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Sammy Steamboat

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Sammy Steamboat
Birth nameSamuel K. Mokuahi[1]
Born(1934-05-04)May 4, 1934
Honolulu, Hawaii, United States[2]
DiedMay 2, 2006(2006-05-02) (aged 71)[1][2]
Honolulu, Hawaii, United States[1]
Cause of deathComplications from Alzheimer's disease[1][2]
Spouse(s)Sheryll Mokuahi[1]
Children7
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Sam Steamboat
Sammy Steamboat
Trained byLord James Blears[1]
Lou Thesz[1]
DebutMid-1950s[1][2]
RetiredLate-1970s[1][2]

Samuel K. Mokuahi (May 4, 1934 – May 2, 2006) was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Sammy Steamboat.[1][2][3]

Early life

Mokuahi grew up in Honolulu, attending President Theodore Roosevelt High School, where he played multiple sports.[1]

Professional wrestling career

Mokuahi was trained to wrestle by Lord James Blears and Lou Thesz. He debuted in the 1950s, adopting the ring name "Sam Steamboat,” the English translation of his birth name.[1][4]

Steamboat began his career with the Honolulu-based promotion 50th State Big Time Wrestling. He won his first championship on August 5, 1956, teaming with Billy Varga to defeat Great Togo and Tosh Togo for the NWA Hawaii Tag Team Championship. On January 25, 1961, Steamboat defeated Dick Hutton to win the NWA Hawaii Heavyweight Championship. He lost the championship to Luigi Macera on April 15, 1961.

In the early 1960s, Steamboat relocated to the contiguous United States, where he competed for the Los Angeles, California-based promotion Worldwide Wrestling Associates. In 1960, he won the WWA International Television Tag Team Championship with Dick Hutton.

Steamboat went on to compete in the Atlanta, Georgia-based Georgia Championship Wrestling, where he won the NWA Southern Tag Team Championship (Georgia version) with Eddie Graham in 1964, and the North Carolina-based Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling, where he held the NWA Southern Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic version) with Graham in 1965.[5]

In the mid-1960s, Steamboat began wrestling for Championship Wrestling from Florida, where he reformed his alliance with Eddie Graham. Steamboat won the NWA World Tag Team Championship (Florida version) on five occasions between 1964 and 1967, as well as the NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-America version) on two occasions in 1965 and the NWA Florida Tag Team Championship in 1969.[5][6]

Steamboat returned to Hawaii in the late 1960s, winning the NWA Hawaii Heavyweight Championship on three further occasions and the NWA Hawaii Tag Team Championship on four further occasions. He also won the NWA North American Championship (Hawaii version) on four occasions. He retired in the late 1970s.[1]

Personal life

Mokuahi was married to Sheryll, with whom he had seven children.[1]

Mokuhai was an avid surfer and canoeist.[1]

Fellow professional wrestler Ricky Steamboat took his ring name from Mokuahi due to their resemblance and was briefly billed as his younger brother, son or nephew. However, the two men were unrelated.[1][7][8][9]

Death

Mokuahi died in Hawaii from complications from Alzheimer's disease on May 2, 2006.[1][3]

Championships and accomplishments

1Steamboat and Graham won this championship by winning a tournament held on a card promoted in the Championship Wrestling from Florida promotion.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Oliver, Greg (May 4, 2006). "Sam Steamboat was a Hawaiian legend". Canoe.ca. Quebecor Media. Archived from the original on March 11, 2016. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Luis, Cindy (May 19, 2006). "Wrestler Sammy Steamboat promoted paddling". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
  3. ^ a b Brady, Hicks. "2006: The year in wrestling". PWI Presents: 2007 Wrestling Almanak and book of facts. Kappa Publications. p. 20. 2007 Edition.
  4. ^ Johnson, Steven; et al. (1 October 2012). The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: Heroes and Icons. ECW Press. pp. 426–. ISBN 978-1-77090-269-5.
  5. ^ a b Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2006). Wrestling Title Histories (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
  6. ^ Harris M. Lentz III (1 January 2003). Biographical Dictionary of Professional Wrestling, 2d ed. McFarland. pp. 132–. ISBN 978-0-7864-1754-4.
  7. ^ Dave Meltzer; Bret Hart (January 2004). Tributes II: Remembering More of the World's Greatest Professional Wrestlers. Sports Publishing LLC. pp. 180–. ISBN 978-1-58261-817-3.
  8. ^ Ed Symkus; Vinnie Carolan (2004). Wrestle Radio U. S. A.: Grapplers Speak. ECW Press. pp. 164–. ISBN 978-1-55022-646-1.
  9. ^ R. D. Reynolds (2007). The Wrestlecrap Book of Lists!. ECW Press. pp. 109–. ISBN 978-1-55490-287-3.
  10. ^ "National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Titles [W. Texas]". Wrestling-Titles. Retrieved February 21, 2017.
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