Nickname(s): Irish, Silver Fox, Dangerous
Height: 5' 11"
Weight: 205 lbs.
From: Glenndale, CA
Birthday: Jul 14
Pro Debut: October 30, 1930
Feds worked for: NWA
Finisher: Irish Cannonball
Signature Moves: Double-Foot Stomp
Career Highlights: -Louisiana Champion
-NWA Gulf Coast Champion
-NWA (Amarillo) North American Champion
-NWA (Los Angeles) World Light Heavyweight Champion (3x)
-NWA (Ohio) American Tag Team Champion (w/ Oyama Kato)
-NWA Pacific Coast Light Heavyweight Champion
-NWA
Texas Champion (10x)
-NWA Texas Brass Knucks Champion (3x)
-NWA Texas Junior Heavyweight Champion
-NWA Texas Tag Team Champion (4x, 1 each w/
Casey McShain,
Bad Boy Hines,
Tony Borne &
Sputnik Monroe)
-NWA (Texas) World Tag Team Champion (w/ Joe Christie)
-NWA World Light Heavyweight Champion (11x)
-NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion
-Navy Light Weight Boxing Champion (multiple times)
Notable Feuds: Verne Gagne, Tito Montez, Bull Curry, Tony Borne
Other Facts: -Brother-in-law of professional wrestlers Donn Lewin, Ted Lewin, &
Mark Lewin.
-Brother-in-law (by marriage) of pro wrestling valet Princess Linda
-Accidentally killed
Alex Kasaboski & Terry McGinnis after giving them piledrivers. He almost quit the business because of this.
-In 1952, McShain defended his NWA World Light Heavyweight Championship against Henry Harell. This match was supposed to be a victory for Harell, but McShain decided on his own to change the ending and got intentionally DQed. The referee declared that the title could not change hands on a disqualification. It was the first time the “ruling” that a championship cannot change hands due to a disqualification was ever used. It didn’t become officially adopted by the NWA until April 1953, and has been a part of wrestling story lines ever since
-Participated in what is believed to be the first Brass Knucks match ever held, vs. Bull Curry in Houston, TX in 1953.
-In 1952, McShain and 10 other wrestlers refused to perform for Ed McLemore at the Television Tapings because they weren't getting paid for coming to do so. They wrote a letter indiciating that they would not appear on TV for the matches unless they were paid to do so. After this issue went to the State Labour
Commission in Texas, McLemore began paying them extra for their appearances. This precedent established the procedure that led to athletes being paid multi-million dollar contracts for TV appearances by the end of the 20th century.
-Credited by many wrestling historians as having introduced the concept of blading to pro wrestling.
-Close friend of performer Danny Kaye. He appeared in almost all of Kaye's movies.
-Passed away July 14, 1992, his 79th birthday.
