Ed White (wrestler)
Encyclopedia
Edward J. "Ed" White was a Canadian professional wrestler
, best known as Moondog King of the Moondogs
when he joined the World Wrestling Federation
(now WWE) in the early 1980s. White won 48 championships in Canada and around the globe. He wrestled in South Africa
as Big John Strongbo and in eastern Canada
as Sailor White.
on May 22, 1972 against Michael Gango for promoter Larry Kasaboski. While in Quebec
he was the Grand Prix tag team champion in 1976, International Heavyweight champion in 1982, International tag team champion twice in 1982–1984 and won the Canadian Television Championship in 1984.
He was most known for his time in the WWF as Moondog King where he teamed with Moondog Rex
and won the WWF Tag Team Championship (then WWWF) from Tony Garea and Rick Martel
in Allentown, Pennsylvania
in March 1981. After he was denied re-entry to the United States at the Canadian border the WWWF replaced him with substitutes including Stan Hansen
, Hulk Hogan
, Lou Albano
and Sgt. Slaughter
before selecting Moondog Spot as a permanent replacement, and explained his absence stating King had been hit by a car. White claims the border dispute involved a rival wrestling promoter alerting the authorities to his criminal past whereas some say it was drug related.
Late in his life Sailor was still active with various St. John's-based wrestling troupes: he started "All-Star Wrestling". Sailor could not afford to maintain All-Star Wrestling and ended up selling his ring to Gord Glynn. After Sailor got out of promoting wrestling he returned to wrestle for "Cutting Edge Wrestling". Cutting Edge Wrestling was founded by Gord Glynn. Other of White's students went on to form their own wrestling troops: "Newfoundland Championship Wrestling" was started by the Bennett Family, "Fierce Threat Wrestling" was started by Dan Gosse, and the Provincial Wrestling Association (PWA), which was created by former Cutting Edge Wrestlers Shane Murphy, Mitchell Fifield, and Bradley Bishop. The PWA was created several years after Cutting Edge Wrestling brought back Newfoundland Championship Wrestling for a joint company, originally, several wrestlers had intended to use the purchased PWA ring for training purposes only, but after a dispute with the Bennett family, the owners of what would become PWA were released from CEW-NCW. PWA had a change of ownership after a year or so and for a brief period of time was being run by Michael Barrington. Michael re-branded the organization to Republic Professional Wrestling (RPW) shortly after taking over. Several shows took place before it closed in late 2008.
Sailor White ran twice for Canada's House of Commons. In April 2000, Sailor White in a St. John's West by-election for the Canadian Extreme Wrestling Party
. His motto was "Parliament Needs a Moondog". On July 28, 2004, Sailor ran for the Canadian House of Commons
, representing the Green Party of Canada
in Bonavista—Exploits, but lost to Scott Simms
of the Liberal Party of Canada
. White received 367 votes to Simms's 15,970. He suffered from Bell's palsy
in 1999 and has two heart attacks by then as well. In 2002 he underwent triple bypass surgery and on December 2, 2004 his taxi crashed, breaking two bones in his neck and pinching a nerve in his spinal cord. He remained in the hospital on life support from then until his death on August 26, 2005. White is survived by his daughter Rozlynn and grandson Keygan.
His biography Sailor White was written by Dave Elliott.
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...
, best known as Moondog King of the Moondogs
Moondogs
The Moondogs were a professional wrestling stable in the World Wrestling Federation and in two Memphis promotions: the Continental Wrestling Association and the United States Wrestling Association...
when he joined the World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
(now WWE) in the early 1980s. White won 48 championships in Canada and around the globe. He wrestled in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
as Big John Strongbo and in eastern Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
as Sailor White.
Career
After doing work on Great Lakes boats, White made his wrestling debut in Pembroke, OntarioPembroke, Ontario
Pembroke is a city in the province of Ontario, Canada, at the confluence of the Muskrat River and the Ottawa River in the Ottawa Valley...
on May 22, 1972 against Michael Gango for promoter Larry Kasaboski. While in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
he was the Grand Prix tag team champion in 1976, International Heavyweight champion in 1982, International tag team champion twice in 1982–1984 and won the Canadian Television Championship in 1984.
He was most known for his time in the WWF as Moondog King where he teamed with Moondog Rex
Randy Colley
Randy Colley is a retired professional wrestler better known as Moondog Rex.-Professional wrestlling career:Colley competed in the World Wrestling Federation, where in 1981 he won the WWF Tag Team Championship with Moondog King as the Moondogs...
and won the WWF Tag Team Championship (then WWWF) from Tony Garea and 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...
in Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown is a city located in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is Pennsylvania's third most populous city, after Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and the 215th largest city in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 118,032 and is currently...
in March 1981. After he was denied re-entry to the United States at the Canadian border the WWWF replaced him with substitutes including Stan Hansen
Stan Hansen
John Stanley Hansen, Jr. is an American former professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Stan Hansen. As a wrestler, Hansen was well known for his stiff wrestling style, which he attributes to poor eyesight, as he is nearly blind without glasses...
, 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 ....
, Lou Albano
Lou Albano
Louis Vincent "Captain Lou" Albano was an Italian-American professional wrestler, manager and actor. He was active as a professional wrestler from 1953 until 1969, then he became a manager, until 1995....
and 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...
before selecting Moondog Spot as a permanent replacement, and explained his absence stating King had been hit by a car. White claims the border dispute involved a rival wrestling promoter alerting the authorities to his criminal past whereas some say it was drug related.
Late in his life Sailor was still active with various St. John's-based wrestling troupes: he started "All-Star Wrestling". Sailor could not afford to maintain All-Star Wrestling and ended up selling his ring to Gord Glynn. After Sailor got out of promoting wrestling he returned to wrestle for "Cutting Edge Wrestling". Cutting Edge Wrestling was founded by Gord Glynn. Other of White's students went on to form their own wrestling troops: "Newfoundland Championship Wrestling" was started by the Bennett Family, "Fierce Threat Wrestling" was started by Dan Gosse, and the Provincial Wrestling Association (PWA), which was created by former Cutting Edge Wrestlers Shane Murphy, Mitchell Fifield, and Bradley Bishop. The PWA was created several years after Cutting Edge Wrestling brought back Newfoundland Championship Wrestling for a joint company, originally, several wrestlers had intended to use the purchased PWA ring for training purposes only, but after a dispute with the Bennett family, the owners of what would become PWA were released from CEW-NCW. PWA had a change of ownership after a year or so and for a brief period of time was being run by Michael Barrington. Michael re-branded the organization to Republic Professional Wrestling (RPW) shortly after taking over. Several shows took place before it closed in late 2008.
Sailor White ran twice for Canada's House of Commons. In April 2000, Sailor White in a St. John's West by-election for the Canadian Extreme Wrestling Party
Canadian Extreme Wrestling Party
The Canadian Extreme Wrestling Party was a frivolous political party in Canada that was not registered as an official party by Elections Canada, the government agency that conducts the Canadian elections....
. His motto was "Parliament Needs a Moondog". On July 28, 2004, Sailor ran for the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
, representing the Green Party of Canada
Green Party of Canada
The Green Party of Canada is a Canadian federal political party founded in 1983 with 10,000–12,000 registered members as of October 2008. The Greens advance a broad multi-issue political platform that reflects its core values of ecological wisdom, social justice, grassroots democracy and...
in Bonavista—Exploits, but lost to Scott Simms
Scott Simms
Scott Simms is a Canadian politician. He is the Liberal Member of Parliament for the Newfoundland and Labrador riding of Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor.-Early life:...
of the Liberal Party of Canada
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
. White received 367 votes to Simms's 15,970. He suffered from Bell's palsy
Bell's palsy
Bell's palsy is a form of facial paralysis resulting from a dysfunction of the cranial nerve VII that results in the inability to control facial muscles on the affected side. Several conditions can cause facial paralysis, e.g., brain tumor, stroke, and Lyme disease. However, if no specific cause...
in 1999 and has two heart attacks by then as well. In 2002 he underwent triple bypass surgery and on December 2, 2004 his taxi crashed, breaking two bones in his neck and pinching a nerve in his spinal cord. He remained in the hospital on life support from then until his death on August 26, 2005. White is survived by his daughter Rozlynn and grandson Keygan.
His biography Sailor White was written by Dave Elliott.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Bear hugBear hugIn wrestling, a bear hug, also known as a bodylock, is a grappling clinch hold and stand-up grappling position where the arms are wrapped around the opponent, either around the opponent's chest, midsection, or thighs; sometimes with one or both of the opponents arms pinned to the opponent's body...
- Bear hug
- With Moondog RexRandy ColleyRandy Colley is a retired professional wrestler better known as Moondog Rex.-Professional wrestlling career:Colley competed in the World Wrestling Federation, where in 1981 he won the WWF Tag Team Championship with Moondog King as the Moondogs...
- Backbreaker hold / Diving elbow drop combination – WWF
- ManagerManager (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...
s- Lou AlbanoLou AlbanoLouis Vincent "Captain Lou" Albano was an Italian-American professional wrestler, manager and actor. He was active as a professional wrestler from 1953 until 1969, then he became a manager, until 1995....
- Lou Albano
Championships and accomplishments
- Eastern Sports AssociationEastern Sports AssociationThe Eastern Sports Association, often referred to in the business simply as "the Maritimes," was a Canadian professional wrestling promotion based in Halifax, Nova Scotia...
- NWA Canadian Heavyweight Championship (Halifax version)NWA Canadian Heavyweight Championship (Halifax version)The Halifax version of the NWA Canadian Heavyweight Championship was defended in the Eastern Sports Association only in 1977, the year the promotion closed. The title was imported from George Cannon's 'Canadian Wrestling' based in Ontario.-History:...
(1 time)
- Lutte Internationale
- Canadian International Heavyweight ChampionshipCanadian International Heavyweight ChampionshipThe Canadian International Heavyweight Championship was the top singles title in the Montreal-based wrestling promotion Lutte Internationale . It was a continuation of the Montreal Athletic Commission's old International Heavyweight Championship, which became inactive after the Commission's...
(1 time) - Canadian International Tag Team ChampionshipCanadian International Tag Team ChampionshipThe Canadian International Tag Team Championship was the tag team title in the Montreal-based wrestling promotion Lutte Internationale . The title lasted from 1976 until Lutte Internationale closed in 1987.-Title history:...
(3 times)
- World Wrestling FederationWorld Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
- WWF Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Moondog RexRandy ColleyRandy Colley is a retired professional wrestler better known as Moondog Rex.-Professional wrestlling career:Colley competed in the World Wrestling Federation, where in 1981 he won the WWF Tag Team Championship with Moondog King as the Moondogs...