Albert Joe Criswell (April 30, 1929 – March 13, 2012), better known as Joe McCarthy, was an American

professional wrestler Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring or ...

who competed in the 1950s and 1960s primarily throughout the

National Wrestling Alliance The National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) is an American professional wrestling professional wrestling promotion, promotion and former professional wrestling governing body operated by its parent company Lightning One, Inc. Founded in 1948, the NWA ...

(NWA) where he was a former NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion. He was a prominent competitor for various NWA territories including

Nick Gulas Nick Gulas (September 3, 1914 – January 21, 1991) was an American professional wrestling promoter in the Southern United States, partnered with Tennessee promoter Roy Welch for decades. Gulas was also known as "The King of Managers", "King B", ...

NWA Mid-America NWA Mid-America was a professional wrestling promotion territory under the umbrella of the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) that promoted shows in Tennessee, Kentucky and Alabama from the 1940s until 1981. The company was founded in the 1940s by N ...

and Leroy McGuirk's

NWA Tri-State The Universal Wrestling Federation was a 1986 re-branding of wrestler-turned-owner Bill Watts' Mid-South Wrestling promotion. Watts' goal was to elevate his promotion from a relatively smaller, regional-level business, to a national-level rival ...

Professional wrestling career

Criswell began his professional wrestling career in the early 1950s, competing primarily within

territory. As Joe McCarthy, he headlined several events in 1954/1955, including tag team bouts with his partner Buddy Fuller. By the late 1950s, he was competing regularly throughout Ohio, North Carolina and Alabama. By 1960, McCarthy began capturing championship gold. On April 20, 1960, he teamed with the Great Bolo to defeat Bobby and Don Fields for both the Gulf Coast and Mid-America NWA Southern Tag Team Championships in Mobile, Alabama. On April 9, 1963, McCarthy won the NWA Georgia Southeastern Heavyweight Championship. By this point, he had become a headliner for

. On February 12, 1966, McCarthy defeated

Lorenzo Parente Lorenzo Parente "Martino" was an Italian professional wrestler who competed throughout the United States from 1958-1975. During his career he captured the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship on two occasions (both of which he won from Danny ...

to win the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship. He defended the title in the Southern United States before eventually losing it to

Danny Hodge Daniel Allen Hodge (May 13, 1932 – December 24, 2020) was an American professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and boxer. He is renowned primarily for his wrestling career, where he competed both as an amateur and professional. A three-time NCA ...

Little Rock, Arkansas (The Little Rock, The "Little Rock") , government_type = council-manager government, Council-manager , leader_title = List of mayors of Little Rock, Arkansas, Mayor , leader_name = Frank Scott Jr. , leader_ ...

Championships and accomplishments

NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship The NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world championship in the National Wrestling Alliance. Created in 1945, the title is competed for by junior heavyweight wrestlers. History The first NWA World Junior ...

AWA Southern Tag Team Championship The AWA Southern Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling tag team title in the Tennessee area from the 1940s through the late 1980s. It was originally named the NWA Southern Tag Team Championship ''(Mid-America version)'' from its ince ...

** NWA Georgia Southeastern Heavyweight Championship **

NWA Southeastern Heavyweight Championship The NWA Southeastern Heavyweight Championship or ''Gulf Coast Heavyweight Championship'' was one of two identically named regional championship titles, a Southern and Northern division promoted by Southeast Championship Wrestling. The Southern d ...

** NWA Mississippi Heavyweight Championship (2 times) **

NWA Gulf Coast Tag Team Championship The NWA Gulf Coast Tag Team Championship was the main tag team championship in Gulf Coast Championship Wrestling or NWA Gulf Coast. The Gulf Coast tag team championship is the successor for GCCW's version of the NWA Southern Tag Team Championship ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:McCarthy, Joe 1929 births American male professional wrestlers People from Obion County, Tennessee 2012 deaths 20th-century male professional wrestlers NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champions