Around the World With Gene Kiniski

Mike and I were discussing that we both watched Gene Kiniski when we were kids. What I didn't realized back in the day was what a big star Kiniski was in the wrestling business. He held the NWA world championship in the late 60's. Defeating Lou Thez and eventually loosing to Dory Funk Jr. The job of the world champion in those days was to look the part, put fans in the seats and travel around to various NWA territories and make the local star look like a million bucks (right at the level of the world champion) without actually loosing the title.

Here is Gene in Japan in 1967 defending the world title in a two out of three falls match against the legendary Giant Baba


Here is Gene in 1981 on Vancouver All Star wrestling in a tag team match with his son Kelly. At 2:11 Kelley and Gene are interviewed by Ron Maurier. Maurier points out that he had Kelly on his kids show 16 years earlier. This was just before Ron Maurier passed away