Fritz Von Erich Jack Barton Adkisson ( August 16 , 1929 – September 10 , 1997 ) was an American professional wrestler under the ring name Fritz Von Erich , better known today as a wrestling promoter and the patriarch of the Von Erich family . He was also the owner of the World Class Championship Wrestling territory . Football career . Adkisson attended Southern Methodist University , where he threw discus and played football . He played one season for the now defunct Dallas Texans of the NFL ( not the AFL team which became the Kansas City Chiefs ) and then tried the Canadian Football League ( CFL ) . Professional wrestling career . Early career and training . While in Edmonton , he met legendary wrestler and trainer Stu Hart , and Hart decided to train and book him in his Klondike Wrestling promotion , naming him Fritz Von Erich and teaming him with " brother " Waldo Von Erich as a pair of pseudo - nazi brothers ( nazis still being popular villains in 50s and 60s wrestling ) . Adkisson ' s oldest son Jack Barton Adkisson , Jr . was born September 21 , 1952 . He , however , died in 1959 after an accidental electrocution , and Jack Sr . stopped traveling to the east coast , allowing former partner Waldo to use the Von Erich name in the World Wide Wrestling Federation . 1960s . Despite Jack Jr . ' s death , Adkisson continued to travel and wrestle . Adkisson won both versions of the AWA World title in 1963 . His major circuit was Sam Muchnick ' s NWA territorial stronghold in St . Louis , Missouri . He wrestled there until 1967 , when he voluntarily left the territory after losing a match for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship against then - champion Gene Kiniski . < ref name = " WON 1 / 9 / 08 " > Dave Meltzer , Wrestling Observer Newsletter , January 9 , 2008 < / ref > In the late 1960s , with Muchnick ' s backing , Adkisson became the promoter for the Dallas territory , effectively overseeing the Houston and San Antonio territories , as well . Japan . Adkisson was a part of rebuilding Japanese wrestling after the stabbing death of Rikidōzan . He became a star due to his feuds with Antonio Inoki and Giant Baba , and his " Iron Claw " hold , which became one of the most popular wrestling moves in Japan . Retirement . In 1982 , he held his first retirement match against King Kong Bundy in the newly renamed World Class Championship Wrestling promotion , based in Dallas . The promotion was known for its high production values , use of entrance music and the use of television syndication . The promotion was one of the most successful territories in the United States , with major draws like his sons , The Fabulous Freebirds , Chris Adams , Abdullah the Butcher , Bruiser Brody , Gino Hernandez and Rick Rude . By the end of the 1980s , the promotion ' s talent pool was thin and it was eventually merged with Jerry Jarrett ' s Continental Wrestling Association to create the United States Wrestling Association in 1989 . Personal life . Adkisson married Doris J . Smith on June 23 , 1950 . Together , they had six sons : Jack Barton , Jr . ( born September 21 , 1952 ) , Kevin ( born May 15 , 1957 ) , David ( born July 22 , 1958 ) , Kerry ( born February 3 , 1960 ) , Mike ( born March 2 , 1964 ) and Chris ( born September 30 , 1969 ) . Of Adkisson ' s six sons , only Kevin is still living . The couple later separated and Doris divorced her husband on July 21 , 1992 after 42 years of marriage . Adkisson died of brain and lung cancer on September 10 , 1997 . His funeral service was held at the 1st Baptist Church in Dallas , Texas . His body was cremated with his ashes interred in the same plot as his fourth son , Kerry .