Harley Race, pro wrestling’s ‘King of the Ring,’ dies at 76
Posted: Aug 2nd 2019 By: Ben Summer
Harley Race, the longtime wrestler and promoter best known for playing the arrogant “King of the Ring,” wearing a regal crown and purple cape and insisting that opponents kneel and bow before him, died Aug. 1. He was 76.
The cause was complications from lung cancer, said the WWE in a statement, without noting where he died.
Calling himself “the greatest wrestler on god’s green earth,” the 6-foot-1, 245-pound Mr. Race was a ring stalwart — and frequent champion — for decades until a 1995 car accident ended his career. He was sometimes overshadowed by bigger names and more charismatic personalities with bulkier muscles, but his experience and toughness brought him respect among colleagues.
Leon “Big Van Vader” White, who was Mr. Race’s tag-team partner for a time, told YouTube wrestling channel the Hannibal TV in 2017 that Mr. Race mastered “the ability to tell a story with your body physically.”
A ring veteran who wrestled under nicknames such as “Handsome” Harley Race and “Mad Dog,” Mr. Race joined what then was the World Wrestling Federation in 1986 as the company was soaring in popularity. He was in his mid-40s at the time, and he needed a new gimmick.
“When I went to the WWE, I had been world champion eight different times,” Mr. Race told IYH Wrestling on YouTube in 2011. “We needed something that addressed who I was, and of course [World Wrestling Entertainment owner] Vince [McMahon] was not going to acknowledge my eight-time thing. He also would have a tournament to be king. I won the tournament. I wrestled six times that night.”
Harley Race was inducted into the Hall of Fame of four different pro wrestling companies. (WWE)
After his 1986 “King of the Ring” victory in Boston, Mr. Race was crowned by longtime friend and manager Bobby “the Brain” Heenan, who led chants of “Long live the King!” To add to the royal spectacle, Mr. Race’s theme music was Mussorgsky’s majestic fanfare “The Great Gate of Kiev.”
He was one of only six wrestlers to be inducted into the Hall of Fame of four different companies, including WWE in 2004, the National Wrestling Alliance, the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame.
The son of sharecroppers, Harley Leland Race was born in Maryville, Mo., on April 11, 1943, and grew up in nearby Quitman. He was reportedly expelled from high school after slapping his principal.
A carnival wrestler in his teens, he became a driver for wrestler Happy Humphrey, an 800-pound grappler, who taught him the ropes.
In 1960, Mr. Race’s pregnant wife, Vivian Jones, died in a car accident that also nearly cost Mr. Race a leg. He said doctors didn’t believe he would walk again, let alone wrestle, but the injury derailed his career for only 18 months.
He was married at least four times and had several children, but a complete list of survivors was not immediately available.
After retiring from the ring, Mr. Race started the Troy, Mo.-based World League Wrestling in 1999 and opened a facility to train young wrestlers.
Reflecting on a lifetime of near constant travel and pushing his body to extreme limits, Mr. Race said he had no regrets.
“You stepped into a nightmare,” he told BostonWrestling.com in 2015, “but it’s a nightmare that you created, you wanted to be in, and I’ve always said this: If I wanted to take that step backwards, I wouldn’t take it. I done what I love to do my whole life. I’ve had no other job.”
Supplemental Information
Polling Booth
Why didn't you vote in the Oklafan Year End Polls?
Upcoming Events
Spotlight in History
- 1964 Karl Kox def. Louie Tillet for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
- 2004 Shane Morbid def. Dirty Harry Sanchez for the SRPW Hardcore Title
- 2004 Codie Mullins def. Shane Morbid for the SRPW Hardcore Title
- 2004 Dexter Hardaway def. Codie Mullins for the SRPW Hardcore Title
- 2004 Pork Chop def. Dexter Hardaway for the SRPW Hardcore Title
- 2004 Dexter Hardaway def. Pork Chop for the SRPW Hardcore Title
- 2004 S.K. Fulton def. Dexter Hardaway for the SRPW Hardcore Title
- 2004 Dirty Harry Sanchez def. S.K. Fulton for the SRPW Hardcore Title
- 2006 Ryan Davidson def. Angel Williams for the MSWA Mid-South Heavyweight Title
- 2011 Michael Barry def. Kenny Campbell for the IZW Impact Division Title
- 2016 Spyder became the SRPW United States Champion
- 2016 Skylar Slice became the IZW Womens Champion
- 2021 Lady Sensacion became the FIW Women’s Champion
- 2021 Rodeo (Chandler Hopkins & Malico) def. Cam Cole & Johnny Bedlam for the TexPro Tag Team Titles
- 2022 Duke Cornell def. Blue Bolt for the WFC Prime Title
- 2022 Maddox Jones def. Striker for the EPW Heavyweight Title
- 2022 Mike Gunns def. Jake Danielsson for the NAW Heavyweight Title
Week of Sun 06-14 to Sat: 06-20
- 06-14 1970 Fritz Von Erich def. Boris Malenko for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
- 06-14 1982 Fritz Von Erich def. King Kong Bundy for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
- 06-14 2004 Team Shenanigans (Tyler Bateman & Kenny Campbell) def. Li'l Joe & Al Farat (substituting for Se7en) for the ACW Tag Team Titles
- 06-14 2008 Kenny Campbell became the IZW Impact Division Champion
- 06-14 2008 Nathan Sensation & Striker def. The New Age Syndicate (Shawn Sanders & Scott Sanders) for the IZW Tag Team Titles
- 06-14 2008 Anarchy [2nd] def. The Enforcer for the SECW Tri-State Title
- 06-14 2008 Dane Griffin def. Mo'Body Gillespie for the 3DW Violent Division Title
- 06-14 2009 El Super Colibri became the TAP Adrenaline Champion
- 06-14 2009 Reckless def. The Canadian Red Devil for the TAP Heavyweight Title
- 06-14 2009 Shane Morbid def. Jon Cross for the TAP Oklahoma Heritage Title
- 06-14 2013 Clint Cox became the BPPW Heavyweight Champion
- 06-14 2014 The Rising (Justin Riker & Abel) def. Psycho Sawyer & Diamond for the SRPW Tag Team Titles
- 06-14 2014 Omega X (Brett Stopp & X-Static) def. The K. C. Wolves (Graham Bell & Luke Langley) for the UWE Tag Team Titles
- 06-14 2025 Pastor Brent def. Dr. Corvus for the WAH Living Hope Title
- 06-14 2025 Skylar Slice became the WAH Womens Champion
- 06-14 2025 Military Express (Sgt. Todd & Sgt. Hartman) def. Speeding Bullet (Mike Gunnz & Stephen Nitro) for the NAW Tag Team Titles
- 06-14 2025 Scotty Rose def. Floyd Maystorm for the WAH Hunger Dojo Title
- 06-14 2025 Floyd Maystorm def. Scotty Rose for the WAH Hunger Dojo Title
- 06-15 1982 King Kong Bundy became the WCCW American Heavyweight Champion
- 06-15 2003 Tyler Bateman def. Jef Tiger for the ACW Hardcore Title
- 06-15 2003 John O'Malley def. Tyler Bateman for the ACW Hardcore Title
- 06-15 2008 El Culo Intruso def. Dane Griffin for the 3DW Violent Division Title
- 06-15 2018 Sam Stackhouse def. Abyss for the BCW Buzzsaw Title
- 06-15 2019 Double D became the WFC Heavyweight Champion
- 06-15 2019 Prince Mahalli def. Damon Windsor for the WCR Revolutionary Title
- 06-15 2024 Cade Fite became the TIW No Pressure Champion
- 06-15 2024 Ozzy Hendrix & Adrian Vega def. The Voiceless Society (Tyler Watts & E-Bone) for the CAPW Tag Team Titles
- 06-15 2024 The Gatekeeper def. Rick Russo for the EPW All-American Title
- 06-15 2024 Trench Blythe became the EPW International Champion
- 06-15 2024 Malachi def. Kevin James Sanchez for the EPW Heavyweight Title
- 06-16 1959 The Zebra Kid def. The Golden Giant for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
- 06-16 1970 Johnny Valentine def. Killer Kowalski for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
- 06-16 1984 Terry Taylor def. Krusher Khrushchev for the MSW Television Title
- 06-16 1986 Buzz Sawyer def. Chris Adams for the WCCW Television Title
- 06-16 2006 Bobby Burns def. Shane Morbid for the SRPW Heavyweight Title
- 06-16 2006 Beau Dalton became the SRPW X Division Champion
- 06-16 2006 Ray Martinez became the SRPW X Division Champion
- 06-16 2012 Big Business (Kevin Morgan & Damon Windsor) def. The Old School Suckas (Gary Tool & Randy Price) for the IZW Tag Team Titles
- 06-16 2017 Saints of Pro Wrestling (Scott Sanders & Shawn Sanders & Chaz Sharpe) def. Cursed (Kuda & Blade [2nd]) for the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Titles
- 06-16 2017 Nytronis A'Teo def. Saints of Pro Wrestling (Scott Sanders, Shawn Sanders, & Chaz Sharpe) for the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Titles
- 06-16 2023 Jason Simon became the MajCW Native American Champion
- 06-16 2023 Dan Webber def. Cappuccino Jones for the UWE Heavyweight Title
- 06-17 1957 Billy Raborn became the TSW Oklahoma Junior Heavyweight Champion
- 06-17 1958 Bull Curry def. Fritz Von Erich for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
- 06-17 1983 Jimmy Garvin def. David Von Erich for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Title
- 06-17 1983 Kerry Von Erich & Bruiser Brody def. The Fabulous Freebirds (Terry Gordy & Michael Hayes) for the WCCW American Tag Team Titles
- 06-17 2005 Kenny Campbell def. Shane Morbid for the SRPW X Division Title
- 06-17 2006 The Party Express (Mitch Carter & Cade Sydal) def. Impact Inc. (John Zorthos & Bernie Donderwitz) for the IZW Tag Team Titles
- 06-17 2008 Kunna Keyoh def. El Culo Intruso for the 3DW Violent Division Title
- 06-17 2017 Prince Mahalli def. Paul Puertorico for the WFC Hometown Heroes Title
- 06-17 2017 Michael Wolf def. Aaron Anders for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Title
- 06-17 2017 Randy Price def. Double D for the IZW Impact Division Title
- 06-17 2023 Alex Royal def. Justin Lee for the WFC Hometown Heroes Title
- 06-18 1964 Karl Kox def. Louie Tillet for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
- 06-18 2004 Shane Morbid def. Dirty Harry Sanchez for the SRPW Hardcore Title
- 06-18 2004 Codie Mullins def. Shane Morbid for the SRPW Hardcore Title
- 06-18 2004 Dexter Hardaway def. Codie Mullins for the SRPW Hardcore Title
- 06-18 2004 Pork Chop def. Dexter Hardaway for the SRPW Hardcore Title
- 06-18 2004 Dexter Hardaway def. Pork Chop for the SRPW Hardcore Title
- 06-18 2004 S.K. Fulton def. Dexter Hardaway for the SRPW Hardcore Title
- 06-18 2004 Dirty Harry Sanchez def. S.K. Fulton for the SRPW Hardcore Title
- 06-18 2006 Ryan Davidson def. Angel Williams for the MSWA Mid-South Heavyweight Title
- 06-18 2011 Michael Barry def. Kenny Campbell for the IZW Impact Division Title
- 06-18 2016 Spyder became the SRPW United States Champion
- 06-18 2016 Skylar Slice became the IZW Womens Champion
- 06-18 2021 Lady Sensacion became the FIW Women’s Champion
- 06-18 2021 Rodeo (Chandler Hopkins & Malico) def. Cam Cole & Johnny Bedlam for the TexPro Tag Team Titles
- 06-18 2022 Duke Cornell def. Blue Bolt for the WFC Prime Title
- 06-18 2022 Maddox Jones def. Striker for the EPW Heavyweight Title
- 06-18 2022 Mike Gunns def. Jake Danielsson for the NAW Heavyweight Title
- 06-19 1977 Fritz Von Erich def. Bruiser Brody for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
- 06-19 2010 Aaron Neil def. John O'Malley for the IZW Heavyweight Title
- 06-19 2015 Bree Ann def. Claudia for the NWA-TXO Rose Title
- 06-20 1972 The Continental Warriors (Bobby Hart & Lorenzo Parente) def. Tom Jones & Ivan Putski for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
- 06-20 1977 Bill Watts became the TSW North American Champion
- 06-20 1987 Barry Windham became the UWF Western States Heritage Champion
- 06-20 2004 X-Cal def. John O'Malley for the ACW Heavyweight Title
- 06-20 2009 Dustin Heritage def. Dane Griffin for the IZW Impact Division Title
- 06-20 2009 BLK-OUT (Montego Seeka & Jermaine Johnson) def. Impact, Inc, (Johnny Z & Bernie D) for the IZW Tag Team Titles
- 06-20 2014 Bree Ann def. Miss Diss Lexia for the NWA-TXO Rose Title
- 06-20 2021 DNR (Drake Gallows & Revan) def. Malik Mayfield & Maui Mike for the ASP Tag Team Titles
- Abe Jacobs Jun 18th Today!
- Cam the CODA Jun 18th Today!
- Johnny Angel Jun 18th Today!
- Andy Dalton Jun 18th Today!
- Bruiser Brody Jun 18th Today!
- Sashimi Deluxe Jun 18th Today!
- Bad Boy Jun 18th Today!
- Wahoo McDaniel Jun 19th
- Billy the Kid Jun 19th
- Kodi Ocean Jun 19th
- Top Dollar Bill Jun 19th
- Miguel Padilla Jun 19th
- Mike Two Jun 19th
- Canadian Red Devil Jun 19th
- Professor Ito Jun 20th
- Koko B. Ware Jun 20th
- Jon Cross Jun 20th
- David Kyzer Jun 20th
- Jeff the Ref Jun 21st
- Super Star Jun 21st
- Milton Winkelman Jun 21st
- Phantom Star Jun 21st
- Rick Russo Jun 21st
- Athena Jun 23rd
- Juan Sebastian Jun 24th
- Gabe Wilder Jun 24th
- Don Kent Jun 24th
- X-Storms Jun 25th
- Kody Lane Jun 25th
- Sylvia Richmond Jun 26th
- D. K. Bradley Jun 26th
- Paul Rodriguez Jun 26th
- Jax Samuel Jun 26th
- Jason Kirby Jun 27th
- Reckless Jun 27th
- Dan Barnhart Jun 27th
- Ignition Jun 27th
- Kuda Jun 27th
- Claire Jun 28th
- Doc Hearon Jun 28th
- John Tidwell Jun 28th
- J. J. Blake Jun 28th
- Malico Jun 28th
- Kenny Mack Jun 28th
- Damian Kincaid Jun 28th
- Boris Malenko Jun 28th
- Bill Dromo Jun 28th
- Voltio Santiago Jun 29th
- Barbara Galento Jun 29th
- Kenneth Caine Jun 30th
- Terry Funk Jun 30th
- Ed Lewis Jun 30th
- Sung Yung Kang Jul 1st
- Jake Hollister Jul 1st
- Li'l Joe Jul 1st
- Tim WarCloud Jul 1st