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Joe Blanchard

Nickname: Joltin'

Height: 6' 0"

Weight: 225 lbs.

From: San Antonio, TX

Birthday: Dec 7th

Pro Debut: 1953

Aliases: Zorro

Feds Worked For: NWA-West, SoCW, AWA, NWA, Big Time Wrestling (Canada), Central States Wrestling (IA/K/MO), Fred Kohler Enterprises (IL), Gulf Athletic Club (TX), M & M Promotions (NM/TX), Maple Leaf Wrestling (Canada), Mid-Pacific Promotions (HI), Mike London Sports (AZ/CO/NM), National Wrestling Federation (NJ/NY/OH/PA), NWA Big Time Wrestling (TX), NWA Detroit (MI), NWA Hollywood (CA), NWA Indianapolis (IN), NWA Los Angeles (CA), NWA Upstate (NY), Pacific Coast Athletic Club (CA), San Francisco (CA), Southwest Sports (TX), St. Louis Wrestling Club (MO), World Wrestling Alliance (IN)

Finisher: Abdominal Stretch

Signature Moves: Running Bulldog, Airplane Spin

Career Highlights: -NWA Texas Champion (2x)
-NWA Hawaii Tag Team Champion (2x; w/ James Blears)

Affiliates: Nick Bockwinkel, James Blears

Notable Feuds: Masked Terror, Ted Christy, Juan Humberto, Fritz Von Erich, The Great Togo, Danny McShain, Jose Lothario

Other Facts: -Real name was Joseph Edgar Blanchard
-Born in Haskell, OK
-Father of pro wrestler Tully Blanchard, who he trained for pro wrestling
-Grandfather of pro wrestler Tessa Blanchard
-Former grandfather-in-law of pro wrestler Daga
-1950 NCAA Big 7 Champion. He defeated Mike DiBiase for that title.
-Promoter and Co-Owner of Southwest Championship Wrestling based in Texas. Sometimes served as an on-air interviewer in this fed.
-Served as on-air president of AWA during the end of its national run
-Appeared in the movie "The Inspector General" along with Danny McShain.
-Competed under a mask as Zorro until he was unmasked by Cyclone Anaya on April 17, 1958
-Helped to train Dusty Rhodes and Siegfried Steinke for pro wrestling
-Inducted into the NWA Hall of Heroes in 2010
-Passed away on March 22, 2012 at the age of 83. He had been in hospice care for a little over a year after being diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma.
-Posthumously inducted into the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall Of Fame in 2016