Gino Hernandez
Encyclopedia
Charles Eugene Wolfe, Jr. (August 14, 1957 – February 2, 1986) was a professional wrestler better known by his ring name Gino Hernandez. His in-ring nickname was "The Handsome Half-Breed" (a reference to his Italian/Hispanic ring name)
's Big Time Wrestling out of Detroit. Gino was a fresh faced good looking young inexperienced wrestler who got over with the female fans with his long black hair and his good looks. He won the United States Heavyweight Championship in the Detroit area by defeating Bulldog Don Kent. Gino also wrestled at least one match around this time in the WWWF. Gino eventually lost his United States Heavyweight Championship to the man who ruled Detroit for many years: The Sheik
(promoter Eddie Farhat's in-ring Psycho-Arab heel persona).
(SCW) after being trained by Jose Lothario
. He formed a team with Lothario and eventually turned on him, starting a feud that saw Hernandez lose his hair to Lothario as the result of a hair vs. hair match.
(WCCW), then known as Big Time Wrestling, where he feuded with David Von Erich
over the Texas Heavyweight Title which he won and lost to Von Erich.
He returned to SCW and formed a tag team called "The Dynamic Duo" with Tully Blanchard
that was quite successful.
, Kevin
and Kerry Von Erich
. In the summer, he was paired with Nickla Roberts
, who was billed at the time as Andrea the Lady Giant. The duo was paired in a series of mixed tag team matches between Sunshine and Mike Von Erich
, with Sunshine's aunt Stella Mae French also getting involved.
He also formed a team with Chris Adams, also called the "Dynamic Duo". That version proved to be the most famous, as Adams and Hernandez drew in high revenues and television ratings for World Class in their feud with the Von Erichs.
The duo invented the famed gold scissors, and were known to cut hair off of their opponents after each win, a trend which would later be used in the WWF by Ed Leslie, aka Brutus Beefcake.
Adams and Hernandez lost a loser-loses-hair match to Kevin and Kerry Von Erich at the Cotton Bowl on October 6, 1985. After the match, Hernandez attempted to escape, but was tackled by Chris Von Erich
, who was at ringside, and eventually had his hair shaved bald. His hair quickly grew back in two months, while Adams' hair took longer.
He soon turned on Adams in December 1985 (two months after losing their hair at the Cotton Bowl) and started a feud, which was to have been the top storyline of 1986 for World Class. On January 27, 1986, during a grudge match in Fort Worth, Hernandez threw "freebird hair cream" (a "hair-removal product" previously established in WCCW storyline continuity in 1983 by Freebird Buddy Roberts) into the face of Adams, who was to sell his blinding injury so he could spend time in England with his new wife Toni and his family. Hernandez was scheduled to compete on a house show the following Thursday and a non-televised wrestling card at the Sportatorium
in Dallas the following Friday. Gino did not show for either of those matches, and phone calls made to him were never returned.
. Many people believe Gino was murdered in a drug related incident.
According to Manning, he said that Hernandez had three times the amount of cocaine in his system that would have resulted in a fatality, and he and Kevin Von Erich stated that Gino also had cocaine in his stomach. Manning also suspected foul play due to the fact that Hernandez's dead bolt on his door was not locked, as he made it a habit in the past to lock the dead bolt at all times.
Scotland Yard
in fact contacted and questioned Adams, who had returned to England three days before hearing the news of Gino's death. Adams, who was never considered a suspect, was never charged in the case, as the FBI and Scotland Yard later ruled him out as a potential suspect.
His cocaine addiction nonetheless was not a secret to many World Class mainstays, including manager Gary Hart
, who tried to encourage him many times to kick the habit. On the DVD "The Triumph and Tragedy of World Class Championship Wrestling," Hart said that he has pictures of all of the wrestlers he managed except for Hernandez, because it makes him too upset to see a picture of Gino.
The syndicated World Class broadcast (scheduled for a February 15 airing) was scheduled to have aired a match involving Gino Hernandez, originally taped on January 24 at the Sportatorium. That match never aired; instead, announcer Bill Mercer
made the announcement of Gino's death, and a different match would air instead.
Both Mercer and Marc Lowrance
treated Hernandez's death as well as Chris Adams' blinding angle as equally significant during a time when World Class was about to go forward with their feud beginning at Texas Stadium. Adams returned the following May, and won the World Class Heavyweight Championship two months later.
, before divorcing soon after on January 27, 1977. During their first marriage, they had a child. The pair remarried on April 12, 1978 before divorcing again on July 19, 1979.
Career
At the beginning of Gino Hernandez' career, he wrestled as a rookie babyface for The SheikEd Farhat
Edward George Farhat was an American professional wrestler best known as by his ring name The Sheik...
's Big Time Wrestling out of Detroit. Gino was a fresh faced good looking young inexperienced wrestler who got over with the female fans with his long black hair and his good looks. He won the United States Heavyweight Championship in the Detroit area by defeating Bulldog Don Kent. Gino also wrestled at least one match around this time in the WWWF. Gino eventually lost his United States Heavyweight Championship to the man who ruled Detroit for many years: The Sheik
Ed Farhat
Edward George Farhat was an American professional wrestler best known as by his ring name The Sheik...
(promoter Eddie Farhat's in-ring Psycho-Arab heel persona).
Southwest Championship Wrestling
"The Handsome Halfbreed" started wrestling in 1975 in Southwest Championship WrestlingSouthwest Championship Wrestling
Southwest Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was owned by Joseph Blanchard and based in San Antonio, Texas, from 1978 to 1985, when it was purchased by Texas All-Star Wrestling and absorbed into that company.-Venues:...
(SCW) after being trained by Jose Lothario
Jose Lothario
Guadalupe Robledo is an American professional wrestler, best known by the ring name of Jose Lothario.-Career:Lothario competed in the National Wrestling Alliance for most of his career...
. He formed a team with Lothario and eventually turned on him, starting a feud that saw Hernandez lose his hair to Lothario as the result of a hair vs. hair match.
World Class Championship Wrestling
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Gino went to World Class Championship WrestlingWorld Class Championship Wrestling
World Class Championship Wrestling ' was a regional professional wrestling promotion headquartered in Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas. Originally owned by promoter Ed McLemore, by 1966 it was run by Southwest Sports, Inc., whose president, Jack Adkisson, was better known as wrestler Fritz Von Erich...
(WCCW), then known as Big Time Wrestling, where he feuded with David Von Erich
David Von Erich
David Alan Adkisson was an American professional wrestler who competed as "The Yellow Rose of Texas" David Von Erich...
over the Texas Heavyweight Title which he won and lost to Von Erich.
He returned to SCW and formed a tag team called "The Dynamic Duo" with Tully Blanchard
Tully Blanchard
Tully Arthur Blanchard is a semi-retired second generation American professional wrestler. He is best known as an original member of the Four Horsemen....
that was quite successful.
Return to WCCW
He returned to WCCW in 1984 and feuded with the Von Erichs; MikeMike Von Erich
Michael Brett Adkisson was an American professional wrestler under the ring name Mike Von Erich. His four brothers, David, Kerry, Kevin and Chris, also wrestled...
, Kevin
Kevin Von Erich
Kevin Ross Adkisson is a retired professional wrestler under the ring name Kevin Von Erich of the Von Erich Family. He is the last surviving son of wrestler Fritz Von Erich and had four brothers that wrestled, David, Kerry, Mike and Chris, as well as an older brother, Jack, Jr., who died in...
and 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...
. In the summer, he was paired with Nickla Roberts
Nickla Roberts
Nickla Ann Roberts is an American semi-retired professional wrestler and valet, better known by her ring name, "The Perfect 10" Baby Doll...
, who was billed at the time as Andrea the Lady Giant. The duo was paired in a series of mixed tag team matches between Sunshine and Mike Von Erich
Mike Von Erich
Michael Brett Adkisson was an American professional wrestler under the ring name Mike Von Erich. His four brothers, David, Kerry, Kevin and Chris, also wrestled...
, with Sunshine's aunt Stella Mae French also getting involved.
He also formed a team with Chris Adams, also called the "Dynamic Duo". That version proved to be the most famous, as Adams and Hernandez drew in high revenues and television ratings for World Class in their feud with the Von Erichs.
The duo invented the famed gold scissors, and were known to cut hair off of their opponents after each win, a trend which would later be used in the WWF by Ed Leslie, aka Brutus Beefcake.
Adams and Hernandez lost a loser-loses-hair match to Kevin and Kerry Von Erich at the Cotton Bowl on October 6, 1985. After the match, Hernandez attempted to escape, but was tackled by Chris Von Erich
Chris Von Erich
Chris Barton Adkisson was an American professional wrestler, best known under the ring name Chris Von Erich of the Von Erich family.-Career:...
, who was at ringside, and eventually had his hair shaved bald. His hair quickly grew back in two months, while Adams' hair took longer.
He soon turned on Adams in December 1985 (two months after losing their hair at the Cotton Bowl) and started a feud, which was to have been the top storyline of 1986 for World Class. On January 27, 1986, during a grudge match in Fort Worth, Hernandez threw "freebird hair cream" (a "hair-removal product" previously established in WCCW storyline continuity in 1983 by Freebird Buddy Roberts) into the face of Adams, who was to sell his blinding injury so he could spend time in England with his new wife Toni and his family. Hernandez was scheduled to compete on a house show the following Thursday and a non-televised wrestling card at the Sportatorium
Dallas Sportatorium
The Sportatorium, located in downtown Dallas, Texas , was a barn-like arena used primarily for professional wrestling events...
in Dallas the following Friday. Gino did not show for either of those matches, and phone calls made to him were never returned.
Death
On February 4, concerned with Hernandez's well-being, two World Class officials, David Manning and Rick Hazzard, and several local law enforcement officers broke into his Highland Park apartment and found Hernandez dead (he had been dead for approximately two-three days). Initially, Hernandez's death was ruled a homicide case, but following autopsy reports, his death was ruled as a result of an overdose of cocaineCocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
. Many people believe Gino was murdered in a drug related incident.
According to Manning, he said that Hernandez had three times the amount of cocaine in his system that would have resulted in a fatality, and he and Kevin Von Erich stated that Gino also had cocaine in his stomach. Manning also suspected foul play due to the fact that Hernandez's dead bolt on his door was not locked, as he made it a habit in the past to lock the dead bolt at all times.
Scotland Yard
Scotland Yard
Scotland Yard is a metonym for the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police Service of London, UK. It derives from the location of the original Metropolitan Police headquarters at 4 Whitehall Place, which had a rear entrance on a street called Great Scotland Yard. The Scotland Yard entrance became...
in fact contacted and questioned Adams, who had returned to England three days before hearing the news of Gino's death. Adams, who was never considered a suspect, was never charged in the case, as the FBI and Scotland Yard later ruled him out as a potential suspect.
His cocaine addiction nonetheless was not a secret to many World Class mainstays, including manager Gary Hart
Gary Hart (wrestler)
Gary Richard Williams, was a former professional wrestling manager, as well as a professional wrestler in his early career, best known by his ring name Gary Hart...
, who tried to encourage him many times to kick the habit. On the DVD "The Triumph and Tragedy of World Class Championship Wrestling," Hart said that he has pictures of all of the wrestlers he managed except for Hernandez, because it makes him too upset to see a picture of Gino.
The syndicated World Class broadcast (scheduled for a February 15 airing) was scheduled to have aired a match involving Gino Hernandez, originally taped on January 24 at the Sportatorium. That match never aired; instead, announcer Bill Mercer
Bill Mercer
Bill Mercer is an American sportscaster, educator and author, originally from Muskogee, Oklahoma, who now lives in Richardson, Texas. In 2002, he was inducted into the Texas Radio Hall of Fame.-Personal:...
made the announcement of Gino's death, and a different match would air instead.
Both Mercer and Marc Lowrance
Marc Lowrance
Rev. Marc H Lowrance III, , is a United Methodist minister who has previously worked as a former sports anchor and professional wrestling announcer, best known as one of the voices of World Class Championship Wrestling, a Dallas, Texas-based wrestling organization operated by Fritz Von Erich during...
treated Hernandez's death as well as Chris Adams' blinding angle as equally significant during a time when World Class was about to go forward with their feud beginning at Texas Stadium. Adams returned the following May, and won the World Class Heavyweight Championship two months later.
Personal life
Wolfe was married twice, both times to Janice Marie Bancroft. They were first married on April 10, 1976 in Harris County, TexasHarris County, Texas
As of the 2010 Census, the population of the county was 4,092,459, White Americans made up 56.6% of Harris County's population; non-Hispanic whites represented 33.0% of the population. Black Americans made up 18.9% of the population. Native Americans made up 0.7% of Harris County's population...
, before divorcing soon after on January 27, 1977. During their first marriage, they had a child. The pair remarried on April 12, 1978 before divorcing again on July 19, 1979.
Championships and accomplishments
- NWA Big Time Wrestling / World Class Championship WrestlingWorld Class Championship WrestlingWorld Class Championship Wrestling ' was a regional professional wrestling promotion headquartered in Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas. Originally owned by promoter Ed McLemore, by 1966 it was run by Southwest Sports, Inc., whose president, Jack Adkisson, was better known as wrestler Fritz Von Erich...
- NWA American Heavyweight Championship (3 times)
- NWA American Tag Team Championship (5 times) – with El Gran Markus (2), Gary YoungGary YoungGary Young was the first drummer of the 1990s alternative rock band Pavement.-Early life:Gary Young was born in Mamaroneck, New York. His father worked in the plastics business.-Work with Pavement:...
(1), and Chris Adams (2) - NWA Brass Knuckles Championship (Texas version) (1 time)
- NWA International Junior Heavyweight ChampionshipNWA International Junior Heavyweight ChampionshipThe NWA International Junior Heavyweight Championship started in 1979. It was formed by a split in lineage from the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship caused by the first retirement of champion Nelson Royal the same year. The first champion, Steve Keirn, was recognized as World champion only...
(1 time) - NWA Texas Heavyweight ChampionshipNWA Texas Heavyweight ChampionshipThe NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling title that has existed since the 1930s. Though its exact date of creation isn't known, it is among the oldest championships used in professional wrestling today...
(6 times) - NWA Texas Tag Team Championship (3 times) – with Jimmy SnukaJimmy SnukaJames 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...
(1), Pak Song (1), and Bruiser BrodyFrank GoodishFrank Donald Goodish was an American professional wrestler who earned his greatest fame under the name Bruiser Brody. Goodish was an All-State football and basketball player at Warren High School, Michigan, and played football at West Texas A&M University...
(1) - NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship (Texas version) (1 time) – with Chris Adams and Jake RobertsJake RobertsAurelian Jake Smith, Jr. is a second-generation American professional wrestler, the son of former wrestler Aurelian "Grizzly" Smith...
- NWA DetroitNational 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 United States Heavyweight Championship (Detroit version) (1 time)
- Southwest Championship WrestlingSouthwest Championship WrestlingSouthwest Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was owned by Joseph Blanchard and based in San Antonio, Texas, from 1978 to 1985, when it was purchased by Texas All-Star Wrestling and absorbed into that company.-Venues:...
- SCW Southwest Tag Team ChampionshipTexas All-Star USA Tag Team ChampionshipThe Texas All-Star USA Tag Team Championship was a major tag team title in Texas All-Star Wrestling. The title was first established in Southwest Championship Wrestling in 1981 when it was the SCW Southwest Tag Team Championship...
(5 times) – with Tully BlanchardTully BlanchardTully Arthur Blanchard is a semi-retired second generation American professional wrestler. He is best known as an original member of the Four Horsemen.... - SCW World Tag Team ChampionshipSCW World Tag Team ChampionshipThe SCW World Tag Team Championship was the top tag team championship in Southwest Championship Wrestling from its establishment in 1980 until 1984, when the title was abandoned.-History:-External links:*...
(2 times) – with Tully Blanchard