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Promotional material for the book that was released reads:
Bob Backlund began life as a poor farm boy in the little
village of Princeton, Minnesota, with a population of just over 2,000 people. He
was a below-average student with a lackluster work ethic and a bad attitude, who
hung with the wrong crowd and made a lot of bad choices. He was a kid whose life
was headed for disaster—until a local coach took interest in him, suggested that
he take up amateur wrestling, and offered to work with him if he promised to
stay out of trouble.
It was in North Dakota that Bob Backlund had the
first of several chance encounters that would shape his destiny. While working
out at the YMCA gymnasium in Fargo, North Dakota, where he wrestled for North
Dakota State, Backlund met a well-known professional wrestler, “Superstar†Billy
Graham. The men talked, and at Graham’s suggestion, Backlund was inspired to
pursue a career in professional wrestling.
Less than five years from that
day, on February 20, 1978, Backlund would find himself halfway across the
country, standing in the middle of the ring at Madison Square Garden with his
hand raised in victory as the newly crowned World Wide Wrestling Federation
Heavyweight Champion. The man Backlund pinned for the championship that night
was none other than Superstar Billy Graham.
With interviews from “Nature
Boy†Ric Flair, “Rowdy†Roddy Piper, and The Iron Sheik, as well as Vince
McMahon, the president and CEO of the WWE, The All-American Kid tells the
incredible story and career of Bob Backlund, one of the most famous wrestlers
since the inception of the sport. From his rough upbringing and rise to fame to
his failed run for Congress and revived career, Bob Backlund has traveled the
world, learning and seeing more than most people will in a lifetime.
Sports Publishing will be releasing the book.
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