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Funk's Corner - Gene Kiniski, "Give Him Hell Kid"

Funk's Corner - Gene Kiniski, "Give Him Hell Kid"

Posted: Apr 16th 2010 By: mikeiles

Giant Gene Kiniski caught me with a double leg pick-up and spun me around in a ?Giant Swing? (Grabbed me by the ankles and spun me 360 degrees around and around). I could see the ring light at the Amarillo Sports Arena spinning overhead then I nearly passed out but came to as Gene slowed the Giant Swing and dropped me to the mat. Gene jumped on top of me with a rear chin lock and said, ?Here comes your mother, kid. She is coming to help you. Dorothy is coming to ringside.?

Gene Kiniski was 6? 5? tall 280 pounds of perpetual energy trained by my Father, Dory Funk Sr. We wrestled that night at the Amarillo Sports Arena to a one hour draw. I have often said that match with Gene Kiniski was one of the most demanding athletic events I have ever participated in.

Vancouver British Columbia 1963 - I wanted to be spectacular in the Battle Royal, "Impress the promoter." I was in the corner on the top rope with Tex McKinzie and Mike Sharpe in front of me, both 6' 9" tall. From the top rope I jumped over the top of them. As I jumped, Mike reached up and grabbed at my leg, throwing me off balance. In an effort to land standing in the middle of the ring I reached for the floor with one leg only. As I landed, I could feel my knee break to the inside.

The next morning I was in the doctors office. He said, "Check in the hospital tomorrow and we will do surgery." Disappointed and Dejected, I called promoter, Rod Fenton to give him the bad news. Fenton said, "Before you have surgery, call Gene Kiniski. I didn't speak much to Gene, I just listened. "Kid, go to a sporting good store and buy some tough skin, some tape, and long wrestling tights. Shave your leg and show up for the show one hour ahead of time.? I did what he said.

That night I had to cover up and sneak in the back door. I was on the main event and couldn't let the wrestling fans see that I couldn't walk. Gene was there one hour ahead of schedule. He taped my leg tight as a cast from top to bottom, then said bend it till you get a slight tear in the tape by your knee. As Gene left the room, he growled, "Okay kid, I will see you in the ring."

Gene Kiniski was there every night that week one hour ahead of schedule to tape my knee before we wrestled, then we would go into the ring and he would whip the heck out of me but leave the knee alone. I owe it to Gene Kiniski that I did not have to have surgery on my knee in Vancouver or ever in my life and Gene may have saved my career in professional wrestling.

Gene even told me what I should give him for a present as I was leaving Vancouver to return home to the Amarillo Territory. On the way I stopped by his home in Blain Washington with a 5th of Crown Royal.

When I first came to St. Louis, Gene Kiniski would tell me, "Listen Kid, I don't want to catch you staying at the Claridge Hotel or at the Senator Hotel where all the other wrestlers stay. You stay at a first class hotel, the Jefferson Hotel over on 12th street. I want to always see you in a suit or a sport coat. If you are going to make it to the top, you have got to dress and live like you are at the top. When you go into the ring, I want to see some wrestling holds, not just meat chopping. The sign out front says wrestling and that is what people want to see." Gene was my mentor, advisor and at times caretaker.

February 11, 1969 in Tampa, Florida I won the NWA World Championship from the man who saved my career Gene Kiniski. No one could be prouder of my career as NWA Champion than Gene Kiniski.

1996 - WCW Slamboree show in Atlanta - Gene was my manager in the legends match against Nick Bockwinkel with Verne Gagne in Nick?s corner. As we walked into the ring at the Omni, Gene had his arm around my shoulder, still the boss and still telling me what to do. As we came to the center of the ring, He stopped, looked at me and said, "Look up, pointing to the top of the Omni Arena, ?Your father is up there looking at us now. Do you see Nick Bockwinkel over there?" "Give Him hell Kid."

Gene Kiniski was a legend in the wrestling business as NWA World Champion and as a friend I can never thank enough for the guidance he was willing to give.

My condolences to Kelly, Nick and the family of Gene Kiniski.

Now on our website at
http://www.dory-funk.com NWA World Championship Match February 11, 1969 from Tampa, Florida, Dory Funk Jr. vs. Gene Kiniski commentated by Gordon Solie.

 

Tags: Dory Funk, Jr., Mike Sharpe, NWA, WCW, Verne Gagne, Kelly Kiniski

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Spotlight in History

  • 1976 Bill Watts & Billy Robinson def. Karl Kox & Ken Patera for the TSW United States Tag Team Champion
  • 1987 Matt Borne def. Ted Arcidi for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Champion
  • 2002 Kool Ade def. Li'l Joe for the ACW Hardcore Champion
  • 2002 Jeffrey Parker def. Kool Ade for the ACW Hardcore Champion
  • 2007 Cheerleader Melissa became the AACW Womens Champion
  • 2007 Oliver John became the AACW Internet Champion
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  • 2007 J. D. Rebel & Fuel became the SECW Tag Team Champions
  • 2011 Uncle Mikey & Michael Titus became the ACW Tag Team Champions
  • 2018 Alex Royal def. J. D. for the WFC Hometown Heroes Champion

Week of Sun 11-10 to Sat: 11-16

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  • 11-10 1987 Matt Borne def. Ted Arcidi for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Champion
  • 11-10 2002 Kool Ade def. Li'l Joe for the ACW Hardcore Champion
  • 11-10 2002 Jeffrey Parker def. Kool Ade for the ACW Hardcore Champion
  • 11-10 2007 Cheerleader Melissa became the AACW Womens Champion
  • 11-10 2007 Oliver John became the AACW Internet Champion
  • 11-10 2007 Jack Dalton [2nd]/Jack Legacy became the AACW Mid-American Light Heavyweight Champion
  • 11-10 2007 J. D. Rebel & Fuel became the SECW Tag Team Champions
  • 11-10 2011 Uncle Mikey & Michael Titus became the ACW Tag Team Champions
  • 11-10 2018 Alex Royal def. J. D. for the WFC Hometown Heroes Champion
  • 11-11 1964 Danny Hodge became the TSW Missouri Junior Heavyweight Champion
  • 11-11 1985 Eddie Gilbert & The Nightmare def. Wendell Cooley & Al Perez for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Champion
  • 11-11 1988 Eric Embry def. Jeff Jarrett for the WCCW World Light Heavyweight Champion
  • 11-11 2006 Mustafa Sharmoot def. Glen Steel for the AACW Heavyweight Champion
  • 11-11 2017 Running Wolf def. Dusty Gold for the NAW Heavyweight Champion
  • 11-11 2022 Nova Phoenix became the CPW Women’s Champion
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  • 11-12 1979 Bill Watts & Buck Robley def. Mike George & Bob Sweetan for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Champion
  • 11-12 2002 Baby B def. Jeffrey Parker for the ACW Hardcore Champion
  • 11-12 2011 The Jersey Kings (Scott Riley & King James) def. Pork Chop & Shane Cortez for the SRPW Tag Team Champions
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  • 11-13 1950 Verne Gagne became the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion
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  • 11-13 1965 Mike Clancy became the TSW Missouri Junior Heavyweight Champion
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  • 11-13 2010 Arrogant Money (Randy Price & Austin Tacious) def. Awesome X (Kevin Morgan & Xavior) for the IZW Tag Team Champions
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  • 11-13 2015 The Pen Palz (Skyler Fayden & Dimitri Alexandrov) became the SRPW Tag Team Champions
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  • 11-13 2022 Subject to Death (Leo Fox & Derek James & Cade Fite) became the BPW Oklahoma Tag Team Champion
  • 11-13 2022 Derek James became the BPW Lion Heart Champion
  • 11-13 2022 Cappuccino Jones def. Derek James for the BPW Lion Heart Champion
  • 11-14 1980 Bruiser Brody def. Stan Stasiak for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Champion
  • 11-14 2009 Goldeneye def. Sage for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Champion
  • 11-14 2009 John O'Malley def. Aaron Neil for the IZW Heavyweight Champion
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  • 11-14 2010 Greatness On Demand (Rage Logan & Damon Windsor) became the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Champion
  • 11-14 2015 Aaron Neil def. Double D for the IZW Impact Division Champion
  • 11-14 2015 Nemesis (Bobby Starr & Damien Morte) def. The K. C. Wolves (Graham Bell & Luke Langley) for the IZW Tag Team Champions
  • 11-14 2015 Rolling Thunder became the NAW Heavyweight Champion
  • 11-14 2020 Alex Royal def. Sam Stackhouse for the WFC Heavyweight Champion
  • 11-14 2020 Dimitri Alexandrov def. Tim Rockwell for the WFC Hometown Heroes Champion
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  • 11-15 2003 Northern Threat (Luc Lapointe & Dexter Hardaway) def. X-Cal for the SRPW Tag Team Champions
  • 11-15 2013 Miss Diss Lexia def. Bree Ann for the NWA-TXO Rose Champion
  • 11-15 2014 Double D & Jermaine Johnson def. The Old School Studs (Randy Price & Gary Tool) for the IZW Tag Team Champions
  • 11-16 1942 Fred Nelson became the TSW Missouri Junior Heavyweight Champion
  • 11-16 1965 Jack Brisco def. Don Kent for the TSW Missouri Junior Heavyweight Champion
  • 11-16 2013 Kareem Sadat became the SWCW Luchadore Champion
  • 11-16 2013 Kevin James Sanchez def. Rick Russo for the SWCW Heavyweight Champion
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