The Von Erichs to join WWE Hall of Fame

In an unsurprising move, it was announced last night that the entire Von Erich wrestling family would join the WWE Hall of Fame, Class of 2009.

The Von Erich family starts with Fritz Von Erich (Jack Adkisson), who was the patriarch of the family. He like many in his day, was a natural athlete who started playing football as a young man. In the ‘50s, with playing in the CFL, met legendary wrestler and promoter Stu Hart, who convinced Jack to wrestle in the off-season. He took to wrestling quickly and reinvented himself as the evil German named “Fritz Von Erich.” By the late ‘60s, after a successful career through the US and Canada, Von Erich settled down in the Dallas, Texas, area to work as the promoter for the Dallas, Houston and San Antonio areas.

Five sons followed him into the wrestling business. The sixth son, first born Jack, Jr., died at age 7 from electrocution. Kevin, David and Kerry all came close to each after each other, only a little over a year separating each. All three were like their father in terms of natural physical talent and pure wrestling ability. They also took his Von Erich stage name.

Kevin often wrestled barefoot and was the most adept of the three brothers to use high-flying moves as an offensive weapon. David was often called “The Yellow Rose of Texas” and was the most charismatic of the three brothers. He had a mind for the wrestling business and was the most well-rounded. Kerry was billed as “The Modern Day Warrior,” and was the strongest and most well-built, body wise, of the trio.

By the early 1980s, Fritz created a promotion in Texas called World Class Championship Wrestling as a showcase for his boys. From the promotion’s golden era from 1981 – 1985 the three boys were the top stars, battling every villain that came through Texas. Their most notable feud was against the three man team of the Fabulous Freebird (Michael “P.S.” Hayes, Terry “Bamm Bamm” Gordy and Buddy Jack Roberts.) That rivalry raged over the course of two years in Texas and was very instrumental to the success of the territory.

As the promotion carried on soon both Mike and Chris followed their brothers into the wrestling business. Mike wanted to be in the business, but not as a full-time wrestler. He suffered a shoulder injury during a wrestling tour of Israel in 1985 and went in for surgery. After the surgery it was discovered he suffered from Toxic Shock syndrome and never really regained his full strength or mental capacities once again. Youngest brother Chris had an insatiable love for wrestling but was never quite as big or athletic as his brothers and had trouble staying injury-free in the ring.

Sadly the Von Erich family is completely shrouded in tragedy. David (arguably the crown jewel of the family) died in 1984 while on a tour of Japan. One theory claims that it was of a drug overdose and a fellow wrestler flushed the evidence. Supporters of David say that he died of a heart attack, caused by ruptured intestines resulting from acute enteritis. David’s death hit the wrestling community hard as he was scheduled to win the NWA World Championship from Ric Flair just months later. His brother Kerry would end up taking his place and winning that Championship in his place, at an event in Texas called “The David Von Erich Memorial Parade of Champions.”

In 1987, Mike Von Erich committed suicide in the wake of not being able to overcome his Toxic Shock syndrome. His brother Chris followed in 1991 by committing suicide, apparently down on himself about not being able to live up the Von Erich wrestling name.

Kerry Von Erich went to have the most success in the business. Aside from winning the NWA World Championship he entered the World Wrestling Federation in 1990 and was one of the company’s top stars until his release in the summer of 1992. Kerry had a violent motorcycle accident in 1986 that eventually caused the amputation of right foot. He kept the amputation well hidden to the majority of fans and wrestled the rest of his career that way. Kerry developed a history of drug problems that probably started with his accident. His drug problems were what eventually cost him his lucrative job with the WWF. In February 1993 he was arrested on cocaine charges, but in order to save the shame of putting his family name in prison he committed suicide as well. His daughter Lacey, 23, is now starting her own journey in the wrestling business.

Today Kevin is the last surviving Von Erich brother. He has successfully removed himself from the wrestling business and now lives in Hawaii with his wife and four children. In 2006 he helped an independent filmmaker create a wonderful documentary on the Von Erich family and their wrestling promotion called “Heroes of World Class.” In 2007 he sold the World Class video library to World Wrestling Entertainment, where is of great use on the company’s WWE 24/7 Video on Demand service. Von Erich remains on good terms with WWE and even co-hosted the rebroadcasts of WCCW wrestling on WWE 24/7 with his old rival Michael Hayes, as they give the viewers a brief lesson on what is about to happen before going to the original footage.

Hayes himself will be the one to induct the family into the Hall of Fame. Kevin and his family will be there to accept on their behalf.

Class of 2009 WWE Hall of Fame inductees:
“Stone Cold” Steve Austin
Terry Funk & Dory Funk, Jr.
Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat
"Cowboy" Bill Watts
"The Birdman" Koko B. Ware