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Wild Bill?s to host memorial for pro wrestler Douglas ?Ox? Baker

Wild Bill?s to host memorial for pro wrestler Douglas ?Ox? Baker

Posted: Oct 25th 2014 By: Wild Bill?s to host memorial for pro wrestler Doug

A fitting memorial for wrestler Douglas ?Ox? Baker will take place on Nov. 2 in the fun house at Wild Bill?s Nostalgia Center.

Baker, one the most feared villains on the professional wrestling circuit for almost two decades, died Oct. 20 at age 80 of complications from a recent heart attack.

Though Baker portrayed a menacing character in wrestling and films, his authentic personality was the exact opposite, according to friend, filmmaker David Gere.
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?In real life, Ox was a real gentle giant,? Gere said.

Billed as having killed two opponents in the ring with his fearsome ?heart punch,? Baker is famously remembered for his 1981 performance in the film ?Escape from New York.?

The 6-foot-5 bald giant got his start as a pro wrestler in the early 1960s.

?He was a terrific guy, a cult film and wrestling legend,? said Gere, a movie producer who struck up a friendship with the wrestling champ two years ago. ?He is just a legendary figure. There?s going to be quite a film legacy of Ox.?

Baker delivered his final performance, in the horror film ?Pinwheel,? just a week before his death, at Wild Bill?s Nostalgia Center, on Newfield St. The movie wrapped last Friday.

Unprepared for the fact that Baker?s walker wouldn?t fit through the narrow corridors to get to the set, the crew and his caretakers slowly braced Baker, who moved forward one step at a time.

?I?ve never seen such determination and will from a man,? said Gere. ?He was of course in a very bad physical state at that point, but he made it to set and he delivered his lines with a tremendous power and poignancy that brought a tear to my eye.?

Rebecca Howard, Baker?s caretaker and estate manager, is organizing a memorial for the larger-than-life man, according to Gere.

A service will be held at 1:30 p.m. at Holy Cross Cemetery, in Danielson, where Baker lived for many years with his wife, Peggy Ann Kawa, a professional clown who passed away in 2010.

Though 3,000 invitations have been sent, several hundred people are expected to attend an ?energized? memorial service at Wild Bill?s, which will begin at 6 p.m., according to Ziegler.

?We?re expecting a coalition of Northeast wrestlers that were mentored by, or worked with Baker, folks involved in his films, and people that knew him from the community,? Gere said.

Music, poetry and art will all be included in the ?fun, upbeat? event that will reflect the man being honored. A folk rock band with friend Bob McCarthy will perform.

Baker once asked to be buried at Wild Bill?s, a place he loved and often visited with his two dachshunds, Brooklyn and Brindle, according to Gere. A week before his death, he filmed his last scene in the fun house.

?He liked coming down here, roaming around and talking to people,? Ziegler said. ?He was really a people person.?

Over the span of an impressive career, the big man traded blows with the likes of WWE Hall of Famers Hulk Hogan, Dusty Rhodes and Harley Race, according to World Wrestling Entertainment.

?When they shot here on the 13th, he told me, ?I?m not going to live eight days?,? Zielger said.

He died seven days later.

?Ox always knew this day would come and he wanted his fans to know they had his thanks and love,? Gere said. Ox Baker was ... a one-of-a-kind persona, a larger-than-life man who is a true legend for all of time.?

 

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  • 1967 Brute Bernard def. Bull Curry for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 1974 Jose Lothario def. El Gran Markus for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 1987 Eric Embry became the WCCW World Light Heavyweight Champion
  • 2008 Dustin Heritage def. Kenny Campbell for the IZW Impact Division Title
  • 2008 Impact, Inc. (Johnny Z & Bernie D) def. Nathan Sensation & Striker for the IZW Tag Team Titles
  • 2008 Shawn Sanders def. Kevin Morgan for the OECW Heavyweight Title
  • 2008 Martin Justice became the OECW Southwestern Champion
  • 2009 3rd Rail def. Maniac Mike for the SWCW Hardcore Title
  • 2009 Maniac Mike became the SWCW Hardcore Champion
  • 2014 J. R. Orullian & Running Wolf became the NAW Tag Team Champions
  • 2014 The Trenchcoat Mafia (Ryan Reed & Billy Ray [1st]) def. J. R. Orullian & Running Wolf for the NAW Tag Team Titles
  • 2014 The Trenchcoat Mafia (Ryan Reed & Running Wolf) became the NAW Tag Team Champions
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  • 2025 Michael H became the NAW Openweight Champion
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Week of Sun 09-13 to Sat: 09-19

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  • 09-13 1974 Jose Lothario def. El Gran Markus for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 09-13 1987 Eric Embry became the WCCW World Light Heavyweight Champion
  • 09-13 2008 Dustin Heritage def. Kenny Campbell for the IZW Impact Division Title
  • 09-13 2008 Impact, Inc. (Johnny Z & Bernie D) def. Nathan Sensation & Striker for the IZW Tag Team Titles
  • 09-13 2008 Shawn Sanders def. Kevin Morgan for the OECW Heavyweight Title
  • 09-13 2008 Martin Justice became the OECW Southwestern Champion
  • 09-13 2009 3rd Rail def. Maniac Mike for the SWCW Hardcore Title
  • 09-13 2009 Maniac Mike became the SWCW Hardcore Champion
  • 09-13 2014 J. R. Orullian & Running Wolf became the NAW Tag Team Champions
  • 09-13 2014 The Trenchcoat Mafia (Ryan Reed & Billy Ray [1st]) def. J. R. Orullian & Running Wolf for the NAW Tag Team Titles
  • 09-13 2014 The Trenchcoat Mafia (Ryan Reed & Running Wolf) became the NAW Tag Team Champions
  • 09-13 2020 Dimitri Alexandrov def. O’Brien for the ASP Heavyweight Title
  • 09-13 2025 Michael H became the NAW Openweight Champion
  • 09-13 2025 Jupiter Jones def. Frankie Lee for the RDW Iron Man Title
  • 09-13 2025 Sgt. Hartman def. Floyd Maystorm for the WAH Hunger Dojo Title
  • 09-13 2025 Floyd Maystorm def. Sgt. Hartman for the WAH Hunger Dojo Title
  • 09-14 2007 Dane Griffin def. Montego Seeka for the UWF06 Light Heavyweight Title
  • 09-14 2007 Dane Griffin became the UWF06 Texhoma Champion
  • 09-14 2013 Team Bull (The Bronze Bull & Bobby Starr) def. What Wrestling Should Be (Jermaine Johnson & Jordan Jacobs) for the IZW Tag Team Titles
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  • 09-15 1969 The Medics (Medic #1 & Medic #2) def. Alberto Torres & Ramon Torres for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
  • 09-15 1980 Junkyard Dog & Terry Orndorff def. The Fabulous Freebirds (Terry Gordy & Buddy Roberts) for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Titles
  • 09-15 1986 Black Bart def. Chris Adams for the WCCW World Title
  • 09-15 2007 Sudden Impact (Sudden Impact 1 & Sudden Impact 2) def. Texas, Inc. (Bernard Funk & Tim Rockwell) for the ComPro Tag Team Titles
  • 09-15 2007 Anthony Jackson def. AWOL for the ComPro Heavyweight Title
  • 09-15 2007 Shane Morbid def. Justin Lee for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Title
  • 09-15 2012 Double D def. Aaron Neil for the IZW Heavyweight Title
  • 09-15 2018 Chavo Guerrero, Jr. def. MVP for the WCR Heavyweight Title
  • 09-15 2019 Chaz Sharpe def. James Southard for the ASP Inter-County Title
  • 09-15 2023 Jastin Taylor def. Sam Stackhouse for the BCW Heavyweight Title
  • 09-16 1975 John Tolos def. Al Madril for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Title
  • 09-16 1988 Michael Hayes & Steve Cox def. The Samoan SWAT Team (Fatu & Samu) for the WCCW World Tag Team Titles
  • 09-16 2005 Lily McKenzie def. Chiquita Suzuki for the SRPW Womens Title
  • 09-16 2006 Michael Barry def. Aaron Neil for the IZW Heavyweight Title
  • 09-16 2006 Ryan Davidson became the IZW Impact Division Champion
  • 09-16 2017 Paige Turner def. Erica for the IZW Womens Title
  • 09-16 2017 Skyler Fayden def. Riker for the UWE Heavyweight Title
  • 09-16 2017 Big Smooth & Zakk Sinizter became the UWE Tag Team Champions
  • 09-16 2022 Shane Taylor def. Johnny Bedlam for the TexPro Heavyweight Title
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  • 09-17 1979 The Spoiler & Mark Lewin def. Kerry Von Erich & Bruiser Brody for the WCCW Texas Tag Team Titles
  • 09-17 2004 Bobby Dalton def. Shane Morbid for the SRPW Hardcore Title
  • 09-17 2008 Michael Faith became the TCB Heavyweight Champion
  • 09-17 2008 High Society (Al Farat & Thomas Trump) became the TCB Dual Kombat Champion
  • 09-17 2008 Michael Faith became the TCBW Heavyweight Champion
  • 09-17 2008 High Society (Al Farat & Thomas Trump) became the TCBW Dual Kombat Champion
  • 09-17 2010 Dane Griffin def. Cody Jones for the NWA-OK Texoma Title
  • 09-17 2010 Aerial Assault (Ky-ote Joe & Montego Seeka) became the NWA-OK Oklahoma Tag Team Champions
  • 09-17 2010 Michael Faith def. Dane Griffin for the NWA-OK Oklahoma Heavyweight Title
  • 09-17 2016 Mr. Nasty def. Brian Breaker for the UWE Heavyweight Title
  • 09-18 1967 Chati Yokouchi & Togo Shikuma def. Danny Hodge & Skandar Akbar for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
  • 09-18 2005 Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch def. The Hurricane & Rosey for the WWE RAW World Tag Team Titles
  • 09-18 2005 Ric Flair def. Carlito for the WWE Intercontinental Title
  • 09-18 2015 Sons of Texas (Moonshine Mantell & Killer McKenzie) def. The Imperialists (Charlie Haas & Griffin) for the NWA-TXO Tag Team Titles
  • 09-18 2021 Thrash def. Jermaine Johnson for the WFC Hometown Heroes Title
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  • 09-18 2022 Fuel def. Koko for the UWE Heavyweight Title
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  • 09-19 1979 Mike Sharpe, Jr. def. Mike George for the MSW Mississippi Title
  • 09-19 1982 David Von Erich def. Bill Irwin for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Title
  • 09-19 1988 The Samoan SWAT Team (Samu & Fatu) def. Michael Hayes & Steve Cox for the WCCW World Tag Team Titles
  • 09-19 2014 Simply Irresistible (Matthew Palmer & James Johnson) def. The Dark Circle (Mace Malone & Apoc) for the NWA-TXO Tag Team Titles
  • 09-19 2015 Loaded Guns (Jon Cross & Brandon Walker) def. The Rising (Riker & Abel) for the UWE Tag Team Titles
  • 09-19 2015 Brian Breaker def. Clint Cassidy for the UWE United States Title
  • 09-19 2015 Zakk Sinizter def. Anarchy [2nd] for the UWE Heavyweight Title
  • 09-19 2015 Jon Cross became the WFC Heavyweight Champion
  • 09-19 2019 MVP became the WCR Imperial Champion
  • 09-19 2020 Pastor Brent became the WAH Heavyweight Champion
  • 09-19 2021 Maui Mike def. Thrash for the ASP Mid-American Title
  • 09-19 2021 Brixton Barricade def. Brandon Barricade for the ASP All Time Title
  • 09-19 2021 Malik Mayfield def. Jerome Daniel Griffey for the ASP Livestream Title
  • 09-19 2021 Double D def. Jerome Daniel Griffey for the ASP 5-Star Title
09-13
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  • Spoiler 2000 Sep 15th
  • Haru Sonada Sep 16th
  • Colton Kinnamon Sep 17th
  • Bill Irwin Sep 17th
  • Jake Swayze Sep 17th
  • Dick Brower Sep 17th
  • Jim Cornette Sep 17th
  • Rex Mori Sep 17th
  • Cisco Grimaldi Sep 18th
  • Angel Reed Sep 18th
  • Billy Robinson Sep 18th
  • Mr. Nabors Sep 18th
  • Titan Yin Sep 18th
  • Yoshiaki Yatsu Sep 19th
  • Jerry Brisco Sep 19th
  • Adam Asher Sep 19th
  • Ethan Page Sep 20th
  • Randy Rhodes Sep 20th
  • Justin Lee Sep 20th
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  • Boz Sep 20th
  • Joey Stixx Sep 20th
  • Greg Valentine Sep 20th
  • Chuck Singer Sep 20th
  • Pepper Martin Sep 20th
  • Jack Brisco Sep 21st
  • Ricky Morton Sep 21st
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