Real Name - Freddie Kenneth Blassie
Lifespan - 2/8/18 - 6/2/03
5'8" 220 lbs. - St. Louis, MI
Aliases - Sailor Fred Blassie, Fred McDaniels
Athletic background - n/a

Professional background - St. Louis(`35-`??), Southern Territories(`40s), California(`52-`54), Georgia(`54-`60), Tennesee(`57-`58), California(`61-`64), JWA(`62-), WWWF(`64), California(`67-`74), Georgia(`70), WWWF(`71,72,`73-)
Peak Years - 1950s-1960s

Place in History - Amongst the greatest wrestling superstars of all-time, "Classy" Freddie Blassie was the master of the wrestling promo and was able to become one of the biggest stars ever simply on that one skill. He broke in back in the carny days as a teenager before joining the Navy. Though the wrestling and boxing credentials from his Navy days were worked, he was in fact doing pro-wrestling in various places, namely California for the first time. He worked throughout the South and established himself as a top notch charismatic villian. But it was not until he settled in Southern California in 1961 that Blassie, "The King of Men," that he really cemented his legacy. Blassie was just a great promo, namely with his favorite "Pencil-Neck Geek" insult. He was able to sell the fans into the seats and the territory was amongst the most successful in the country. Though Blassie was not much of a wrestler, he knew how to rile the crowd in a manner to that which The Shiek would use just as successfully in the 70s. One of Blassie's opponents in Cali was Japanese star Rikidozan and when he went over, Blassie was already a huge star. Going under a "Vampire" monicker, Blassie bit his way to immortality over there alongside Lou Thesz and The Destroyer. He toured the country with some regularity until the early 70s. Back in the States though, Blassie was carving a niche for himself in Southern California fighting everyone over the next decade plus from The Destroyer, Bobo Brazil, Ernie Ladd, Mr. Moto, Buddy Austin, among others. Blassie did it all there. He could give any tag partners the rub and he could establish any opponents as the polar opposite of whatever he was at the time. This largely helped new stars get over and he also helped many luchadors (namely Mil Mascaras and Black Gordman), who become draws in California and brought in the Latin demographic. Towards the end, Blassie was just as successful as a babyface with his run peaking with his program with John Tolos. Blassie was making occassional trips to the East Coast, where he was a top heel challenging Pedro Morales. After turning 56, his license was stripped and he left to be a manager for Vince MacMahon Sr. He did this successfully over the next decade plus, helping new heels get over before they'd challenge Sammartino, Morales or Backlund. Amongst the biggest stars the wrestling world has ever seen and easily one of the top ten talkers of all-time, Freddie Blassie's reputation in California, Japan, Georgia and New York is greater than most's and with good reason.