NWA Champion Harley Race with Gordon Solie

"Ten pounds of PURE gold, buddy!"

Gene Gordon Photo / c. Ditchcat Photography

No champion ever spoke more reverently of the NWA World Championship belt than Handsome Harley Race.

Rich and Race

Great magazine cover from 1982, former NWA World Champion "Wildfire" Tommy Rich battling reigning champion Harley Race. This was Tommy Rich in his prime. The two traded the NWA title a year earlier in Georgia. 

Could Terry Funk Take The Champ? (Aug. 1979 in Florida)

Could Terry Take The Champ?
from "The Grapevine" Volume II, Number 34
August 1979 (Championship Wrestling from Florida)

Sports fans of the future will look at the decade which is the Seventies and see three names at the top of the roster in the area of professional wrestling. These are, Funk, Brisco and Race. Perhaps another will be added before 1980 is upon us, but time is drawing short.

And if the title does change hands before the end of the year, it seems quite possible that the new champion will not be entirely new at all.

"Handsome" Harley Race

Former title-holder Terry Funk who, along with his older broth-er, Dory Funk Jr., held the NWA crown for half of the current decade, has emerged as one of the biggest threats to confront reigning champion Harley Race thus far. It was Harley Race who brought the reign of Terry Funk to an abrupt end early in
1977. Unlike his brother, Terry was an impulsive, hot-tempered scrapper who seemed to feel that he had to prove himself every time he got in the ring, even after he had won the world heavyweight championship. It was this impulsive nature that Harley Race took advantage of the night he won the belt from Terry Funk.

Another factor in Funk's loss to Race cannot be overlooked, however, and that is the fact that Terry emerged badly-battered from a match with Dusty Rhodes the night before Harley Race beat him for the NWA title. It's hard to ignore this factor in Race's victory. Funk won't claim it--he's too proud to make excuses. Race won't admit it because doing so might damage his image as world champion. Rhodes doesn't even want to talk about it.

Nevertheless, it's there, and the question remains, could Harley Race have beaten Terry Funk if Dusty Rhodes hadn't "softened up" his fellow-Texan first?

The "experts" may still be arguing about this a hundred years from now, but for the moment we are left with two uncommonly tough Texans lined up in a determined effort to take the world heavyweight championship from Harley Race. It seems almost impossible to say which is first in line right at this moment, each having presented a strong case for himself as the "logical challenger."

Not to diminish Dusty in any respect, or any of the other challengers, for that mattter, it is only fair that we give Terry Funk some special consideration at this point. Terry is a former world champion, and because he has been active in other areas for the most part since Race took the title from him, we really haven't given Terry the coverage his status as a top contender merits. Terry Funk, it is said, didn't have to be slapped on the behind by the doctor who delivered him. He came into this world raising hell in a loud voice, and in all probability will go out the same way.

He grew up in the shadow of a father who did as much as Sam Houston and Billy The Kid to remind the rest of the world that Texans are tough. Terry also had an older brother who combined great athletic ability with a degree of intellectualism not always found among professional athletes. In other words, Terry Funk grew up with a lot of image to live up to. A lesser man wouldn't even have tried, but Terry Funk not only tried, he succeeded. He matched Dory Funk Jr.'s outstanding record as an amateur athlete at West Texas State University, and nobody anywhere made light of Terry's somewhat limited talents as a vocalist when he sang, 'Waltz Across Texas."

If Harley Race has to face Terry Funk -- and at this stage of the game it seems almost inevitable that he will -- the current world champion won't be going up against a man who has just finished battle with Dusty Rhodes. He'll be facing a more seasoned challenger who'll have a lot more reason to be confident than he had in 1977.

And just as much reason to be confident, it seems, as Harley Race had in that year. Time has a way of changing things.

 

⭐️NEW ADDITION⭐️8/20/79: West Palm Beach:
NWA WORLD TITLE MATCH:
Harley Race
vs.
Steve Keirn
Manny Fernandez & Jack Brisco
vs.
Jos Le Duc & Don Muraco pic.twitter.com/hq1myT8g1y

— Phil Cole (@Philcool27) June 20, 2023

 

Connecting the Dots: Brisco, Funk, Race, & Rhodes (1977)

by Dick Bourne
Originally published on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway

During the first years of my hardcore fandom of pro wrestling, 1975-1976, there were four main singles stars in the Mid-Atlantic area. Those wrestlers were Wahoo McDaniel, Paul Jones, Ric Flair, and Blackjack Mulligan. This was my "A-list."

But there was another "A-list" I was fascinated by, too, and that was a group of four wrestlers that were atop the NWA's world championship picture during those years. That group included Jack Brisco, Terry Funk, Harley Race, and Dusty Rhodes.

During the mid-to-late 1970s, these were the guys that dominated the NWA coverage in the newsstand magazines. And even though Rhodes didn't win the NWA title until 1979 (and really only seriously in 1981), he was always in the title picture, and the darling of the magazines. He was also a special attraction in our area, especially in the 1970s, as much or more than the NWA champions.

I was always fascinated by how these four always were interconnected from a storyline and title-lineage perspective. I remember this first really dawned on me when our TV programs showed the tape of Harley Race beating Terry Funk for the NWA title in Toronto in 1977, and Whipper Billy Watson (a former NWA champion and Toronto legend doing commentary for the match) made the observation that not only was Race now a 2-time champion, but he had defeated both of the Funk brothers in doing so.

From that point forward, the Funk/Brisco/Race triangle (with Rhodes thrown in there causing trouble) was one of my favorite subjects to dwell on.

So it was with great pleasure that I recently came across this wonderful little article from the Tampa Tribune published two days after Race defeated Funk in that very match in Toronto, and promoting the matches later that night at the Hesterly Armory in Tampa. The article is un-credited, but whoever wrote it knew their stuff, and it was a delight reading how he sorted through all of the these connections I used to think about as a young teenage wrestling fan, and related them beautifully to the current events in Florida.

From the article in the Tampa Tribune, February 8, 1977, via Newspapers.com:

Race Regains NWA Title, Defends Against Brisco

Harley Race won the National Wrestling Alliance world heavyweight championship against Terry Funk in Toronto Sunday night and will defend the title against Jack Brisco tonight at Fort Homer Hesterly Armory.

As far as Brisco is concerned, their championship fight is three nights too late. Brisco beat Race Saturday night at the Bayfront Center in St. Petersburg.

The turn of events involving Funk, Race, Brisco and Dusty Rhodes make soap operas seem awfully dull.

Rhodes beat Funk in the featured title match Saturday night at the Bayfront, but Funk was disqualified for kayoing the referee and the title didn't change hands.

Funk, however, injured a knee in that match and against better judgment went ahead with his scheduled match with Race in Toronto Sunday night.

Race beat Funk in a quick 14 minutes, 10 seconds with an Indian death lock, which places pressure on the knee and ankle.

NWA rules require a new champion to fulfill the former champion's match commitments. Interestingly, this brings Race right back against Brisco on tonight's Gasparilla Championships starting at 8:30 at Hesterly.

Terry Funk defeated Brisco for the championship in Miami in December of 1975.

Race previously held the title by defeating Dory Funk Jr. - - Terry's brother - - in March of 1973 and Race lost it to Brisco the following July.

An interesting triangle.

And who does Rhodes, the popular "American Dream wrestle tonight at Hesterly? Dory Funk Jr.

So, tonight's intriguing lineup pits Race vs. Brisco and Rhodes vs. Funk -- one champion and two ex-champs in the top two bouts.

It was in the same Gasparilla week of 1969 that Dory Funk Jr., lifted the heavyweight championship from Gene Kiniski at Hesterly.

Race has been wrestling professionally for 17 years. He turned pro with the NWA at 16, the youngest wrestler ever to do so.

Race makes his home in Kansas City.

I learned another little NWA title history storyline nugget in this article, too. I never knew the bit about Terry Funk injuring his knee in St. Petersburg the night before the title change in Toronto. Maybe I'd read that before and just forgotten it, but it was a nice little twist to NWA title lore.

PWF Champion Harley Race (Japan)

An AWESOME picture of Harley Race in Japan! @vintagepuro @WrestlingIsKing @ostpies pic.twitter.com/GcoUUgs8zg

— 🎙 The Wrestling Memory Grenade 🎙 (@RasslinGrenade) May 28, 2023

Texas Stadium: Harley Race vs. Kerry Von Erich

Kerry Von Erich & former NWA World Champion Harley Race absolutely laying it in at Texas Stadium. Harley is well-established in the “all-time great” category, Kerry is only 22 years old here and already a king among men. (6.4.1982) 🌟 pic.twitter.com/FGUcFrPdb3

— Vintage Puroresu プロレス (@vintagepuro) February 24, 2023

Flair and Race

pic.twitter.com/zdlNSv9Wpp

— ねひつじ (@nehitsuji) August 10, 2022

You Don't Want Harley Race Smiling at You

 

Dr. Tom Prichard: The Night Brisco Became Champion

Tom Prichard's ticket stub for wrestling at the
Sam Houston Coliseum, July 20, 1973

Back in 2012, while surfing the internet, I came across a great article by pro-wrestling superstar Tom Prichard on his "Doctor's Note" blog.  In his article "Harley Race vs. Jack Brisco: The Night Brisco Became NWA World Champion", Prichard looks back at the significance the date July 20, 1973 had for him in several ways, not the least of which was the historic title change between Race and Brisco, also the night the belt known as "the ten pounds of gold" was first presented to the champion.

 Prichard, who grew up in El Passo, TX, watching wrestling out of the Amarillo territory, was there in Houston that night and the pomp and circumstance surrounding the big night left a lasting impression on him. I greatly enjoyed his first hand account.

Included in the article are images of the actual newspaper reports that week (not reproductions) as well as programs, magazines, and his row 12, seat 8 ticket stub. All very cool, indeed.

Many of the clippings seen in Prichard's post are also featured in the "Ten Pounds of Gold" book, copies of which were provided by Harley Race.

Click the link the below to go to Tom Prichard's blog and relive the night history was made in Houston.

"Harley Race vs. Jack Brisco: The Night Brisco Became NWA World Champion" 

 

Dr. Tom's blog is "The Doctor's Note" and is located here:

http://drtomprichard.blogspot.com/

 

 

Originally published on the Domed Globe site in October of 2012

A Story Well Told: Florida's Role in the Race/Funk NWA Title Change in Toronto (1977)

by Dick Bourne
Mid-Atlantic Gateway

We're always appreciative of newspapers that do a good job of presenting wrestling in a journalistic fashion. This is a particularly good article in the Tampa Tribune promoting an upcoming card for Championship Wrestling from Florida on February 8, 1977, just two nights after Harley Race defeated Terry Funk with an Indian deathlock to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. 

Who knows who wrote the piece. It doesn't really sound like it came from the office, but it sounds way too informed to be written by the a staff sports writer either.

The article captures all the complete twists and turns in the wonderful story leading up to this night at the fabled Fort Homer Hesterly Armory. There were actually two separate stories being told.

The first story cemented former champion Jack Brisco as Florida's top contender for the NWA title. Many of the fans coming to the Hesterly Armory that Tuesday night had witnessed Brisco cleanly beat Harley Race, also a former champion, that past Saturday in St. Petersburg. Surely Brisco could beat Race again, this time with his newly won NWA World championship at stake in Tampa.

The second story told answered a question many might have had following the finish to the title change match in Toronto. As a teenage fan watching wrestling in 1977, when the film of the match from Toronto was shown on Mid-Atlantic television, it seemed strange to me that Race had won by submission with an Indian deathlock. I had only ever seen our local hero Paul Jones win with that hold. In the wrestling magazines, it seemed the reports usually suggested Race typically won with various suplexes or his infamous flying headbutt from the top turnbuckle, resulting in wins by three-count pinfall. Why had Race instead gone for the submission for the win against Funk in Toronto? 

The answer, it turned out, played out the night before in Florida.

The main event of the card in St. Petersburg on Saturday night was Terry Funk defending the NWA title against Dusty Rhodes. As the article above reports, Funk injured his knee in the match against Rhodes, and "against his better judgement" went ahead with the scheduled title defense against Race the next night in Toronto.

The rest, as they say, is history. Race knew what most fans didn't about the night before in the St, Petertsburg Bayfront Arena. Funk was hurt, and Race took advantage. He defeated Funk in 14:10 with an Indian death-lock to capture the gold belt. (I can still hear ring announcer Norm Kimber make the famous call.) It was a hold Race used infrequently (if ever?) and seemed almost out of place as it happened that night in Maple Leaf Gardens.

As the author of the article pointed out. Brisco's victory over Race in St. Petersburg came three days too early. Race got the better of him in Tampa this night to retain.  

• SAT FEB 5, 1977 - St. Petersburg, FL - NWA Champ Terry Funk injures his knee in a successful world title defense against Dusty Rhodes. On the same card, Jack Brisco defeats Harley Race.
• SUN FEB 6, 1977 - Toronto, ON - Harley Race defeats Terry Funk to win the NWA World Title. Race deploys a rarely-used Indian deathlock to win the match, exploiting Funk's hurt knee from the night before in St. Petersburg.
• TUE FEB 8, 1977 - Tampa, FL - New NWA Champion Harley Race defeats Jack Brisco to defend title, the result of the match written about in the article seen above.
  
  

The injury to Funk's knee in St. Petersburg gave Funk an excuse he could bandy about after his loss to Race in Toronto the next night.

The article also colors between the lines nicely, accurately reporting key dates in the NWA title history of Brisco and the Funk Brothers, and even including a reference to an NWA title change in the same building eight years earlier to the week.

It's just an all around amazing piece to be found in a newspaper, and one of my favorite clippings from the history of the NWA title changes during the domed-globe era. And for those curious, it explains one of the mysteries about the historic Toronto finish some fans may have had at the time. 

* * * * * 

Video of Harley Race's win over Funk in Toronto can be found on the Domed-Globe website here.

Late update: See three pages from the Florida program "The Grapevine" for the Feb. 5 show in St. Petersburg that set the stage for Toronto. (Thanks@bobbynorton9115 on Twitter.) 

This article was originally posted on our sister website, The Domed-Globe.

"Handsome" Harley Race with Pure Gold

This image is of a poster from a Japanese magazine in 1977, not long after Race won the NWA title in Toronto from Terry Funk. Most of the Japanese magazines featured really nice photography and fold out or centerfold posters.

One of the tell-tale signs that dates this photo is the condition of the belt. It is the third configuration, or version, of the domed-globe belt.

Not long before Funk dropped the title to Race, the NWA had the title belt refurbished. It had taken an awful beeating during Funk's reign. The globe had been badly dented and much of the black paint on the belt had come off.

The key identifier that this was the third configuration of the belt was that Canada is to the left of the main plate, the only version of the four to have that distinction. (In fact, Canada was in a different position on all four versions of the belt.)

Other notable identifiers on the belt in this picture peg it to early-mid 1977:

• cream-colored fabric backing on the leather
• black onyx panels replacing the black-painted areas on either side of the main plate
• new globe (with curved "NWA" letters)

Not long after Race won the title in 1977, one additional refurbishment took place. The leather was replaced (with a slightly different cut) and the creme-colored fabric backing on the belt (seen in this photo) was removed, leaving the leather on the back of the belt exposed. The fact that the cream-colored backing is visible in this photo means it was taken sometime in the months following Race's victory over Funk.

If little details like that interest you, check out my book on the domed globe belt titled Ten Pounds of Gold. Almost every possible detail is discussed in a chapter that outlines all four versions of the belt.

Brisco Reign Begins: Hand Raised in Houston

Ring announcer Boyd Pierce raises the hand of a triumphant Jack Brisco moments after Brisco defeated Harley Race for the NWA World Heavyweight championship on July 20, 1973 in Houston, Texas. A dejected Race is seen in the corner behind them.

NWA President Sam Muchnick is at left. He had attended the card that night in Houston and brought the new NWA World title belt with him. It was presented to Race before the match, but he didn't have a chance to enjoy the new belt, as Brisco took the 2-out-of-3 fall match and the championship laurels that night.

Although hidden behind Brisco in this photograph so you can't see him here, it is Tiger Conway, Jr. who is strapping the belt around the new champion's waist.

A wonderful photograph, perhaps taken by promoter Paul Boesch who took many photos that night, featured in an issue of Gong Magazine in Japan.

www.tenpoundsofgold.com

Clash of Champions

A very cool moment at WrestleCade as legend meets legacy. (Better watch yourself, champ. I'm betting Harley could still take you.)

#tenpoundsofgold with the living legend @8XNWAChampion Harley Race. At his camp in 2007 he said to me "you could do something kid." I've tried Harley. We'll keep trying. pic.twitter.com/wk9s68wq6j

— Nick Aldis (@RealNickAldis) November 26, 2018

The NWA's "Big Three" (Japan Magazine)

Thanks to Scottie Richardson at Wrestler Weekly for sending us this image of a classic Japanese magazine cover featuring the NWA champions from 1969-1976. This shot was taken in 1973 as part of a series of famous photos in a hallway at a show in Japan.

Featured are NWA World Heavyweight champion Jack Brisco (front) with NWA President Sam Muchnick (back center) flanked by former champions Dory Funk, Jr. (left) and Harley Race (right.)

Legendary Champions Reunite

Former NWA World champions Terry Funk and Harley Race share a moment on stage at the Mid-Atlantic Wrestling Legends Fanfest in Charlotte in 2005. 

Moments like these were very special.

Mid-Atlantic Gateway

Houston: Harley Race vs. Terry Funk

 

 

From the Sam Houston Coliseum, July 1, 1977. This is the thrid fall and a promo afterward.  

Harley Race and Sylvester Stallone

This is one of or favorite images from the late 1970s in the Stanley Weston ("Apter") magazines. NWA World heavyweight champion Harley Race stands with "Rocky" franchise star Sylvester Stallone. Sly looks like he's ready to take on the champ right then. He knows a good lookin' championship trophy when he sees one. The photo is thought to have been taken in Houston, TX in 1978.

(Posted later on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway in May of 2021. )

Harley Race Places a Bounty on Tommy Rich

Classic Video from Georgia Championship Wrestling, February 23, 1980
by Dick Bourne
Mid-Atlantic Gateway

I was happy to come across this classic old video on YouTube (embedded below). It is one of my all-time favorite matches and angles in Georgia Championship Wrestling history.

The match was Tommy "Wildfire" Rich challenging "The Universal Heartthrob" Austin Idol for the  TV championship, with Harley Race at ringside. But the TV title wasn't the main focus.

NWA Champion Harley Race on "Georgia Championship Wrestling"

Idol was the #1 contender for the NWA world championship in Georgia and was slated to challenge reigning champion Harley Race for the laurels on Sunday February 24, 1980 at the Omni in Atlanta. Race had made no bones about the fact that he did not want to face Rich, and had placed a $5000 bounty on his head. Any wrestler who could take Rich out before the match at the Omni would collect the cash.

No one really considered that Idol would be in the hunt for the bounty, as he had his own issues to worry about defending his TV title. However, Idol somewhat unexpectedly agreed to defend against Rich on national television the day before the Race-Rich showdown.

On the Saturday 2/23/80 edition of "Georgia Championship Wrestling", Idol met Rich in the cozy confines of WTBS studios in Atlanta. Prior to the match, Idol did an interesting interview where he had his TV championship belt over his right shoulder and a simple dress belt over his left shoulder. He never mentioned the belt, and Gordon Solie never asked him about it; it was just there. We would find out why Idol had the belt a little later.

The actual match between Idol and Rich was a typically good match between the two, with Rich maintaining the upper hand through most of the early moments with classic chain wrestling, arm drags, and hip tosses.

A few minutes in, however, who should show up at ringside to watch the match but the NWA World Heavyweight Champion himself, Harley Race. Race was in street clothes, and was clearly cheering on Idol in the match, getting on the referee for what Race thought were slow counts, complaining that Rich's sleeper hold was actually a choke, etc. Race became a distraction at ringside, however, and Idol began to dominate  the match with a elbow drop from the middle turnbuckle and a flying knee drop to the forehead of Rich.

As Rich began to regain momentum, though, Idol threw him into referee Scrappy McGowan, and with the ref down, Idol attempted to apply a figure-four leglock to Rich. Race became excited at this,  climbed up on the ring apron, an exhorted Idol to go after the leg of Rich while the referee was down. However, as Idol was attempting to apply the hold, Rich kicked him off and Idol collided with Race on the ring apron, sending Idol crashing to the mat and Race crashing to the floor.

Rich covered a stunned Idol in an attempted pin, but the referee was still down from the earlier collision. Seeing the ref down himself, Race removed his sport coat, climbed to the top of the turnbuckles and dove off attempting to hit Rich with his famous, patented flying headbutt. But Rich saw it coming and moved to the side and Race hit Idol with the headbutt instead. Rich covered Idol again and a revived referee Scrappy McGowan crawled over and made the three-count.

Tommy Rich had just won the National TV Championship from Austin Idol, and much of that had been brought on by Harley Race.

Rich immediately went after Race in response to his interference, and the two brawled in the ring, Rich hammering away at the world champion as the WTBS studio crowd became unglued.

Idol momentarily left the ring but when he returned he had that dress belt with him, the same simple dress belt he had draped over one shoulder in the earlier interview with Gordon Solie. He attacked Rich from behind, laid him out, and applied the figure-four leglock. It was then that it became clear why Idol had been carrying around that dress belt. He looped it around both his and Rich's legs, basically strapping both of them together so that Rich could not escape the hold. Idol began clamping down hard on the figure-four leg lock and as he did so, Race began dropping his knee repeatedly down on Rich's left knee and leg.

It became clear what was going on: Austin Idol was attempting to collect the bounty that Harley Race had placed on the head of Tommy Rich. And Race was happy to help him do it.

Eventually, help came from the locker room, and Mr. Wrestling II delivered his famous knee lift that sent Race sailing out of the ring. Idol eventually bailed out of the ring as well, aided by Race, and the two hightailed it to their locker room.

Rich had won the TV title, but was badly injured at the hands of Idol and Race. He was unable to challenge Race the next night at the Omni. Idol had successfully claimed the bounty.

There is much more that developed from this angle. Mr. Wrestling II replaced Rich and got the shot at Race for the title. Wrestling II dedicated the match to Rich, but in the end, II wasn't able  to take the title from Race. Race's master plan had worked, and he was successful in getting out of Atlanta with his championship intact. Rich would get a measure of revenge, but we'll save that story for a future update.

I've included the video of all this here for two reasons: (1) as mentioned up front, this is one of my favorite Georgia angles ever, and (2) the video includes some wonderful interviews with Race spotlighting the NWA domed-globe belt, ten pounds of "PURE gold", as Race liked to say.

Enjoy the video and the memories.

Handsome Harley Race