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Leroy McGuirk

From: Tulsa, OK

Birthday: Dec 13th

Pro Debut: 1933

Feds Worked For: MSW, TSW, NWA, Central States Wrestling (IA/KS/MO), Empresa Mexicana de la Lucha Libre (Mexico), NWA Iowa (IA), Southwest Sports (TX), St. Louis Wrestling Club (MO)

Signature Moves: Abdominal Stretch, Knee Lift

Career Highlights: -National Wrestling Association World Junior Heavyweight Champion
-NWA (Los Angeles) World Champion
-NWA (Los Angeles) World Light Heavyweight Champion (3x)
-NWA (Midwest) World Champion
-NWA (Tennessee) World Junior Heavyweight Champion
-NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion (2x)

Notable Feuds: Red Berry, Danny McShain, Jimmy Lott, Angelo Savoldi, Billy Red Lyons

Other Facts: -Real name was Leroy Michael McGuirk
-Born in Garvin, OK
-Husband of pro wrestling co-promoter Dorothy McGuirk
-Father of pro wrestling announcer Mike McGuirk
-Grandfather of pro wrestler Max McGuirk
-Former father-in-law of pro wretlers B. Brian Blair, and Doug Somers, and wrestling promoter Mark Mason
-Graduated from Central High School in Tulsa. He was captain of Central's 1st state championship team in 1928.
-Wrestled collegiately at Oklahoma A&M (now known as Oklahoma State University). He won the National Intercollegiate Title in 1931 while he was there.
-Promoter for the Tri-State and Mid-South territories from January 6, 1958 until 1982.
-Was a former Tulsa Police Officer
-Trained Billy Varga, Bobby Pearce, Bob Clay, Kit Fox, Danny Hodge, Dick Hutton, and Jack Brisco for pro wrestling.
-Lost eyesight in one eye as a result of a swimming pool accident. Lost his eyesight in the other eye as a result of a car accident yet continued as play-by-play announcer. His driver, Bob Clay, locked the car’s brakes in an attempt to avoid a collision, causing McGuirk’s head to hit the front windscreen. McGuirk’s glasses shattered into his eye, causing irreparable damage.
-Named Second Vice President of the NWA in September 1950 just six months after his career was cut short by a car accident in Muskogee.
-Named Lucha Libre Luchador Del Ano in 1935.
-Appeared in the movie "The Wrestling Queen" in 1975
-Jim Ross mentions Leroy McGuirk as one of his mentors
-Inducted into the Oklahoma Athletic Hall of Fame in 1977
-Passed away on September 9, 1988 at the age of 78 at his home in Claremore. He had been suffering from Alzheimer's disease.
-Posthumously inducted into the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame in 1996
-Posthumously inducted into the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2004
-Posthumously inducted into the International Wrestling Institute and Museum Hall of Fame in 2004
-Posthumously inducted into the MWA Hall of Honor on May 7, 2010
-Posthumously inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum in 2014
-Posthumously inducted into the NWA Hall of Fame in 2015
-Posthumously inducted into the Texas Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2015