Athletes - James Raschke

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	Athletes - James Raschke

James Donald Raschke (born 1940 in Omaha, Nebraska) was a professional wrestler best known as Baron Von Raschke. His signature hold was The Claw.

Career

James Raschke started in wrestling in 1966 in the American Wrestling Association as a referee. He was soon wrestling under the name of Jim Raschke, playing off of his amateur wrestling notoriety in the area. He eventually changed his ring name to Baron Von Raschke and claimed to be from Germany. He would do a goose step and then put his finisher, the claw on his opponent.

Throughout the 1970's and early 1980's he held numeorous singles and tag team titles throughout several NWA and AWA territories.

In May 1984, Raschke and the Crusher defeated Jerry Blackwell and Ken Patera for the AWA World Tag Team titles. They would lose the belts in August of that same year to the mighty Road Warriors. In 1986, he wrestled for the NWA's Jim Crockett Promotions reuniting with former tag partner Paul Jones (who was now a manger) as part of Paul Jones' Army. He also filled in for the injured Krusher Khruschev defending the NWA World Six-Man Championship with Ivan and Nikita Koloff.

He was briefly in the WWF in 1988 as the manager for The Barbarian and The Warlord (The Powers of Pain) under the name of The Baron, but was released shortly after his arrival.

Raschke resurfaced in the AWA, returning to the ring to feud with Soldat Ustinov and Teijho Khan in late 1988. He then went on to captain "Baron's Blitzers" during the ill-fated Team Challenge Series. When the AWA folded, Raschke continued to wrestle for independent promotion primarily in the Minnesots area, retiring in 1994.

Raschke also took part in one of the legends matches at WCW's inaugural "Slamboree: A Legend's Reunion" in 1993. He teamed with Ivan Koloff, losing to Thunderbolt Patterson and Brad Armstrong.

Profile

Height: 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight: 270 lb (122 kg)
Hometown: Omaha, Nebraska
Trained by: Verne Gagne
, Maurice Vachon
Professional debut: 1966
Previous Identities: Baron von Raschke, The Baron, The Clawmaster, Jim Raschke
Finishing/Signature Move(s): The Brain Claw
Previous Managers: Paul Jones
, Bobby Heenan

Championships and accomplishments

National Wrestling Alliance

3-time NWA World Tag Team Champion (with Paul Jones
twice and Greg Valentine
once)
1-time NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Champion (with Ivan & Nikita Koloff
when Krusher Khruschev
injured)
1-time NWA American Heavyweight Champion
1-time NWA Mid Atlantic Television Champion
2-time NWA World Television Champion
1-time NWA Georgia Heavyweight Champion
1-time NWA Florida Television Champion
1-time NWA World Tag Team Champion (Central States version) (with Maurice Vachon)

American Wrestling Association

1-time AWA World Tag Team Champion (with The Crusher)

Other titles

4-time WWA Heavyweight Champion
1-time WWA Tag Team Champion (with Ernie Ladd
)
2-time PWA Tag Team Champion (with Ken Patera
and Brad Rheingans
)
1-time IWA International Heavyweight Champion
1-time NSW Tag Team Champion (with Tommy Jammer)

Pro Wrestling Illustrated

PWI ranked him # 306 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003.

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for James Raschke ]

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