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Houston Harris
Statistics
Ring name(s)	Bobo Brazil Boo-Boo Brazil Changus McSqeek
Billed height	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Billed weight	270 lb (123 kg)
Born	July 10, 1924(1924-07-10) Benton Harbor, Michigan, United States
Died	January 20, 1998 (aged 73)
Debut	1951

Houston Harris^{[citation needed]} (July 10, 1924 — January 20, 1998)^{[citation needed]} was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Bobo Brazil. Harris was credited with breaking down barriers of racial segregation in professional wrestling. Harris is considered one of the first successful African-American professional wrestlers, and is often referred to as "the Jackie Robinson of professional wrestling."

Contents 1 Career 2 Wrestling facts 3 Championships and accomplishments 4 External links

Originally, Houston was to be known as "Boo-Boo Brazil", but a promoter misprinted his first name as "Bobo" in a print advertisement and it stuck.

Early in his career, some wrestling promoters would match Brazil against fellow African-American wrestlers. Fans clamored to see Brazil face opponents of any type and Brazil would have many matches with competitors such as Killer Kowalski, Dick the Bruiser, Johnny Valentine, and The Sheik, who feuded with Bobo over the course of several decades. These and other rivals would all fall victim to Brazil's finishing maneuver, the Coco Butt (which was a headbutt). Brazil also once wrestled André the Giant to a draw, and challenged Bruno Sammartino for the WWWF Championship in a battle of two top babyface competitors. On October 18th, 1962 Bobo Brazil made history by becoming the first Black American to win the NWA World Heavyweight Title by defeating "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers. (This distinction is often mistakenly given to Ron Simmons). Although Bobo Brazil initially refused the title (because of an "injury" that Rogers had claimed to have), Brazil was awarded the title the next day after doctors had found nothing wrong with Rogers. However, this title change is not recognized by the NWA. [1]

Brazil served as a mentor to wrestler "Soulman Rocky Johnson."

Brazil's manager was James Dudley, the first African-American to be in charge of a major arena in the United States. Dudley would run to the ring waving a towel, as Brazil followed behind.

Brazil was inducted into the WWF Hall of Fame in 1994.

• Finishing and signature moves
  • Coco Butt (Head Butt)

• Championship Wrestling from Florida
  • NWA Florida Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Sweet Brown Sugar (1) and Dusty Rhodes (1)

• International Wrestling
  • IW North American Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

• Japan Wrestling Association
  • NWA International Heavyweight Championship (2 times)

• Maple Leaf Wrestling
  • NWA Canadian Open Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Whipper Billy Watson
  • NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Toronto version) (1 time)

• Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling
  • NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Mid-Atlantic version) (1 time)

• Midwest Wrestling Association (Ohio)
  • MWA Ohio Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
  • MWA Ohio Tag Team Championship (3 times) – with Frankie Talaber

• NWA Detroit
  • NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Detroit version) (9 times)
  • NWA World Tag Team Championship (Detroit version) (8 times) – with Art Thomas (1), Bill Miller (1), Athol Layton (1), The Stomper (1), Tony Marino (3) and Fred Curry (1)

• NWA Hollywood Wrestling
  • NWA Americas Heavyweight Championship (3 times) (First)

• NWA Los Angeles
  • NWA Beat the Champ International Television Championship (1 time)
  • NWA International Television Tag Team Championship (4 times) – with Wilbur Snyder (2), Sandor Szabo (1), and Primo Carnera (1)
  • NWA Pacific Coast Heavyweight Championship (Los Angeles version) (1 time)

• NWA San Francisco
  • NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (San Francisco version) (1 time)

• Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame

• Television Era inductee to the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame (2008)

• Superstars of Wrestling
  • SoW United States Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

• World Wrestling Association (Indianapolis)
  • WWA World Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
  • WWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Chris Carter

• World Wrestling Association (Los Angeles)
  • WWA World Heavyweight Championship (2 times)

• World Wide Wrestling Federation | World Wrestling Federation
  • WWF Hall of Fame (Class of 1994)
  • WWWF United States Championship (4 times)

• Pro Wrestling Illustrated
  • PWI Editor's Award in 1998 presented posthumously

• Hall of Fame profile at WWE.com