Blackjack Mulligan

Robert Jack Windham (born November 26, 1942 in Sweetwater, Texas - April 7, 2016) better known by his ring name, Blackjack Mulligan, was a retired American professional wrestler, author and former American football player.

Career
Before he started his professional wrestling career, Windham played football at Texas Western College, which is now known as the University of Texas at El Paso. He then left UTEP to play the pre-season for the New York Jets of the National Football League.

Wahoo McDaniel told Windham to train for professional wrestling and he trained with Verne Gagne. He would later join the American Wrestling Association and moved to the World Wide Wrestling Federation.

During his time in the WWWF, Windham became a villain called Blackjack Mulligan. Windham would later team with Jack Lanza which he formed the tag team, The Blackjacks with. He won the NWA American Tag Team Championship, NWA Texas Tag Team Championship, WWA World Tag Team Championship and the WWWF World Tag Team Championship during his time in The Blackjacks.

He also wrestled as a singles competitor and once competed for the WWWF Championship against Pedro Morales in Boston. During the match, Morales slashed Windham across his leg and arm with a knife. The wound became infected but Windham recovered. NOTE: It was not Pedro Morales who cut Blackjack that night in the Boston Garden. In reality, it was a crazed fan who sliced his leg open after approaching rigside. The knife had also been dipped in pigfat, adding insult to injury. Mulligan was bleeding severly, and became septic, nearly losing his life.

He also teamed with André the Giant and Bill Eadie in the wrestling stable, The Machines.

Bobby "The Brain" Heenan inducted The Blackjacks into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2006.

Personal
He is part of the Windham wrestling family and is the father of wrestlers Barry and Kendall Windham, the father-in-law of Mike Rotundo, and the grandfather of Bray Wyatt and Bo Dallas.

Championships
Windham held many championships during his professional wrestling career:

Championship Wrestling from Florida
NWA Brass Knuckles Championship (Florida version) (one time)
NWA United States Tag Team Championship (Florida version) (one time) - with Dusty Rhodes
European Wrestling Union
EWU World Super Heavyweight Championship (one time)
International Pro Wrestling
IWA World Tag Team Championship (one time) - with Larry Hennig
International Wrestling Federation
IWF Heavyweight Championship (one time)
Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling
NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Mid-Atlantic version) (three times)
NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic version) (one time) - with Ric Flair
NWA Big Time Wrestling
NWA American Heavyweight Championship (one time)
NWA American Tag Team Championship (one time) - with Blackjack Lanza
NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship (one time)
NWA Texas Tag Team Championship (one time) - with Blackjack Lanza
NWA Western States Sports
NWA International Heavyweight Championship (Amarillo version) (two times)
NWA Western States Tag Team Championship (one time) - with Dick Murdoch
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
He was named the PWI Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year in 1978.
He was ranked #159 of the 500 best singles wrestlers by PWI during the "PWI Years" in 2003.
World Wrestling Association
WWA World Heavyweight Championship (one time)
WWA World Tag Team Championship (one time) - with Blackjack Lanza
World Wide Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Entertainment
WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2006)
WWWF World Tag Team Championship (one time) - with Blackjack Lanza

References

Other websites
Official website
The Blackjacks on WWE.com

Category:1942 births
Category:2016 deaths
Category:American football players
Category:American professional wrestlers
Category:Former WWE wrestlers
Category:New York Jets players
Category:Professional wrestling announcers
Category:Sportspeople from Texas
Category:WWE Hall of Fame