Athletes - Eddie Graham

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	Athletes - Eddie Graham

Edward Gossett was a professional wrestler better known as Eddie Graham. He was also the promoter for Championship Wrestling from Florida.

Career

Edward F. Gossett started wrestling in 1947 in Texas at the age of 17 after being trained by Cowboy Luttrell. He was sometimes billed as the brother of "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers under the name of Rip Rogers. He lost a loser-leaves-town match to Pepper Gomez in May 1958.

In June 1958, he changed his ring name to Eddie Graham and was billed as the brother of Dr. Jerry Graham. He wrestled with Jerry in the World Wide Wrestling Federation. From 1958 through 1960, Eddie and Jerry teamed up and feuded with Mark Lewin and Don Curtis over the WWWF United States Tag Team Championship.

In the spring of 1960, Eddie left the team and went to the National Wrestling Alliance's territory in Florida to wrestle. In 1968, Eddie was lacing his boots in the locker room and a 75 pound steel window fell on his head and tore both his retinas and caused him to get 300 stitches. The Florida State Legislature awarded him $23,000 for the incident. According to Jim Wilson in his book Chokehold, Graham's eyesight was poor because of blade jobs, and because he needed surgery to correct the problem and could not afford the money, he had some wrestlers tamper with the window in order to pass it off as though it was the responsibility of the building.

Eddie took over booking and promoting for Championship Wrestling from Florida in 1971. He wrestled with his son, Mike Graham, until 1977, when he retired from the ring. He was the President of the NWA from 1976 to 1978. Eddie remained as the promoter until January 20, 1985, when he committed suicide.

Profile

Height: 5 ft 11 in
Weight: 215 lb.
Birthday: January 15, 1930
Birthplace: Chattanooga, Tennessee
Hometown: Tampa, Florida
Died: January 20, 1985
Trainer: Cowboy Luttrell
Other Gimmicks: Eddie Graham, Rip Rogers

Championships/Accomplishments

National Wrestling Alliance

7-Time NWA World Tag Team Champion (Florida version) (with Ike Eakins once, Sam Steamboat three times, Bob Orton
twice and Jose Lothario
once)
1-Time NWA Georgia Southern Heavyweight Champion
1-Time NWA Georgia Tag Team Champion (with Mike Graham
)

World Championship Wrestling

Member of WCW Hall of Fame (inducted in 1993)

World Wide Wrestling Federation

3-Time WWWF United States Tag Team Champion (with Dr. Jerry Graham)

Championship Wrestling from Florida

3-Time NWA Florida Southern Heavyweight Champion
2-Time NWA Florida Brass Knuckles Champion
1-Time NWA Florida Tag Team Champion (with Mike Graham)
1-Time NWA Florida Heavyweight Champion

All Japan Pro Wrestling

1-Time All-Asia Tag Team Champion (with Killer Karl Kox
)

World Class Championship Wrestling

1-time NWA Texas Tag Team Champion (with Johnny Valentine
)

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Eddie Graham ]

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