Dick Murdoch

###

Waxahachie, Texas, United States

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Amarillo, Texas, United States

**Hoyt Richard "Dick" Murdoch** (August 16, 1946 - June 15, 1996) was an American professional wrestler.

## Early life

Murdoch was born in Waxahachie, Texas. A second-generation wrestler, the stepson of 1950s Texas wrestler Frankie Hill Murdoch, Dick Murdoch grew up with fellow second-generation wrestlers Dory Funk, Jr. and Terry Funk, watching their fathers fight all around Texas. Frank Murdoch held the NWA Southwest Junior Heavyweight Championship three times in his career. Murdoch attended Caprock High School, where he took part in amateur wrestling. After graduating, Murdoch attended West Texas State University.

## Professional wrestling career

Dick Murdoch started wrestling in 1965 as "Ron Carson" in a tag team with Don Carson. He soon started wrestling under his real name. In 1968, he formed a tag team that would continue throughout the early 1970s with Dusty Rhodes called **The Texas Outlaws**. After splitting with Rhodes, he wrestled for Florida Championship Wrestling, the National Wrestling Alliance, and Mid-South Wrestling.

His most noted work as a wrestler came in Mid-South Wrestling in the early 1980s, where he teamed with Junkyard Dog. The pair was the most popular champions in the region, attracting the hardcore, working class white fans with his "Captain Redneck" persona and JYD drawing the support of the black fan base. Their feud with the Fabulous Freebirds was perhaps Mid-South's most compelling storyline.

In 1984, he went to the World Wrestling Federation and formed a tag team with Adrian Adonis that captured the World Tag Team Titles. He left the WWF in 1985 after dropping the tag-team title to The U.S. Express and wrestled in Mid-South Wrestling briefly before turning up in the NWA's Jim Crockett Promotions in 1986. He feuded with Ric Flair and attempted to win Flair's NWA World Title.

In early 1987, Murdoch joined Ivan Koloff and Vladimir Petrov in their attempt to get Nikita Koloff and Dusty Rhodes. Murdoch, who at the time held the NWA United States Tag Team Championship with Ivan, injured Nikita's neck after a brain-buster suplex on the floor that summer, resulting in Murdoch being (kayfabe) suspended for 30 days and the team being stripped of the tag team title. Murdoch left the NWA and wrestled in the World Wrestling Council before appearing in World Championship Wrestling as one half of the "Hardliners," or "Hardline Collection Agency," with Dick Slater in 1991. They feuded with Rick and Scott Steiner but could not win their title.

Murdoch was the twenty-seventh entrant in the 1995 WWF Royal Rumble. He was eliminated by Henry O. Godwinn. Following his WWF appearances, he spent the rest of his career wrestling on the independent circuit.

## Personal life

Murdoch was married on September 21, 1966 in Potter County, Texas to Janice Hix. Together, they had one child before divorcing on October 1, 1973.

Murdoch is the cousin of wrestler Killer Tim Brooks.

Over the years, many within professional wrestling who knew Murdoch have stated Murdoch was racist and was a member of the Ku Klux Klan. In a shoot interview, Bad News Brown accused Dick Murdoch of being a member of the Klan. This was also mentioned by Tito Santana in his autobiography, *Tales From The Ring*. Former WWE SmackDown head writer Alex Greenfield also related a story told to him by Dusty Rhodes about Murdoch driving them to a Klan party without telling him it was a KKK party beforehand. Most recently, former wrestling star Rocky Johnson, father of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, claims that Murdoch was a member of the Klan and that he once knocked him unconscious during a match stating during an interview, "Because he was KKK and didn't like blacks, he kept kicking me hard and punching me. I said, 'you hit me one more time, I'm hitting you back.' He hit me, and I knocked him out."

Murdoch appeared in 4 movies: *The Wrestler* (1974), *Paradise Alley* (1978), *Grunt! The Wrestling Movie* (1985), and *Manhattan Merengue!* (1995). He also appeared on an episode of *Learning The Ropes* and an episode of *The Jerry Springer Show*.

## Death

Murdoch died of a heart attack on June 15, 1996 at the age of 49.

## In wrestling

* **Finishing moves**
	+ Brainbuster
* **Signature moves**
	+ Bionic elbow
	+ Calf branding
	+ Elbow drop
* **Managers**
	+ Joe Don Smith
	+ Paul Jones
	+ Oliver Humperdink
	+ "Hot Stuff" Eddie Gilbert
	+ Jim Cornette
	+ Skandor Akbar
	+ Lou Albano
* **Nicknames**
	+ "Captain Redneck"
	+ "Dirty" Dick Murdoch
	+ "Kyōken" (Japanese for Mad Dog)

## Championships and accomplishments

* **All Japan Pro Wrestling**
	+ NWA United National Championship (1 time)
* **Central States Wrestling**
	+ NWA Central States Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
	+ NWA Central States Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Bob Brown
	+ NWA North American Tag Team Championship *(Central States version)* (3 times) – with Dusty Rhodes (1) and Bob Sweetan (2)
* **Championship Wrestling from Florida**
	+ NWA Florida Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Dusty Rhodes (1), Bobby Duncum (1)
	+ NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship *(Florida version)* (1 time)
* **Gulf Coast Championship Wrestling**
	+ NWA Gulf Coast Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Don Carson
* **Jim Crockett Promotions**
	+ NWA United States Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Ivan Koloff
* **NWA Big Time Wrestling**
	+ NWA American Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Dusty Rhodes
* **NWA Detroit**
	+ NWA World Tag Team Championship *(Detroit version)* (1 time) – with Dusty Rhodes
* **NWA Mid-America**
	+ NWA World Tag Team Championship *(Mid-America version)* (1 time) – with Don Carson
* **NWA Tri-State / Mid-South Wrestling Association**
	+ Mid-South North American Championship (2 times)
	+ Mid-South Tag Team Championship (3 times) – with Junkyard Dog
	+ NWA North American Heavyweight Championship *(Tri-State version)* (3 times)
	+ NWA Tri-State Brass Knuckles Championship (1 time)
	+ NWA United States Tag Team Championship *(Tri-State version)* (2 times) – with Killer Karl Kox (1), Ted DiBiase (1)
* **NWA Western States Sports**
	+ NWA Brass Knuckles Championship *(Amarillo version)* (3 times)
	+ NWA International Heavyweight Championship *(Amarillo version)* (3 times)
	+ NWA Western States Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
	+ NWA Western States Tag Team Championship (3 times) – with Bobby Duncum (1) and Black Jack Mulligan (2)
* **National Wrestling Federation**
	+ NWF World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Dusty Rhodes
* **Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame**
	+ Class of 2013
* ***Pro Wrestling Illustrated***
	+ PWI Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year (1974)
	+ PWI ranked him #**96** of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the "PWI Years" in 2003
* **St. Louis Wrestling Club**
	+ NWA Missouri Heavyweight Championship (3 times)
	+ **St. Louis Wrestling Hall of Fame**
* **World Championship Wrestling (Australia)**
	+ IWA World Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Lars Anderson (1), Dusty Rhodes (1)
* **World Wrestling Council**
	+ WWC Universal Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
	+ WWC World Television Championship (2 times)
* **World Wrestling Federation**
	+ WWF Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Adrian Adonis

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Dave Meltzer (1986). *The Wrestling Observer's Who's who in Pro Wrestling*. Wrestling Observer, 81.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5  (2007) *The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Heels*. ECW Press, 347–348. ISBN 978-1-55490-284-2.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1  (31 August 2014) *Titan Sinking: The decline of the WWF in 1995*. Lulu.com, 58–59. ISBN 978-1-291-99637-1.
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Irv Muchnick (2007). *Wrestling Babylon: Piledriving Tales of Drugs, Sex, Death, and Scandal*. ECW Press, 145. ISBN 978-1-55490-286-6.
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1  (January 2006) *The Cowboy and the Cross: The Bill Watts Story: Rebellion, Wrestling and Redemption*. ECW Press, 129–. ISBN 978-1-55022-708-6.
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1  (1 April 2004) *J. R. 's Cookbook: True Ringside Tales, BBQ, and Down-Home Recipes*. Simon and Schuster, 258. ISBN 978-0-7434-8310-0.
7. ↑ Waxahachie, Texas . City-Data.com. Retrieved on 2014-06-05.
8. ↑ "Hoyt Murdoch". Texas Divorces, 1968–2002. Family Tree Legends Records Collection (Online Database). Pearl Street Software, ©2004–2005.
9. ↑ Dick Murdoch « Wrestlers Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database .
10. ↑ WWE . Retrieved on 2017-02-08.
11. ↑ Pollock, John and Ting, Wai.  *Review a Wai - WWE SummerSlam '06* *Fightnetwork.com*. (August 14, 2011).
12. ↑ The Rock's Father Claims Legendary Wrestler Was In The KKK, Talks Knocking Him Out In The Ring - WrestlingInc.com .
13. ↑ Ellison, Lillian (2003). *The Fabulous Moolah: First Goddess of the Squared Circle*. ReaganBooks, 153. ISBN 978-0-06-001258-8.
14. ↑  (13 December 2013) *Terry Funk: More Than Just Hardcore*. Skyhorse Publishing Company, Incorporated, 55. ISBN 978-1-61321-308-7.
15. ↑  (2009) *WWE Encyclopedia*. DK, 78. ISBN 978-0-7566-4190-0.
16. ↑ Shawn Armstrong. *Wrestling Moves and Smashes Pocket Encyclopedia*. Lulu.com, 163. ISBN 978-0-557-13462-5.
17. ↑ 17.0 17.1  (2013) *Tagged Classics: Just The Reviews*. Lulu.com, 51. ISBN 978-1-291-42878-0.
18. ↑ Dusty Rhodes (20 November 2013). *Dusty: Reflections of Wrestling's American Dream*. Sports Publishing, 80. ISBN 978-1-61321-244-8.
19. ↑ Bret Hart (15 September 2009). *Hitman: My Real Life in the Cartoon World of Wrestling*. Ebury Publishing, 128. ISBN 978-1-4070-2931-3.
20. ↑ nanayou10380 2013-05-26. (プロレス) 新日本プロレス賢者 .
21. ↑ NWA United National Heavyweight Title history At wrestling-titles.com
22. ↑ NWA Central States Heavyweight Title history At wrestling-titles.com
23. ↑ NWA Central States Tag Team Title history At wrestling-titles.com
24. ↑ Royal Duncan and Gary Will (2006). "(Kansas and Western Missouri) West Missouri: North American Tag Team Title", *Wrestling Title Histories*. Archeus Communications, 253. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
25. ↑ NWA North American Tag Team Title (Central States version) . wrestling-titles.com. Retrieved on 2015-03-24.
26. ↑ NWA Southern Heavyweight Title (Florida) history At wrestling-titles.com
27. ↑ NWA Gulf Coast Tag Team Title history At wrestling-titles.com
28. ↑ NWA/WCW United States Tag Team Title history At wrestling-titles.com
29. ↑ NWA American Tag Team Title history At wrestling-titles.com
30. ↑ NWA World Tag Team Title (Detroit) history At wrestling-titles.com
31. ↑ George Schire (2010). *Minnesota's Golden Age of Wrestling: From Verne Gagne to the Road Warriors*. Minnesota Historical Society, 96. ISBN 978-0-87351-620-4.
32. ↑ NWA World Tag Team Title (Mid-America) history At wrestling-titles.com
33. ↑ North American Heavyweight Title (Mid-South) history At wrestling-titles.com
34. ↑ Mis-South Tag Team Title history At wrestling-titles.com
35. ↑ Chad Bonham (2001). *Wrestling with God*. David C Cook, 43. ISBN 978-1-58919-935-4.
36. ↑ NWA Tri-State Brass Knuckles Title history At wrestling-titles.com
37. ↑ NWA United States Tag Team Title (Tri-State) history At wrestling-titles.com
38. ↑ NWA Brass Knuckles Title (Amarillo) history At wrestling-titles.com
39. ↑ NWA International Heavyweight Title (Amarillo) history At wrestling-titles.com
40. ↑ NWA Western STates Heavyweight Title history At wrestling-titles.com
41. ↑ NWA Western States Tag Team Title history At wrestling-titles.com
42. ↑ Meltzer, Dave 2012-12-10. Mon. update: Major Spike announcement tomorrow, Aces & 8s identity, TNA injury updates, Hall of Fame inductions announced, WWE two PPVs this weekend, Jericho schedule, Amateur wrestling hits MSG first time ever . *Wrestling Observer Newsletter*. Retrieved on 2012-12-10.
43. ↑ Pro Wrestling Illustrated Award Winners Inspirational Wrestler of the Year . Wrestling Information Archive. Archived from the original on 2008-06-16. Retrieved on 2008-07-27.
44. ↑ Pro Wrestling Illustrated's Top 500 Wrestlers of the PWI Years . Wrestling Information Archive. Archived from the original on 2008-03-15. Retrieved on 2010-09-15.
45. ↑ NWA Missouri Heavyweight Title history At wrestling-titles.com
46. ↑ IWA World Tag Team Title history At wrestling-titles.com
47. ↑ WWC Universal Heavyweight Title history At wrestling-titles.com
48. ↑ WWC World Television Title history At wrestling-titles.com