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Football is God in Texas. From the oil fields of west Texas down to the coasts of the Gulf of Mexico, playing football is a dream shared by millions of kids. No sport has ever rivalled the gridiron game in the 28th American state except one: professional wrestling.
At one time, it was Texas’ other contact sport. The state was home to some of the greatest promotions ever run. World Class Championship Wrestling, Southwest Championship Wrestling, and Houston Wrestling were the big three to leave their mark with blood, sweat, and scar tissue.
This tradition is now known by everybody in the wrestling fields and bookmakers have understood it. In fact, you can, for example, benefit from a Bethard bonus if you register on their website and then bet on the sport of your choice, including WWE.
Texas has produced an ungodly number of professional grapplers and one university has the pleasure of being called Pro Wrestling University. West Texas University has mythical status with wrestling fans of a certain generation.
Located in Canyon, the town of just over 13,000 people has one of the unlikeliest connections to the sport of kings. It was at West Texas that the sons of professional wrestlers went to play football. Ted DiBiase, Tully Blanchard, and Terry Funk all attend the school and turned out for the Buffalos.
Now, known as West Texas A&M, the school’s connection to wrestling came thanks to the Funk family. Just 21 miles separate Canyon from Amarillo, the home of the legendary Funk wrestling clan. The school was the Funks playground and its football team was scouted and scoured for talent.
At least 12 professional wrestlers came from West Texas University.
Terry Funk
Dory Funk Jr is often wrongly credited with attending West Texas State. He went to Indiana State instead. Both Funks were born in Indiana prior to the family relocating to Amarillo following World War II. Terry trained under his father, Dory Sr, and debuted in 1965. He was just 21-years old. Ten years later, Terry won the NWA World Championship from Jack Brisco. The win made Terry and Dory Jr the only brother combination to hold the prestigious belt.
Bruiser Brody
Frank Goodish starred at West Texas before having a brief opportunity to play in the NFL. Goodish turned to sports journalism after football and made connections with Dallas wrestling promoter Fritz Von Erich. The patriarch of the Von Erich’s trainer Goodish and broke him into the business in Dallas.
Stan Hansen
Stan Hansen was personally trained by the Funk family. In fact, a lot of Hansen’s gruff wrestling style was taken from the Funks. Hansen debuted in 1973 shortly after his West Texas State days ended. Hansen would go onto become the most famous gaijin in Japanese wrestling history.
Tito Santana
Tito Santana is a wrestler many wouldn’t expect to have a connection to West Texas State. However, Santana was a tight end. After being cut by the Kansas City Chiefs, he went to the Canadian Football League for one season. Shortly thereafter, he broke into the wrestling business along with Tully Blanchard.
Manny Fernadez
Manny Fernandez was known as the “Raging Bull”. It was a moniker he received from drinking and bar fighting sessions with Terry Funk and Dick Murdoch. Trained by Funk, Fernandez went on to a successful career bleeding bucket. His highest profile claim to fame came in 1987 as NWA Tag Team Champions with Rick Rude.
Tully Blanchard
Tully Blanchard was an arrogant asshole in interviews throughout his career. It is easy to believe he acted the exact same way while attending classes at West Texas State. Blanchard was the team’s quarterback and played alongside Ted DiBiase and Tito Santana. After his career was nearly ended in a drunk driving accident, Blanchard returned to school before breaking into the wrestling business.
Dusty Rhodes
The “American Dream” is one of the most famous grapplers to go through West Texas State. He went on to play in the Continental Football League before entering the squared circle. Having gone to school at West Texas, Dusty Rhodes had become real life friends with Terry Funk and Bobby Duncum. Those connections helped him get onto a wrestling show in New England without training. He slowly made his way back to Texas and the rest is history.
Bobby Duncum
Bobby Duncum played for West Texas State in the 1960s. He then played in the NFL with the St. Louis Cardinals before being cut in 1968. A move to wrestling was a no-brainer as the big, tough Texan looked the part. Duncum went on to work a heel cowboy gimmick that saw him wrestle across the United States. He retired in 1986 at the relatively young wrestling age of 42.
Dick Murdoch
Dick Murdoch was truly larger than life. Watch his old matches from the late 1970s from St. Louis, and they still hold up. Unfortunately, his WCW run in the late 1980s and early 1990s is cringeworthy. Murdoch has always been connected to West Texas State. There are those who have disputed the claims saying you couldn’t believe half of Murdoch’s stories. Murdoch doesn’t seem to be the studying type. Of course, he Murdoch was great a following people and was a natural worker.
The others
There have been others to come through West Texas State. Ted DiBiase was on the team with Blanchard before quitting and getting into wrestling. His motivations were strictly financial as he needed to take care of his young family. Barry Windham also attended the school as did Scott Casey.
West Texas State may never produce another professional wrestler. However, the school has already be home to more grapplers than any other university.
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