wrestler Beau James in early 1991, SSW succeeded Smoky Mountain Wrestling as the top promotion in eastern Tennessee following its close...
, Virginia Championship Wrestling, and the United States Wrestling Association
United States Wrestling Association
The United States Wrestling Association or USWA was a professional wrestling promotion based in Memphis, Tennessee. It was founded by former CWA owner Jerry Jarrett.-Foundation:...
. They also occasionally appeared in the World Wrestling Federation during the "Attitude Era".
The two men won numerous tag titles and, among their list of accomplishments, were the first-ever IPWA Tag Team Champions
IPWA Tag Team Championship
The IPWA Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling tag team championship in the Independent Professional Wrestling Alliance . The inaugural champions were Death & Destruction , who defeated the American Patriot and Kevin Dillon in Manassas, Virginia on October 10, 1995 to become the first...
, winning the title a record 3-times, former SCW Tag Team Champions, and 8-time SSW Tag Team Champions
SSW Tag Team Championship
The Southern States Wrestling Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team championship in Southern States Wrestling. It was first won by Danny and Bam Bam Christian when they defeated The Russian Assassins in Hampton, Tennessee on October 1, 1990...
. They were also the first and longest reigning VCW Tag Team Champions, defending the belts for over two years, and the last NWA National Tag Team Champions
NWA National Tag Team Championship
The NWA National Tag Team Championship was the major tag team title in the NWA-affiliated Georgia Championship Wrestling from 1980 until 1986.The championship was introduced in November 1980 when Georgia Tag Team Champions the Fabulous Freebirds won a tournament to determine the first champions,...
before the title was retired in 1997.
They also gained notoriety on the Southern independents feuding with the likes of the Batten Twins (Brad and Bart Batten), Serial Thrillaz (Shane Helms
Gregory Helms
Gregory Shane Helms is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his time with World Wrestling Entertainment where he wrestled as The Hurricane and Gregory Helms. He is also known for his time with World Championship Wrestling where he wrestled as "Sugar" Shane Helms...
& Mike Maverick), Thug Life (Christian Cage and Sexton Hardcastle), The Fantastic Express (Ricky Morton
Ricky Morton
Richard Wendell "Ricky" Morton is an American professional wrestler who has worked for such wrestling organizations as Jim Crockett Promotions, the American Wrestling Association, Extreme Championship Wrestling, World Championship Wrestling, the World Wrestling Federation and Total Nonstop Action...
and Bobby Fulton
James Hines
James Hines is a professional wrestler better known as Bobby Fulton of The Fantastics.-Career:James Hines started wrestling as a 16 year old in 1977 as Jimmy Hines....
), and The Rock 'n' Roll Express (Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson
Robert Gibson
Robert Gibson may refer to:* Robert W. Gibson , English-American ecclesiastical architect active in New York City* Robert Gibson , Australian businessman* Robert Gibson , American baseball player...
).
Early years
Frank Parker and Roger Anderson first met while competing with Jimmy ValiantJimmy Valiant
James Harold Fanning is a former professional wrestler and author better known as Jimmy Valiant.-Personal life:...
in local independent promotions in Virginia, such as Mike Sampson's United Wrestling Association, in the summer of 1994. Initially brought together by Valiant, Parker's former trainer, the two men began teaming as "Death & Destruction" on the Southeastern independent circuit the following year.
Southern States Wrestling (1995-1996)
By mid-1995, Death & Destruction had made their debut in TennesseeTennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
's Southern States Wrestling
Southern States Wrestling
Southern States Wrestling is an American independent professional wrestling promotion based in eastern Tennessee. Founded by wrestler Beau James in early 1991, SSW succeeded Smoky Mountain Wrestling as the top promotion in eastern Tennessee following its close...
. They quickly captured the promotion's tag team championship
SSW Tag Team Championship
The Southern States Wrestling Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team championship in Southern States Wrestling. It was first won by Danny and Bam Bam Christian when they defeated The Russian Assassins in Hampton, Tennessee on October 1, 1990...
from The Young Guns (Scott Sterling and Jeff Lovin) in Fall Branch
Fall Branch, Tennessee
Fall Branch is a census-designated place in Washington and Greene counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee. The population was 1,313 at the 2000 census....
on September 4, 1995. Their first championship reign lasted over three months until their defeat by Beau James and Dan Cooley on December 1, 1995. Although they regained it in Princeton, West Virginia
Princeton, West Virginia
Princeton is a city in Mercer County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 7,652 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Bluefield, WV-VA micropolitan area which has a population of 111,586. It is the county seat of Mercer County...
the following night, the team dropped the belts to Beau James and Ricky Morton
Ricky Morton
Richard Wendell "Ricky" Morton is an American professional wrestler who has worked for such wrestling organizations as Jim Crockett Promotions, the American Wrestling Association, Extreme Championship Wrestling, World Championship Wrestling, the World Wrestling Federation and Total Nonstop Action...
a week later in Ledger, North Carolina.
Their third reign started after beating The Beautiful Blondes (Eddie Golden and Stan Lee) in Fall Branch on February 16, 1996. They traded the belts with The Fantastic Express (Ricky Morton and Bobby Fulton
James Hines
James Hines is a professional wrestler better known as Bobby Fulton of The Fantastics.-Career:James Hines started wrestling as a 16 year old in 1977 as Jimmy Hines....
) in Johnson City, Tennessee
Johnson City, Tennessee
Johnson City is a city in Carter, Sullivan, and Washington counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee, with most of the city being in Washington County...
during the spring before eventually losing the titles to Scott Sterling and Dan Cooley on September 2, 1996.
Independent Professional Wrestling Alliance (1996-1997)
Earlier that year, Death & Destruction began wrestling for Cueball CarmichaelCueball Carmichael
Chris Jackson is an American professional wrestler, trainer and promoter, known by his ringname Cueball Carmichael, who competes in the Mid-Atlantic and East Coast independent circuit...
's Independent Professional Wrestling Alliance in Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
. They became the first-ever IPWA Tag Team Champions
IPWA Tag Team Championship
The IPWA Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling tag team championship in the Independent Professional Wrestling Alliance . The inaugural champions were Death & Destruction , who defeated the American Patriot and Kevin Dillon in Manassas, Virginia on October 10, 1995 to become the first...
, defeating the American Patriot and Kevin Dillon, on the promotions's first show in Manassas
Manassas, Virginia
The City of Manassas is an independent city surrounded by Prince William County and the independent city of Manassas Park in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Its population was 37,821 as of 2010. Manassas also surrounds the county seat for Prince William County but that county...
on March 9, 1996. They would go on to win the tag team titles a record 3-times during their 15 months in the IPWA. That summer, Wahoo McDaniel
Wahoo McDaniel
Edward "Wahoo" McDaniel was a Choctaw-Chickasaw Native American who achieved fame as a professional American football player and later as a professional wrestler.-Early life:...
came out of retirement to team with "Beastmaster" Rick Link
Rick Link
"The Beastmaster" Rick Link is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, trainer and promoter. He wrestled throughout Canada and the United States for the National Wrestling Alliance during the 1970s and 80s under a number of ringnames, most notably, as M.E.B. in NWA Central States and as...
against Parker and Anderson at an ACW show in North Carolina.
Their loss to MEWF Tag Team Champions
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...
Darkside (Glen Osbourne
Glen Osbourne
Glen Osbourne is an American professional wrestler, perhaps best known for his appearances with Eastern Championship Wrestling in the early 1990s, where he was the youngest holder of the ECW World Television Championship...
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 a "champions vs. champions", occuring during the team's second run as champions, saw Darkside win both the IPWA and MEWF titles. Death & Destruction's third and final reign began following their victory over Steve Corino
Steve Corino
Steven Eugene "Steve" Corino is a Canadian professional wrestler, who currently works for Pro Wrestling Zero1, Ring of Honor and numerous other independent promotions. Corino is a former NWA World Heavyweight Champion and ECW World Heavyweight Champion.-Early years :Corino began wrestling in 1994...
and Adam Flash
Adam Flash
Douglas Adam Becker in York, Pennsylvania is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Adam Flash. Over his career, he has worked for various independent promotions, including Maryland Championship Wrestling, Independent Wrestling Association Mid-South, and Combat Zone...
on March 22, 1997, in Goldsboro, North Carolina
Goldsboro, North Carolina
Goldsboro is a city in Wayne County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 37,597 at the 2008 census estimate. It is the principal city of and is included in the Goldsboro, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area. The nearby town of Waynesboro was founded in 1787 and Goldsboro was...
and lasted until the championship became vacated that summer. It was around this tme that Parker and Anderson won the briefly revived NWA National Tag Team Championship
NWA National Tag Team Championship
The NWA National Tag Team Championship was the major tag team title in the NWA-affiliated Georgia Championship Wrestling from 1980 until 1986.The championship was introduced in November 1980 when Georgia Tag Team Champions the Fabulous Freebirds won a tournament to determine the first champions,...
before it was retired that same year. A few months later, while working for Virginia Championship Wrestling, they also became the promotion's first tag team champions and held the titles over two years.
Southern Championship Wrestling (1997-1998)
Parker and Anderson much of 1997 in Southern Championship WrestlingSouthern Championship Wrestling
Southern Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that held events in the Southeastern United States, especially in eastern and central North Carolina, from November 1994 to November 2004, when it was run by Greg Mosorjak...
where, with manager Count Grog
Count Grog
Greg Mosorjak , better known as Count Grog, is an American professional wrestling manager, referee, ring announcer, commentator, promoter, and booker...
, they feuded with Serial Thrillaz (Shane Helms
Gregory Helms
Gregory Shane Helms is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his time with World Wrestling Entertainment where he wrestled as The Hurricane and Gregory Helms. He is also known for his time with World Championship Wrestling where he wrestled as "Sugar" Shane Helms...
& Mike Maverick) and Thug Life (Christian Cage and Sexton Hardcastle). On June 14, 1997, they won the SCW Tag Team Titles from C.W. Anderson
C.W. Anderson
Chris Wright is an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name, C.W. Anderson. He is best known for his time with Extreme Championship Wrestling.-Early life:...
and David Dawson (substituting for Pat Anderson) in Butner, North Carolina
Butner, North Carolina
Butner is a town in Granville County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 7,591 at the 2010 census]. Butner was managed by the state of North Carolina from 1947 through 2007. A bill passed by the North Carolina General Assembly incorporating the town was signed by Gov. Mike Easley on...
and lost the belts to Northern Exposure (C.W. Anderson and Cueball Carmichael
Cueball Carmichael
Chris Jackson is an American professional wrestler, trainer and promoter, known by his ringname Cueball Carmichael, who competes in the Mid-Atlantic and East Coast independent circuit...
) in Louisburg
Louisburg, North Carolina
Louisburg is a town in Franklin County, North Carolina, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 3,111. It is the county seat of Franklin County...
in the fall.
Death & Destruction also received a tryout match for the World Wrestling Federation at the end of the year. Their first WWF appearance saw them take on The Legion of Doom (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 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...
) on the December 6th 1997 edition Shotgun Saturday Night which ended in a double-countout. The team's name was not used, with Anderson wrestling as "Roger Hill", however color commentator
Color commentator
A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
Jim Cornette
Jim Cornette
James Mark "Jim" Cornette is an American professional wrestling manager, commentator, promoter, and booker. As a manager, he has worked for Jim Crockett Promotions, World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Federation and from 1991 to 1995, was the owner of Smoky Mountain Wrestling...
made a hidden reference
In-joke
An in-joke, also known as an inside joke or in joke, is a joke whose humour is clear only to people who are in a particular social group, occupation, or other community of common understanding...
to their independent work when, during the match, he commented that "the LOD [are] destroying their opponents so badly, they might as well call them death and destruction."
Southern States Wrestling (1997-1998)
Back in SSW, Death & Destruction continued to dominate the tag team division. On July 4, 1997, they defeated Beau James and War Machine in Fall Branch, TennesseeFall Branch, Tennessee
Fall Branch is a census-designated place in Washington and Greene counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee. The population was 1,313 at the 2000 census....
for the SSW Tag Team Championship. They lost the titles to Beau James and a new partner K.C. Thunder, at a October 18th show in Mountain City, Tennessee
Mountain City, Tennessee
Mountain City is a town in Johnson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 2,383 at the 2000 census. It is the northeasternmost county seat in Tennessee; Mountain City is the county seat of Johnson County.-History:...
but won them back on December 19, 1997, and spent another three months as champions before losing the titles to Mike Cooper and Super Masked Man in Fall Branch on March 20, 1998.
Independent circuit (1998-1999)
By the late 1990s, Death & Destruction had established themselves as one of the top tag teams in the Southern independents and were most active in eastern Tennessee, Virginia and the Carolinas. Fans appreciated their hard-hitting style and adherence to traditional Southern-style 'Rasslin' reminiscent of the bygone territory-era. Dean Rasmussen, editor-in-chief of Death Valley Driver Video ReviewDeath Valley Driver Video Review
The Death Valley Driver Video Review is an online fanzine dedicated to criticizing, analyzing, and reviewing professional wrestling. Characterized by its use of parody and satirical humor, DVDVR has been credited for popularizing certain expressions and slang in internet culture such as the...
, put them in a class of modern-day Southern brawlers such as C.W. Anderson
C.W. Anderson
Chris Wright is an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name, C.W. Anderson. He is best known for his time with Extreme Championship Wrestling.-Early life:...
and Eddie Golden. DVDVR also listed both Parker (118) and Anderson (149) in the "Death Valley Driver 500" in 2001. Their former manager, Count Grog, named both men as his top 10 favorite wrestlers of all time. He specifically named Parker as his favorite American wrestler, claiming that he would have been a major territorial star in the 1970s, and expressed his surprise that neither had yet to be signed by either WCW or the WWF.
In early-1998, they started working for West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
promoter Jim Hawkins and his Atlantic Coast Championship Wrestling
Mason-Dixon Wrestling
Mason-Dixon Wrestling is an American independent wrestling promotion, formerly known as Atlantic Coast Championship Wrestling which spawned up in the Clarksburg area October 1997 after a promotional rift in the WVWA between Jim Hawkins, Buddy "Bubba" Rose and Greg Shriver, based in Nutter Fort,...
beating The Country Cousins (R.J. Stomper and Cousin Elmer) for the ACCW Tag Team Championship on April 11, 1998, in Buckhannon, West Virginia
Buckhannon, West Virginia
Buckhannon is the only incorporated city in, and the county seat of, Upshur County, West Virginia, United States, and is located along the Buckhannon River. The population was 5,725 at the 2000 census. Buckhannon is home to West Virginia Wesleyan College and the West Virginia Strawberry Festival,...
. They held on to the titles for most of the year before dropping them to the Baltimore Bad Boys (Eddie Edmonds and Mike Morgan) on October 10, 1998. Parker and Anderson also continued feuding with the Serial Thrillaz over the OMEGA Tag Team Championship
OMEGA Tag Team Championship
The OMEGA Tag Team Championship was the top tag team title in the Organization of Modern Extreme Grappling Arts independent professional wrestling promotion. The title lasted from 1997 to 1999.-Title history:-See also:...
in Matt and Jeff Hardy
Hardy Boyz
The Hardy Boyz are a professional wrestling tag team, consisting of real-life brothers Matt and Jeff Hardy...
's OMEGA
Organization of Modern Extreme Grappling Arts
The Organization of Modern Extreme Grappling Arts, also known as OMEGA, is an independent professional wrestling promotion based in central North Carolina....
as well as in SCW. In Appalachian Mountain Wrestling later that year, Death & Destruction defeated Bryan Wayne and Scott Sterling (substituting for Stan Lee) in Coeburn, Virginia
Coeburn, Virginia
Coeburn is a town in Wise County, Virginia, along the Guest River. The population was 1,996 at the 2000 census with many small peaceful wooded communities in the outskirts. Camping is available nearby at Bark Camp Lake in the Jefferson National Forest with other activities including boating and...
for the APW Tag Team Championship.
Southern States Wrestling (1999)
In January 1999, Parker and Anderson began challenging then SSW Tag Team Champions The Christian Brothers (Danny & Bam Bam Christian). The two teams battled in a memorable brawl on the January 24th "Southern States Wrestling TV Special" in Kingsport, TennesseeKingsport, Tennessee
Kingsport is a city located mainly in Sullivan County with some western portions in Hawkins County in the US state of Tennessee. The majority of the city lies in Sullivan County...
before defeating them for the titles in Kingsport a week later. While still champions, they made their second WWF appearance as a team wrestling The Hardy Boyz (Matt
Matt Hardy
Matthew Moore "Matt" Hardy is a semi-retired American professional wrestler. He is best known for his stints in World Wrestling Entertainment and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
and Jeff Hardy
Jeff Hardy
Jeffrey Nero "Jeff" Hardy is an American professional wrestler, who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where he is a former two–time TNA World Heavyweight Champion...
) at the sold-out UTC Arena in Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
in front of 7,900 fans; the match later aired on the February 27th edition of Shotgun Saturday Night.
They lost the belts back to the Christians back in Kingsport on April 25. The feuding continued, however, and a three-way match between the Christian Brothers, Death & Destruction and Steve Flynn & K.C. Thunder on July 10 in Kingsport, saw the titles go to the third team. The titles were eventually held up and declared vacant following "a wild brawl" between the three teams, with Beau James substituting for K.C. Thunder, on September 10. Parker and Anderson won the vacant titles in a match against the Memphis Bodyguards to begin their eighth and final title reign. They regularly appeared on the promotion's short-lived television show, defending the championship against such opponents as Joe Fillers & Slammin' Sam and The British Knights, before The New Rock 'n' Roll Express (Ricky Morton and Ricky Harrison) defeated them for the belts in Johnson City, Tennessee
Johnson City, Tennessee
Johnson City is a city in Carter, Sullivan, and Washington counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee, with most of the city being in Washington County...
on December 12, 1999. They also met the Batten Twins (Brad and Bart Batten) in Appalachia Pro Wrestling that same month.
Final years (1999-2002)
While continuing to wrestle for SSW, and after their departure, Death & Destruction continued touring the Southern independents. In the summer of 1999, Parker and Anderson were among the wrestlers who participated in the "Curtis Comes Home" supercard, a benefit show for World Championship WrestlingWorld 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...
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...
Brian Hildebrand
Brian Hildebrand
Brian Curtis Hildebrand was a professional wrestling manager, wrestler and referee who sometimes went by the name of Mark Curtis...
, held at the Ice Gardens in Rostraver, Pennsylvania on July 30. They were originally scheduled to wrestle The Public Enemy
The Public Enemy (professional wrestling)
The Public Enemy was a professional wrestling tag team consisting of Rocco Rock and Johnny Grunge. The duo competed in many promotions, including Extreme Championship Wrestling , World Championship Wrestling , National Wrestling Alliance , and the World Wrestling Federation...
(Rocco Rock
Rocco Rock
Theodore James Petty was an American professional wrestler better known as "Flyboy" Rocco Rock, one half of The Public Enemy.-Career:...
and Johnny Grunge
Johnny Grunge
Michael "Mike" Durham was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Johnny Grunge...
), however, Beau James ended up teaming Roger Anderson while Parker wrestled Julio Sanchez in a singles match; their longtime rival wrestled as an official member of Death & Destruction for one-night only. Like the rest of the talent, Parker and Anderson wrestled without payment in order to ensure that the maximum amount of money was raised. They also represented SSW at a second fundraiser, "Curtis Goes Home", in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
along with Beau James and Al Getz. Both shows featured wrestlers 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...
, World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation.
They also wrestled for KYDA Pro Wrestling, affiliated with Cueball Carmichael
Cueball Carmichael
Chris Jackson is an American professional wrestler, trainer and promoter, known by his ringname Cueball Carmichael, who competes in the Mid-Atlantic and East Coast independent circuit...
's Keep Your Dreams Alive wrestling school in Staunton, Virginia
Staunton, Virginia
Staunton is an independent city within the confines of Augusta County in the commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 23,746 as of 2010. It is the county seat of Augusta County....
, which saw the team briefly split up. On March 11, 2000, a match between the two ended in a 10-minute time limit draw. On June 2, 2001 at the Salem Civic Center
Salem Civic Center
The Salem Civic Center is a 6,820-seat multi-purpose arena in Salem, Virginia. It was built in 1967 and is part of the James E. Taliaferro Sports and Entertainment Complex , which also includes the Salem Football Stadium and the Salem Memorial Baseball Stadium...
, Death & Destruction wrestled on the North American Wrestling Association's Legends Tour which featured 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...
, Boris Zhukov, Ivan Koloff, Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat
Ricky Steamboat
Richard Henry Blood , better known by his ring name Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat, is a retired American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE working as a road agent. He was one of the few wrestlers who stayed a babyface throughout his career...
, and Chief Wahoo McDaniel
Wahoo McDaniel
Edward "Wahoo" McDaniel was a Choctaw-Chickasaw Native American who achieved fame as a professional American football player and later as a professional wrestler.-Early life:...
. A month later, they won the BWF Tag Team Championship after defeating The Bushwackers (Luke and Butch) in a tournament final held in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
.
Death & Destruction spent their last year in various independents. Their most notable appearances were for National Pro Wrestling and Carolina Championship Wrestling. On June 22, 2002, they entered NPW's first-ever tag team tournament held at the Mullins Elementary School in Pikeville, Kentucky
Pikeville, Kentucky
Pikeville is a city in Pike County, Kentucky. The population was 6,903 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Pike County.-History:On March 25, 1822, the county's government officials decided to build a new county seat named Liberty, one and one-half mile below the mouth of the Russell Fork...
. Their last appearance as a team was at a special CCW supercard, "Mid Atlantic Reunion", as a tribute to "the great legends of Mid Atlantic Wrestling's past". The show was held on July 6, 2002, at Uncle Bill's Flea Market in Sylva, North Carolina
Sylva, North Carolina
Sylva is an incorporated town located in central Jackson County, in the Great Smoky Mountains of Western North Carolina, United States of America. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 2,588. It is the county seat, having taken over from nearby Webster in 1913.-Geography:Sylva...
and featured many former stars including Jimmy Valiant
Jimmy Valiant
James Harold Fanning is a former professional wrestler and author better known as Jimmy Valiant.-Personal life:...
, The Barbarian
Sione Vailahi
Sione Havea Vailahi is a professional wrestler best known in wrestling as The Barbarian.-Life and career:Born and raised in Tonga, Sione was one of five teenagers sent by the King of Tonga to Japan to study Sumo wrestling in the mid 1970s. Tonga Fifita was one of the other teenagers...
, Mr. Hughes
Curtis Hughes
Curtis Hughes is an American professional wrestler, better known under the ring name Mr. Hughes. He is best known for his stints in the World Wrestling Federation. In addition to the WWF, Hughes has also worked for World Championship Wrestling, the American Wrestling Association, the American...
, Greg "The Hammer" Valentine
Greg Valentine
John Wisniski, Jr. is an American professional wrestler, better known as Greg "The Hammer" Valentine. He is the son of wrestler Johnny Valentine.-Training:...
, and Bunkhouse Buck. Magnum T.A.
Magnum T.A.
Terry Wayne Allen is a retired American professional wrestler, best known under the ring name Magnum T.A..-Early years:...
also made a rare appearance in the semi-main event serving as the cornerman
Cornerman
A cornerman, or simply corner, is a combat sports term for a coach or team mate assisting a fighter during the length of a bout. The cornerman remains outside the combat area during the fight, but in proximity, and can assist the fighter through instruction...
of Ricky Morton and The Iron Sheik during their match against Buddy Landel
Buddy Landel
William Ansor is a professional wrestler better knownas "Nature Boy" Buddy Landel.-Career:Buddy Landel started his career in 1979 as a young talented athlete in ICW. He left high school even though he had received letters of intent to play baseball and football at the University of Tennessee...
and George South
George South
George South is a professional wrestler who has appeared as a preliminary wrestler in World Championship Wrestling, Jim Crockett Promotions and the World Wrestling Federation.-Professional wrestling career:...
. Parker and Anderson beat Jason King and T.C. Carter. Frank Parker subsequently left the business while Roger Anderson returned to SSW. For a few years afterwards, Anderson continued wrestling on the independents as a singles wrestler before retiring to become a high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
in Tennessee.
Championships and accomplishments
- Appalachian Mountain Wrestling
- AMW Tag Team Championship (1 time)
- Atlantic Coast Championship WrestlingMason-Dixon WrestlingMason-Dixon Wrestling is an American independent wrestling promotion, formerly known as Atlantic Coast Championship Wrestling which spawned up in the Clarksburg area October 1997 after a promotional rift in the WVWA between Jim Hawkins, Buddy "Bubba" Rose and Greg Shriver, based in Nutter Fort,...
- ACCW Tag Team Championship (1 time)
- Bruiser Wrestling Federation
- BWF Tag Team Championship (1 time)
- Independent Professional Wrestling AllianceIndependent Professional Wrestling AllianceThe Independent Professional Wrestling Alliance was an American independent professional wrestling promotion that held events in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States, especially in the Carolinas and Virginia, from October 1995 to February 2001, when it was run by Cueball Carmichael and...
- IPWA Tag Team ChampionshipIPWA Tag Team ChampionshipThe IPWA Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling tag team championship in the Independent Professional Wrestling Alliance . The inaugural champions were Death & Destruction , who defeated the American Patriot and Kevin Dillon in Manassas, Virginia on October 10, 1995 to become the first...
(3 times, first)
- IPWA Tag Team Championship
- Mountain State Wrestling Association
- MSWA Tag Team Championship (1 time, last)
- National Wrestling AllianceNational Wrestling AllianceThe National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
- NWA National Tag Team ChampionshipNWA National Tag Team ChampionshipThe NWA National Tag Team Championship was the major tag team title in the NWA-affiliated Georgia Championship Wrestling from 1980 until 1986.The championship was introduced in November 1980 when Georgia Tag Team Champions the Fabulous Freebirds won a tournament to determine the first champions,...
(1 time, last)
- NWA National Tag Team Championship
- New Dimension Wrestling
- NDW Tag Team Championship (1 time)
- 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 Frank Parker # 297 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the PWI 500 in 1999
- PWI ranked Roger Anderson # 317 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the PWI 500 in 1999
- Southern Championship WrestlingSouthern Championship WrestlingSouthern Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that held events in the Southeastern United States, especially in eastern and central North Carolina, from November 1994 to November 2004, when it was run by Greg Mosorjak...
- SCW Tag Team Championship (1 time)
- Southern States WrestlingSouthern States WrestlingSouthern States Wrestling is an American independent professional wrestling promotion based in eastern Tennessee. Founded by wrestler Beau James in early 1991, SSW succeeded Smoky Mountain Wrestling as the top promotion in eastern Tennessee following its close...
- SSW Tag Team ChampionshipSSW Tag Team ChampionshipThe Southern States Wrestling Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team championship in Southern States Wrestling. It was first won by Danny and Bam Bam Christian when they defeated The Russian Assassins in Hampton, Tennessee on October 1, 1990...
(8 times)
- SSW Tag Team Championship
- Virginia Championship Wrestling
- VCW Tag Team Championship (1 time, first)
- Other Titles
- NIWA Tag Team Championship (1 time)