Apr 17th 2024 10:20pm

Sign Up / Sign In|Help

 

Bios

Jim Barnett

Jim Barnett

From: Oklahoma City, OK

Birthday: Jun 9th

Feds Worked For: NWA, WCW, WWF, International Wrestling Alliance (Australia), World Championship Wrestling (Australia), World Wrestling Association (IN)

 

Affiliates: Fred Kohler

Other Facts: -Graduated from Classen High School in Oklahoma City in 1942
-While employed by NWA promoter Fred Kohler of Chicago, worked as a road agent for Verne Gagne, Pat O'Connor, Sonny Myers, and Hans Schmidt
-While working for Kohler, he was a major player when wrestling was on television on the Dumont Network in Chicago
-Was the first to realize the power of television and its relationship to professional wrestling
-Was able to get Kohler's "Wrestling from the Marigold" syndicated across the U.S. and thus was born the 1st national wrestling TV show
-Received the 1st wrestling manager's license ever issued by the Illinois Athletic Commission on November 16, 1955
-Was the promoter during the glory days of wrestling in Chicago, Indiana, Georgia and Australia
-Saw an open market in Australia as far as wrestling was concerned and booked many American wrestlers on his events
-Barnett ran one of the classiest promotions in wrestling history treating his talent good and enforcing a suit & tie dress code
-Always personally came to the dressing room before shows to motivate the wrestlers
-Became a member of the NWA in August 1969 after 20 successful years as a wrestling promoter
-After purchasing the Atlanta Territory, Barnett became secretary of the NWA and possibly its most powerful promoter
-Was one of the leading executives during the WWF's expansion under Vince McMahon.
-Was Ted Turner's closest confidante when Turner got into the wrestling business and worked for WCW for much of the 1990s.
-Barnett was portrayed in a very negative manner in recent books by Jim Wilson and Ole Anderson
-Employed actor Lee Majors as a driver in the 1950s.
-Passed away on September 18, 2004 at the age of 80 after a long battle with cancer
-Posthumously inducted into the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame in 1996
-Posthumously inducted into the NWA Hall of Fame in 2005
-Posthumously inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Legacy Wing in 2019

Supplemental Information

Polling Booth

Why didn't you vote in the Oklafan Year End Polls?

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

You must be logged in to cast votes

Upcoming Events

Complete Calendar

1

Spotlight in History

  • 1959 Dory Funk became the TSW Oklahoma Junior Heavyweight Champion
  • 2009 Texas, Inc. (Tim Rockwell & Bernard Funk) def. The Innovators (Anarchy [2nd] & Fuel) for the TAP Tag Team Champions
  • 2009 Seth Allen def. Carnage for the GPCW Heavyweight Champion
  • 2011 Double D became the MSWA Mid-South Heavyweight Champion
  • 2021 Space Age Cowboys (Jason Jones & Paul Puertorico) def. The Real Dirty Brawlers (Brawler Morrison & Thrash) for the WFC Tag Team Champions
  • 2021 Tommy Dean became the WFC Prime Champion

Week of Sun 04-14 to Sat: 04-20

  • 04-14 1959 Frankie Kovacs & Gino Angelo became the TSW Louisiana Tag Team Champion
  • 04-14 1980 Toru Tanaka def. Bruiser Brody for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Champion
  • 04-14 1989 Jerry Lawler def. Kerry Von Erich for the WCCW World Champion
  • 04-14 2006 Al Farat became the AACW Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-14 2006 Trailer Park Trash (J. C. & K. C.) became the AACW Tag Team Champions
  • 04-14 2007 Slam Shady became the NWA-U Oklahoma Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-14 2007 Justin Lee def. Shane Morbid for the NWA-U X Division Champion
  • 04-14 2018 Spyder def. Ray Martinez for the BPW Oklahoma Champion
  • 04-14 2018 Blue Thunder & The Unknown def. Big Smooth & Zakk Sinizter for the NAW Tag Team Champions
  • 04-14 2019 Marti Belle became the WCR Diamond Division Champion
  • 04-14 2023 Roll Modelz (Malik Mayfield & Olivier Vegos) def. Urban Dominance (Drake Gallows & Skylar Slice) for the CPW Tag Team Champions
  • 04-15 1955 Mike Clancy became the TSW Oklahoma Junior Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-15 1958 Fritz Von Erich def. Bull Curry for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Champion
  • 04-15 1977 Bruiser Brody & Mike York def. Jose Lothario & Cien Caras for the WCCW Texas Tag Team Champion
  • 04-15 2005 Dirty Harry Sanchez def. Luc Lapointe for the SRPW Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-15 2012 Jerry Bostic def. Javi Hernandez for the UWF06 Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-15 2012 K-Ro became the UWF06 Texhoma Champion
  • 04-15 2016 Revolution (Seth Allen & Dane Griffin) def. The Sons of Texas (Moonshine Mantell & Killer McKenzie) for the NWA-TXO Tag Team Champions
  • 04-15 2016 Killista def. Skylar Slice for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Champion
  • 04-15 2016 Nathan Estrada def. Killista for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Champion
  • 04-15 2017 Poder Oriental became the BMLL Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-15 2022 Derek James def. Tommy Dean for the BPW Lion Heart Champion
  • 04-15 2022 Revolution (Seth Allen & Dane Griffin) def. Doz Camachos (Onyx Camacho & Zarek Camacho) for the TexPro Tag Team Champions
  • 04-15 2022 Johnny Bedlam def. Adam Asher for the TexPro Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-15 2023 Olivier Vegos def. Evelyn Carter for the NCWO Women's Champion
  • 04-15 2023 Luke Richmond def. Jamie Holley for the NCWO United States Champion
  • 04-16 1983 Junkyard Dog became the MSW North American Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-16 2004 Brian Lakewood def. AWOL for the TPW Oklahoma Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-16 2005 John O'Malley became the NWA-U Oklahoma Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-16 2005 Dexter Hardaway became the NWA-U X Division Champion
  • 04-16 2005 Gary Gram became the NWA-U X Division Champion
  • 04-16 2005 Kevin Northcutt def. Tejas for the NWA Texas Champion
  • 04-16 2005 Tribal Force (Tim Warcloud & Tejas) def. The New Orleans Fight Club (Kevin Northcutt & John Saxon) for the NWA North American Tag Team Champion
  • 04-16 2021 Father Padge def. Shadow Gemini for the EPW Internet Television Champion
  • 04-17 1959 Dory Funk became the TSW Oklahoma Junior Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-17 2009 Texas, Inc. (Tim Rockwell & Bernard Funk) def. The Innovators (Anarchy [2nd] & Fuel) for the TAP Tag Team Champions
  • 04-17 2009 Seth Allen def. Carnage for the GPCW Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-17 2011 Double D became the MSWA Mid-South Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-17 2021 Space Age Cowboys (Jason Jones & Paul Puertorico) def. The Real Dirty Brawlers (Brawler Morrison & Thrash) for the WFC Tag Team Champions
  • 04-17 2021 Tommy Dean became the WFC Prime Champion
  • 04-18 1974 Fritz Von Erich def. The Texan for the WCCW American Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-18 1981 The Grappler & The Super Destroyer became the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Champion
  • 04-18 1998 The Texas Outlaws (Bobby Burns & Dan Wilder) def. Generation X (Ian St. James & Zane Morris) for the OPW Oklahoma Tag Team Champion
  • 04-18 2004 Ty Magnus def. Bernie Donderwitz for the ACW Hardcore Champion
  • 04-18 2004 Li'l Joe def. Ty Magnus for the ACW Hardcore Champion
  • 04-18 2009 Sage became the OECW Cruiserweight Champion
  • 04-18 2021 Blade [2nd] def. Drake Gallows for the AIWF National Champion
  • 04-18 2021 Los Loco Moscas/Rejecs LM (Elijah Sparks & El Greengo Loco/Doctor Corvus) def. DNR (Drake Gallows & Revan) for the EPW Tag Team Champions
  • 04-18 2021 Kevin James Sanchez def. Double D for the EPW Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-19 1957 Don Leo Jonathan def. Pepper Gomez for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Champion
  • 04-19 1987 Bubba Rogers def. One Man Gang for the UWF Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-19 2008 New Canada (The Canadian Luchadore & The Canadian Red Devil) def. La M (El Choppo & Jesus Rodriguez) for the ComPro Tag Team Champions
  • 04-19 2008 The New Age Syndicate (Scott Sanders & Shawn Sanders) def. Nathan Sensation for the IZW Tag Team Champions
  • 04-19 2013 Bree Ann def. Barbi Hayden for the NWA-TXO Rose Champion
  • 04-19 2014 Aaron Anders def. Michael Wolf for the OWA Junior Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-19 2014 Jake O'Brien def. Brian Breaker for the OWA Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-19 2014 Tim Rockwell def. Jon Cross for the UWE Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-19 2014 Randy Price def. Drake Gallows for the IZW Impact Division Champion
  • 04-19 2014 Miss Diss Lexia def. Paige Turner for the IZW Queens Champion
  • 04-19 2014 Erica def. Miss Diss Lexia for the IZW Queens Champion
  • 04-19 2014 Brandon Groom def. Warhammer for the BPPW Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-20 1980 Toru Tanaka def. Kevin Von Erich for the WCCW American Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-20 2013 The Canadian Red Devil became the OWA Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-20 2013 Daemon Storm def. Justin Dynamic for the UWE United States Champion
  • 04-20 2018 Jack Swagger def. MVP for the IWR Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-20 2019 B. M. F. (Kareem Sadat & Maniac Mike) became the EmpCW Tag Team Champions
  • 04-20 2019 Double D became the EmpCW Heavyweight Champion
04-17
  • Chuck Conley Apr 17th Today!
  • Jamie Holley Apr 17th Today!
  • Roddy Piper Apr 17th Today!
  • Tank Morgan Apr 18th
  • Red Rojas Apr 18th
  • Berto Del Rayo Apr 19th
  • Ox Baker Apr 19th
  • Jeff Starchild Apr 19th
  • Seth Allen Apr 19th
  • Jesse White Apr 19th
  • John E. Stone Apr 19th
  • Bubba Sutton Apr 19th
  • Hillbilly Apr 19th
  • Guy Sterling Apr 20th
  • Colt Storm Apr 20th
  • Jay Hollywood Apr 21st
  • Vicki Williams Apr 21st
  • Angelo Savoldi Apr 21st
  • Terry Gordy Apr 23rd
  • Tony Atlas Apr 23rd
  • Blade [2nd] Apr 23rd
  • Lou Thesz Apr 24th
  • Ethan Price Apr 24th
  • Lance Von Erich Apr 24th
  • Brett Stopp Apr 25th
  • Walker Stewart Apr 25th
  • Bobby Joe Bristow Apr 25th
  • Eric Roberts Apr 25th
  • Zack Zilla Apr 25th
  • Crash Davis Apr 25th
  • Carl Fergie Apr 25th
  • Justin Dynamic Apr 26th
  • Karl Kox Apr 26th
  • Havoc Apr 26th
  • Yasu Fuji Apr 27th
  • Siva Afi Apr 28th
  • Chance Snodgrass Apr 28th
  • Ichiban [2nd] Apr 28th
  • Sunshine Apr 29th
  • Joe McCarthy Apr 30th
  • Anarchy [2nd] Apr 30th
  • El Gallardo Apr 30th
  • Dustin Tibbs Apr 30th
  • Billie the Kiid Apr 30th

More Look Back In History

Oklafan Quiz

Who was the 1st and only NWA Universal Television Champion?

  

  

  

  

  

189

Take the OklaQuiz!