Post by Vegas on Sept 28, 2008 19:41:33 GMT -5
I read online today that there is a biography coming out about LOW's Danny Hodge.
This is the foreword that Jim Ross wrote for the upcoming book:
As a young man growing up in the state of Oklahoma, three names dotted the sports landscape. Three men were generally regarded by everyone as Oklahoma's greatest sport's stars and they were Jim Thorpe, Mickey Mantle, and Dan Hodge.
Jim Thorpe, being a Native American from a state extremely proud of its Native American heritage, is arguably one of America's greatest all around athletes. I remember doing my first ever book report in the 4th grade on Thorpe. I, unfortunately, never got to meet this boyhood hero.
Mickey Mantle was, well, "The Mick." Every kid who played Little League baseball wanted to wear #7. The Commerce Comet was adored by all in his home state from his 1951 debut with the New York Yankees until the day he passed away. "The Mick" is still revered in Oklahoma for his exploits on the baseball diamond. Luckily for me, I did get the pleasure of meeting #7.
In 1974, I made my way into the pro wrestling business working for former Oklahoma A&M National Wrestling Champion Lee Roy McGuirk who was the wrestling promoter in Tulsa, Oklahoma and who had the distinction of breaking in both Dan Hodge and the great Jack Brisco into the pro game.
I received my first booking ever into the southern part of the territory after several months of earning $25 per night wearing the stripped shirt in the northern part of the circuit. I would be traveling to Louisiana to referee a week's worth of bouts and was told to be at the wrestling office in Tulsa at 9 a.m. on Monday morning as I would have a passenger for the 6 hour drive to Shreveport.
I had no idea who my passenger was going to be.
I arrived at the office at 8:45 a.m. and waited. To my utter amazement, who would walk through the office door but Danny Hodge! Surely "The Champ" wasn't going to be my traveling partner.
How wrong I was.
That day, 34 years ago, my friendship with one of my biggest boyhood heroes began and it has remained ever since.
The athletic accomplishments of Dan Hodge are quite simply amazing. Dan's success on a wrestling mat, in a boxing ring, or a wrestling ring will never be duplicated.
It is well documented that Dan was a three time National Wrestling Champion at Oklahoma University and ended his Sooner career with a 46-0 record that included 36 pins. The man was never taken down from a standing position against government mule, tough competition. Other legends may have more wins and more pins because of wrestling more bouts but no one was ever more physically dominate than Dan Hodge.
Don't take my word for it...ask the legends.
Dan represented his country by serving in the United States Navy and by making two trips to the Olympic Games in 1952 and 1956. Amazingly Dan won the National Golden Gloves Boxing Championship with essentially no formal boxing training.
Dan was the first man of the mat to grace the cover of Sports Illustrated. I have the cover of that 1957 magazine on display in one of our restaurants in Oklahoma and it will be there for as long as we are.
Without the help of Dan, there is no way I would have been able to last all these years in the unique world of sports entertainment and I certainly would never have achieved the successes that I have come my way.
My personal stories of Danny are endless. From watching Dan deplete a non believer, hardware store owner's inventory of pliers by snapping pair after pair, to being in a pro wrestling locker room watching Dan double wrist lock and humble a 6'5", 300 pound wrestler who enjoyed his Texas Longhorns college football victory over Dan's beloved Sooners a little too much, and having the honor of refereeing a 60 minute time limit draw between Dan and Jack Brisco in a bout that even amateur wrestling purists would have enjoyed, my life has been made better by knowing Dan Hodge.
For someone who could strike fear into any man, and I do mean any man, the true spirit of Dan Hodge is that of a gentle soul with a wonderful spirit.
Dan once traveled from is home in Perry, Oklahoma half way across the state to my small hometown of Westville, Oklahoma to attend the grand opening of a department I opened. To my chagrin but not to my surprise, Dan refused to accept any pay for his efforts. When I mentioned that my great grandmother was not well but that she never missed her Saturday night wrestling show on TV because of Danny, he wanted to go see her. Granny was in her 90's and in failing health but thanks to a visit from Dan she was provided an experience that would last her the rest of her life.
This story of the life of Dan Hodge is that of an amazing man whose has endured a miraculous journey. This is a story of dedication, inspiration and determination from one of the most gifted athletes the United States has ever produced.
The Good Lord knew what He was doing when he created Dan Hodge....a true, American hero and, for my money, the greatest wrestler to ever live.
Jim "J.R." Ross
This is the foreword that Jim Ross wrote for the upcoming book:
As a young man growing up in the state of Oklahoma, three names dotted the sports landscape. Three men were generally regarded by everyone as Oklahoma's greatest sport's stars and they were Jim Thorpe, Mickey Mantle, and Dan Hodge.
Jim Thorpe, being a Native American from a state extremely proud of its Native American heritage, is arguably one of America's greatest all around athletes. I remember doing my first ever book report in the 4th grade on Thorpe. I, unfortunately, never got to meet this boyhood hero.
Mickey Mantle was, well, "The Mick." Every kid who played Little League baseball wanted to wear #7. The Commerce Comet was adored by all in his home state from his 1951 debut with the New York Yankees until the day he passed away. "The Mick" is still revered in Oklahoma for his exploits on the baseball diamond. Luckily for me, I did get the pleasure of meeting #7.
In 1974, I made my way into the pro wrestling business working for former Oklahoma A&M National Wrestling Champion Lee Roy McGuirk who was the wrestling promoter in Tulsa, Oklahoma and who had the distinction of breaking in both Dan Hodge and the great Jack Brisco into the pro game.
I received my first booking ever into the southern part of the territory after several months of earning $25 per night wearing the stripped shirt in the northern part of the circuit. I would be traveling to Louisiana to referee a week's worth of bouts and was told to be at the wrestling office in Tulsa at 9 a.m. on Monday morning as I would have a passenger for the 6 hour drive to Shreveport.
I had no idea who my passenger was going to be.
I arrived at the office at 8:45 a.m. and waited. To my utter amazement, who would walk through the office door but Danny Hodge! Surely "The Champ" wasn't going to be my traveling partner.
How wrong I was.
That day, 34 years ago, my friendship with one of my biggest boyhood heroes began and it has remained ever since.
The athletic accomplishments of Dan Hodge are quite simply amazing. Dan's success on a wrestling mat, in a boxing ring, or a wrestling ring will never be duplicated.
It is well documented that Dan was a three time National Wrestling Champion at Oklahoma University and ended his Sooner career with a 46-0 record that included 36 pins. The man was never taken down from a standing position against government mule, tough competition. Other legends may have more wins and more pins because of wrestling more bouts but no one was ever more physically dominate than Dan Hodge.
Don't take my word for it...ask the legends.
Dan represented his country by serving in the United States Navy and by making two trips to the Olympic Games in 1952 and 1956. Amazingly Dan won the National Golden Gloves Boxing Championship with essentially no formal boxing training.
Dan was the first man of the mat to grace the cover of Sports Illustrated. I have the cover of that 1957 magazine on display in one of our restaurants in Oklahoma and it will be there for as long as we are.
Without the help of Dan, there is no way I would have been able to last all these years in the unique world of sports entertainment and I certainly would never have achieved the successes that I have come my way.
My personal stories of Danny are endless. From watching Dan deplete a non believer, hardware store owner's inventory of pliers by snapping pair after pair, to being in a pro wrestling locker room watching Dan double wrist lock and humble a 6'5", 300 pound wrestler who enjoyed his Texas Longhorns college football victory over Dan's beloved Sooners a little too much, and having the honor of refereeing a 60 minute time limit draw between Dan and Jack Brisco in a bout that even amateur wrestling purists would have enjoyed, my life has been made better by knowing Dan Hodge.
For someone who could strike fear into any man, and I do mean any man, the true spirit of Dan Hodge is that of a gentle soul with a wonderful spirit.
Dan once traveled from is home in Perry, Oklahoma half way across the state to my small hometown of Westville, Oklahoma to attend the grand opening of a department I opened. To my chagrin but not to my surprise, Dan refused to accept any pay for his efforts. When I mentioned that my great grandmother was not well but that she never missed her Saturday night wrestling show on TV because of Danny, he wanted to go see her. Granny was in her 90's and in failing health but thanks to a visit from Dan she was provided an experience that would last her the rest of her life.
This story of the life of Dan Hodge is that of an amazing man whose has endured a miraculous journey. This is a story of dedication, inspiration and determination from one of the most gifted athletes the United States has ever produced.
The Good Lord knew what He was doing when he created Dan Hodge....a true, American hero and, for my money, the greatest wrestler to ever live.
Jim "J.R." Ross
