Bobo Brazil

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Little Rock, Arkansas

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St. Joseph, Michigan

**Houston Harris** (July 10, 1924 – January 20, 1998) was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name **Bobo Brazil**. Credited with breaking down barriers of racial segregation in professional wrestling, Harris is considered one of the first successful African American professional wrestlers.

## Early life

Houston Harris was born in Little Rock, Arkansas but later lived in East St. Louis, Illinois, and Benton Harbor, Michigan. He played baseball and worked in a steel mill.

## Professional wrestling career

Harris was trained by Joe Savoldi after meeting him at matches at the Naval Armory. Savoldi originally named Harris, BuBu Brasil, "The South American Giant," but a promoter misprinted his first name as "Bobo" in an advertisement and it stuck.

Early in his career, some wrestling promoters would match Brazil against fellow African American wrestlers, including Ernie Ladd and Abdullah the Butcher. Fans clamored to see Brazil face opponents of any type and Brazil would have many matches with competitors such as Killer Kowalski, Dick the Bruiser, Johnny Valentine, and The Sheik, who feuded with Brazil over the course of several decades. These and other rivals would all fall victim to Brazil's finishing maneuver, the Coco Butt. Brazil also once wrestled Bill Miller to a draw, and challenged Bruno Sammartino for the WWWF World Heavywight Championship in a battle of two top babyface competitors. On October 18, 1962, Brazil made history by becoming the first African American to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship by defeating "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers (this distinction is usually given to Ron Simmons, the first recognized African American world champion after winning the WCW World Heavyweight Championship). Although Brazil initially refused the title (because of an "injury" that Rogers had claimed to have), Brazil was awarded the title the next day after doctors had found nothing wrong with Rogers. However, this title change is not recognized by the NWA.

On October 9, 1970, Brazil and El Mongol defeated Mr. Ito and The Great Ota in the first racially mixed match in Atlanta history.

Brazil served as a mentor to wrestler "Soulman" Rocky Johnson. Brazil's manager was James Dudley, the first African American to be in charge of a major arena in the United States. Dudley would run to the ring waving a towel, as Brazil followed behind.

Brazil retired in 1993 after a four decade career. His last official match was in Chicago, Illinois against Kelly Kiniski, son of rival Gene Kiniski. Brazil was inducted into the WWF Hall of Fame in 1994 by Ernie Ladd. The following year, Brazil inducted Ladd into the WWF Hall of Fame.

## Personal life

After retiring from wrestling, he ran a restaurant. Harris had six children. Bobo Brazil was married to Kathleen Wimbley Brazil former Lady Wrestler from Columbus, Ohio. They had one son Randall L. Brazil. Bobo's grandson is Harris Osei Brazil son of Randall L. Brazil. They all reside in Northern New Jersey.

## Death

Harris died on January 20, 1998 at the Lakeland Medical Center in St. Joseph, Michigan. He had been admitted to the hospital on January 14, after suffering a series of strokes.

## In wrestling

* **Finishing moves**
	+ *Coco Butt* (Head-butt)
* **Signature moves**
	+ Piledriver
	+ Elbow smash to the back of the head

## Championships and accomplishments

* **Championship Wrestling from Florida**
	+ NWA Florida Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Sweet Brown Sugar (1) and Dusty Rhodes (1)
* **Eastern Sports Association**
	+ ESA North American Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
* **Japan Wrestling Association**
	+ NWA International Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
* **Maple Leaf Wrestling**
	+ NWA Canadian Open Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Whipper Billy Watson
	+ NWA United States Heavyweight Championship *(Toronto version)* (1 time)
* **Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling**
	+ NWA United States Heavyweight Championship *(Mid-Atlantic version)* (1 time)
* **Midwest Wrestling Association (Ohio)**
	+ MWA Ohio Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
	+ MWA Ohio Tag Team Championship (3 times) – with Frankie Talaber
* **National Wrestling Alliance**
	+ NWA Hall of Fame (Class of 2013)
* **NWA Detroit**
	+ NWA United States Heavyweight Championship *(Detroit version)* (9 times)
	+ NWA World Tag Team Championship *(Detroit version)* (8 times) – with Art Thomas (1), Bill Miller (1), Athol Layton (1), The Stomper (1), Tony Marino (3) and Fred Curry (1)
* **NWA Hollywood Wrestling**
	+ NWA Americas Heavyweight Championship (3 times)
* **NWA Los Angeles**
	+ NWA "Beat the Champ" Television Championship (1 time)
	+ NWA International Television Tag Team Championship (4 times) – with Wilbur Snyder (2), Sandor Szabo (1), and Primo Carnera (1)
	+ NWA Pacific Coast Heavyweight Championship *(Los Angeles version)* (1 time)
* **NWA San Francisco**
	+ NWA United States Heavyweight Championship *(San Francisco version)* (1 time)
* **Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum**
	+ Television Era (Class of 2008)
* ***Pro Wrestling Illustrated***
	+ PWI Editor's Award (1998)
* **Superstars of Wrestling**
	+ SoW United States Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
* **World Wrestling Association (Indianapolis)**
	+ WWA World Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
	+ WWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Chris Carter
* **Worldwide Wrestling Associates**
	+ WWA World Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
* **World Wide Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Federation**
	+ WWWF United States Heavyweight Championship (7 times, inaugural and final)
	+ WWF Hall of Fame (Class of 1994)
* ***Wrestling Observer Newsletter***
	+ Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 1996)

1 Not officially recognised as champion because conflicting interests

## References

1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 Drason Burzynski, Dave. Bobo Brazil . Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum. Archived from the original on 2011-01-04. Retrieved on 2010-06-24.
2. ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 Bobo Brazil Profile . Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved on 2008-02-06.
3. ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 Bobo Brazil's WWE Hall of Fame profile . World Wrestling Entertainment. Retrieved on 2011-03-29.
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Hornbaker, Tim (2007). *National Wrestling Alliance: The Untold Story of the Monopoly That Strangled Pro Wrestling*. ECW Press, 240–242. ISBN 978-1-55022-741-3.
5. ↑ Google Books Jackie Robinson reference
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 Bobo Brazil dies at age 74 . SLAM! Sports. Retrieved on 2009-03-24.
7. ↑ Bobo Brazil . Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved on 2011-09-08.
8. ↑ History of the NWA World Heavyweight Championship . NWA Wrestling. Archived from the original on 2006-12-01. Retrieved on 2009-03-24.
9. ↑ pro wrestling illustrated
10. ↑ Archived copy . Archived from the original on 2012-04-14. Retrieved on 2012-04-14.
11. ↑ Florida Tag Team Heavyweight Title . Puroresu Dojo (2003).
12. ↑ N.W.A. United States Heavyweight Title (Toronto) . Puroresu Dojo (2003).
13. ↑ N.W.A./W.C.W. United States Heavyweight Title . Puroresu Dojo (2003).
14. ↑ http://www.walkertexaslawyer.com/nwaringside.com/home/hall-of-fame/2013
15. ↑ N.W.A. United States Heavyweight Title (Detroit) . Puroresu Dojo (2003).
16. ↑ N.W.A. Americas Heavyweight Title . Puroresu Dojo (2003).
17. ↑ N.W.A. "Beat the Champ" International Television Title (Los Angeles) . Puroresu Dojo (2003).
18. ↑ International Television Tag Team Title (Los Angeles) . Puroresu Dojo (2003).
19. ↑ N.W.A. Pacific Coast Heavyweight Title (San Francisco) . Puroresu Dojo (2003).
20. ↑ N.W.A. United States Heavyweight Title (San Francisco) . Puroresu Dojo (2003).
21. ↑ Pro Wrestling Illustrated Award Winners – Editor's Award . Wrestling Information Archive. Archived from the original on 2011-01-03. Retrieved on 2008-05-04.
22. ↑ W.W.A. World Tag Team Title (Indianapolis) . Puroresu Dojo (2003).