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This one flew under the radar but an autobiography of one of the biggest international stars ever, "The Destroyer" Dick Beyer has been released in paperback and Kindle form. "Masked Decisions: The Triangular Life of Dick 'The Destroyer' 'Doctor X' Beyer; From American Athlete to International Icon" is billed as "A crisp, jaw-dropping biography with never-before-revealed details of a Buff alo, New York sports hero, whose athletic skills and life choices led to international success and stardom, but not without personal sacrifice and profound tragedy
• From learning-challenged student to highly acclaimed student athlete
• From college football and amateur wrestling standout to professional villain
• From wartime fear of Japan to becoming one of America’s - and Japan’s - biggest stars
Masked Decisions unveils a portrait of one of the world’s pioneering sports and multimedia celebrities."
One of the biggest personalities of the Mid-South and 1980s WWF will have his life chronicled as The King of New Orleans: How the Junkyard Dog Became Professional Wrestling's First Black Superhero by Greg Klein will be released in June 2012. Details on the book: "Telling the remarkable tale of a man who is still remembered on the streets of New Orleans and in the hearts of professional-wrestling fans, this book aims to restore the overlooked Junkyard Dog to his proper place in the history books. In 1979, Sylvester Ritter, also known as the Junkyard Dog, managed to break one of the final color barriers in the sport by becoming the first black wrestler named undisputed top star of his promotion, and this biography reveals all the famous feuds and business back stories that made him a wrestling legend. By 1985, New Orleans was one of the hottest cities in the Mid-South for pro wrestling due in large part to the Junkyard Dog; he became a legend in the Big Easy, drawing sellout crowds to the Downtown Municipal Auditorium and huge crowds to the Superdome, a feat unparalleled by any other wrestler. The King of New Orleans delves into wrestling’s recent past and recounts how a region known for racial injustice became the home of the sport’s first black idol. "
Official details on the WWE's first EBook focusing on a specific star (and originally released for that format, as opposed to a book that was also released in that format) was released. Here are the details for Diary of a Heartbreak Kid obviously about Shawn Michaels - "It's the week of Wrestlemania, an event that began the same year as Shawn Michaels' decorated career, an annual spectacular that The Heartbreak Kid seized time after time as his personal stage of excellence. Such a grand setting could not be more appropriate for WWE’s one and only Showstopper to add "Mr. Hall of Fame" to his myriad monikers. From his debut in 1984 to his final WWE match in 2010, the world has seen Michaels allure audiences and perform like no other entertainer in history. But that's inside the ring. What if you could walk beside the incomparable Heartbreak Kid outside the squared circle, beyond the curtain and spend four days with the man living a boyhood dream? Diary of a Heartbreak Kid shadows Shawn Michaels for an immensely poignant occasion of reflection, introspection and celebration as The Heartbreak Kid is inducted into the esteemed WWE Hall of Fame on Saturday, April 2, 2011. In a moment-to-moment narrative, Diary captures the raw emotions and unfiltered candor of The Heartbreak Kid as he's reunited with family, friends and a veritable who's who of squared circle lore – Triple H, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, Ric Flair, The Rock, Vince McMahon – all of whom have crossed and shaped Michaels' path to the Hall of Fame. With his beautiful wife, two jubilant children, time tested faith and nearly three decades of four-cornered memories, the retired Michaels steps back into the warmth of the limelight during the weekend of WWE's grandest extravaganza to experience the greatest honor in sports-entertainment. And with Diary of a Heartbreak Kid, you're riding shotgun."
The Terry Funk and Dusty Rhodes autobiographies, which were released in 2005, will be released in paperback form in April. What is interesting here is that the releases are being billed as from Sports Publishing, which went into bankruptcy a few years ago. From speaking to someone who was close to the projects today, these literally came out of nowhere.
ECW Press will be releasing a new book from MMA writer Jonathan Snowden will be releasing Shooters - Toughest Men in Pro Wrestling in June 2012. The blurb for the book reads, "From William Muldoon to Brock Lesnar, this history covers those who have divided themselves as tough guys on the professional wrestling circuit and legitimate confrontations. From catch wrestling master Billy Robinson to the Japanese professional wrestler who gave birth to the global phenomenon that is modern mixed martial arts (MMA), this investigation travels from the shadowy carnival tent and the dingy training hall to the bright lights of the squared circle and the Las Vegas glitz of the octagon. Billy Riley's legendary Wigan Snake Pit and the rigorous UWF Dojo in Tokyo are explored, revealing the secret history of both professional wrestling and the rising sport of MMA. Squared circle icons Strangler Lewis and Lou Thesz and Olympic heroes Danny Hodge and Kurt Angle are also featured."
The official release date on the Billy Robinson autobiography will be June 2012.
Tim Hornbacker, who wrote an amazingly detailed book on the history of the National Wrestling Alliance, will be releasing his second book Legends of Pro Wrestling: 150 Years of Headlocks, Body Slams, and Piledrivers in July 2012.
The paperback version of Chris Jericho's "Undisputed" will be released on 2/1/12.
A new series of children's wrestling autobiographies is in the works for public and school libraries, with books on CM Punk, Randy Orton, John Cena, The Undertaker, The Miz and Jack Swagger. .
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