Verne Gagne

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Verne Gagne
Statistics
Ring name(s)	Verne Gagne
Billed height	5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Billed weight	215 lb (98 kg)
Born	February 26, 1926 Robbinsdale, Minnesota
Debut	1949
Retired	1981

Verne Gagne (born February 26, 1926) is a former professional wrestler, trainer and wrestling promoter. He was the former owner/promoter of the American Wrestling Association (AWA) based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, which was the predominant promotion throughout the mid-west and Manitoba, Canada for many years. He remained in this position until 1991, when the company folded. He has a son, Greg, who also wrestled.

1 Pre-AWA career
2 AWA
3 Championships and accomplishments
- 3.1 Amateur wrestling
- 3.2 Professional wrestling
4 Training career
5 Trivia
6 References

Verne Gagne grew up on a farm in Minnesota, he left home at the age of 14 after his mother died. Verne went to Robbinsdale High School and excelled in football, baseball and wrestling, winning district, regional and state championships in high school wrestling, as well as being named to the All-State Football Team. In 1943, Verne was recruited to play football at the University of Minnesota, where he was named to the All-Conference Team. After one year of college, he joined the Marines. Gagne chose to return to the University of Minnesota, where he enjoyed a successful amateur wrestling career that saw him capture two NCAA titles, as well as being an alternate for the U.S freestyle wrestling team at the 1948 Olympic Games. Verne joined the NFL soon after by being drafted in the 16 round (145 pick) of the 1947 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears. In 1949, Verne decided to wrestle professionally, starting his career in Texas. In his debut, he defeated Abe Kashey, with former World Heavyweight boxing Champion, Jack Dempsey, as the referee. In 1950, Gagne captured the NWA Junior Heavyweight title. In 1953, Gagne won the Chicago version of the NWA United States Championship. Verne became one of the most well-known stars in wrestling during the golden age of television, thanks to his exposure on the Dumont Network, where he wowed audiences with his technical prowess. He was rumored to be one of the highest paid wrestlers during the 1950's, reportedly earning a hundred thousand dollars a year.

In 1960, Gagne formed his own promotion, the AWA, instantly becoming its top star. That same year, Gagne was awarded the AWA World Heavyweight Championship, after champion, Pat O'Connor, failed to defend the title against the number one contender, Gagne. In reality, O'Connor was only named champion because he was the current holder of the NWA World Heavyweight Title, at the time, the most prestigious title in wrestling. He was awarded the title to give the new AWA Championship credibility. There were never any plans for O'Connor to defend the belt, much less wrestle for the upstart promotion. Verne would go on to become a ten-time AWA World Champion, a record for the promotion. He also had one of the longest World Title reigns in wrestling history, holding the AWA Title from August 31, 1968 until November 8, 1975, a total of 7 years, when he finally lost the belt to Nick Bockwinkel.

Some of Gagne's biggest feuds were against Gene Kiniski, Dr. Bill Miller, Fritz Von Erich, Dr. X (Dick Beyer), The Crusher, Ray Stevens and Nick Bockwinkel. He always wrestled as a face, and utilized the sleeper hold as his finisher. Despite already wrestling full-time and running one of the biggest promotions in North America, Gagne operated a training school that produced such stars as Ric Flair, Ricky Steamboat, Curt Hennig and more. Verne retired from in ring competition in 1981 as the AWA World Champion, becoming one of the few wrestlers to retire as a World titlist.

As promoter of the AWA, Gagne was known for putting on an "old school" show. He sought out wrestlers with amateur backgrounds over the hulking brutes that dominated wrestling in the 1980's. This led to a problem with his biggest draw, Hulk Hogan, who Gagne felt was not championship material. Eventually Gagne settled with making Hogan his champion, but only under the condition that he receive a percentage of Hogan's earnings from Japan; Hogan refused.

In late 1983, Hogan accepted an offer from Vince McMahon to go to the WWF. Allegedly, Gagne offered The Iron Sheik $100,000 to break Hogan's leg during their World Title Match, with the intention that he return to the AWA with the belt. Supposedly Sheik refused the offer and informed Hogan, the McMahons, and Pat Patterson about the planned double cross, and Hulkamania was born. What followed was a purge of stars from various territories and promotions, including Gagne's AWA, by Vince McMahon, who wished to take his WWF "national", and do away with the traditional territorial system that dominated the North American Pro Wrestling landscape for years. The AWA suffered perhaps the most damage, losing top stars like Rick Martel, Jesse Ventura, Adrian Adonis and Curt Hennig. By 1991, the damage had been done, and the AWA shut down after 30 years.

After WWE's purchase of AWA's tape library, Gagne was inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame in 2006 by his son, Greg.