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Bob Geigel

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Bob Geigel
Geigel in April 2009
Born(1924-10-01)October 1, 1924
Algona, Iowa, United States
DiedOctober 30, 2014(2014-10-30) (aged 90)
Kansas City, Missouri, United States
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)A-Bomber
Bob Geigel
Billed height5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[1]
Billed weight230 lb (100 kg; 16 st)[1]
Billed fromAlgona, Iowa
Debut1950[2]
Retired1976[2]

Robert "Bob" Geigel (October 1, 1924 – October 30, 2014) was an American professional wrestling promoter and also a professional wrestler. Geigel ran the NWA Central States promotion between 1963 and 1986, until it was bought out by Jim Crockett Promotions. He was also president of the National Wrestling Alliance for most of the years 1978 to 1987.

Early life

Born October 1, 1924, in Algona, Iowa,[3][4] Geigel entered the navy after high school and fought in the Pacific Theatre during World War II as a member of the Seabees.[3] After the war, he attended the University of Iowa from 1946 to 1950, graduating with a degree in Physical education.[3] Geigel was a champion amateur wrestler during his college years, coming in third place during the 1948 NCAA Championships in the 191 pounds (87 kg) weight division.[2][3][4]

Professional wrestling career

Wrestling

Geigel was recruited into professional wrestling by Alphonse Bisigniano.[3] He debuted in 1950 in Texas.[2] Wrestling primarily in Pinkie George's Midwest Wrestling Association out of Kansas City, and also in Amarillo, Texas, Geigel generally played the part of the "heel" or antagonist.[3] He became a full-time professional wrestler in 1952.[4] Though he was generally introduced as being from Algona, Iowa, he was billed as "Texas" Bob Geigel.[1] He also wrestled as A-Bomber while working under a mask in Amarillo.

Geigel frequently held tag team championships in his home promotion, holding the NWA Central States World Tag Team Championship four times,[5] and the NWA North American Tag Team Championship (Central States version) nine times.[6][7] Geigel had a long-standing feud with former tag team partner Bob Brown in Kansas City.[2] He officially retired from the ring in 1976, but continued to wrestle sporadically in the 1980s.[1][2]

Promoting

Geigel became a promoter in 1963, when he took over management of the Kansas City office. Partnering with Gus Karras and Pat O'Connor, he renamed the promotion Heart of America Sports Attractions.[4] He then took his place on the board of the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA). In that same year, Geigel was cited as a co-defendant in an anti-monopoly case brought against the Central States territory by previous owner Pinkie George. Along with his partners Karras and O'Connor, and fellow co-defendant George Simpson, he refuted the charge, and it was eventually dropped.[3]

In 1978, Geigel became President of the NWA, his first term lasting until 1980. During this term he strongly supported Harley Race, a part-owner of Heart of America, as NWA World Heavyweight Champion.[3] Geigel and Race bought out Sam Muchnick's portion of the St. Louis Wrestling Club,[3] a cornerstone territory of the NWA. Geigel served a second and third term as NWA President from 1982 to 1987.[4] He retired from promoting wrestling in 1988.[2]

Personal life and death

Geigel owned a bar in Kansas City called The Tender Trap.[8] Geigel worked security at a racetrack in Kansas City after retiring from wrestling, until suffering a broken hip in early 2014.[2][8] Geigel met his wife Vera at the University of Iowa, and they were married for more than 65 years.[8] They had three daughters.[4] He suffered from Alzheimer's disease.[2] Geigel died on October 30, 2014, in a nursing home in Kansas City.[2][8]

Championships and accomplishments

Job titles

  • NWA President (1978 to 1980; 1982 to 1985; 1986 to 1987)[4]
  • NWA Central States promoter (1958 to September 1986; February 1987 to 1988)
  • NWA St. Louis promoter (1982 to 1986)
Preceded by President of the National Wrestling Alliance
1978–1980 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
Jim Crockett, Jr.
 President of the National Wrestling Alliance
1982–1985 		Succeeded by
Jim Crockett, Jr.
Preceded by
Jim Crockett, Jr.
 President of the National Wrestling Alliance
1986–1987 		Succeeded by
Jim Crockett, Jr.

References

  1. ^ a b c d Kendall, Justin (October 30, 2014). "Bob Geigel, former NWA president and pro wrestler, has died at age 90". The Pitch. Retrieved November 17, 2014.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Smith, Tom (October 31, 2014). "Wrestler Bob Geigel was at the heart of the Kansas City wrestling scene". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved November 18, 2014.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Hornbaker, Tim (2007). National Wrestling Alliance: The Untold Story of the Monopoly that Strangled Pro Wrestling. ECW Press. ISBN 978-1-55022-741-3.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Nation, Ryan (April 19, 2007). "A lifetime of rewards for Bob Geigel". Slam! Sports. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved December 10, 2009.
  5. ^ a b NWA World Tag Team Championship (Central States) at Wrestling-Titles.com
  6. ^ a b Royal Duncan and Gary Will (2006). "(Kansas and Western Missouri) West Missouri: North American Tag Team Title". Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. p. 253. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
  7. ^ a b "NWA North American Tag Team Title (Central States version)". wrestling-titles.com. Retrieved March 24, 2015.
  8. ^ a b c d Oliver, Greg (October 30, 2014). "Bob Geigel was a man's man". Slam! Sports. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved November 18, 2014.
  9. ^ Pedicino, Joe; Solie, Gordon (hosts) (August 22, 1987). "Pro Wrestling This Week". Superstars of Wrestling. Atlanta, Georgia. Syndicated. WATL.
  • Profile at Online World Of Wrestling
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