Young-At-Heart Nature Boy Is Turning 60 Today
Posted: Feb 25th 2009 By: CMBurnham
What do you get the man who has everything, has done everything, and to be him, you have to beat him?
I get a chocolate birthday cake with ?Happy Birthday Ric? on top and ?60? beneath it. Love the cake. But hoped 60 would be bigger. Hoped 60 would be big enough to see from a low-flying plane.
We could get everybody in the restaurant to sing ?Happy Birthday.?
?You do,? says Ric Flair, ?and I'll never talk to you again.?
The Nature Boy turns 60 today.
?Can you believe it?? asks Flair.
I can't.
The year Flair was born, Harry Truman was president, 31-year-old Billy Graham completed a hugely successful tent campaign and Sam Snead won his first Masters. The most popular movie and record were ? oops, movies and records had not yet been invented.
Does this mean you are now the Nature Man?
?Does that mean I'm going to grow up anytime soon?? asks Flair. ?I feel like I'm 25. That's the problem.?
The problem is to feel 60 when you're 25.
We open the white box at Dean & Deluca at Phillips Place, the restaurant Flair chooses for the interview, and carefully extract the dark cake. Customers see ?60? and express surprise. When Flair walks to the counter to get a cup of coffee, a woman who appears older than he is comes over and looks at the number.
?Sixty?? she asks. ?I thought he was 80.?
?I don't feel any different,? Flair says when he returns, almost everybody in the restaurant watching him. ?Sixty doesn't bother me. Fifty didn't bother me. Forty did because somebody told me I'd have to stop wrestling.?
Flair still works for WWE in public relations, but you know he'll wrestle again. Nobody has ever done it, professionally wrestling, as well.
Here is what 60 looks like.
Flair's face is tan, his hair is blond and he's in shape. He weighed 232 pounds when he wrestled his last match, and on Tuesday he weighs, pre-cake, 233. He works out at least four days a week and bench presses 300 pounds. He wrestles with his kids, David and Reid. It's not, however, like horsing around with your kids in the living room and letting them jump onto your back from the top of the sofa. David and Reid wrestle professionally.
Flair has four children, three grandchildren and a deep sense of peace.
?Charlotte's amazing,? he says between bites of cake. ?Isn't it amazing? And it just keeps getting better. The respect people have for me, the way they treat me ? I wouldn't leave it for the world.?
The only other athlete/icon I've encountered who so willingly embraces fans and signs autographs is Richard Petty.
Flair is not introspective. He won't wake up this morning and look back. He admits he could have made better decisions and saved more money.
?But what would I do with it?? he asks. ?At the end of the day, I'm the happiest man alive.?
Ever tempted to lie about your age? ?Never,? says Flair. ?Isn't that funny? I'm at ease being myself. I never had to be anyone else.?
Supplemental Information
Upcoming Events
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Spotlight in History
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- 1980 Terry Gibbs became the TSW Tri-State Champion
- 1981 Frank Hill & Eric Embry def. Joel Deaton & David Deaton for the TSW Tag Team Titles
- 2004 Kenzo Suzuki & Rene Dupree def. Paul London & Billy Kidman for the WWE Smackdown World Tag Team Titles
- 2012 Brandon Walker def. Tim Rockwell for the ComPro Heavyweight Title
- 2014 Robert Lee def. Striker for the WFC Hometown Heroes Title
- 2018 Nikki Knight def. Erica for the MSWA Ladies Title
- 2019 Brian Dixon def. Tommy Dean for the BPW Oklahoma Title
- 2019 Luke Langley def. Brandon Groom for the BPW Lion Heart Title
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Week of Sun 09-06 to Sat: 09-12
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- 09-07 1979 Mark Lewin def. Bruiser Brody for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
- 09-07 1980 Terry Gibbs became the TSW Tri-State Champion
- 09-07 1981 Frank Hill & Eric Embry def. Joel Deaton & David Deaton for the TSW Tag Team Titles
- 09-07 2004 Kenzo Suzuki & Rene Dupree def. Paul London & Billy Kidman for the WWE Smackdown World Tag Team Titles
- 09-07 2012 Brandon Walker def. Tim Rockwell for the ComPro Heavyweight Title
- 09-07 2014 Robert Lee def. Striker for the WFC Hometown Heroes Title
- 09-07 2018 Nikki Knight def. Erica for the MSWA Ladies Title
- 09-07 2019 Brian Dixon def. Tommy Dean for the BPW Oklahoma Title
- 09-07 2019 Luke Langley def. Brandon Groom for the BPW Lion Heart Title
- 09-07 2019 James Southard def. Lake Hefner for the ASP Inter-County Title
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- 09-07 2024 Wrangler Rhett def. Alex Royal for the WFC Prime Title
- 09-08 1947 Leroy McGuirk def. Buddy Rogers for the NWA Midwest World Title
- 09-08 1958 Danny McShain def. Mad Man Martin for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
- 09-08 1974 El Gran Markus def. Jose Lothario for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
- 09-08 1978 Rocky Johnson def. Bruiser Brody for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
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- 09-08 2017 The Cursed (Blade [2nd] & Kuda) def. The Cub Scouts (Brock Landers & Grizzly Gates) for the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Titles
- 09-08 2018 Anarchy [2nd] def. Garrett Murphy for the NAW Lightweight Title
- 09-08 2018 Garrett Murphy def. Big Smooth for the NAW Heavyweight Title
- 09-09 1970 Waldo Von Erich def. Jack Curtis for the TSW Mississippi Title
- 09-09 1980 The Grappler def. Ted DiBiase for the MSW North American Heavyweight Title
- 09-09 2002 Papa Voodoo def. HIMM for the ACW Hardcore Title
- 09-09 2002 HIMM def. Papa Voodoo for the ACW Hardcore Title
- 09-09 2011 Michael Barry def. Dustin Heritage for the MWA MAX-Division Title
- 09-09 2016 One Man Sam def. Brock Landers for the MSWA Mid-South Cruiserweight Title
- 09-09 2017 Ray Martinez def. Brandon Groom for the BPPW Oklahoma Title
- 09-09 2017 Tristan Thorne became the ASP 5-Star Champion
- 09-09 2017 Michael Wolf def. Aaron Anders for the ComPro Heavyweight Title
- 09-09 2017 Michael Duplanti def. Garrett Murphy for the NAW Lightweight Title
- 09-09 2023 Johnny Lightning became the WFC Prime Champion
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- 09-09 2023 Manico became the NAW Openweight Champion
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- 09-09 2023 Martin Justice def. Thomas Knight for the XDWF New GenX Title
- 09-09 2023 Thomas Knight def. Martin Justice for the XDWF New GenX Title
- 09-10 1968 The Spoiler & Gary Hart def. Fritz Von Erich & Grizzly Smith for the WCCW American Tag Team Titles
- 09-10 1971 Ramon Torres def. Roger Kirby for the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Title
- 09-10 1978 David Von Erich def. Bruiser Brody for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Title
- 09-10 1979 Oki Shikina & Sugar Bear Harris became the TSW United States Tag Team Champions
- 09-10 2011 Drake Gallows became the BYEW Entertainment Champion
- 09-10 2016 Psycho Sawyer def. Ray Martinez for the SRPW Heavyweight Title
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- 09-10 2021 Legend Has It (Thrash & Killbane) def. Two Man Sam (Sam Stackhouse & Samuel Savage) for the CPW Tag Team Titles
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- 09-10 2022 MLP def. Duncan Kincaid for the RDW Iron Man Title
- 09-10 2022 Nashoba def. Al Farat for the MajCW 24/7 On Call Title
- 09-11 1957 El Medico def. Duke Keomuka for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
- 09-11 1958 Angelo Savoldi def. Dory Funk for the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Title
- 09-11 1963 The Bolos (The Great Bolo [1st] & The Mighty Bolo) def. Bill Watts & Jerry Kozak for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
- 09-11 1967 The Von Erichs (Fritz Von Erich & Waldo Von Erich) def. Brute Bernard & Mike Paidousis for the WCCW American Tag Team Titles
- 09-11 1967 Danny Hodge & Skandar Akbar def. Chati Yokouchi & Togo Shikuma for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
- 09-11 1968 Danny Little Bear & Kit Fox def. Jack Dalton [1st] & Frank Dalton for the TSW Louisiana Tag Team Titles
- 09-11 1978 Bruiser Brody def. Fritz Von Erich for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
- 09-11 2010 Ryan Reed became the NCW Heavyweight Champion
- 09-11 2010 The Unknown & Yoshi became the NCW Tag Team Champions
- 09-11 2010 Aerial Assault (Ky-ote Joe & Eric Rose) def. The Future Hall of Famers (Dane Griffin & Shane Rawls) for the IZW Tag Team Titles
- 09-11 2010 Team Shake It (Josh Evans & Martin Casaus) def. The D-Stinguished (Elias Castaneda & Arik Angel) for the ACW Tag Team Titles
- 09-11 2021 Warren Powers def. Drake Gallows for the EPW All-American Title
- 09-11 2021 Drake Gallows def. Warren Powers for the EPW Internet Television Title
- 09-11 2021 Revan became the RDW Iron Man Champion
- 09-11 2021 Most Wanted (Dan Webber & Reese & T-Arsenal) def. The Rejecs LM (Dr. Corvus & Elijah Sparks) for the WAH Tag Team Titles
- 09-12 1982 King Kong Bundy & Bill Irwin def. The Von Erichs (Kerry Von Erich & Kevin Von Erich) for the WCCW American Tag Team Titles
- 09-12 1983 Butch Reed & Jim Neidhart def. Magnum T. A. & Jim Duggan for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Titles
- 09-12 1988 The Samoan SWAT Team (Samu & Fatu) def. John Tatum & Jimmy Jack Funk for the WCCW Texas Tag Team Titles
- 09-12 2004 Chris Matthews def. Brandon Bishop for the ACW Heavyweight Title
- 09-12 2009 Bobby Starr def. Kevin James Sanchez for the BYEW Entertainment Title
- 09-12 2010 Xavior def. Kevin Morgan for the MSWA Oklahoma Title
- 09-12 2015 Double D def. Aaron Neil for the IZW Impact Division Title
- 09-12 2015 Erica def. Paige Turner for the IZW Queens Title
- 09-12 2015 Brad Michaels def. Johnny Z for the IZW Heavyweight Title
- 09-12 2015 Richie Adams def. Jake O'Brien for the ComPro Heavyweight Title
- 09-12 2015 Shawn Hernandez became the DI2IW Intercontinenal Champion
- 09-12 2015 What Wrestling Should Be (Jermaine Johnson & Jordan Jacobs) def. Impact, Inc. (Damon Windsor & Johnny Z) for the IZW Tag Team Titles
- 09-12 2015 The K. C. Wolves (Graham Bell & Luke Langley) def. What Wrestling Should Be (Jermaine Johnson & Jordan Jacobs) for the IZW Tag Team Titles
- 09-12 2025 Floyd Maystorm def. Clover Botello for the WAH Hunger Dojo Title
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