Height: 5' 11"
Weight: 215 lbs.
From: Minneapolis, MN
Birthday: May 10
Pro Debut: 1949
Feds worked for: NWA,
AWA,
TSW, International Wrestling Alliance
Finisher: Sleeper Hold
Signature Moves: Flying Dropkick
Career Highlights: -AWA United States Champion
-AWA World Champion (10x)
-AWA World Tag Team Champion (9x; 2 w/ Leo Nomellini; 1 each w/ Bronko Nagurski, Butch Levy, Moose Evans, Crusher Lisowski, Don Leo Jonathan,
Billy Robinson, and Mad Dog Vachon)
-IWA Champion
-Nebraska Tag Team Champion (w/
Tex McKenzie)
-NWA (Central States) United States Champion
-NWA (Chicago) United States Champion (2x)
-NWA (Chicago) World Tag Team Champon (w/ Eduoard Carpantier)
-NWA (Minneapolis) World Tag Team Champion (4x; 2x w/ Leo Nomellini; 1 each w/ Bronko Nagurski and Butch Levy)
-NWA Texas Champion (2x)
-NWA (Tennessee/Georgia) World Junior Heavyweight Champion
-Omaha World Champion (5x)
-(Montreal) Canadian International Champion
Affiliates: Greg Gagne, Moose Evans, Crusher Lisowski, Don Leo Johnathon, Billy Robinson, Mad Dog Vachon, Leo Nomellini, Bronko Nagurski, Butch Levy
Notable Feuds: Ray Stevens,
Fritz Von Erich, Billy Robinson, Larry Hennig, Nick Bockwinkel, Kokina
Maximus
Other Facts: -Father of professional wrestler Greg Gagne and pro wrestling ring announcer Donna Gagne.
-Former father-in-law of professional wrestler Larry
Zbyszko
-Grew up on a farm and left home at age 14 after his mom passed away.
-Played football and baseball while in high school. He also wrestled and was district, regional and state champion. He was part of the All-State Football team and was recruited to play football at the University of Minnesota in 1943.
-In 1943, he was a member of the All Conference football team, but after 1 year of college, he joined the marines and moved to California, where he played on the marine football team.
-Big Ten Wrestling Champion (1944, 1947, 1948, 1949)
-NCAA Wrestling Champion in 1948 & 1949.
-In 1948, Verne was a member of the United States Olympic Wrestling Team.
-AAU Wrestling Champion in 1949
-Briefly played professional football for the Green Bay Packers.
-Made his professional against King Kong Kashey on May 10, 1949, his 23rd birthday.
-Headlined a wrestling show at Madison Square Garden on February 1953. A riot occurred when 5000 fans were turned away from the event.
-Retired on May 10, 1981 (his 55th birthday) by defeating Nick Bockwinkel for his 10th AWA World Title. He was the first person to retire as World Champion. He returned for some special matches later in that decade. This also put him in the record books as the oldest person to ever win a World Heavyweight Title in any organisation.
-Owner & promoter of the AWA from the late 1950's until the company filed bankruptcy in 1991.
-Was prominent in the training of
Ric Flair, Bob Backlund, Jim Brunzell,
Ken Patera, Ricky Steamboat, Buddy Rose and many others.
-According to Hulk Hogan's biography, Verne tried to pay The
Iron Sheik to break Hogan's legs.
-Executive producer of the movie "The Wrestler" (1974)
-Sold the AWA video library to
WWE in 2005
-Inducted into the
WCW Hall of Fame in 1993
-Inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2006.
