Larry "Rocky" Hamilton
(April 1, 1931 – July 20, 1996), better known by his
ring name
A ring name is a type of stage name used by an athlete such as a professional wrestler, mixed martial artist, or boxer whose real name is considered unattractive, dull, difficult to pronounce or spell, amusing for the wrong reasons, or projecting ...
the Missouri Mauler, was an American professional wrestler who competed in 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 ...
as well as
Florida Championship Wrestling
Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW) was a professional wrestling promotion based on the former National Wrestling Alliance member promotion, Championship Wrestling from Florida, which operated from 1961 until 1987. From October 2007 to August ...
and
Jim Crockett Promotions
Jim Crockett Promotions Inc. is a family-owned professional wrestling promotion headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States, restarted by Jim Crockett's son and Jim Crockett Jr's brother, David Crockett. Founded in 1931, the promot ...
, becoming a mainstay of the latter promotion throughout the 1960s.
One of the earliest professional wrestlers to appear on televised wrestling events, he feuded with many popular wrestlers of the era including
Jack Brisco
Freddie Joe "Jack" Brisco (September 21, 1941 – February 1, 2010) was an American amateur wrestling, amateur and Professional wrestling, professional wrestler. As an amateur for Oklahoma State, Brisco was two-time All-American and won the Natio ...
,
"Plowboy" Stan Frazier,
Steve Keirn
Stephen Paul Keirn (born September 10, 1951) is an American retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances in multiple National Wrestling Alliance territories as Steve Keirn as one-half of the tag team The Fabulous Ones, as we ...
,
Tim Woods
George Burrell Woodin (July 28, 1934 – November 30, 2002) was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring names, Mr. Wrestling and Tim Woods.
Collegiate wrestling career
Woodin received a degree in agricultural engineering fr ...
,
Tarzan Tyler
Camille Tourville (December 4, 1927 – December 24, 1985) was a Canadian professional wrestler and manager, better known by his ring name, Tarzan Tyler. He was one-half of the first WWWF World Tag Team Champions, along with Luke Graham.
Profe ...
and
Fritz Von Erich
Jack Barton Adkisson Sr. (August 16, 1929 – September 10, 1997), better known by his ring name Fritz Von Erich, was an American professional wrestler, wrestling promoter, and the patriarch of the Von Erich family. He was a 3-time world champion ...
during his 31-year career.
He is also the older brother of wrestler
Jody Hamilton
Joseph Hamilton (August 28, 1938 – August 3, 2021) was an American professional wrestler, promoter, and trainer. He was best known as one half of the tag team The Assassins where he was called "Assassin #1". When the Assassins ended, He wrest ...
who competed as the masked wrestler the Assassin as well as the uncle of former
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. (WCW) was an American professional wrestling promotion founded by Ted Turner in 1988, after Turner Broadcasting System, through a subsidiary named Universal Wrestling Corporation, purchased the assets of Nation ...
official
Nick Patrick.
Career
Early life and career
Making his debut in the Missouri area during the early 1950s,
he began wrestling for promoter
Ed Don George
Edward Nye "Ed Don" George Jr. (June 3, 1905 – September 18, 1985) was an American amateur and professional wrestler, and wrestling promoter. A former Olympic freestyle wrestler, George competed in the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics and turned pro ...
in
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of New York (behind only New York City) and the seat of Erie County. It is at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of the Niagara River, and is across the Canadian border from South ...
, where he and his brother began teaming together as the Hamilton Brothers in 1957
headlining an event at
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as The Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh and Eighth avenues from 31st to 33rd Street, above Pennsylva ...
against
Antonino Rocca
Antonino Rocca (born Antonino Biasetton; 13 April 1921 – 15 March 1977) was an Italian Argentine professional wrestler. He tag teamed with partner Miguel Pérez. He was posthumously inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as a member of the class ...
and
Miguel Perez the following year.
Splitting up shortly thereafter, Hamilton and his brother went their separate ways leaving New York in October 1958 with Joseph Hamilton leaving for San Francisco while Larry Hamilton began working for promoter
Jim Crockett, Sr.
James Allen Crockett Sr. (June 2, 1909 – April 1, 1973) was a professional wrestling promoter and professional sports franchise owner sometimes known as Jim Crockett Sr., or to people within the business simply as "Big Jim".
Early life
Crockett ...
in the Carolinas.
Crockett Promotions
It was during his time in what would later become
Jim Crockett Promotions
Jim Crockett Promotions Inc. is a family-owned professional wrestling promotion headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States, restarted by Jim Crockett's son and Jim Crockett Jr's brother, David Crockett. Founded in 1931, the promot ...
that Larry Hamilton would find his greatest success becoming a major star in the promotion in only a few years.
Appearing in the earliest televised matches for the promotion, Hamilton teamed with
the Great Bolo
Al Lovelock is an American retired professional wrestler best known by the ring name The Great Bolo. Lovelock was active in the 1950s and 1960s and was primarily known for his work in the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida. Lovelock was the first to ...
to win the regional tag team title from
Mr. Moto
Mr. Moto is a fictional Japanese secret agent created by the American author John P. Marquand. He appeared in six novels by Marquand published between 1935 and 1957. Marquand initially created the character for the ''Saturday Evening Post'', whi ...
and
Duke Keomuka
Martin Hisao Tanaka (April 22, 1921 – June 30, 1991) was an American professional wrestler better known as Duke Keomuka. He is the father of wrestler Pat Tanaka and referee Jimmy Tanaka.
Biography
Because he was a Japanese American in Californ ...
in 1959.
The two would remain the top "heel" tag team in the promotion until the early 1960s when Joseph Hamilton was brought into the promotion and began teaming with the Great Bolo in 1961 (the two would continue teaming together as
the Assassins for the next 15 years).
Hamilton and the Masked Bolos (
Jody Hamilton
Joseph Hamilton (August 28, 1938 – August 3, 2021) was an American professional wrestler, promoter, and trainer. He was best known as one half of the tag team The Assassins where he was called "Assassin #1". When the Assassins ended, He wrest ...
and
Tom Renesto
Tom or TOM may refer to:
* Tom (given name), a diminutive of Thomas or Tomás or an independent Aramaic given name (and a list of people with the name)
Characters
* Tom Anderson, a character in ''Beavis and Butt-Head''
* Tom Beck, a character ...
) faced
Haystacks Calhoun
William Dee Calhoun (August 3, 1934 – December 7, 1989) was an American professional wrestler, who used the professional name "Haystack" or "Haystacks" Calhoun.
Early life
Born on August 3, 1934, William Dee Calhoun grew up on a farm i ...
and the Kentuckyians (
John Quinn John or Jack Quinn may refer to:
Politicians and lawyers
*John Quinn (advocate) (1954–2022), Attorney General of the Isle of Man
*John Quinn (collector) (1870–1924), lawyer, collector of manuscripts and paintings, friend of T. S. Eliot and Ezr ...
and
Grizzly Smith
Aurelian "Grizzly" Smith (August 1, 1931 – June 12, 2010) was an American professional wrestler. He was the father of professional wrestlers Jake "The Snake" Roberts, Rockin' Robin, and Sam Houston.
Smith began wrestling in 1958. After retirin ...
) in a series of six-man tag team matches during the next year setting several attendance records in the Carolina-Virginia area including an event held the
Greenville Memorial Auditorium
Greenville Memorial Auditorium was a 7,500-seat multi-purpose arena built in 1958 that was located in Greenville, South Carolina. It hosted local sporting events, concerts and the Ringling Brothers Circus until the Bi-Lo Center opened in 1998.
It ...
in Greenville, South Carolina.
During the early 1970s, Hamilton formed a successful tag team with
Jim "Brute" Bernard winning the Texas-based NWA America and NWA Atlantic Coast tag team titles between 1971 and 1972.
Later years
Following his retirement in 1981, Hamilton entered bail bonding and was involved in the St. James Catholic Church in his hometown St. Joseph, Missouri.
In later years, Hamilton lived with his elderly mother and underwent hip replacement surgery,
but remained in relatively good health until his death from a heart attack on July 20, 1996.
Championships and accomplishments
*American Wrestling Association
**Nebraska Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
*
Central States Wrestling
Heart of America Sports Attractions, also known as the Midwest Wrestling Association, Central States Wrestling and the World Wrestling Alliance, was an American professional wrestling promotion that ran shows mainly in Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska ...
:*
NWA North American Tag Team Championship ''(Central States version)'' (
1 time) - with
Dutch Savage
Frank Stewart (June 9, 1935 – August 3, 2013) was an American professional wrestler and wrestling promoter, best known for his time spent competing in Pacific Northwest Wrestling under the ring name Dutch Savage.
Career
Savage made his pro deb ...
:*
NWA United States Heavyweight Championship ''(Central States version)'' (
2 times
"2 Times" is a song co-written and recorded by British Italian-based singer Ann Lee. It was released in 1999 as the lead single from her debut album, ''Dreams'' (1999). The single entered and peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart. Outside ...
)
*L&G Promotions
:*
L&G Caribbean Heavyweight Championship (
1 time)
*
Championship Wrestling from Florida
Championship Wrestling from Florida (CWF) was the corporate and brand name of the Tampa, Florida wrestling office existing from 1961, when Eddie Graham first bought into the promotion, until 1987, when it closed down. It is also referred to as ...
:*
NWA Brass Knuckles Championship ''(Florida version)'' (
2 times
"2 Times" is a song co-written and recorded by British Italian-based singer Ann Lee. It was released in 1999 as the lead single from her debut album, ''Dreams'' (1999). The single entered and peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart. Outside ...
)
:*
NWA Florida Heavyweight Championship
The NWA Florida Heavyweight Championship was a major title in Championship Wrestling from Florida, USA and is now the major title in NWA Florida Wrestling Alliance. It started in 1937 and was abandoned in 1949. It was picked back up in 1966 by C ...
(
1 time)
:*
NWA Florida Television Championship
The NWA Florida Television Championship was a secondary title in Championship Wrestling from Florida
Championship Wrestling from Florida (CWF) was the corporate and brand name of the Tampa, Florida wrestling office existing from 1961, when ...
(
1 time)
:*
NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship ''(Florida version)'' (
6 times)
*
Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling
Jim Crockett Promotions Inc. is a family-owned professional wrestling promotion headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States, restarted by Jim Crockett's son and Jim Crockett Jr's brother, David Crockett. Founded in 1931, the promot ...
:*
NWA Eastern States Heavyweight Championship (
2 times
"2 Times" is a song co-written and recorded by British Italian-based singer Ann Lee. It was released in 1999 as the lead single from her debut album, ''Dreams'' (1999). The single entered and peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart. Outside ...
)
:*
NWA Atlantic Coast Tag Team Championship (
1 time) - with
Brute Bernard
James Prudhomme (June 6, 1921 – July 14, 1984), was a Canadian professional wrestler, better known by the ring names Brute Bernard or Jim 'Brute' Bernhard.
He spent much of his career wrestling as part of a tag team with Skull Murphy. He compet ...
:*
NWA Southern Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic version)
The NWA Southern Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic version) was the Mid-Atlantic territory version of the NWA Southern Tag Team Championship and was defended between 1953 until 1968 when it became the NWA Atlantic Coast Tag Team Championship. ...
(2 times) - with Great Bolo (1) and
Pampero Firpo
Juan Kachmanian (April 6, 1930 – January 9, 2020) was an Argentine-American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Pampero Firpo.
Early life
Kachmanian was born on April 6, 1930, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. His parents were of ...
(1)
*
NWA Big Time Wrestling
:*
NWA American Heavyweight Championship
The WCWA World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship promoted by the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex area–based World Class Wrestling Association (WCWA). The championship was originally created in ...
(
1 time)
:*
NWA American Tag Team Championship
The WCWA World Tag Team Championship was the primary professional wrestling tag team championship (professional wrestling), championship promoted by the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex area–based World Class Wrestling Association (WCWA). The cham ...
(
1 time) - with Brute Bernard
:*
NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship
The NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling title that has existed since the 1930s. Though its exact date of creation isn't known, it is among the oldest championships used in professional wrestling today. The title has us ...
(
1 time)
*
World Championship Wrestling (Australia)
World Championship Wrestling was an Australian professional wrestling promotion that ran from 1964 until 1978.
History
The promotion gained publicity through television programs on the Nine Network, which were presented at noon on Saturdays and ...
1
:*
NWA Austra-Asian Tag Team Championship
The NWA Austra-Asian Tag Team Championship was the top tag team professional wrestling title in the Australian World Championship Wrestling promotion from 1972 through the promotion's 1978 closure.
WCW joined the National Wrestling Alliance in A ...
(
1 time) - with
Steve Rackman
Steve Rackman is an English-born Australian actor and professional wrestler, best known for his role as Donk in the film ''Crocodile Dundee''. In his professional wrestling career, he wrestled under the ring name of Steve 'Crusher' Rackman. Rac ...
*
Southeastern Championship Wrestling - Continental Championship Wrestling
:*
NWA Southeast United States Junior Heavyweight Championship (
2 times
"2 Times" is a song co-written and recorded by British Italian-based singer Ann Lee. It was released in 1999 as the lead single from her debut album, ''Dreams'' (1999). The single entered and peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart. Outside ...
)
Notes
1''Note'': This promotion, though named World Championship Wrestling, was an NWA affiliated promotion based out of Australia and operated from the 60's to the 90's. This promotion should not be confused with the U.S.-based World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. (WCW) was an American professional wrestling promotion founded by Ted Turner in 1988, after Turner Broadcasting System, through a subsidiary named Universal Wrestling Corporation, purchased the assets of Nation ...
once owned by Ted Turner
Robert Edward "Ted" Turner III (born November 19, 1938) is an American entrepreneur, television producer, media proprietor, and philanthropist. He founded the Cable News Network (CNN), the first 24-hour United States cable news, cable news ch ...
and sold to World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vario ...
in 2001.
References
Further reading
*
Flair, Ric. ''Ric Flair: To Be the Man''. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2004.
*Johnson, Weldon T. and
Jim Wilson. ''Chokehold: Pro Wrestling's Real Mayhem Outside the Ring''. Philadelphia: Xlibris Corporation, 2003.
*
Meltzer, Dave. ''Tributes II: Remembering More of the World's Greatest Wrestlers''. Champaigne, Illinois: Sports Publishing LLC, 2004.
*''"Interviews: Jody Hamilton, Memories of his brother The Missouri Mauler."''
Whatever Happened To ... ? Oct. 1996.
External links
Larry Hamilton: The Missouri Maulerby Mike Mooneyham
by Scott Teal
Championship Wrestling from Florida: Missouri Hamilton
{{DEFAULTSORT:Missouri Mauler, The
1931 births
1996 deaths
American male professional wrestlers
Sportspeople from St. Joseph, Missouri
Professional wrestlers from Missouri
20th-century American male actors
Stampede Wrestling alumni
20th-century professional wrestlers
NWA Florida Heavyweight Champions
NWA Florida Television Champions
NWA Southern Heavyweight Champions (Florida version)
NWA Brass Knuckles Champions (Florida version)