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Duggan in Oshawa

Duggan in Oshawa

Posted: May 18th 2009 By: mikeiles

With his patented 2x4 board over one shoulder and a meaningful thumbs up with his left hand, Hacksaw Jim Duggan has given many opposing grapplers fits inside the squared circle these past 30 years. And while most of his events have been before huge throngs of supporters encompassing the domination of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), the 45-year-old native of Glen Falls, New York, can still mix it up with the best of them, be it on the big stage or smaller venues as demonstrated during Thursday night?s Great Canadian Wrestling (GCW) card at the Legion Hall in Oshawa. He?s still got the board, the thumbs up and the much appreciated ?Hooo!? battle cry. Clearly, this entertaining wrestler who has been successfully around the block on more than a few occasions, still has what it takes to entertain a crowd. And he loves every moment of it.

?This is great, isn?t it?? he remarks behind a curtain with a huge grin while fans react to an
ongoing bout inside the ring. Duggan has taken on the elite over his illustrious career, including Andre the Giant, the Iron Sheik and perhaps the epitome of his success, outlasting 19 other wrestlers to become the very first winner at Royal Rumble. His ability to toss One Man Gang over the ropes as his final opponent put Duggan in the record books. From his early days when wrestling was a sport to today?s keen entertainment orchestrated by WWE guru Vince McMahon, Duggan has seen a lot of changes in wrestlers.?The wrestlers are more professional now than back in the earlier days,? he notes. ?It?s a much different business
from the hey-day of the 1980s. Not necessarily their ring work, but their approach to how they treat the business.

Back then, we partied all night. I don?t think there is as much of that today.? The focus on wrestlers for the sake of entertainment has changed as well, says Duggan.?The trend is now for smaller guys that fly and are fast compared to bigger guys that brawl. And that?s okay. It is all about entertaining the crowds.? Duggan doesn?t fly. And he?s not necessarily quick on his feet. But Hacksaw does demand the respect of opponents while still working up the energy to give fans every reason to give him a hearty thumbs up and a ?Hoooo!? as he enters the ring.

Groomed for wrestling by Fritz Von Erich, Duggan?s initial goal was to play in the National Football League (NFL) and although signed by the Atlanta Falcons, constant knee injuries kept him from pursuing his dream. Following a coffee stop with the Canadian Football League?s (CFL) Toronto Argonauts, Duggan put away the pads for wrestling trunks. Ironically, Duggan began his pro career as a heel, including a stint in Mid-South Wrestling during the early ?80s where he became Louisiana State Champion.?The most fun I had was in the Mid-South Wrestling,? he he recalls. ?The guys were much closer and we all travelled together. It was the early ?80s, a wild time. I mean, if we got into a bit of trouble, there were people around to help sweep it under the rug. Nowadays with cell phones and the Internet, you could see your name pop up on the screen. I?m always telling kids to be very careful for that very reason.?

Perhaps Duggan?s biggest challenge was away from the ring in 1998 when he was diagnosed
with kidney cancer. He beat it and two years later, he was back in the limelight with World Championship Wrestling (WCW). Duggan?s high profile matches are plentiful throughout his stops in the WWE and previously with WCW. His most memorable was a bout against highly touted Andre The Giant before a sellout crowd at Madison Square Garden in New York.?That was a highlight,? he beams. ?I mean, to sell out Madison Square Garden, have 20,000 screaming fans watching you perform, I still think of that (bout) every so often.?

Currently signed to a WWE contract, the demand for Duggan and the 2x4 board has taken him to 30 countries, noting with a grin,?I?ve been to every state in the US and every province in Canada. The WWE is worldwide.? And yet, Duggan remains a full supporter of smaller venues.?I think folks come to shows like the GCW with an open mind and 90 percent of the time they say, ?Hey, a little local show with a big WWE production. It?s a great
night out.??This is the roots of wrestling. The WWE is a phenomenon of which I am glad to be a small part of it. Still, I see the young guys coming up looking for gimmicks and I?ve seen some crazy ones.

They?re doing it for the love of the business and you?ve got to appreciate that.?

 

Tags: Jim Duggan, WWE, Andre the Giant, One Man Gang, Fritz Von Erich, MSW, WCW

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Spotlight in History

  • 1981 Paul Orndorff def. Jake Roberts for the MSW North American Heavyweight Title
  • 1983 The Von Erichs (David Von Erich & Kerry Von Erich & Kevin Von Erich) def. The Fabulous Freebirds (Terry Gordy, Michael Hayes, & Buddy Roberts) for the WCCW World 6-Man Tag Team Titles
  • 1983 David Von Erich became the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Champion
  • 1984 The Fabulous Freebirds (Terry Gordy & Michael Hayes & Buddy Roberts) def. The Von Erichs (Kerry Von Erich, Kevin Von Erich, & Mike Von Erich) for the WCCW World 6-Man Tag Team Titles
  • 1984 The Rock & Soul Connection (King Parsons & Buck Zumhofe) def. Bill Irwin for the WCCW American Tag Team Titles
  • 1986 Chris Adams def. Rick Rude for the WCCW World Title
  • 1986 Buzz Sawyer def. Brian Adias for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Title
  • 1986 Abdullah the Butcher def. The Great Kabuki for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 1988 Kevin Von Erich became the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Champion

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  • 06-28 2024 Seth Daniels became the UWE Apex Champion
  • 06-28 2025 Skidz def. Bishop Simon for the RWE Light Heavyweight Title
  • 06-29 1987 Tony Atlas & Skip Young became the WCCW Texas Tag Team Champions
  • 06-29 2003 Tyler Bateman def. John O'Malley for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 06-29 2003 Tod Deathridge def. Tyler Bateman for the ACW Hardcore Title
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  • 06-30 1957 Bull Curry def. El Medico for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 06-30 1970 Killer Kowalski def. Johnny Valentine for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
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  • 06-30 1981 Junkyard Dog & Dick Murdoch def. The Wild Samoans (Afa & Sika) for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Titles
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  • 06-30 2024 Dan Webber became the ASP 5-Star Champion
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  • 06-30 2024 GBA (Drake Gallows, Bang Bang Bennett, & Colton Kinnamon) became the ASP Tag Team Champions
  • 06-30 2024 Gatekeeper def. Tino Valentino for the ASP Heavyweight Title
  • 07-01 1980 Mr. Hito & Mr. Sakurada def. The Von Erichs (Kerry Von Erich & Kevin Von Erich) for the WCCW American Tag Team Titles
  • 07-01 1988 The Von Erichs (Kerry Von Erich & Kevin Von Erich) def. King Parsons & Terry Taylor for the WCCW World Tag Team Titles
  • 07-01 2005 Paul Linam def. C.G. Mullins for the SRPW Boys and Girls Club Title
  • 07-01 2016 Mr. Barnes def. Drake Gallows for the MSWA Mid-South Heavyweight Title
  • 07-01 2022 Mr. Wobble became the TexPro Texas Champion
  • 07-02 1962 The Daltons (Jim Dalton & Jack Dalton [1st]) def. Alberto Torres & Ramon Torres for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
  • 07-02 1962 Don Kent def. Red McKim for the TSW Oklahoma Junior Heavyweight Title
  • 07-02 2026 Cole Lung def. Dale Reeves for the UWO Dojo Division Title
  • 07-02 2026 Bang Bang Bennett def. Brixton Barricade for the RDW Na'Cho Momma's Hardcore Title
  • 07-02 2026 Jacob Edwards def. Bang Bang Bennett for the RDW Na'Cho Momma's Hardcore Title
  • 07-03 1989 P.Y. Chu-Hi def. Eric Embry for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Title
  • 07-03 1996 Jimmy Kane became the OPW Oklahoma Heavyweight Champion
  • 07-03 2015 Mascara La Parka became the MSWA Oklahoma Champion
  • 07-04 1981 Paul Orndorff def. Jake Roberts for the MSW North American Heavyweight Title
  • 07-04 1983 The Von Erichs (David Von Erich & Kerry Von Erich & Kevin Von Erich) def. The Fabulous Freebirds (Terry Gordy, Michael Hayes, & Buddy Roberts) for the WCCW World 6-Man Tag Team Titles
  • 07-04 1983 David Von Erich became the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Champion
  • 07-04 1984 The Fabulous Freebirds (Terry Gordy & Michael Hayes & Buddy Roberts) def. The Von Erichs (Kerry Von Erich, Kevin Von Erich, & Mike Von Erich) for the WCCW World 6-Man Tag Team Titles
  • 07-04 1984 The Rock & Soul Connection (King Parsons & Buck Zumhofe) def. Bill Irwin for the WCCW American Tag Team Titles
  • 07-04 1986 Chris Adams def. Rick Rude for the WCCW World Title
  • 07-04 1986 Buzz Sawyer def. Brian Adias for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Title
  • 07-04 1986 Abdullah the Butcher def. The Great Kabuki for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 07-04 1988 Kevin Von Erich became the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Champion
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