Bob Orton Sr.

**Robert Keith Orton Sr.** (July 21, 1929 – July 16, 2006) was an American professional wrestler. The patriarch of the Orton wrestling family, his two sons Bob Orton Jr. and Barry Orton, and grandson Randy Orton, all wrestled professionally. To distinguish between him and his son, he is also known as **Bob Orton Sr.** Bob Orton Sr. was often referred to by his nickname "The Big O".

## Professional wrestling career

Orton started his wrestling career in 1950. He won the NWA Central States Heavyweight Championship from Alo Leilani on December 20, 1951, his first title. He dropped the title on February 28, 1952, to Enrique Torres, until defeating Dave Sims on January 28, 1954 to win the championship again. He also held the Southwest States Junior Heavyweight Championship and the Ohio United States Tag Team Championship with Great Scott.

Orton held the NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship, defending it in the Carolinas against top contender and face Johnny Weaver. Orton and rival-turned-partner Eddie Graham defeated The Medics on April 19, 1966 to capture the Florida version of the NWA World Tag Team Championship. For undocumented reasons, the titles were vacated in May but they got them back soon after. However, that same month, their titles were vacated again after Orton left the Sunshine State.

Orton also teamed with Boris Malenko as a hated duo since Orton was from Kansas and Malenko was billed from Moscow (though he was actually from New Jersey). During a match against George and Sandy Scott in Richmond, Virginia, Orton and Malenko were attacked by fans during a riot. Orton was knocked out by a chair and trampled by fans while Malenko was stabbed in the abdomen.

Successfully capturing championships in various National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) territories, Orton also held the NWA Florida Tag Team Championship with his son "Cowboy" Bob Orton in Florida Championship Wrestling and the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship in Central States Wrestling. He also competed in the American Wrestling Association (AWA), where he also gained championship success.

In 1961, Orton competed for the then NWA Capitol Wrestling Federation (now WWE), teaming with "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers. Described by the Post and Courier as blond bombers, they headlined against the likes of Johnny Valentine and Antonino Rocca, Valentine and Argentina Apollo, and Rocca and Bearcat Wright.

Orton eventually left Capitol Wrestling Corporation, by competing in other NWA territories. In 1968, Orton returned to Capitol Wrestling Corporation renamed as World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF), often using the name of "Cowboy" Rocky Fitzpatrick. In September 1968, he served as the number one challenger to WWWF World Heavyweight Champion Bruno Sammartino, losing to him at Madison Square Garden. He fought Sammartino in other northeastern cities as well.

In the summer of 1969, Orton wrestled in the Ohio Sports Classics Promotion. During the 1970s, Orton Sr. held the NWA Florida Tag Team Championship with many partners including his son Bob, Taurus, Hiro Matsuda and Bob Roop. At the same time, he suffered from injuries which included a broken collarbone which was diagnosed as a serious abscess over his right kidney. He also worked after having his spine fused with bone from his hip after having his fourth and fifth lumbar vertebrae removed.

Orton retired in July 2000 and spent the last years of his life living in Las Vegas. Though he was confined to a wheelchair, Orton was still active in the business and was a fixture during Cauliflower Alley Club banquets. He and his sons Bob and Barry were given the Family Award by the CAC in 2005.

## Death

Following multiple heart attacks, Orton died in Las Vegas, Nevada on July 16, 2006, at the age of 76, five days short of his 77th birthday.

His grandson stated *"He had a heart attack at home, and they took him to the hospital where he had another more severe heart attack, he had an eight hour surgery that gave him a 20 percent chance to survive; he did, but about 10 hours after the surgery he passed away."* He was cremated and had his ashes scattered on Mount Charleston, Nevada in April 2007.