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Danny Hodge's legendary wrestling life provided special memories for friend Jim Ross

Posted: Dec 27th 2020 By: Eric Bailey - TulsaWorld.com

watching his boyhood idol, Danny Hodge, wrestling on television.

The introduction wasn’t only entertainment. It paved Ross’ professional journey, which has included a Hall of Fame career in professional wrestling.

On Saturday, Ross was saddened after learning of Hodge’s death. Hodge died Thursday at 88.

It wasn’t a loss only felt in the Perry native’s home state. Hodge was beloved around the globe.

“Danny Hodge was a legend in Japan. He was a legend in Australia. He was a legend in Canada. It wasn’t just in Tulsa and Oklahoma City,” Ross said. “It was a whole bigger picture. The reason it’s not as celebrated today is because when he did so many of his great things, media was limited.”
Hodge is a 1978 charter member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. He is the namesake of the Hodge Trophy, which is wrestling’s equivalent of the Heisman.

Hodge is considered by many as the greatest amateur wrestler of all-time. He won three NCAA titles at Oklahoma and was 46-0 during his collegiate career. He is one of only two collegiate wrestlers to win his three titles via fall and is known for never surrendering a takedown throughout his OU career. He had 36 pins.

Hodge won three national freestyle championships and took home a silver medal in the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. He spent 18 years as a professional wrestler and was 17-0 as a boxer in the 1950s. He won the 1958 Chicago Golden Gloves as a heavyweight.

Hodge is legendary for crushing apples with a bare hand, once demonstrating live on ESPN during the 2006 NCAA Championships.

Hodge went a step further while accompanying Ross into his hometown of Westville years ago. The idea was to visit local businesses while trying to sell tickets for a pro wrestling benefit.

“We went to the hardware store and this guy pulls out a box of pliers from underneath the counter. ‘I heard you’re the guy that breaks pliers. You can’t break mine,’” Ross recalled.

“All the sudden, he sets this box in front of Hodge like it’s a challenge, which is definitely the wrong thing to do. Danny commenced to snapping these pliers like they were pretzel sticks.”

Ross said it’s a good thing that Hodge was a good-hearted human being because there’s no one he’d worked with, either as a referee or broadcaster, that was as dominant.

Only once, Ross said, he saw him lose his temper.

Hodge’s blood runs crimson and cream. Once, in the Tulsa Fairgrounds Pavilion locker room, wrestler Dick Murdoch — a rabid Texas Longhorns football fan — would not let up on Hodge about the Sooners.

“C’mon kid, you don’t need to be in here to see this,” Ross said a veteran told him and he was ushered from the locker room.

“In about 10 steps, I hear Murdoch screaming like a child. Hodge got him in a double wrist lock. MMA aficionados know that it’s a kimura … Murdoch had no choices. He was out of chances. He let go of him or he would have broken his arm.”

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Danny Hodge's legendary wrestling life provided special memories for friend Jim Ross
Eric Bailey Dec 26, 2020 Updated 1 hr ago
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Eric Bailey
Jim Ross spent many Saturdays watching his boyhood idol, Danny Hodge, wrestling on television.

The introduction wasn’t only entertainment. It paved Ross’ professional journey, which has included a Hall of Fame career in professional wrestling.

On Saturday, Ross was saddened after learning of Hodge’s death. Hodge died Thursday at 88.

It wasn’t a loss only felt in the Perry native’s home state. Hodge was beloved around the globe.

“Danny Hodge was a legend in Japan. He was a legend in Australia. He was a legend in Canada. It wasn’t just in Tulsa and Oklahoma City,” Ross said. “It was a whole bigger picture. The reason it’s not as celebrated today is because when he did so many of his great things, media was limited.”


Hodge is a 1978 charter member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. He is the namesake of the Hodge Trophy, which is wrestling’s equivalent of the Heisman.

Hodge is considered by many as the greatest amateur wrestler of all-time. He won three NCAA titles at Oklahoma and was 46-0 during his collegiate career. He is one of only two collegiate wrestlers to win his three titles via fall and is known for never surrendering a takedown throughout his OU career. He had 36 pins.

Hodge won three national freestyle championships and took home a silver medal in the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. He spent 18 years as a professional wrestler and was 17-0 as a boxer in the 1950s. He won the 1958 Chicago Golden Gloves as a heavyweight.


Hodge is legendary for crushing apples with a bare hand, once demonstrating live on ESPN during the 2006 NCAA Championships.

Hodge went a step further while accompanying Ross into his hometown of Westville years ago. The idea was to visit local businesses while trying to sell tickets for a pro wrestling benefit.

“We went to the hardware store and this guy pulls out a box of pliers from underneath the counter. ‘I heard you’re the guy that breaks pliers. You can’t break mine,’” Ross recalled.

“All the sudden, he sets this box in front of Hodge like it’s a challenge, which is definitely the wrong thing to do. Danny commenced to snapping these pliers like they were pretzel sticks.”


Ross said it’s a good thing that Hodge was a good-hearted human being because there’s no one he’d worked with, either as a referee or broadcaster, that was as dominant.

Only once, Ross said, he saw him lose his temper.

Hodge’s blood runs crimson and cream. Once, in the Tulsa Fairgrounds Pavilion locker room, wrestler Dick Murdoch — a rabid Texas Longhorns football fan — would not let up on Hodge about the Sooners.

“C’mon kid, you don’t need to be in here to see this,” Ross said a veteran told him and he was ushered from the locker room.

“In about 10 steps, I hear Murdoch screaming like a child. Hodge got him in a double wrist lock. MMA aficionados know that it’s a kimura … Murdoch had no choices. He was out of chances. He let go of him or he would have broken his arm.”


In 1974, Ross entered the pro wrestling business as a referee and gofer for promoter Leroy McGuirk. Among his first duties was chauffeuring Hodge to a Shreveport, Louisiana television station.

“My first road trip was with my boyhood hero,” Ross said. “That began many, many years of when we were together.”

Ross remains in the business and is the play-by-play announcer for AEW wrestling on TNT. He lives in Jacksonville, Florida.

Ross recalled an overnight trip that had him trying to stay awake at about 3 a.m. while Hodge would sleep in the passenger seat. Every night, the wrestler would grab Ross’ arm tight (“the pain would be excruciating”) just to wake him up.

Eventually, Hodge asked, “Tiger, you want me to drive?” Ross said, adding he doesn’t know where he got that nickname. “I’d love it, Danny, please.”

The two would trade places and then, all of a sudden, Ross would hear gravel hitting the side of the car because Hodge was dozing off. After a couple of times, Ross said “Hellfire, man, let me drive. You’re killing me.”

Skandor Akbar, another pro wrestler and promoter Ross considered a mentor, asked the young man how the ride went. Ross told him.

“‘Don’t tell me he did the old trip where he pulled off the road. He’s been doing that for years. That’s your first experience,’” Ross said.

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Danny Hodge's legendary wrestling life provided special memories for friend Jim Ross
Eric Bailey Dec 26, 2020 Updated 1 hr ago
1 of 2


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Twitter
WhatsApp
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Save
Eric Bailey
Jim Ross spent many Saturdays watching his boyhood idol, Danny Hodge, wrestling on television.

The introduction wasn’t only entertainment. It paved Ross’ professional journey, which has included a Hall of Fame career in professional wrestling.

On Saturday, Ross was saddened after learning of Hodge’s death. Hodge died Thursday at 88.

It wasn’t a loss only felt in the Perry native’s home state. Hodge was beloved around the globe.

“Danny Hodge was a legend in Japan. He was a legend in Australia. He was a legend in Canada. It wasn’t just in Tulsa and Oklahoma City,” Ross said. “It was a whole bigger picture. The reason it’s not as celebrated today is because when he did so many of his great things, media was limited.”


Hodge is a 1978 charter member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. He is the namesake of the Hodge Trophy, which is wrestling’s equivalent of the Heisman.

Hodge is considered by many as the greatest amateur wrestler of all-time. He won three NCAA titles at Oklahoma and was 46-0 during his collegiate career. He is one of only two collegiate wrestlers to win his three titles via fall and is known for never surrendering a takedown throughout his OU career. He had 36 pins.

Hodge won three national freestyle championships and took home a silver medal in the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. He spent 18 years as a professional wrestler and was 17-0 as a boxer in the 1950s. He won the 1958 Chicago Golden Gloves as a heavyweight.


Hodge is legendary for crushing apples with a bare hand, once demonstrating live on ESPN during the 2006 NCAA Championships.

Hodge went a step further while accompanying Ross into his hometown of Westville years ago. The idea was to visit local businesses while trying to sell tickets for a pro wrestling benefit.

“We went to the hardware store and this guy pulls out a box of pliers from underneath the counter. ‘I heard you’re the guy that breaks pliers. You can’t break mine,’” Ross recalled.

“All the sudden, he sets this box in front of Hodge like it’s a challenge, which is definitely the wrong thing to do. Danny commenced to snapping these pliers like they were pretzel sticks.”


Ross said it’s a good thing that Hodge was a good-hearted human being because there’s no one he’d worked with, either as a referee or broadcaster, that was as dominant.

Only once, Ross said, he saw him lose his temper.

Hodge’s blood runs crimson and cream. Once, in the Tulsa Fairgrounds Pavilion locker room, wrestler Dick Murdoch — a rabid Texas Longhorns football fan — would not let up on Hodge about the Sooners.

“C’mon kid, you don’t need to be in here to see this,” Ross said a veteran told him and he was ushered from the locker room.

“In about 10 steps, I hear Murdoch screaming like a child. Hodge got him in a double wrist lock. MMA aficionados know that it’s a kimura … Murdoch had no choices. He was out of chances. He let go of him or he would have broken his arm.”


In 1974, Ross entered the pro wrestling business as a referee and gofer for promoter Leroy McGuirk. Among his first duties was chauffeuring Hodge to a Shreveport, Louisiana television station.

“My first road trip was with my boyhood hero,” Ross said. “That began many, many years of when we were together.”

Ross remains in the business and is the play-by-play announcer for AEW wrestling on TNT. He lives in Jacksonville, Florida.

Ross recalled an overnight trip that had him trying to stay awake at about 3 a.m. while Hodge would sleep in the passenger seat. Every night, the wrestler would grab Ross’ arm tight (“the pain would be excruciating”) just to wake him up.


Eventually, Hodge asked, “Tiger, you want me to drive?” Ross said, adding he doesn’t know where he got that nickname. “I’d love it, Danny, please.”

The two would trade places and then, all of a sudden, Ross would hear gravel hitting the side of the car because Hodge was dozing off. After a couple of times, Ross said “Hellfire, man, let me drive. You’re killing me.”

Skandor Akbar, another pro wrestler and promoter Ross considered a mentor, asked the young man how the ride went. Ross told him.

“‘Don’t tell me he did the old trip where he pulled off the road. He’s been doing that for years. That’s your first experience,’” Ross said.


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Ross has collected memorabilia throughout his worldwide travels, but his favorite is a framed April 1, 1957 Sports Illustrated cover of Hodge. It’s the only time a wrestler was featured on the cover.

It was presented to him by the wrestler himself. He signed the cover and then built the frame and glass work to frame it. After all, Ross said, Hodge was proud of his OU degree in industrial arts.

“It’ll never come down as long as I’m alive,” Ross said.