Dory Funk

Dory Funk
Born	(1919-05-04)May 4, 1919 Hammond, Indiana
Died	June 3, 1973(1973-06-03) (aged 54) Amarillo, Texas
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)	Dory Funk The Outlaw Dory Funk, Sr.
Billed height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Billed weight	230 lb (100 kg)

Dorrance Wilhelm "Dory" Funk (May 4, 1919 – June 3, 1973) was a professional wrestler. He is the father of wrestlers Dory Funk, Jr. and Terry Funk.

Career

Funk was an Indiana high school state champion amateur wrestler for three years, as well as an Indiana State University Amateur Athletic Union champion for one year.

Funk started professionally wrestling after serving in the United States Navy during World War II, starting in the southwest United States. He wrestled primarily in the Texas territories and the Central States territories during his career. He was also famous for having 250 Texas death matches without a loss and is a record that has never been broken.

After retirement he became a promoter in Amarillo, Texas with Doc Sarpolis, in which he led a thriving wrestling scene which produced many superstars, including his sons Dory Funk Jr. and Terry Funk, as well as Stan Hansen, Ted DiBiase, Tito Santana, Jumbo Tsuruta and Genichiro Tenryu. Funk had a good business relationship with All Japan Pro Wrestling founder Shohei Baba, which led Funk's talent pool to useful international experience.

On July 15, 2006, Dory Funk Sr. was inducted into the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame, at the International Wrestling Institute and Museum in Newton, Iowa. The award was accepted by his younger son, Terry Funk. Other inductees included Larry Hennig, Bret Hart, Mike DiBiase, Nikita Koloff, Tom Jenkins, and Bob Roop.

Dory Funk Sr. was heavily involved with the famous Cal Farley Boys Ranch in Amarillo..

June 3, 1973: Dory Funk Sr. died at the age of 54 (Dory Funk is buried at Dreamland Cemetery in Canyon, Texas)

February 2009: Dorothy Funk Culver, the mother of Dory Funk Jr. & Terry Funk, died at the age of 89..

Championships and accomplishments

• Championship Wrestling from Florida

• NWA Florida Southern Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Jose Lothario

• NWA All-Star Wrestling

• NWA Pacific Coast Tag Team Championship (Vancouver version) (2 times) - with Lou Thesz (1) and Pancho Pico (1)

• NWA Western States Sports

• NWA Brass Knuckles Championship (Amarillo version) (2 times)
• NWA North American Heavyweight Championship (Amarillo version) (17 times)
• NWA North American Tag Team Championship (Amarillo version) (7 times) - with Bob Geigel (1), Dick Hutton (1) and Ricky Romero (5)
• NWA Southwest Tag Team Championship (4 times) - with Cowboy Carlos (2) and Bob Geigel (2)
• NWA Western States Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
• NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

• Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards

• Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 1996)

NWA Southwest Junior Heavyweight title defeating Wayne Martin (????, 1949); NWA Southwest Junior Heavyweight title defeating Bob Cummings (October 19, 1950); NWA Southwest Junior Heavyweight title defeating Tony Morelli (????, 1951); NWA Southwest Junior Heavyweight title defeating Ivan Kalmikoff (February 17, 1953); NWA Southwest Junior Heavyweight title defeating ???????? (May 3, 1954); NWA Southwest Junior Heavyweight title defeating Roy Shire (May 13, 1954); NWA Southwest Tag Team titles w/Cowboy Carlson defeating Boris Kalmikoff & Bob Geigal (March 31, 1955); NWA Southwest Tag Team titles w/Bob Geigal defeating Art Nelson & Rip Rogers (aka Eddie Graham) (April 26, 1956); NWA Southwest Tag Team titles w/Bob Geigal defeating Art Nelson & Rip Rogers (aka Eddie Graham) (November 12, 1956); NWA Southwest Junior Heavyweight title defeating Dizzy Davis (November 15, 1956); NWA (Amarillo) North American Heavyweight title defeating Dizzy Davis (January 31, 1957); NWA Southwest Junior Heavyweight title defeating Great Bolo (February 28, 1957); NWA (Amarillo) North American Heavyweight title defeating Great Bolo (February 28, 1957); NWA (Amarillo) North American Heavyweight title defeating Danny Pleaches (December 19, 1957); NWA (Amarillo) North American Heavyweight title defeating Buddy Rogers (April 3, 1958); NWA World Junior Heavyweight title defeating Angelo Savoldi (June 5, 1958); NWA (Amarillo) North American Tag Team titles w/Ricky Romero defeating Kurt Von Poppenheim & Great Bolo (July 10, 1958); NWA (Amarillo) North American Heavyweight title defeating Nick Roberts (????, 1959); NWA (Amarillo) North American Heavyweight title defeating Mike DiBiase (January 29, 1959); NWA (Amarillo) North American Heavyweight title defeating Antone Leone (December 3, 1959); NWA (Amarillo) North American Tag Team titles w/Bob Geigal defeating ?????? (????, 1960); NWA (Amarillo) North American Tag Team titles w/Dick Hutton defeating ????????? (March ??, 1960); NWA (Vancouver) Pacific Coast Tag Titles (as The Outlaw) w/Lou Thesz defeating ?????? (????, 1960); NWA (Vancouver) Pacific Coast Tag Titles (as The Outlaw) w/Pancho Pico defeating Joe & Guy Brunetti [Tournament] (February 20, 1961); NWA (Amarillo) North American Heavyweight title defeating Nikita Mulkovich (March 16, 1961); NWA (Amarillo) North American Heavyweight title defeating Danny McShain (July 13, 1961); NWA (Amarillo) North American Tag Team titles w/Ricky Romero defeating ?????? (????, 1962); NWA (Amarillo) North American Tag Team titles w/Ricky Romero defeating The Viking & Nelson Royal (May 10, 1962); NWA (Amarillo) North American Heavyweight title defeating Fritz Von Erich (June 7, 1962); NWA (Amarillo) North American Tag Team titles w/Ricky Romero defeating Fritz Von Erich & Gene Kiniski (October 18, 1962); NWA (Amarillo) North American Heavyweight title defeating Fritz Von Erich (November 1, 1962); NWA (Amarillo) North American Heavyweight title defeating Fritz Von Erich (????, 1963); NWA (Amarillo) North American Heavyweight title defeating Gene Kiniski [Tournament] (January 16, 1963); NWA (Amarillo) North American Heavyweight title defeating Fritz Von Erich (July 30, 1964); NWA (Amarillo) North American Tag Team titles w/Ricky Romero defeating ??????? (????, 1965); NWA (Amarillo) North American Heavyweight title defeating Kenji Shibuya (December ??, 1967); NWA (Amarillo) North American Heavyweight title defeating Clubfoot Inferno (September 5, 1968); NWA (Amarillo) Brass Knuckles title defeating Pat Patterson (November 28, 1968); NWA Western States Heavyweight title Awarded (????, 1969); NWA (Amarillo) North American Heavyweight title defeating Buddy Colt (June 12, 1969); NWA (Amarillo) Brass Knuckles title defeating Thunderbolt Patterson (November 19, 1970); NWA (Florida) Southern Tag Team titles w/Jose Lothario defeating Masked Medics (February 9, 1971); The Official facebook professional wrestling hall of fame(january 2011)

External links

• Handbook of Texas Online - Dory Funk, Sr.
• Interview on GENICKBRUCH.com
• "Dory Funk". Find a Grave. Retrieved August 30, 2010.