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JR's Blog: Verne Gagne RIP, Ross Report Podcast Tonight 9ET, Baltimore RINGSIDE Tkts Going Fast, NYC Gramercy Theater Event, WWEShop.com fully stocked with JR's Grill Worthy Products

Posted: Apr 29th 2015 By: Jim Ross

Sad hearing of the passing of the great Verne Gagne at the age of 89 Monday from the affects of dementia in an assisted living home where Verne required 24 hour care. The founder of the AWA and one of the first, national TV stars on the DuMont Network in the early 1950's, Gagne was a member of virtually every Hall of Fame imaginable including being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2006. Gagne was essentially the original Brock Lesnar, in many aspects, before there was a Brock Lesnar. He was the University of Minnesota National Wrestling Champion twice and then came a meteoric rise to stardom only a short time after breaking in the business.

Verne was my mentor, Cowboy Bill Watts, mentor and therefore Verne always considering himself my "Grandfather" in the wrestling biz. At an Independent TV convention in Vegas one year, Verne who had just attended cocktail hour when told me that he taught Cowboy all that Bill knew about the business which made Bill my "father in wrestling" which in turn made Verne my 'Grandfather" in the biz. Then Verne quickly snatched me in a very snug headlock just to prove he was still the alpha male that he had always been and to leave me something to remember him by. After relinquishing the headlock to the shock of many TV executive bystanders, Verne gave me a big hug and with a healthy laugh told me he loved my work and to "not let Watts ruin me" again a joke directed to Bill who Verne was very proud of with Cowboy's promotion doing so well based in Oklahoma.

Verne Gagne was a man's man who was a legit, two sport star at the University of Minnesota, football and wrestling, and will always be considered one of the most significant and influential men in the history of pro wrestling. He also trained many amazing stars and loved to utilize legit athletes with which to mold into pro mat stars much like Bill Watts, Eddie Graham and even myself did back in the day in WWE.

So many within the world of wrestling will forever be indebted to Verne Gagne for what he did for their careers and even though I never worked for Verne he helped me indirectly have the career that I've had the past 40 years. Men like Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, Ricky Steamboat, the Iron Sheik, Ken Patera, Sgt. Slaughter and countless others would say essentially the same thing.

My condolences to the Gagne family and Verne's many friends, associates, and all the people that he influenced over the years. Verne Gagne was true pioneer in the annals of the genre so many of us love and his contributions will never be forgotten.

Join Pro Wrestling Insider's Mike Johnson and me tonight at 9 ET for a new, Ross Repot Podcast that is FREE to listen to on podcastone.com and iTunes. Plus it will be up on the home page of this website as well. We talk Extreme Rules PPV, Billy Corgan in TNA, the future of Lucha Underground, Ronda Rousey in WWE, what's next for Samoa Joe and much more.

Less than 10 VIP tickets remain for our Saturday May 16 Baltimore RINGSIDE w/ Jim Ross Show at Rams Head Live but there are plenty of $22.50 General admission tickets available at ramsheadlive.com. WWE Payback is the next day in Baltimore so it shapes up to be a good, wrestling weekend in Baltimore that I hope many of you will enjoy.

Tickets for our Saturday August 22 Summer Slam Saturday night show in New York City at the Gramercy Theater are available now at ticketmaster.com starting at only $25. Meet/Greet/Photo Op tickets are available as well. Our Saturday night show is following the next day with WWE's Summer Slam.

WWEShop.com is fully stocked with JR's products at www.wweshop.com/jimross. Great grilling products and Fathers Day gifts as well.

Next week on the Ross Report Podcast I welcome Samoa Joe to our show of which I'm very excited as well as for the following week when Taz joins me. Subscribe for FREE at iTunes and you won't miss a show.

Working on some exciting projects this week of which I will watch you up on soon.

Boomer Sooner!

J.R. @JRsBBQ