Jerry Blackwell

image


Real Name - Jerry Blackwell
Lifespan - 4/26/50 - 1/22/95
5'9" 375 lbs. - Stone Mountain, GA

Aliases - Crusher Blackwell, Farmer Blackwell, Bumble Bee, Masked Canadian, Mr. Big

Athletic background - n/a

Teachers - n/a

Professional background - Southern Territories(`74-`76), Central States(`77-`78), Knoxville(`79), WWWF(`79), AWA(`79-`86), Missouri(`81-`84), All Japan(`84,`88)

Groups - Shiek's Army, Heenan Family

Peak Years - `79-`84

Career Highlights - n/a

Finisher(s) -
- Powerslam
- Big Splash

Favorites -
- Samoan Drop
- Dropkick
- Bearhug
- Headbutt
- Forearm

Ringwork Rating -
move set - 7
science - 2
aerial - 4
power - 10
strikes - 5

Intangible Rating -
entertainment - 8
selling - 6
bumping - 6
carrying - 6
heat - 6
legacy - 3

Place in History - Upon most people's first viewing of Jerry Blackwell, they don't know quite what to make of him. Shorter than most of the big men in the wrestling world, Blackwell's mass seemed far more surprising because of his odd build. With relatively slender legs and everything else being huge, Blackwell's athleticism could never be guessed until seeing him work a match. He had good cardio, shocking agility and was amongst the strongest men in the wrestling world. Blackwell worked in the Midwest and established himself as an uppercard fatboy who's well-roundedness was pretty amazing. He was given his most significant push in the AWA, where he was a staple during their final good years and his as a strong heel. Blackwell's health was poor though, due to his girth and he was forced to retire somewhat suddenly. He died several years later after struggling with diabetes. Jerry Blackwell was an exceptional talent of his size as probably the best super heavyweight worker, who was a good athlete and was a major player as a result. Unfortunately, modern fans brought up on the gassed up stars of the late 80s and early 90s have little appreciation for someone like Blackwell and he's largely been forgotten with little contribution of note to modern "sports entertainment."