Jim Wilson (wrestling)
Encyclopedia
James Milligan Wilson was a former professional American football
offensive lineman and a professional wrestler
who is most noted for his attempts at starting a labor union for wrestlers. He is the co-author of a book called CHOKEHOLD: Pro Wrestling's Real Mayhem Outside the Ring which exposed certain unfair labor practices by various promoters, most of them National Wrestling Alliance
members, but also including Vince McMahon
and his World Wrestling Entertainment
.
problem and was offered a football scholarship
to the University of Georgia
. Although recruited from high school as a fullback, because of his size he played both ways as an offensive and defensive lineman and was named All-American
for his contributions as an offensive tackle during his time there; he was coach Vince Dooley
's first All-America
n. Coach Dooley would comment at Wilson's funeral service that had he known of his accomplishments as a high school fullback, he would have handed Wilson the ball as well.
In 1964 he was drafted by the then-Boston Patriots
of the American Football League
and the San Francisco 49ers
of the established National Football League
; he signed with the 49ers. He was also voted into the 1965 All Rookie team. Wilson played in San Francisco for two seasons and then, at his request, was dealt to the Atlanta Falcons
, who were just starting up. It was during his time with the Falcons that he was approached by Georgia
wrestler and promoter Ray Gunkel
to wrestle during the football off-season. He agreed to do so, as most NFL contracts at that time did not pay during the off season.
The Falcons did not approve of his off-season wrestling, and as a result, he was traded to the then-Los Angeles Rams
for whom he played for three seasons, before injuries ended his NFL career in 1971.
In 2001, he was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame
. Four years later, he was also inducted into the UGA Circle of Honor.
to hold hearings on the wrestling industry.
. His father had been a decorated veteran of World War II
and his mother's side traced its lineage back to the Mayflower
.
Wilson died in Atlanta on February 2, 2009 after a battle with cancer. He was 67.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
offensive lineman and a 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...
who is most noted for his attempts at starting a labor union for wrestlers. He is the co-author of a book called CHOKEHOLD: Pro Wrestling's Real Mayhem Outside the Ring which exposed certain unfair labor practices by various promoters, most of them 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...
members, but also including Vince McMahon
Vince McMahon
Vincent Kennedy "Vince" McMahon is an American professional wrestling promoter, announcer, commentator, film producer, actor and former occasional professional wrestler. McMahon is the current Chairman, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee of professional wrestling promotion WWE...
and his World Wrestling Entertainment
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...
.
Football
He had been a good athlete from his early years, overcoming a spinal curvatureSpinal curvature
Although spinal curvature can refer to the normal concave and convex curvature of the spine, in clinical contexts, the phrase usually refers to deviations from the expected curvature, even when that difference is a reduction in curvature.Types include kyphosis, lordosis, and scoliosis.The thoracic...
problem and was offered a football scholarship
Athletic scholarship
An athletic scholarship is a form of scholarship to attend a college or university awarded to an individual based predominantly on his or her ability to play in a sport...
to the University of Georgia
University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
. Although recruited from high school as a fullback, because of his size he played both ways as an offensive and defensive lineman and was named All-American
1964 College Football All-America Team
The 1964 College Football All-America team is composed of college football players selected as All-Americans by various organizations and writers...
for his contributions as an offensive tackle during his time there; he was coach Vince Dooley
Vince Dooley
Vincent Joseph Dooley was the head football coach and athletic director at the University of Georgia. During his 25 year coaching career at UGA, Dooley compiled a 201–77–10 record. His teams won six Southeastern Conference titles and the 1980 national championship...
's first All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n. Coach Dooley would comment at Wilson's funeral service that had he known of his accomplishments as a high school fullback, he would have handed Wilson the ball as well.
In 1964 he was drafted by the then-Boston Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
of the American Football League
American Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
and the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
of the established National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
; he signed with the 49ers. He was also voted into the 1965 All Rookie team. Wilson played in San Francisco for two seasons and then, at his request, was dealt to the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, who were just starting up. It was during his time with the Falcons that he was approached by Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
wrestler and promoter Ray Gunkel
Ray Gunkel
Raymond Fred Gunkel , known professionally as Ray Gunkel, was an American professional wrestler and promoter in the state of Georgia. He died of heart trauma after a match in Savannah, Georgia in which he defeated Ox Baker.-Early life:Gunkell was born on February 16, 1924 in Chicago, Illinois...
to wrestle during the football off-season. He agreed to do so, as most NFL contracts at that time did not pay during the off season.
The Falcons did not approve of his off-season wrestling, and as a result, he was traded to the then-Los Angeles Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
for whom he played for three seasons, before injuries ended his NFL career in 1971.
In 2001, he was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame
Georgia Sports Hall of Fame
The Georgia Sports Hall of Fame is located in Macon, Georgia. It is the largest state sports hall of fame in America at .-Exhibitions:The Hall of Fame houses over of exhibit space broken down into sections including Hall of Fame Inductees, High School, collegiate sports, Olympic, Paralympic,...
. Four years later, he was also inducted into the UGA Circle of Honor.
Professional wrestling career
Jim Wilson was considered to be one of the most promising up and coming wrestlers of his era. His career hit a roadblock when he allegedly turned down sexual advances from NWA promoter Jim Barnett. Wilson had claimed that after that incident, he was blackballed from the sport and that Barnett had coerced other promoters not to book him. Wilson attempted to reform professional wrestling and start up a union for professional wrestlers. He wrote the book CHOKEHOLD: Pro Wrestling's Real Mayhem Outside the Ring, which was released in 2003 in which he claimed he had been blackballed from the sport. His book is one of the most insightful and controversial wrestling tell-all books ever written. Many of his criticisms regarding the wrestling industry have since been proven valid. Wilson brought forward an antitrust case against the National Wrestling Alliance in 1980. In 1984 he also appeared on the Morton Downey Jr. show as well as 20/20, speaking out against the wrestling industry. In addition, in 2007, he attempted to convince the United States CongressUnited States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
to hold hearings on the wrestling industry.
Personal life
Wilson was born to a fairly distinguished family living just outside of PittsburghPittsburgh, 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...
. His father had been a decorated veteran of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and his mother's side traced its lineage back to the Mayflower
Mayflower
The Mayflower was the ship that transported the English Separatists, better known as the Pilgrims, from a site near the Mayflower Steps in Plymouth, England, to Plymouth, Massachusetts, , in 1620...
.
Wilson died in Atlanta on February 2, 2009 after a battle with cancer. He was 67.