Fritz Von Erich(1929-1997)
- Actor
Fritz (born Jack Adkisson) as part of his wrestling persona. Debuting under his given name in 1952 and assuming the character of a small-town firefighter had proved less than lucrative. In nearly a year as a performer on the regional circuit, Adkisson had wrestled only about 26 matches. Realizing that he might experience more success as a villain, he looked to the 20th century's archetypal bad guys: Nazis. The character of Fritz Von Erich, "the German Giant from Munich," performed "exceptionally well with the crowds.
Fritz Von Erich fought as a "heel": a villain who swears at crowds, cheats opponents, and serves as a match's antagonist. While wrestling abroad in Japan, Von Erich became known for his signature wrestling hold: the Iron Claw. To perform the move, Von Erich used one hand to seize his opponent's head and squeezed.
Fritz Von Erich retired from wrestling in 1982, but his surname and his signature move remained. He also served as president of World Class Championship Wrestling a local wrestling federation in Dallas. Five of Fritz's sons-David, Mike, Kerry, Chris, and Kevin-followed him into the ring.
Fritz Von Erich fought as a "heel": a villain who swears at crowds, cheats opponents, and serves as a match's antagonist. While wrestling abroad in Japan, Von Erich became known for his signature wrestling hold: the Iron Claw. To perform the move, Von Erich used one hand to seize his opponent's head and squeezed.
Fritz Von Erich retired from wrestling in 1982, but his surname and his signature move remained. He also served as president of World Class Championship Wrestling a local wrestling federation in Dallas. Five of Fritz's sons-David, Mike, Kerry, Chris, and Kevin-followed him into the ring.
