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Harley Race

Nickname: Handsome; King; King Of Wrestling; Mr. Pro Wrestling; Mad Dog

Height: 6' 1"

Weight: 245 bs.

From: Kansas City, KS

Birthday: Apr 11th

Pro Debut: 1960

Aliases: Jack Long, The Great Mortimer

Feds Worked For: MSW, NWA-West, TSW, WCCW, AWA, NWA, WCW, WWF, WWWF, All Japan Pro Wrestling (Japan), All Star Wrestling (NE), Alternative Championship Wrestling, Big Bear Promotions (Canada), Big Time Wrestling (MI), Carolina Championship Wrestling (NC), Central States Wrestling (IA/KS/MO), Championship Wrestling Association (TN), Championship Wrestling from Florida (FL), Championship Wrestling from Georgia (GA), Championship Wrestling USA (OR), Continental Wrestling Association (AL/TN), Eastern Sports Association (Canada), Empresa Mexicana De La Lucha Libre (Mexico), Florida Championship Wrestling (FL), Fred Kohler Enterprises (IL), Georgia Championship Wrestling (GA), Gulas Wrestling Enterprises (TN), Gulf Athletic Club (TX), International City Wrestling Club (TX), International Wrestling Association (Australia), Japan Wrestling Association (Japan), Lucien Gregoire Promotions (Canada), M & M Promotions (NM/TX), Maple Leaf Wrestling (Canada), Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling (NC/SC), Mid-Pacific Promotions (HI), Mid-Southern Wrestling (TN), Northwest Wrestling Promotions (Canada), NWA Big Time Wrestling (CA), NWA Big Time Wrestling (TX), NWA Hollywood (CA), NWA Mid-America (AL/TN), Pacific Coast Athletic Commission (CA), Pacific Northwest Wrestling (OR/WA), Pro Wrestling USA (TN), Southeast Championship Wrestling (AL/TN), St. Louis Wrestling Club (MO), Stampede Wrestling (Canada), Vancouver All-Star Wrestling (Canada), World Championship Wrestling (Australia), World League Wrestling (KS/MO/OK), World Wrestling Association (IN), World Wrestling Council (Puerto Rico)

Finisher: Piledriver

Signature Moves: Belly to Belly Suplex, Knee Drop, Body Slam, Diving Headbutt, Brainbuster, Pendulum Backbreaker

Career Highlights: -AJPW-PWF Champion
-AWA World Tag Team Champion (4x; 3 w/ Larry Hennig, 1 w/ Chris Markoff)
-CWA Champion
-IWA (Australia) Tag Team Champion (w/ Larry Hennig)
-NWA (Amarillo) World Tag Team Champion (w/ Larry Hennig)
-NWA Central States Champion (9x)
-NWA (Central States) North American Tag Team Champion (2x; 1 each w/ Baron Von Raschke and Roger Kirby)
-NWA (Central States) World Tag Team Champion (w/ Pat O'Connor)
-NWA (Florida) Southern Champion (2x)
-NWA Florida Tag Team Champion (3x; 2 w/ Roger Kirby, 1 w/ Bob Roop)
-NWA Georgia Champion
-NWA Macon Tag Team Champion (w/ Buddy Colt)
-NWA Mid-America Champion (3x)
-NWA (Mid-Atlantic) United States Champion
-NWA Missouri Champion (7x)
-NWA (Maritimes) North American Champion
-NWA United National Champion
-NWA World Champion (8x)
-Stampede North American Champion
-WWA Champion
-WWC Caribbean Champion
-Won the WWF King of the Ring Tournament in 1986

Affiliates: Larry Hennig, Roger Kirby, Bobby Heenan, The Heenan Family, Vader, Mr. Hughes, Lex Luger, Paul Orndorff, The Colossal Kongs, Super Invader, Yoshi Kwan, Vinnie Vegas, Ric Converse, Bob Roop, Chris Markoff, Baron Von Raschke, Pat O'Connor, Buddy Colt, Johnny Long, Abu Wizal

Notable Feuds: King Haku, Bobby Heenan, Giant Baba, Terry Funk, Rufus R. Jones, Dusty Rhodes, Dory Funk, Jr., The Crusher, Danny Little Bear, Ric Flair, Ricky Romero, Jumbo Tsuruta, Bob Brown, Pat O'Connor, Mongolian Stomper, Reggie Parks, Junkyard Dog, Verne Gagne, Mighty Igor, Dick the Bruiser, Bill Watts, Jack Brisco, Jim Duggan, Omar Atlas, Ricky Steamboat, Dory Funk, Wahoo McDaniel, Rocky Johnson, Genichiro Tenryu, Mr. Wrestling II, Dick Murdoch, Bob Geigel, Rene Goulet, Ronnie Etchison, Dick Slater, Ultimate Warrior, Hulk Hogan, Grizzly Smith, Tommy Rich, Lanny Poffo, Doug Gilbert, Wilbur Snyder, Bruiser Brody, George Steele, Cyclone Negro, Michiaki Yoshimura, Man Mountain Mike, André the Giant, Billy Jack Haynes, Luke Brown, Mark Lewin, Tito Santana, Roger Kirby, Don Slatton, Tony Atlas, Jerry Kozak, Jake Roberts

Other Facts: -Father of pro wrestler Leland Race, who he helped trained for pro wrestling
-Stepfather of pro wrestling manager Johnny Gold, who he helped train for pro wrestling
-When he was known as Jack Long, he was billed as the brother of professional wrestler Johnny Long
-Was expelled from school at the age of 13 for punching a principal after the administrator tried to break up a fight.
-Was initially trained by the Zbyszko brothers (Stanislaus & Wladek), who owned a farm near where Race lived.
-Broke into the business as the driver for Happy Humphrey.
-Says he copied his style from Buddy Austin & Ray Stevens
-Credited with inventing the Flying Headbutt finisher, used later by several wrestlers, He says he regrets inventing it as he had no idea that stress and damage it causes on the head and neck.
-Was involved in a major car accident early in his career that killed his wife and unborn child. It shattered his forearm and damaged one of his legs so badly that doctors considered amputation. Doctors swore he might never walk again and would certainly never wrestle again. He returned to the ring two years later.
-At one point in the late 1980s, was dubbed the "King of Wrestling" by WWF. While using that gimmick, Jerry Lawler sued the WWF, saying that he had used the "King" moniker since 1973 and had a rightful claim to it. Lawler won that case and WWF could not have Race use the "King" gimmick when they promoted shows in Memphis.
-According to Jerry Lawler, there were talks of a "King vs. King" match between Race & Lawler at WrestleMania V, but that ended when Race left the company in 1989.
-His in-ring career essentially ended in 1988, when Hulk Hogan slammed him through a table and the metal band around the edge stabbed him in the side. A week later his intestine inflamed and erupted and he ended up in the hospital. Athletic commissions in the US would not license him from that point forward.
-Became a manager in the 1990s. That ended when he was involved in another car crash, brought on after a night of drinking. It shattered his forearm and broke his hip.
-Was the last person to speak to Owen Hart. He said "Don't let your rope break" and regrets that to this day.
-Owner and Promoter of World League Wrestling and the Race Wrestling Academy
-Among those that he has helped to train for pro wrestling include Barry Windham, Big Daddy Moore, Brian Breaker, Bull Schmitt, Doug Somers, Dustin Bozworth, Col. DeBeers, Jack Gamble, Jake Carter, Jon Webb, Lars Manderson, Mark Sterling, Marshall Von Erich, Mason Hunter, Mike George, Ross Von Erich, Tim WarCloud, and Trevor Murdoch.
-Former member of The Heenan Family (WWF Version)
-His autobiography "King of the Ring: The Harley Race Story" was released in 2004
-Appeared in the movie "Mil Mascaras vs. the Aztec Mummy (Mil Mascaras: Resurrection)" in 2005
-Voted Wrestler of the Year by the readers of pro Wrestling Illustrated in 1979 and 1983
-Voted Match of the Year (vs. Ric Flair) by the readers of Pro Wrestling Illustrated in 1983
-Awarded Pro Wrestling Illustrated's Stanley Weston Award in 2006
-Awarded Wrestling Observer Newsletter's Wrestler Of The Year - Lou Thesz/Ric Flair Award in 1980 and 1981
-Ranked #198 in the 1991 PWI 500
-Inducted into the Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1994.
-Inducted into the WCW Hall of Fame in 1994
-Inducted into the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame in 1996
-Inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1999
-Inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum as a singles wrestler in 2004 and with Larry Hennig as a tag team in 2017
-Inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2004
-Inducted into the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2005
-Inducted into the NWA Hall of Fame in 2005
-Passed away August 1, 2019 at the age of 76.