Pro-Wrestling Baron Von Raschke interview
Last updated 3 July 2004
When Baron Von Raschke entered the Mid-Atlantic area during the summer
of 1977, his national reputation clearly preceded him. Most
Mid-Atlantic fans had already seen the Baron's picture plastered all
over the national wrestling magazines. But one still had to wonder,
when he actually arrived in Charlotte , would the Baron be as good as
advertised? It didn't take long for that question to be answered with
a resounding...YES!
Tearing through his early opponents in 1977 with his feared ‘Brain
Claw' hold, the Baron quickly established himself as a major star to
be reckoned with in Jim Crockett Promotions. That star would shine
brightly straight through into 1980. Even after leaving the
Mid-Atlantic area, the Baron came back to Charlotte for two shorter
visits years later. But even when he left the area, no Mid-Atlantic
fan could forget Baron Von Raschke.
In this interview, the Baron talks about his early amateur wrestling
days, including an unfortunate injury that kept him out of the 1964
Olympics. He takes us through his early professional wrestling
transformation from ‘ Jim Raschke' to the infamous ‘Baron Von
Raschke.' And we'll find out the origins of his Claw hold, and some of
the wrestling areas he competed in before he finally landed in
Charlotte .
The Baron talks at length about all of his major angles, feuds and
championship reigns while in Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling. He
chats about many of the personalities we remember so fondly from the
Mid-Atlantic days, including Ric Flair, Ricky Steamboat, Paul Jones,
Greg Valentine, Tim Woods, Johnny Weaver, Blackjack Mulligan, Wahoo
McDaniel, Jim my Snuka and others.
And speaking of personalities, stay alert at all times during this
interview, as the Baron will jump into character at a moments notice.
You have been warned!
Special thanks to the Baron's son, Karl Raschke , for all of his
assistance and help with this interview. Please visit the Baron's
official website, administered by Karl, which is a wonderful tribute
to his Dad…the legendary Claw Master, Baron Von Raschke. The Baron's
site can be found at this link: http://www.baronvonraschke.com
And thanks most of all to Baron Von Raschke for being so generous with
his time, and allowing the Mid-Atlantic Gateway to do a bit of
reminiscing with him. Through the Gateway, it was great having the
Baron back in the Mid-Atlantic area, even if it was only for about 90
minutes on the telephone!
Baron…you are a true wrestling legend in the Carolinas , and you will
always be fondly remembered by all the fans in the Mid-Atlantic area.
And as someone might have once said, ‘That is all you need to know!'
- David Chappell
Question: Baron, thank you for speaking with the Mid-Atlantic
Gateway this evening. It's great to talk with you.
Baron Von Raschke: Okay, David . I'm glad to talk with you.
Question:First off, congratulations on your recently being honored by
the Cauliflower Alley Club. Your former Mid-Atlantic partner Paul
Jones was honored at the same time, I understand.
Baron Von Raschke: Well, thank you very much. Yeah…Paul was out there, and a lot
of my good old friends.
Question:How was it out there in Las Vegas for the CAC event?
Baron Von Raschke: It was nice to get together with a lot of guys that I hadn't
seen for a long, long time…catching up on the news of different people
around the country. There were also a lot of great fans out there…and
people I had never met in the business. It was great!
Question:What was it like seeing your old partner Paul Jones again?
Baron Von Raschke: [Paul] really enjoyed being out there this year, and I
understand he went out there last year for the first time and really
had a good time then.
This year, he was honored also…and his brothers and his son were
there. So, it was really very nice.
Question:That's great….and particularly nice that both of you were
honored in the same year!
Well, leaving the present and heading back in time for a bit…despite
the ‘Baron From Germany' wrestling persona that so many people know
you from, you actually grew up in Nebraska , I believe?
Baron Von Raschke: I was raised in Nebraska …yes.
Question:You were an outstanding wrestler in Nebraska from an early
age, weren't you?
Baron Von Raschke: I was high school state champion in wrestling my senior year.
Also, during my junior year, we won the state high school championship
in football.
From there, I went to the University of Nebraska …I went there
originally on an academic scholarship. I walked on, and later got a
football scholarship.
Question:How long did you play college football for the Cornhuskers?
Baron Von Raschke: I played football for my first three years.
Question:Great football fans at Nebraska …
Baron Von Raschke: Oh yeah…great fans! They follow them everywhere. Lincoln
probably doubles in size on football Saturdays!
Question:I didn't realize you had such a football background at the
University of Nebraska ! I have to ask you about (former Oakland
Raider coach) Bill Callahan, your new coach out there?
Baron Von Raschke: (laughing) I don't know him…I've just read a little bit about
him in the paper. That's Big 12 country now, and I live in Minnesota
now which is Big 10 country…we don't get too much Big 12 coverage
here.
It's kind of like being on the west coast and not hearing much about
[ACC] basketball…but you still know it's the best!
Question:(laughing) That's right! Now…you continued to wrestle when
you attended the University of Nebraska , didn't you?
Baron Von Raschke: Yes, I continued my amateur wrestling there. Luckily for me,
they hired a wrestling coach named Bill Smith before I got there, who
was an Olympic Champion. He taught me a lot of good stuff about
amateur wrestling. I had some good years there.
Question:Didn't you win a wrestling Championship in college as well?
Baron Von Raschke: Right, I placed second in the Big 8 (Conference) my sophomore
year…freshmen weren't eligible. I was in it my junior year, and won it
my senior year in 1962.
Question:And, your wrestling accomplishments continued to build after
you graduated from Nebraska .
Baron Von Raschke: Yeah, after college I was drafted into the Army. After boot
camp, they heard about my wrestling and talked to me and sent me to
Brooklyn , New York …so I was able to continue my amateur career and
represented the Army for two years.
In between, by the way, I did make the U.S. team in the World Games
and won a Bronze Medal in Greco-Roman wrestling. The World games were
held in Sweden then…this was 1963. I was the second American to ever
place in the World Games in Greco-Roman.
Question:Impressive! You also collected some accolades when you
wrestled in the Army, didn't you?
Baron Von Raschke: I won Gold Medals in the Army Wrestling Championships…these
were in 1964 and 1965. In ‘64, I also won AAU National Championships
in both Freestyle and Greco-Roman.
Question:1964 was also an Olympic year. I understand that you made
the 1964 U.S. Olympic wrestling team, but through some incredibly bad
luck you were not able to travel to Tokyo and participate. Please tell
us what happened.
Baron Von Raschke: I made the Olympic team, but I got injured at the training
camp in Annapolis …at the Academy. I got a hyper-extended elbow two
days before the plane was to leave for Tokyo …so, I didn't get to go.
Question:Wow…I guess ‘disappointment' doesn't even begin to describe
what you felt at that point?
Baron Von Raschke: To say the least. You remember the old show on ABC called the
Wide World Of Sports?
Question:Yes…definitely.
Baron Von Raschke: ‘The thrill of victory, and the agony of de-feat.' My ‘feet'
hurt real bad! (everybody laughs)
It was a bit of bad luck…but that's life. I'm over it now! (laughs)
Question:(laughing) Well, that's good to hear! As they say, time
heals all wounds!
How did you rebound from that setback with the Olympics?
Baron Von Raschke: Actually, while I was in the Army I was working out and
messing around with a smaller guy, about a 145 pounder, and I got my
leg stuck in the mat the wrong way and it popped. So, I had to go in
for knee surgery…
Question:Baron, you really did have a run of bad luck in the mid 60s!
Baron Von Raschke: I was in the Naval Hospital in Queens , New York . I was in
the Army, and they put me in a Naval Hospital !
Question:(laughing)
Baron Von Raschke: Anyway, a guy off of an atomic submarine was in [the
hospital] with me…his name was John Cunningham. He was about my age,
and John had the same operation on the same morning I had mine. So,
being next to each other in the hospital, we got to be pretty good
friends because we were going through a similar experience.
Question:That's understandable.
Baron Von Raschke: At that time, I wasn't a wresting fan…a pro wrestling
fan---but John was. So, every weekend he would drag me down to the TV
room to watch wrestling…from Madison Square Garden or wherever it was
from.
Question:What were your first impressions of professional wrestling?
Baron Von Raschke: I said, ‘Gee, that might be something I'd be able to do.'
Question:Despite being a great amateur wrestler, professional
wrestling didn't mean anything to you until John got you to start
watching it on television?
Baron Von Raschke: No, I wasn't interested in [pro wrestling] at all before
that.
Question:Being such an outstanding amateur wrestler, did you look
down on the professional side at that time?
Baron Von Raschke: I basically had no opinion about it then…
Question:But obviously, you eventually took a liking to the
professional side of wrestling!
Baron Von Raschke: Yeah…John got me to watching it on TV, and before too long I
wrote to the promoter in Omaha , Joe Dusek. I sent him a list of my
credentials, and he wrote a nice letter back to me.
Question:What did Joe tell you?
Baron Von Raschke: He said he didn't have the facilities to train anybody, but
told me to come and see him later on after I got out of the Army, and
he would introduce me to Verne Gagne.
Meanwhile, I got my first teaching job. When I first got out of the
Army, I decided I was going to teach school…and I did for about a year
after I got out of the Army.
Question:What did you teach, Baron?
Baron Von Raschke: Biology and general Science. That was the only year I taught
full time. I taught fifteen or so years as a substitute (teacher)…not
wanting to be tied down with it.
But after the year of teaching, I thought I would see what I could do
about trying professional wrestling.
Question:Did you get back up with Joe Dusek then?
Baron Von Raschke: Yes…I contacted Joe Dusek again. They used to have a live
television taping in a studio in Omaha…Verne Gagne came down from
Minnesota, and Joe introduced us then.
Question:Did Verne show immediate interest in you?
Baron Von Raschke: Verne told me if I wanted to come up (to Minnesota ), he'd
train me. So…right away I jumped in my brother's car and drove up
there. I got a hotel room, and contacted the Office. They let me sit
there for six or seven days!
Question:(laughing)
Baron Von Raschke: Finally, I got Verne cornered enough to where he started to
train me. And, after a couple of months of training, I got to get with
guys like Wilbur Snyder. Verne had a ring set up at a farm where we
would train.
After a few months of that, they gave me the job of hauling the ring
around and setting it up in the different towns and for TV. And they
also had me refereeing some of the matches then. So, that was sort of
my introduction to the business.
Question:Who were the guys that were most influential to you when you
first broke in?
Baron Von Raschke: After three or four months of setting up the ring, I was
refereeing and Mad Dog Vachon noticed me. Mad Dog was getting ready to
leave the AWA for a while, and go up to Quebec , Canada …the Montreal
area.
He wanted a partner, and took a liking to me. Mad Dog was on the
Canadian Olympic team…two Olympics before I was almost on the U.S.
team. So, he had a natural inclination to take me under his wing…and
he did.
Question:Did Mad Dog help you develop the ‘Baron' persona?
Baron Von Raschke: [Editor's Note: The Baron Is In Character Voice Here!]
Mad Dog said to me, ‘YOU WOULD MAKE A VERY GOOD GERMAN!'
Question:(laughing)
Baron Von Raschke: I told him, ‘I AM A GERMAN! MY PARENTS MADE ME A GERMAN!'
(everybody laughs)
He said, ‘WELL…COME TO CANADA WITH ME AND BE MY NEW PARTNER!'
So, I took my new bride, the lovely Bonnie, and we got in our little
Mustang with the trailer on the back and headed for adventures
unknown.
Question:What made Mad Dog see the ‘Baron' from Jim Raschke?
Baron Von Raschke: I think I looked the part to him, so I just went with it. It
turned out that ‘Baron Von Raschke' was always there, even though he
was inside me…he was my alter ego.
Question:Wasn't Mad Dog injured in a car wreck fairly soon after you
all started teaming up?
Baron Von Raschke: Yeah, I went up to Montreal and teamed with him. For people
that don't know Mad Dog, he wasn't a tall man…he was quite a bit
shorter than I am. And, he probably isn't the best looking man now,
but he was quite handsome then.
And I was this big and tall bald guy…and for some reason the crowd
automatically didn't like us from the get-go. He would play up to
that, and I'd follow suit. Pretty soon, the crowds didn't like us at
all…but we were filling up all the arenas!
Question:I recently interviewed Ivan Koloff, and he was up there in
Montreal about this same time. Weren't the Rougeaus the big fan
favorites up there then?
Baron Von Raschke: Actually, [Ivan] was the next guy they had in after I left.
The territory popped with the Mad Dog and I.
Regarding the accident…for some reason I was in another town in a
different area that day. Mad Dog was coming back from Chicoutimi
…which is way up north---about 350 miles north of Montreal . As you
can imagine, it's very icy there in the winter, and the car slipped
off the road and went into the ditch. Anyway, it wound up that Mad Dog
separated his pelvis…
Question:I guess he was fortunate that the accident wasn't any worse?
Baron Von Raschke: They had midget wrestlers on that same card, and the midgets
found the wreck and were able to help. Mad Dog didn't know if they
were angels or devils, but there they were!
Question:He was no doubt glad to see them, whoever they were!
Baron Von Raschke: (laughs) Yeah…they were able to get him to the hospital. Mad
Dog was out of business for several months. In the meantime, Hans
Schmidt was in the area, so we teamed up and were just as hot as Mad
Dog and I were.
Question:Ivan told me he teamed with Hans Schmidt up there too, and
it got pretty wild!
Baron Von Raschke: It was pretty intense. We had riots all the time. We'd leave
the ring, and often times the fans would fill the ring with chairs…
Question:That's what Ivan told me! But I figured it was probably a
one night only incident…
Baron Von Raschke: [Editor's Note: The Baron Is Again In Character Voice Here!]
‘IT WAS NIGHT AFTER NIGHT AFTER NIGHT!!! THEY WERE HANGING FROM THE
RAFTERS…AND I DON'T MEAN THAT AS AN IDIOM…THEY WERE ACTUALLY SITTING
ON THE BEAMS GOING ACROSS THE TOP OF THE BUILDING!!!!'
Question:(laughing hard)
Man, that was unbelievable up there!
Baron Von Raschke: We had to take care of ourselves!
Question:Everyone from the Mid-Atlantic area remembers your
devastating ‘Brain Claw' hold. Did you develop the Claw hold during
these early years?
Baron Von Raschke: Yes. I was wrestling against Pat O'Connor in St. Louis , and
we had a talk after the match. He suggested that I use the Claw, and I
told him I didn't even know what it was! I hadn't seen it up to that
point.
I was only in St. Louis for that one night. I was working in Detroit
for Eddie Farhat then…this was shortly after I was in Montreal .
Question:So, you were just in St. Louis at that point for a single
shot?
Baron Von Raschke: They had a call in for a guy to go in and work against
O'Connor…so they flew me into St. Louis from Detroit . We were in the
old Kiel Auditorium.
Question:A great venue.
Baron Von Raschke: Yes…and O'Connor and I had a pretty decent match. He kind of
liked me, and took me under his wing and asked me about the Claw. But
then I sort of forgot about [the Claw] for a while, because I was
doing other things.
Question:So you didn't start using the Claw immediately?
Baron Von Raschke: No, actually, because after I left the Detroit territory I
went down and wrestled for Fritz Von Erich…
Question:You probably weren't allowed to use the Claw in Fritz's
territory! (laughs)
Baron Von Raschke: Well, I still didn't really know what the Claw was all
about…even then. So I didn't look to use it there, particularly down
there! I had my own things I could use.
Question:Did the Claw come naturally for you? I remember when you
first came into the Mid-Atlantic area, they had you crush an apple
with the hand you used for the Claw. You must have had terrific hand
strength.
Baron Von Raschke: Well, you go with what you got. I had some abilities that
maybe some other people didn't have…and some other people certainly
have abilities that I don't have. But, I suppose I had a fairly good
grip at that time.
But, yeah, the Claw seemed to be a natural fit for me.
Question:And when you had an opponent in the Claw, your facial
expressions were priceless! I think those put the move over as much as
anything.
Baron Von Raschke: Well, David , I did the best I could. Speaking of my face, I
get asked for autographs all the time---people think I'm Ben Affleck…
Question:(laughs) Oh really?
Baron Von Raschke: Oh yeah…all the time!
Question:Well, I want a current picture of you that we can put up on
the site. We'll create a ‘ Hollywood ' section, and put you right in
there!
Baron Von Raschke: There you go…is it Ben or is it Memorex? (everybody laughs)
Question:But back to the Claw…I guess it was a combination of things
that got that maneuver over so well. But that maniacal and diabolical
look of yours was a big part of it for me! But, I digress….
Baron Von Raschke: Well, yes, you do…(everybody laughs)
But, it was a good hold for me…it worked well for me.
Question:Where did you head after your stint in Texas with Fritz Von
Erich?
Baron Von Raschke: I went to Indiana with (Dick The) Bruiser's group. That's
where I started using the Claw. And I used it a different way than
Fritz Von Erich did.
Question:What was the distinction?
Baron Von Raschke: Well, [Von Erich] would throw it on very, very quickly
without doing much to set it up.
Basically, I would have to work to set it up…and then when the time
was right, I would put it on. That made a lot of difference.
Question:Oh…no doubt. Now, you had a good long run in Bruiser's
territory in the early 70s. Is it fair to say that was when Baron Von
Raschke really took off?
Baron Von Raschke: Yes…there was a lot of great talent around that area.
Question:Didn't they put the WWA World belt on you pretty quickly
there, and then you and Bruiser battled back and forth over it for a
number of years?
Baron Von Raschke: Yeah…that's what happened.
Question:And I believe late in your run there, you and Ernie Ladd
were the Tag Team Champions?
Baron Von Raschke: Yep…we had some of the best in the business in there then.
Question:We're into the mid 70s now, Baron. Where did you campaign
before you ended up in the Mid-Atlantic area in the summer of 1977?
Baron Von Raschke: I went back to the AWA…I spent about two and a half years
with Verne and Wally Karbo. Then I got a call from Vince McMahon, and
I went up to New York for several months. Then, I went to Crockett.
Question:You were working in the WWWF right before you entered the
Mid-Atlantic area?
Baron Von Raschke: Yes, that's right.
Question:Well, we have you up to July of 1977. Tell us about how you
came to enter the Mid-Atlantic area.
Baron Von Raschke: It came about in a kind of roundabout way. A bunch of people
from Japan were going through the U.S. The top guy over there was
Giant Baba…
Question:Right…
Baron Von Raschke: Big, tall guy…about seven feet tall. Anyway, he needed an
opponent in Greensboro . It was kind of the same story as with me and
Pat O'Connor back a number of years before.
[ The Baron battles the Giant Baba in Greensboro ]
March 20, 1977
Question:Yep…I know exactly the Greensboro card you're referring
to---I collect event posters. It was March 20, 1977 . I always thought
it was odd you were on that card, because you didn't start in the
Mid-Atlantic area for four more months.
You were wrestling Baba for the ‘Pacific Wrestling Title!' I seriously
doubt that Title was defended much in the Mid-Atlantic area! (laughs)
Baron Von Raschke: (laughs) Yeah…and I had never met the Crocketts and hardly
knew (the booker) George Scott. Anyway, I went there and worked with
Giant Baba…because the Mid-Atlantic didn't want to sacrifice one of
their own guys at that juncture.
[ The Baron applies the claw to Giant Baba ]
Question:That's a pretty tough assignment, for your first appearance
in the territory!
Baron Von Raschke: He wasn't the easiest guy to work with…but I wrestled him.
And it went over really, really good. Next thing you know, I was
booked to work in the Mid-Atlantic area full time. You said the Baba
match was in March, so I started for Crockett in July.
Question:Interesting! So as I understand it, your match with Baba in
Greensboro impressed the ‘powers that be' and they took notice of you,
and wanted you to come into the Mid-Atlantic area full time?
Baron Von Raschke: Right…I think that's how it worked out.
Question:When you came in initially, you surely dealt with George
Scott a lot in his capacity as the area's booker. What did you think
of George?
Baron Von Raschke: He was all business, but I liked him.
Question:I remember that when you first came in, George put you over
fast. You were annihilating everybody with your Brain Claw! I also
remember the TV announcers mentioning that you were one of a very few
guys to have beaten Bruno Sammartino, which was very unusual for our
announcers to say something like that. So you were clearly a big deal!
Baron Von Raschke: I don't know what they were thinking there, David . I just
tried to come in and do what I did best.
Question:Overall, what were your initial impressions of the Crockett
territory?
Baron Von Raschke: I had never really been to the South before, and I fell in
love with the area.
Question:Really?
Baron Von Raschke: It was beautiful country. I lived in Charlotte, and that was
a great place to live. Unfortunately, the business kept us on the road
seven days a week…almost every day of the year. I'm glad I had a good
strong family that stood behind me, because the schedule didn't allow
you much time to be at home. And when you were home, you were tired!
Question:Baron, you certainly have hit on something that everybody
from that time frame echoes…working for George Scott back then was
VERY hard work!
Baron Von Raschke: Oh yeah! Work and travel was horrendous.
Question:Was it worse in the Mid-Atlantic area than any other place
you had been…or would go to in the future?
Baron Von Raschke: It was as bad as any place I've been. Actually, it was worse
driving winter roads for a couple of weeks in northern Manitoba,
Canada. Those are roads that nobody can take except for in the winter
when it freezes up…because part of them are lakes! That was the only
time they could get supplies to the villages overland.
Question:Gee…the travel had to be unbelievably dangerous way up in
northern Canada. At least you didn't have to deal with that REALLY
frigid weather down here!
Baron Von Raschke: You've never driven in an ice storm, huh?
Question:Nothing like you have, I'm sure! Everybody down here goes
berserk at the sight of the first snowflake! You know…you've been down
here.
Baron Von Raschke: You have to be careful wherever you drive.
Question:Absolutely.
Well, when you came into the Mid-Atlantic area, your first real
significant match was against the youngster, Ricky Steamboat.
Steamboat was getting pushed to the hilt then, and you were really the
first guy to beat him in a meaningful match. You took the Mid-Atlantic
TV Title from him in October of 1977.
Baron Von Raschke: Ricky was a great performer…
Question:As a veteran coming in, I'm curious of what you thought
about a young guy like Steamboat getting such a major push?
[ Baron von Raschke defeated Ricky Steamboat for the TV title ]
Baron Von Raschke: I was tremendously impressed with Ricky Steamboat. He had a
knack for the business…he picked it up right away. He was a young man
that was going to go far---and he did.
You know, he gave 100% in the ring…which is what I liked. That's how
you got a match over. He was a very, very good wrestler and colleague.
Question:The first long running program you had in Crockett was
against ‘Mr. Wrestling' Tim Woods. This was set up by an amateur rules
wrestling match that you all had on TV. That was a terrific angle…even
though you lost the amateur rules match by a couple of points!
(laughs)
Baron Von Raschke: I did? You sure about that? (laughs)
Question:(laughing) I'm thinking you did…but it was nip and tuck all
the way! Regardless of the outcome, I thought it was a great
concept…something very different.
Baron Von Raschke: It was a wrinkle that George Scott thought up. He thought it
would be interesting to the fans…a different kind of wrestling. I
guess the midgets weren't available that day! (everybody laughs)
Question:So George thought that angle up? I would have thought with
the amateur wrestling backgrounds of both you and Tim, that you all
would have come up with that idea.
Baron Von Raschke: I think both Tim and I realized at that time that amateur
wrestling was way too hard…to go through all the training and stuff.
We were in our pro groove then!
(pauses) You know, actually, maybe Tim suggested it. I don't really
remember...
Question:But you know YOU didn't suggest it! (laughs)
Baron Von Raschke: That's right…I know I didn't! Tim probably had something to
do with it, though.
Question:After you attacked Mr. Wrestling with the ring bell after
that amateur rules match, you all had a strong program that lasted
through 1977. Tell us about Tim Woods.
Baron Von Raschke: I learned to love the guy. He was just a great competitor,
and a great guy. He was a very, very smart man. We always used to have
real good matches…we had a real good rapport in the ring. I can't say
enough good things about him---I'm sorry he's gone.
Question:You held onto your Mid-Atlantic TV Title throughout that
feud, and then early in 1978 the Mid-Atlantic TV Title became the NWA
TV Title.
The promotion said you went out and won a tournament to become the new
NWA Television Champion. Funny thing, there were never any highlights
shown of that tournament! Care to comment on that big tournament?
(laughs)
Baron Von Raschke: I don't remember that tournament! (laughs)
Question:Actually, I'd be pretty worried if you did remember it
Baron! (everybody laughs)
This was the time frame that they put you together for a while with
Johnny Weaver, and you all traded the TV Title. And as part of that,
you all had the great TV angle with the Challenge Match of the Claw
hold versus the Sleeper hold. How did that angle come about?
Baron Von Raschke: I don't really recall all the details of how that came about.
Sometimes, I have trouble remembering yesterday! But we used to have a
meeting at the Office, and it might have been something we suggested
there.
John was a terrific performer, and I think we had really, really good
matches.
But that [angle] was a good one. It was something that kind of built
off of a thing I used to do with Pat O'Connor in St. Louis…he had the
Sleeper hold out there.
Question:There have certainly been some good Hold versus Hold angles
over the years in wrestling, and this was definitely one of the best!
Baron Von Raschke: You're right…the Hold versus Hold is kind of a natural thing
in wrestling.
Question:John actually won the Hold versus Hold contest, which was a
little surprising…
Baron Von Raschke: [Editor's Note: The Baron Is Again In Character Voice Here!]
‘HE CHEATED…DON'T EVER FORGET IT!'
Question:(laughing) Yeah…I seem to remember you complaining that the
Sleeper was actually a choke-hold!
Question:After that program with Weaver, you were pretty much a tag
team specialist for most of the rest of your run in the Mid-Atlantic
area. Greg Valentine was the first of your really big-time partners.
Baron Von Raschke: Right…the Hammer!
Question:You all had the famous TV angle in June of 1978 where you
put up your TV Title against Paul Jones, in exchange for a shot at the
NWA World Tag Team Titles. You lost the TV belt to Jones, but you and
Greg won the World Tag Team Belts from Jones and Steamboat! And all
this happened on one TV show!
Baron Von Raschke: Yes… Greg and I made a real good team. He was a great partner
for me.
Question:Describe Greg as a partner, if you would. I spoke with Greg
a couple of months ago, and he was very complimentary of you. He said
you taught him how to be patient in the ring.
Baron Von Raschke: (laughs) I don't know if I taught Greg too much! He was
always a really good performer, and he was just a good hard worker. He
was very steady. It was a pleasure for me to be with a partner of his
stature…he was great.
[ Greg Valentine & Baron von Raschke ]
NWA World Tag Team Champions
Question:Greg was very similar to his Dad (Johnny Valentine) in a lot
of ways, wasn't he?
Baron Von Raschke: Well…they looked just like each other---picture images. They
were both very well built people, and they both worked really, really
hard.
Fortunately, Greg didn't have his Dad's weird sense of humor! (laughs)
Question:(laughs) I don't think Greg could have ever topped his Dad
in that category!
Baron Von Raschke: (laughing)
Question:Besides Jones and Steamboat, another team I remember you and
Greg up against during your title reign was Blackjack Mulligan and
Dick Murdock.
Baron Von Raschke: The old M & M Boys…they were quite a combination!
Question:Yes, for sure. I told Blackjack I would be talking with you
tonight, and he wanted me to be sure and tell you ‘hello' for him.
Baron Von Raschke: Please give him a ‘hello' back from me!
Question:I definitely will.
Well, the title reign of Baron Von Raschke and Greg Valentine came to
an end at the tail end of 1978…to newcomers Paul Orndorff and Jimmy
Snuka. Tell us about the Orndorff/Snuka tandem.
Baron Von Raschke: They were two great athletes. There was nobody like Snuka, as
far as flying around. He could climb those ropes, and leap further
than anybody I'd ever seen. He was like a kangaroo going across the
ring!
Question:(laughing) Snuka was unbelievable with those dives.
Baron Von Raschke: And Orndorff had a terrific athletic background. He was a
real horse in the ring. They both were very impressive…to the fans and
to us.
Question:What was going through your mind when Snuka was preparing to
jump across the ring onto YOU?
Baron Von Raschke: I got very tense and my eyes got extremely large when I would
see Snuka climbing those ropes on the other side of the ring, getting
ready to make that big dive!
Question:I can only imagine! And for that time period, Baron, that
was an almost unheard of move.
Baron Von Raschke: It certainly was. And in the late 70s, Snuka weighed 30-40
pounds more than he would into the early 80s.
Question:And those 30-40 pounds were all muscle!
I always thought Snuka and Orndorff got over pretty much on their
athleticism. They weren't much on their interviews…but they were new
and so athletic, the lack of mic skills didn't really hurt them all
that much.
Baron Von Raschke: And, David , they looked good too!
Question:Exactly.
Baron Von Raschke: And they really were good.
Question:After you and Greg went your separate ways, you actually
teamed up in early 1979 with you former enemy, Paul Jones.
Baron Von Raschke: Imagine that!
Question:(laughing) Actually, Baron, it WAS pretty hard to imagine!
You two even won the NWA World Tag Team Titles.
Baron Von Raschke: That we did.
[ Paul Jones and Baron von Raschke at WRAL TV in Raleigh ]
NWA World Tag Team Champions
Question:But I tell you, the thing I remember most about you teaming
with Jones was when you two wrestled Ric Flair and Ricky Steamboat
during the summer of 1979. You and Paul were in large part responsible
for Flair really getting over as a babyface for the first time.
Baron Von Raschke: Oh yeah…that was a great series! I think that's when we sold
out your hometown…
Question:You're absolutely right! For the first match of that series,
I don't think the Richmond Coliseum was ever packed with more
people…or had more people turned away at the door.
Baron Von Raschke: I believe we sold [ Richmond] out several times. We kept
selling that match out. That was a great run with Paul and myself
against Flair and Steamboat.
Question:Tell us about the dynamics of the Raschke/Jones team. In a
lot of ways you all seemed to be total opposites, but boy did that
team ever work!
Baron Von Raschke: You know, Paul and I had the same phenomenon like I was
mentioning before…it was a lot like Mad Dog Vachon and Baron Von
Raschke.
Paul was a little shorter than I was…I was the tall one of the team.
I'm not the best looking guy…it was automatic heat.
Question:In that time frame, I remember Paul briefly putting a blonde
wig on you and saying that the only thing people could call you then
was ‘handsome!' I also recall Paul saying with that blonde wig on, you
got ALMOST as many girlfriends as Paul did! (laughs)
Baron Von Raschke: All that wig did was make matters worse! (everybody laughs)
Question:How did Paul rank as a tag team partner?
Baron Von Raschke: Very high. Paul and I really clicked…it was just great. Paul
and I also had a great time traveling together.
Question:You and Paul rode the Mid-Atlantic highways together?
Baron Von Raschke: Yes…usually by ourselves. Paul had been around the territory
a long while, so he knew his way around very well.
Question:Before we leave the subject of you and Paul against Flair
and Steamboat, I'm curious about one thing…
Baron Von Raschke: You're a very curious fellow…
Question:I'm not quite sure how to take that Baron! (everybody
laughs)
At any rate, was there any thought of putting the World Tag Team Belts
on Flair and Steamboat? They were so hot as a team for that brief
period of time.
Baron Von Raschke: I really don't have any idea about that. Belts were really
never that important to me…
Question:There seems to be a split of opinion with your colleagues as
to whether holding a title was all that significant. From the
wrestlers I've talked with, there appears to be about an even split of
opinion on that subject.
Baron Von Raschke: Belts were something to talk about; they gave the fans
something to talk about. But I could work in the ring whether I had [a
belt] or not.
Question:It was funny, they never put the belts on Flair and
Steamboat, but later that summer in 1979, they put the Titles on Flair
and Blackjack Mulligan. I come back from summer vacation that year,
and you and Paul had lost them and already won them back!
Baron Von Raschke: David …you HAVE to pay attention to these things!
Question:I know…always keeping the people guessing. Can't ever miss
an episode!
Baron Von Raschke: There you go! (everybody laughs)
Question:Your final major tag team program in the area was a very
memorable one, in the fall of 1979. You and Paul battled the new duo
of Ricky Steamboat and Jay Youngblood. Steamboat and Youngblood would
become one of the Mid-Atlantic area's top teams for four more years.
Baron Von Raschke: They were another young upcoming team. We had some really
good, really serious, matches with them.
Question:At that time, Jay Youngblood had never gotten a serious
push. Even teaming with Ricky, there had to be some concern about him
getting over. And the program as a whole getting over.
Baron Von Raschke: You see what happened there, was they teamed up Ricky
Steamboat and Jay Youngblood…a couple of guys that were kind of so-so
looking. Then, you have Paul Jones and myself…two very attractive and
handsome men…
Question:Huh?
Baron Von Raschke: All the young girls were just going crazy over Paul and I.
When the girls would come to see Paul and myself, of course, they saw
Youngblood and Steamboat too. So there were a few, a small number,
that started liking Jay Youngblood and Ricky Steamboat. Can you
imagine that?
Question:Baron, I'm having a hard time imagining any of this!
(laughs)
Baron Von Raschke: It boggles the mind, doesn't it?
Question:You might say so! But all of this sounds a little backwards
to me...
Baron Von Raschke: The passage of time can twist things sometimes, you know?
Anyway, some of our young attractive fans…Paul Jones' and Baron Von
Raschke's attractive fans, had the gall to go over to Ricky Steamboat,
who looked so-so, and to Jay Youngblood, who looked so-so. So,
Steamboat and Youngblood got a few more fans.
Question:(laughing) And a tag team rivalry for the ages was born!
You know, when I interviewed Paul Jones he insisted to me that Ricky
Steamboat turned on him in 1978, about a year before all of this
happened. I'm starting to understand now why you and Paul got along so
well! (laughs)
Baron Von Raschke: (laughing)
Question:At the risk of dredging up some painful memories for you, do
you remember when Steamboat and Youngblood painted the yellow streak
down your back on TV…
Baron Von Raschke: HEY!!!
Question:(laughing) I'll take that as a ‘yes.'
Baron Von Raschke: How come you had to remember THAT?
Question:You have to admit, that angle is pretty hard to forget!
Here's your chance, all these years later, to explain that to all of
us fans!
Baron Von Raschke: Well, it was a terrible, terrible thing that they did. Young
punks…and their screaming, hollering fans---yelling and screaming and
enjoying something like that.
Question:(laughing) Sounds like your memory might be improving,
Baron!
I remember on the TV interview right after it happened, Paul said he
couldn't get the paint off of him. When I interviewed Paul in
Charlotte about a year ago, I should have asked him if he had any
remnants of that yellow paint still on his back!
Baron Von Raschke: That wasn't easy to wash off…we'd probably still have to
check his back! (everybody laughs)
Yeah...that was quite a deal!
Question:Without having you and Jones to start off with, do you think
Steamboat and Youngblood would have become the superstar team they
eventually became?
Baron Von Raschke: They were good talents…they would have eventually gotten
there anyway.
Question:Well, Baron, nothing lasts forever…and neither did your
partnership with Paul Jones. You two had a falling out in early 1980,
and had some heated matches against each other. And you were actually
cheered in those matches!
Baron Von Raschke: (laughs) Yes…I was.
Question:I'm not quite sure why, but I cheered for you then also!
Baron Von Raschke: To know me…is to love me! (everybody laughs)
Question:How could such a great team have had it all end like that?
Baron Von Raschke: You want to know why?
Question:Yes, I would.
Baron Von Raschke: That Paul Jones was a sneaky coward…he was manipulative. You
know, he would give me a medal every time something would happen…and I
would go for it. Then I found out that he was just using me…
Question:Using you?
Baron Von Raschke: He kept using my nice personality, and my good looks…
Question:(laughs) A man can only take so much of that abuse!
Baron Von Raschke: But, yeah, Paul and I had some terrific cage matches. And
then I was off to a different territory.
Question:Was it difficult facing Paul again as an opponent, after the
great run together as World Tag Team Champions?
Baron Von Raschke: I look back on that, David , and it's all good memories. I
enjoyed what I was doing, and Paul enjoyed what he was doing. We went
our separate ways there for a while…but we got back and saw each other
in Las Vegas recently, and it was a great feeling on both sides, I
think.
Question:That's terrific…had you seen Paul anytime recently before
the Cauliflower Alley Club event?
Baron Von Raschke: No…not since the time I came back to Charlotte in the mid 80s
and wrestled for a while there then.
I'm not a real good person about calling and writing people, so seeing
people in Las Vegas was really great.
Question:When you left the Mid-Atlantic area in early 1980 after the
matches against Paul, you went to Georgia and the AWA and some other
areas. But in the fall of 1983, you briefly came back to the Carolinas
with Gary Hart as your manager…attempting to unmask Charlie Brown. Why
was that stint back in the Mid-Atlantic area so short?
Baron Von Raschke: Then, my daughter had started into college and my son was in
high school…so we didn't want to move. At that time, my family wasn't
with me and I got to be a very, very lonely guy---and I didn't like
that. So, I needed to get back to where my family was.
That's why I didn't stay in Charlotte any longer than I did.
Question:Was it originally the plan for you to stay in the
Mid-Atlantic area longer than you did?
Baron Von Raschke: I don't remember all of the details, but basically I was just
homesick. I wanted to go home. It was all right with Crockett…so I
did.
Question:I can certainly understand your reasons for not staying at
that point, but the angle with you and Charlie Brown was some great
stuff! And having a manager, Gary Hart, was something new for Crockett
fans to see.
Baron Von Raschke: Yes, but I had managers before in other places. Bob by Hennan
was my manager in Indianapolis, and then later on in New York, Freddie
Blassie was my manager for a little while.
As far as Gary Hart in ‘83…it was just something a little different.
Gary and I had been in Texas together at the same time.
Question:I never felt you needed a manager. You were very skilled
with your interviews, and you never seemed like a wrestler who needed
someone else to talk for him.
Baron Von Raschke: Thank you.
Question:Did you see your interviews as being a strength for you?
Baron Von Raschke: For some reason, I was always a real shy person…
Question:(laughs) No way…that's hard to believe!
Baron Von Raschke: It probably is…but everything I was, Baron Von Raschke
wasn't---he really became my alter ego. When I got into character it
was real easy for me to think on my feet and respond to questions, ad
lib, and go with it.
That's what the Baron does…can do, did do and probably will keep
doing!
Question:And as he has shown us this evening…the Baron is just as
good as he ever was!
Baron Von Raschke: I try! (everybody laughs)
Question:As you mentioned briefly just a moment ago, your last run
with Crockett was in the mid 80s. The business was certainly changing
a great deal by the 1986 time frame.
You had been in the AWA again after the brief 1983 Mid-Atlantic stint,
and you and the Crusher had lost the AWA World Tag Team Titles to the
Road Warriors---a new breed of tag team. Wrestling had changed
considerably from the last time you wrestled for Crockett in 1983.
Baron Von Raschke: This all runs together for me a little bit, but I think in
the last [Crockett] run Ivan and Nikita Koloff had a third partner who
broke his leg…
Question:Right…Krusher Khrushchev.
Baron Von Raschke: Yes…and he broke his leg, and I got a call that [the
Russians] needed a partner to replace him. I think there was an
upcoming six-man against Dusty (Rhodes) and the Road Warriors…or
something like that. So, I was elected. That was my final run in there
with Crockett.
Question:Towards the end of that final run, I remember you wrestling
as a babyface again. And even teaming up with another great veteran
and Mid-Atlantic legend, Chief Wahoo McDaniel!
I remember you and Wahoo teaming up in the 1987 Jim Crockett, Sr.
Memorial Cup Tournament.
Baron Von Raschke: Yes, we did. Wahoo was one of my favorite people.
Question:Really?
Baron Von Raschke: Oh yeah. He was a great guy and a great athlete…he was a
great credit to the business. He was just a good person…really a
big-hearted guy.
Question:You and the Chief butted heads in your first run with
Crockett. It was really something to see you all teaming together
during that final stint!
Baron Von Raschke: There you were with a tag team…one guy with a headdress of
Eagle feathers, and the other guy looking like a Bald Eagle!
Question:(laughing) Something to behold!
Baron Von Raschke: Actually, those were turkey feathers…after the dog got a hold
of the turkey! (everybody laughs)
Question:After your last run with Crockett, didn't you go to the WWF
briefly…when they were gobbling up all the talent in sight in the
mid/late 80's?
Baron Von Raschke: Yeah, Vince (McMahon) was good…he flew me in just to fire me!
Question:Gee…
Baron Von Raschke: At great expense.
Question:At that time, didn't Vince have you managing some people up
there?
Baron Von Raschke: Yeah…tried to.
Question:That didn't last long, did it?
Baron Von Raschke: It didn't last long at all.
Question:I guess the last time I remember seeing you on a wrestling
program was when the AWA was in its dying days, but their show was
still running on ESPN. If I recall, you were involved in a Team
Challenge Series as the AWA was about to peter out in 1990.
Baron Von Raschke: I was, and then I did a little wrestling for small promotions
for a while after that.
Question:Do you watch any professional wrestling today?
Baron Von Raschke: I do not.
Question:None?
Baron Von Raschke: Very, very rarely. It's not fun for me to watch.
Question:Tell us some things about the Baron…post-wrestling.
Baron Von Raschke: Well, my wife and I bought a gift and souvenir shop and ran
that for a time. And right about then, that's when I started teaching
school again. I also worked for the Minnesota Zoo for a while. Even
during this time, I was still into wrestling a little bit.
I was way up in northern Minnesota when we ran the gift shop…where
it's still cold and snowing as we speak! We stayed up there six or
seven years with the gift and souvenir shop.
Question:You must have worn a winter coat all year round up there!
Baron Von Raschke: That was about 300 miles from where we live now.
Question:What is the Baron up to presently?
Baron Von Raschke: Actually, I'm in between bookings right now. I'm looking for
work.
Question:I know one ‘booking' that Mid-Atlantic fans are hoping that
you will be a part of, is the Mid-Atlantic Wrestling Legends Fanfest
in Charlotte over Thanksgiving weekend! Might we see you there?
Baron Von Raschke: I've been contacted about that, but nothing has been set yet.
I'm considering it, but due to careful planning I can't afford to
retire until I'm (age) 105!
Question:(laughs) Tell me about that, too! Obviously we would love to
see you at Fanfest, but logistically you are a long haul from
Charlotte.
But I hope it works out; we'd love to see you there.
Baron Von Raschke: I'd love to come.
Question:Are you currently doing any more substitute teaching?
Baron Von Raschke: No, my wife had me give that up a couple of years ago. When
we moved down here, I didn't resume that.
Question:Where are you living presently?
Baron Von Raschke: We're down the (Mississippi) River now, David . We live seven
miles from where the Mississippi River starts. We live near the river,
though, in Wabasha, Minnesota.
Question:That's beautiful country up there…
Baron Von Raschke: It really is.
Question:Just a couple of final things as we wrap up Baron…
Baron Von Raschke: [Editor's Note: The Baron Is Again In Character Voice Here!]
‘WE'RE NOT DONE YET???!!!' (laughs)
Question:(laughing) Soon!
Since you've lapsed back into character, how did your famous
catch-phrase ‘Dat Is All Da People Need To Know' come about?
Baron Von Raschke: That particular one, came out of a thing with Marty O'Neill,
who was an announcer in Minnesota. He was a small man, a short man,
and all of the wrestlers towered over him. Even Mad Dog Vachon!
But Marty was a great, great announcer and interviewer. And he called
me up to the mic one time to be interviewed, and as you know, the
interviews usually lasted two or two and a half minutes. Of course, I
take my glasses off…and I can't see two feet in front of me!
Question:I know all about that!
Baron Von Raschke: Usually, there's a guy out there that gives you a wind-up
signal...you know, a cue that it's time to quit talking.
Anyway, Marty calls me up and I'm talking about whatever I'm talking
about...blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. I'd finished what I was talking
about, but I couldn't see anybody winding us up! Marty, being the pro
that he was, asked me another question…and I didn't have an answer for
it!
Question:(laughs)
Baron Von Raschke: So I said, ‘DAT IS ALL DA PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW,' and I stormed
off!
Question:(laughing)
Baron Von Raschke: Marty was such a good announcer…and he loved that! He thought
it was great, and he asked me to do it again when we did another
interview. And again, and again.
Pretty soon, the promoter would say, ‘You gotta do that; you gotta do
that!' So, that's how that phrase started…and continued!
Question:That's a great story! That phrase is forever part of
wrestling lore!
Baron Von Raschke: (laughs)
Question:How difficult was it living your wrestling life in the
persona of a hated German? I imagine at some points in time that had
to wear on you?
Baron Von Raschke: I just sort of dealt with it. The Baron was such a nasty,
vicious and despicable character…
[Editor's Note: The Baron Is Again In Character Voice Here!]
‘I JUST COULDN'T LIVE LIKE THAT 24 HOURS A DAY!'
Question:(laughing)
Baron Von Raschke: But anyway, the Baron turned out to be all right. He's kind
of like me…to know me, is to love me!
I could separate my personal life from the Baron.
Question:During your time in the Mid-Atlantic area, what were some of
your favorite towns and places?
Baron Von Raschke: Well, I really enjoyed the Mid-Atlantic territory…the towns
were all great. Your hometown Richmond was a great place…
Question:Richmond loved the Baron too! At times, we loved to hate
you, but you know what I mean!
Baron Von Raschke: (laughs) Yes, I do!
Norfolk, Charlotte, Greensboro, Greenville, Charleston…they were all
great. Great fans…great towns. I just have a lot of good memories from
the Charlotte territory. Just a real good run there.
Question:When you think about the times you wrestled in Mid-Atlantic
Championship Wrestling, what are the first things that come to your
mind?
Baron Von Raschke: I think back on all of the great talent that I worked with
there, and the business like approach the Office had. The fans were
great. I just have a good feeling about the Charlotte territory, and
Mid-Atlantic Wrestling.
Question:In closing, Baron, anything you'd like to say to all of your
Mid-Atlantic fans out there?
Baron Von Raschke: [Editors Note: The Baron Is Again In Character Voice Here!]
‘The Baron hopes that some day, things will work out where I can come
down and see all of my fans and friends from the Mid-Atlantic area.
‘Until that happens, I look forward to my next opponent…who'll
probably be the toughest one.
‘AND DAT IS ALL DA PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW!!!!!!'
Question:(laughing) What a perfect way to finish up!
Well, Baron, you have been as entertaining tonight as you were during
all your great years in the Mid-Atlantic area! Thank you for being so
generous with your time this evening…it's been great talking with you.
Baron Von Raschke: Good talking to you, David . You have a good evening, and
continued good luck with the web site.
This interview originally appeared at
http://www.midatlanticwrestling.net/Resource_Center/interviews/baron/baron01.htm