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Luke Brown (wrestler)
Encyclopedia
Carl Dennis Campbell, Sr. (July 28, 1935–November 12, 1997) was an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name
Luke "Big Boy" Brown. He is most noted for being one-half of a tag team in the 1950s and 1960s known as the Kentuckians, along with Grizzly Smith.
, and they were the first tag team to ever hold the NWA International Tag Team Championship (Toronto version)
. They defeated Ivan and Karol Kalmikoff on June 8, 1961 in a tournament to win this title.
In 1961, Brown also began teaming with Grizzly Smith. The duo became known as The Kentuckians, and they were known for their long beards, dungarees, and cow horn.
Brown, as Man Mountain Campbell, had his first main event
match on April 12, 1960 against Hans Schmidt
in Minneapolis, Minnesota
. His first match in Madison Square Gardens took place November 13, 1960 in a tag team
match with Haystacks Calhoun against The Kangaroos.
He retired from professional wrestling in 1976 after a shoulder injury.
.
He was in poor health during his last years of life, including kidney failure that required him to under dialysis
. He died of a stroke in a Washington, D.C.
hospital in 1997. He was buried in Elkton, Maryland
.
Ring name
A ring name is a stage name used by a professional wrestler, martial artist, or boxer. While some ring names may have a fictitious first name and surname, others may simply be a nickname, such as The Undertaker.-Wrestling:...
Luke "Big Boy" Brown. He is most noted for being one-half of a tag team in the 1950s and 1960s known as the Kentuckians, along with Grizzly Smith.
Professional wrestling career
Brown began his professional wrestling career in 1958, traveling with carnivals. Wrestler Frankie Townsend gave him the name "Man Mountain Campbell", which Brown used up until 1961. For a short period during this time he tagged with Stan StasiakStan Stasiak
George Stipich , better known by his ring name Stan Stasiak, was a Canadian professional wrestler and fifth World Wide Wrestling Federation Champion. He is the father of professional wrestler Shawn Stasiak.-Career:...
, and they were the first tag team to ever hold the NWA International Tag Team Championship (Toronto version)
NWA International Tag Team Championship (Toronto version)
The Toronto version of the NWA International Tag Team Championship was the top tag team professional wrestling championship in the Canadian promotion Maple Leaf Wrestling from 1961 through 1977...
. They defeated Ivan and Karol Kalmikoff on June 8, 1961 in a tournament to win this title.
In 1961, Brown also began teaming with Grizzly Smith. The duo became known as The Kentuckians, and they were known for their long beards, dungarees, and cow horn.
Brown, as Man Mountain Campbell, had his first main event
Main Event
Main Event is Australia's only pay-per-view channel. It transmits through Foxtel, Optus Television and Austar, which jointly own the channel...
match on April 12, 1960 against Hans Schmidt
Hans Schmidt (wrestler)
Guy Larose , better known by his ring name of Hans Schmidt, is a retired Canadian professional wrestler famous in the 1950s and '60s.-Wrestling career:...
in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
. His first match in Madison Square Gardens took place November 13, 1960 in a 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...
match with Haystacks Calhoun against The Kangaroos.
He retired from professional wrestling in 1976 after a shoulder injury.
Personal life
Brown was married three times. His half-brother is wrestler Dutch SavageDutch Savage
Frank Stewart is a former professional wrestler and wrestling promoter, best known for his time spent competing in Pacific Northwest Wrestling under the ring name Dutch Savage.-Career:...
.
He was in poor health during his last years of life, including kidney failure that required him to under dialysis
Dialysis
In medicine, dialysis is a process for removing waste and excess water from the blood, and is primarily used to provide an artificial replacement for lost kidney function in people with renal failure...
. He died of a stroke in a Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
hospital in 1997. He was buried in Elkton, Maryland
Elkton, Maryland
The town of Elkton is the county seat of Cecil County, Maryland, United States. The population was 11,893 as of the 2000 census and 14,842 according to current July 2008 census estimates. It is the county seat of Cecil County...
.
Championships and accomplishments
- American Wrestling AssociationAmerican Wrestling AssociationThe American Wrestling Association was an American professional wrestling promotion based in Minneapolis, Minnesota that ran from 1960 to 1991. It was owned and founded by Verne Gagne and Wally Karbo...
- AWA Midwest Tag Team ChampionshipAWA Midwest Tag Team ChampionshipThe AWA Midwest Tag Team Championship was a title in the American Wrestling Association from 1967 until 1971. It was for mid-level wrestlers and was mostly defended in the Omaha, Nebraska area.-Title history:...
(1 time) - with Jake Smith
- AWA Midwest Tag Team Championship
- Central States WrestlingHeart of America Sports AttractionsHeart of America Sports Attractions, also known as the Midwest Wrestling Association, Central States Wrestling and the World Wrestling Alliance, was an American professional wrestling promotion that ran shows mainly in Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Iowa...
- NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Central States version) (1 time)
- NWA North American Tag Team Championship (Central States version)NWA North American Tag Team Championship (Central States version)The NWA North American Tag Team Championship was a major tag team championship used and defended in the National Wrestling Alliance affiliated Central States Wrestling based out of Kansas City, Missouri. Although the name of the championship aludes to it being nationally recognized and defended,...
(3 times) - with Tor KamataTor KamataMcRonald Kamaka was an American/Canadian professional wrestler known by the ring name Tor Kamata. He won several Heavyweight and Tag Team championships, including one World Tag Team title. He was a classic "bad guy" wrestler...
, Danny Little BearDanny Little BearDanny Little Bear was an American professional wrestler who competed in North American regional promotions including the National Wrestling Alliance, particularly the Central States and Gulf Coast territories, where he remained one of the region's most popular stars during the 1960s and 70s...
, and Ox BakerOx BakerDouglas A. Baker better known professionally as Ox Baker, is an American former professional wrestler and actor, and was feared for his dreaded finishing move, the Heart Punch, sometimes called the "Hurt Punch", after Baker's famous catchphrase "I love to hurt people!" He has appeared in several...
- Georgia Championship WrestlingGeorgia Championship WrestlingGeorgia Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion whose self-titled TV program aired in the 1970s and 1980s on Atlanta, U.S., superstation WTBS. Though based in Atlanta, the company also ran live wrestling shows throughout its geographic "territory" of Georgia Georgia...
- NWA Southern Tag Team Championship (Georgia version)NWA Southern Tag Team Championship (Georgia version)The NWA Southern Tag Team Championship was the primary professional wrestling tag team title of the National Wrestling Alliance-affiliated Georgia Championship Wrestling. It was originally won by Chris & Babe Zaharias in Atlanta, Georgia in March 1949, and defended for almost twety years until it...
(1 time) - with Jake Smith
- NWA Southern Tag Team Championship (Georgia version)
- Maple Leaf WrestlingMaple Leaf WrestlingMaple Leaf Wrestling was the unofficial name in the 1970s and 1980s of the professional wrestling promotion run by Frank Tunney in Toronto.-Queensbury Athletic Club:...
- NWA International Championship (Toronto version) (1 time)
- NWA International Tag Team Championship (Toronto version)NWA International Tag Team Championship (Toronto version)The Toronto version of the NWA International Tag Team Championship was the top tag team professional wrestling championship in the Canadian promotion Maple Leaf Wrestling from 1961 through 1977...
(1 time) - with Stan StasiakStan StasiakGeorge Stipich , better known by his ring name Stan Stasiak, was a Canadian professional wrestler and fifth World Wide Wrestling Federation Champion. He is the father of professional wrestler Shawn Stasiak.-Career:...
- NWA Tri-StateNational 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 Tag Team Championship (Tri-State version)NWA United States Tag Team Championship (Tri-State version)The NWA Tri-State Tag Team Championship was a tag team title created in 1962, and contested in the National Wrestling Alliance's Tri-State territory, which was promoted by Leroy McGuirk and Jack Curtis and Aurelian "Grizzly" Smith...
(5 times) - with Dutch SavageDutch SavageFrank Stewart is a former professional wrestler and wrestling promoter, best known for his time spent competing in Pacific Northwest Wrestling under the ring name Dutch Savage.-Career:...
(1), Danny HodgeDanny HodgeDaniel "Danny" Allen Hodge is a retired American wrestler and boxer. He is renowned for his wrestling career, both amateur and professional, and has also been a boxer. Hodge was born, grew up, and still lives in Perry, Oklahoma...
(1), Jake Smith (2), and Klondike BillKlondike BillBill Soloweyko , better known by his ring name Klondike Bill, was a Canadian professional wrestler trained by Stu Hart in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He wrestled in various NWA territories throughout the 1960's and 70's, before moving onto World Championship Wrestling.-Career:Bill was trained by Stu...
(1)
- NWA United States Tag Team Championship (Tri-State version)
- NWA San Francisco
- NWA World Tag Team Championship (San Francisco version)NWA World Tag Team Championship (San Francisco version)The San Francisco, California version of the NWA World Tag Team Championship existed from 1950 until 1961, and then from 1968 until 1979.-Title history:...
(1 time) - with Mr. Kleen
- NWA World Tag Team Championship (San Francisco version)
- Superstar Championship Wrestling
- SCW Western States Tag Team Championship (2 times) - with Ray Steele and Eddie Sullivan
- World Wrestling AssociationWorld Wrestling AssociationThe World Wrestling Association is a lucha libre promotion based in the Tijuana-area of Mexico. It was founded in 1986 by Benjamin Mora, Jr....
- WWA World Tag Team Championship (2 times) - with Jake Smith
- Wrestling Fans International Association
- WFIA Wrestling Award (1968)