Wilbur Snyder
Bockwinkel returned to California in September 1962, joining Roy Shire's American Wrestling Alliance, which had succeeded NWA San Francisco. He formed an "All American babyface" tag team with Wilbur Snyder, and the duo were pushed by Shire as his top babyface tag team. In November 1961, Bockwinkel and Snyder won the NWA World Tag Team Championship "(San Francisco version)", defeating Kinji Shibuya and Mitsu Arakawa in the Cow Palace. They defended the championship against teams including Dan Manoukian and Ciclón Negro and Ray Stevens and The Sheik before losing to Art Nielsen and Stan Nielsen in March 1963. Bockwinkel left the AWA in April 1963.