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Bios

Jim Ross

From: Westville, OK

Birthday: Jan 3rd

Pro Debut: 1972

Aliases: "Good Ole" J. R.

Feds Worked For: AEW, MSW, WCCW, UWF, NWA, TSW, WCW, WWF, WWE, ECW, Florida Championship Wrestling (FL), Smoky Mountain Wrestling (KY/TN)

Affiliates: Bill Watts, Steve Williams, Steve Austin, Jerry Lawler, Tazz, Todd Grisham, Michael Hayes, Ted DiBiase

Notable Feuds: Triple H, Steve Austin, Vince McMahon, Eric Bischoff, Jonathan Coachman, Muhammad Hassan, Khosrow Daivari, Michael Cole

Other Facts: -Though forever associated with Oklahoma by wrestling fans, he was actually born in Ft. Bragg, California where his father was a logger.
-Sometimes billed from Bixby, OK
-Is 1/8 Cherokee
-Graduated from Westville High School. where he was a two time All-Conference football player. He was also an All-State Defensive End in 1969 for the Tulsa World
-Graduated from Northeastern State University in Tahlequah
-Graduated from Bill Kinnamon's Umpire School in 1975
-Worked as a referee for the Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference and for the Oklahoma Secondary School Athletic Association. He officiated at least one of Bill Goldberg's football games when he played for the Edison Eagles in Tulsa, OK
-Started in the Mid-South territory as a referee before becoming ring announcer and interviewer
-Refereed his first match in 1974 in Tulsa, a 10 minute draw between Treacherous Phillips and Mike George
-Became head play-by-play man for Mid-South and called his first World Title Match between Ric Flair & Ted DiBiase in 1986 and stayed with MSW and UWF until the company was purchased by Jim Crockett Promotions. Ross then became head play-by-play man for WCW
-Spent one year as a color commentator for the Atlanta Falcons and was co-host of the Jerry Glanville Show in 1982
-Made his first World Wrestling Federation appearance at WrestleMania IX, dressed in a toga
-Became the Senior Vice President of Talent Relations for WWE
-Has been fired twice by WWE but also later rehired
-Made an appearance in the 1999 film about the life of Andy Kaufman, "Man On The Moon"
-Co-authored a cookbook entitled "Can You Take The Heat? The WWF Is Cooking!" in 2000
-Authored a 2nd cookbook entitled "J.R.'s Cookbook : True Ringside Tales, BBQ, and Down-Home Recipes" in 2003
-Was the last voice heard on the very last WCW Monday Nitro.
-Was fired (in WWE storylines only) in October 2005
-Returned to broadcast position for Saturday Night's Main Event in March 2006
-Was also the lead play-by-play for Wrestlemania XXII in April 2006
-Returned to a on-screen role as interviewer for Raw in April 2006, and returned to Raw play-by-play broadcaster in May 2006.
-Was switched to play-by-play broadcaster on Smackdown as a result of the 2008 WWE Draft.
-January 24, 2005 was officially named "Jim Ross Day" in Oklahoma by Governor Brad Henry
-Has a street named for him in his hometown of Westville, OK
-Was the first non-wrestler to receive a Stone-Cold Stunner from Steve Austin
-Was asked on several occasions to don a cowboy hat and play up his Oklahoma heritage as a character on WWE TV, but refused for several years until finally giving in. Now, his black hat he wears has become some sort of a trademark for him. He purchases the hats at Shorty's Kaboy Hattery in the Oklahoma City Stockyard District. He's never worn a Stetson, instead favoring Resistols which are custom made from beaver.
-Has coined several well known phrases throughout his career such as "Business is about to pick up", and "Stone Cold is stomping a mudhole in him and walking it dry". He has also added descriptive words to today's wrestling vernacular as well such as "slobberknocker" and referring to a wrestler getting beaten badly as being "beaten like a government mule".
-Co-Owned 2 barbeque restaurants named JR's Family Bar-B-Q. The original location was in Norman and the second location was in Moore. The Moore location closed in 2009. The Norman location closed in 2010. However, his online business of selling sauces and beef jerky is still going strong.
-Lifetime member of The Cauliflower Alley Club
-Inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2007
-Received the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame's Lou Thesz Award in 2011
-Inducted into the NWA Hall of Fame in 2016
-Was a panelist on the "Tales from the Territories" episode entitled "Mid-South: Bullets, Blades & Bar Fights" with Michael Hayes, Jake Roberts, and Ted DiBiase
-Among the interviewees for the "Dark Side of the Ring" episode entitled "The Junkyard Dog"