Gene Anderson

**Eugene Avon Anderson** (October 4, 1939 – October 31, 1991) was an American professional wrestler and professional wrestling manager. He is best known as one-half of the tag team The Minnesota Wrecking Crew with Lars Anderson and Ole Anderson. He was a marquee performer for the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) from the late 1960s, appearing with promotions including the American Wrestling Association (AWA), Georgia Championship Wrestling (GCW) and Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling (ACW). The Minnesota Wrecking Crew were named "Tag Team of the Year" by *Pro Wrestling Illustrated* in 1975 and 1977.

## Professional wrestling career

Anderson was born in Saint Paul, Minnesota to Royal Anderson and Pauline Sergeant. He competed in amateur wrestling while attending South Saint Paul Secondary, becoming a state champion. He attended North Dakota State College of Science.

Anderson was trained by Verne Gagne, making his debut in 1958. He spent several years wrestling in Calgary, Alberta, Canada for Stampede Wrestling.

Anderson joined the Minneapolis, Minnesota-based American Wrestling Association (AWA) in 1961. In 1965, he formed the tag team The Minnesota Wrecking Crew with Lars Anderson, who was billed as his brother.

Anderson made his first appearance with the Atlanta, Georgia-based promotion Georgia Championship Wrestling (GCW) in 1963. In 1967, he and Lars Anderson held the NWA Southern Tag Team Championship *(Georgia version)* on two occasions. The duo also won the NWA World Tag Team Championship *(Georgia version)* in April 1967, vacating the championship later that year.

Anderson resumed wrestling for Georgia Championship Wrestling (GCW) in the mid-1970s, this time with Ole Anderson as his partner. The duo held both the NWA Macon Tag Team Championship and the NWA Southeastern Tag Team Championship *(Georgia version)* on one occasion in 1974, and the NWA Georgia Tag Team Championship on seven occasions between 1974 and 1977.

In 1966, Anderson (along with Lars) began regularly wrestling for the Charlotte, North Carolina-based promotion Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling (MACW). After Lars relocated to Hawaii in 1969, Anderson reformed the tag team with Ole Anderson, who was also billed as his brother.

Between 1970 and 1975, he and Ole Anderson won the NWA Atlantic Coast Tag Team Championship (renamed the NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship in 1973) on six occasions. On January 29, 1975, the duo were crowned the inaugural NWA World Tag Team Champions *(Mid-Atlantic version)*. They went on to hold the championship on six further occasions.

The duo's final reign ended when they forfeited the championship in December 1981 after Anderson sustained an injury. In 1979, Anderson took control of Buddy Rogers' stable of wrestlers, naming it "Anderson's Army".

Between 1979 and 1981, due to arising health issues, Anderson managed wrestlers including The Iron Sheik, Jimmy Snuka, Ray Stevens, The Masked Superstar, and Ivan Koloff. The stable was disbanded when Anderson reformed The Minnesota Wrecking Crew with Ole Anderson.

In 1982, Anderson joined Sir Oliver Humperdink's stable, the House of Humperdink. Humperdink acted as Anderson's manager for the remainder of his time in Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling (MACW).

Anderson wrestled his final match in 1985. Anderson ran a professional wrestling school with Nelson Royal. Wrestlers trained by Anderson included MMA and WWF star Ken Shamrock. Anderson later became a deputy sheriff in North Carolina.

Anderson was married to Edith "Edie" Anderson (née Simpson). The couple had a son, Brad, who also became a professional wrestler, as well as two daughters, Alicia Anderson and Pauline Anderson. Anderson had a damaged neck, which caused him to constantly twitch.

## Death

Anderson died of a sudden heart attack on October 31, 1991 while attending a law enforcement training event in Huntersville, North Carolina aged 52. According to the November 11, 1991 *Wrestling Observer Newsletter*, Anderson was found dead in a bathroom after he’d been gone for 20 minutes.