Jim Barnett (wrestling)
| Jim Barnett | |
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| Born | June 9, 1924 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, US |
| Died | September 18, 2004 (aged 80) |
| Debut | 1949 |
| Retired | 2001 |
James E. Barnett (9 June 1924 – 18 September 2004) was an American professional wrestling promoter, and owner of Georgia Championship Wrestling and Australia's World Championship Wrestling.
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[edit] Professional wrestling career
A former wrestler born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Barnett traveled in 1964 to Sydney with Johnny Doyle to inspect the Australian wrestling scene. They returned under the banner of World Championship Wrestling, presenting their first card on 23 October 1964, at the Sydney Stadium, and continued until 1974 when Barnett sold the promotion to Tony Kolonie and returned to the United States to become owner of Georgia Championship Wrestling.
Tommy Rich's less-than-a-week NWA World Heavyweight Championship reign was one of Barnett's attempts to boost Georgia gates and cover his losses. He was sued by wrestler and booker Ole Anderson.
The book, The Thin Thirty, by Shannon Ragland, chronicles actor Rock Hudson's involvement in a 1962 sex scandal at the University of Kentucky involving the football team. Ragland writes that Jim Barnett, a wrestling promoter, engaged in prostitution with members of the team, and that Hudson was one of Barnett's customers.[1]
In later years, Barnett served as an adviser to the World Wrestling Federation, Jim Crockett Promotions and Ted Turner's World Championship Wrestling.
[edit] Championships and accomplishments
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
[edit] References
- ^ Ragland, Shannon P. (2007). The Thin Thirty. Louisville, KY: Set Shot Press. ISBN 097912221X.
