Quick Draw Rick McGraw
Encyclopedia
Richard McGraw was an American professional wrestler best known for his appearances on World Wrestling Federation
(WWF) television broadcasts as "Quick Draw" Rick McGraw during the 1980s.
McGraw also had a notable career in various regional territories of the National Wrestling Alliance
. He was one half of the New York Dolls with Troy Graham
in the World Wrestling Association
, winning the WWA World Tag Team Championship
in 1982, the Carolina Connection with Steve Travis and later formed a tag team with Andre the Giant
.
a couple of years later before entering the World Wrestling Federation.
McGraw defeated enhancement talent
, but mostly put over heels that were ready to challenge WWF champion Bob Backlund
. He also competed on the Showdown at Shea
show in August 1980, losing to Greg Gagne
.
McGraw then moved to Memphis and was part of the tag team duo called "New York Dolls" with Troy Graham
. The team was managed by Jimmy Hart
.
Rick then re-entered Vince McMahon Sr.'s WWF as part of the tag team called the Carolina Connection with Steve Travis.
Quick Draw had notable matches with numerous top heels during his time in the WWF. He was once managed by Arnold Skaaland
and also had his neck "broken" by Killer Khan
in a match. Towards the end of his career, McGraw teamed up with André the Giant
to form a lopsided tag team duo: McGraw was 5'7" with the Giant billed at 7'4" (but actually closer to 7'0").
McGraw was well-known in the business as having a severe drug problem, and was one of the first of many in professional wrestling to die from one. In Bret Hart
's autobiography Hitman: My Real Life in the Cartoon World of Wrestling, Bret wrote: "Every night he'd swallow a handful of Placidyls
and wind up passed out face down in his dinner...The cause of his death was labelled a heart attack, but we all knew his heart had given out under deadly dosages of downers." McGraw died just days after wrestling Roddy Piper
in a nationally televised match. McGraw took such a beating that the match had to be stopped. Though some less savvy fans felt the match led to McGraw's death, the two incidents were not related. Shortly after McGraw's death, Roddy Piper headlined a show held to benefit McGraw's family. He had left behind a wife and a baby daughter.
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...
(WWF) television broadcasts as "Quick Draw" Rick McGraw during the 1980s.
McGraw also had a notable career in various regional territories of the 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...
. He was one half of the New York Dolls with Troy Graham
Troy Graham
Troy Rolland Thompson , was an American professional wrestler known as Dream Machine and Troy Graham.-Career:...
in the World Wrestling Association
World Wrestling Association (Indianapolis)
The World Wrestling Association was an Indianapolis-based pro wrestling promotion which was operated by Dick "The Bruiser" Afflis and his business partner Wilbur Snyder. The WWA was affiliated with the larger American Wrestling Association and recognized its champions, though the WWA also had its...
, winning the WWA World Tag Team Championship
WWA World Tag Team Championship
The WWA World Tag Team Championship was the primary tag team title in the Indianapolis-based World Wrestling Association from the promotion's formation in 1964 until the late 1980s when the promotion closed.-Title history:...
in 1982, the Carolina Connection with Steve Travis and later formed a tag team with Andre the Giant
André the Giant
André René Roussimoff , best known as André the Giant, was a French professional wrestler and actor. His best remembered acting role was that of Fezzik, the giant in the film The Princess Bride...
.
History
McGraw began his career in 1976 in the Florida area. He competed in the Mid-Atlantic regionJim Crockett Promotions
Jim Crockett Promotions was a professional wrestling promotion owned by Jim Crockett, Jr. until the late 1980s. It was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance and was the forerunner to World Championship Wrestling .-Early history:...
a couple of years later before entering the World Wrestling Federation.
McGraw defeated enhancement talent
Job (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling slang, the term job describes a losing performance in a wrestling match. It is derived from the euphemism "doing one's job", which was employed to protect kayfabe. As professional wrestling is scripted, inevitably a wrestler will be required to lose to an opponent.The term...
, but mostly put over heels that were ready to challenge WWF champion Bob Backlund
Bob Backlund
Robert Lee "Bob" Backlund is an American professional wrestler with an in ring career that spanned over 30 years. Over that time, he went on to become a two-time WWWF/WWF Champion...
. He also competed on the Showdown at Shea
Showdown at Shea
Showdown at Shea was the name given to three professional wrestling events presented by the World Wide Wrestling Federation at Flushing, New York's Shea Stadium, from 1972 to 1980.-1972:...
show in August 1980, losing to Greg Gagne
Greg Gagne (wrestler)
Gregory Alan "Greg" Gagne is a former professional wrestler and the son of Verne Gagne. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, he achieved his biggest success as one half of the tag team The High Flyers with Jim Brunzell...
.
McGraw then moved to Memphis and was part of the tag team duo called "New York Dolls" with Troy Graham
Troy Graham
Troy Rolland Thompson , was an American professional wrestler known as Dream Machine and Troy Graham.-Career:...
. The team was managed by Jimmy Hart
Jimmy Hart
James "Jimmy" Ray Hart is a professional wrestling manager, executive, composer, and musician currently signed with WWE. He is best known for his work in the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling under his nickname "The Mouth of the South." He has managed many professional...
.
Rick then re-entered Vince McMahon Sr.'s WWF as part of the tag team called the Carolina Connection with Steve Travis.
Quick Draw had notable matches with numerous top heels during his time in the WWF. He was once managed by Arnold Skaaland
Arnold Skaaland
Arnold Skaaland was an American professional wrestler and professional wrestling manager.-Career:Skaaland served in the U.S. Marines during World War II. After a short-lived attempt to make a living through boxing, he became a professional wrestler and debuted in 1946 as "Arnold Skaaland"...
and also had his neck "broken" by Killer Khan
Killer Khan
is a retired professional wrestler. Popularly known as Killer Khan, he was billed from Mongolia and had numerous high-profile matches with André the Giant in the World Wrestling Federation during the 1980s, including the first ever "stretcher match"...
in a match. Towards the end of his career, McGraw teamed up with André the Giant
André the Giant
André René Roussimoff , best known as André the Giant, was a French professional wrestler and actor. His best remembered acting role was that of Fezzik, the giant in the film The Princess Bride...
to form a lopsided tag team duo: McGraw was 5'7" with the Giant billed at 7'4" (but actually closer to 7'0").
McGraw was well-known in the business as having a severe drug problem, and was one of the first of many in professional wrestling to die from one. In Bret Hart
Bret Hart
Bret Hart is a Canadian on-screen personality, writer, actor and Semi-retired professional wrestler. Like others in the Hart wrestling family, Hart has an amateur wrestling background, including wrestling at Ernest Manning High School and Mount Royal College...
's autobiography Hitman: My Real Life in the Cartoon World of Wrestling, Bret wrote: "Every night he'd swallow a handful of Placidyls
Ethchlorvynol
Ethchlorvynol is a sedative and hypnotic medication developed by Pfizer in the 1950s. It has been used to treat insomnia, but has been largely superseded and is only offered where an intolerance or allergy to other drugs exists....
and wind up passed out face down in his dinner...The cause of his death was labelled a heart attack, but we all knew his heart had given out under deadly dosages of downers." McGraw died just days after wrestling Roddy Piper
Roddy Piper
Roderick George Toombs , better known by his ring name "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, is a Canadian semi-retired professional wrestler and film actor who is currently signed to WWE. In professional wrestling, he is best known for his work with WWE...
in a nationally televised match. McGraw took such a beating that the match had to be stopped. Though some less savvy fans felt the match led to McGraw's death, the two incidents were not related. Shortly after McGraw's death, Roddy Piper headlined a show held to benefit McGraw's family. He had left behind a wife and a baby daughter.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Piledriver
- 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- Jimmy HartJimmy HartJames "Jimmy" Ray Hart is a professional wrestling manager, executive, composer, and musician currently signed with WWE. He is best known for his work in the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling under his nickname "The Mouth of the South." He has managed many professional...
- Arnold SkaalandArnold SkaalandArnold Skaaland was an American professional wrestler and professional wrestling manager.-Career:Skaaland served in the U.S. Marines during World War II. After a short-lived attempt to make a living through boxing, he became a professional wrestler and debuted in 1946 as "Arnold Skaaland"...
- Jimmy Hart
Championships and accomplishments
- Lutte Internationale
- 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:...
(1 time) - with Gino BritoGino BritoLouis Gino Acocella , better known by his ring name Gino Brito is a Canadian professional wrestler. He was a popular wrestler in Montreal, and was one of the promoters in the city in the 1980s...
- 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...
- Regional
- NWA Alabama Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- World Wrestling AssociationWorld Wrestling Association (Indianapolis)The World Wrestling Association was an Indianapolis-based pro wrestling promotion which was operated by Dick "The Bruiser" Afflis and his business partner Wilbur Snyder. The WWA was affiliated with the larger American Wrestling Association and recognized its champions, though the WWA also had its...
- WWA World Tag Team ChampionshipWWA World Tag Team ChampionshipThe WWA World Tag Team Championship was the primary tag team title in the Indianapolis-based World Wrestling Association from the promotion's formation in 1964 until the late 1980s when the promotion closed.-Title history:...
(1 time) - with Dream MachineTroy GrahamTroy Rolland Thompson , was an American professional wrestler known as Dream Machine and Troy Graham.-Career:...