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Ole Anderson

[Ole Anderson GALLERY]

[Minnesota Wrecking Crew] [Four Horsemen]

Title History

  • AWA Midwest Heavyweight title defeating Bob Orton Sr. (October 28, 1967);
  • NWA Atlantic Coast Tag Team titles w/ Gene Anderson defeating Geroge Becker and Johnny Weaver (March 26, 1970);
  • AWA Midwest Heavyweight title defeating Tex McKenzie (November 7, 1970);
  • AWA Midwest Tag Team titles w/ The Claw defeating Reggie Parks and Stan Pulaski (1971);
  • AWA Midwest Tag Team titles w/ Ox Baker defeating Reggie Parks and Stan Pulaski (1971);
  • NWA Florida Tag Team titles w/ Ron Garvin won a tournament (July 2, 1971);
  • NWA Florida Television title defeating Jack Brisco (December 16, 1971);
  • NWA Atlantic Coast Tag Team titles w/ Gene Anderson defeating Art Neilson and Johnny Weaver (November 6, 1972);
  • NWA Atlantic Coast Tag Team titles w/ Gene Anderson defeating Art Neilson and Johnny Weaver (March 3, 1973);
  • NWA (Mid Atlantic) Eastern States Heavyweight title defeating Jerry Brisco (May 9, 1973);
  • NWA Atlantic Coast Tag Team titles w/ Gene Anderson defeating Jerry Brisco and Thunderbolt Patterson (July 5, 1973);
  • NWA Mid Atlantic Tag Team titles w/ Gene Anderson defeating Jay York and Brute Bernard (December 26, 1973);
  • NWA Mid Atlantic Tag Team titles w/ Gene Anderson defeating Bob Bruggers and Johnny Weaver (March 9, 1974);
  • NWA Georgia Tag Team titles w/ Gene Anderson defeating Bob Armstrong and Robert Fuller (May 31, 1974);
  • NWA Georgia Tag Team titles w/ Gene Anderson defeating Tim Woods and Harley Race (sub for Mr. Wrestling II) (August 16, 1974);
  • NWA Georgia Tag Team titles w/ Gene Anderson defeating Mr. Wrestling I and II (September 20, 1974);
  • NWA (Mid Atlantic) World Tag Team titles w/ Gene Anderson won a tournament (January 1975);
  • NWA Mid Atlantic Tag Team titles w/ Gene Anderson defeating Tiger Conway Jr. and Paul Jones (February 20, 1975);
  • NWA (Mid Atlantic) World Tag Team titles w/ Gene Anderson defeating Paul Jones and Wahoo McDaniel (June 11, 1975);
  • NWA (Mid Atlantic) World Tag Team titles w/ Gene Anderson defeating Rufus R. Jones and Wahoo McDaniel (February 3, 1976);
  • NWA (Mid Atlantic) World Tag Team titles w/ Gene Anderson defeating Dino Bravo and Mr. Wrestling (June 28, 1976);
  • NWA Georgia Tag Team titles w/ Gene Anderson defeating Porkchop Cash and Tom Jones (October 22, 1976);
  • NWA Georgia Tag Team titles w/ Gene Anderson defeating Tony Atlas and Tommy Rich (1977);
  • NWA Georgia Tag Team titles w/ Gene Anderson defeating Mr. Wrestling I and II (February 25, 1977);
  • NWA (Mid Atlantic) World Tag Team titles w/ Gene Anderson defeating Greg Valentine and Ric Flair (May 8, 1977);
  • NWA Macon Heavyweight title (May 24, 1977);
  • NWA Georgia Tag Team titles w/ Gene Anderson defeating Thunderbolt Patterson and Mr. Wrestling (June 1977);
  • NWA (Mid Atlantic) World Tag Team titles w/ Gene Anderson defeating Mr. Wrestling II and Tony Atlas (August 1977);
  • NWA (Mid Atlantic) World Tag Team titles w/ Gene Anderson defeating Dick Slater and Dusty Rhodes (September 30, 1977);
  • NWA Georgia Tag Team titles w/ Rene Goulet defeating Stan Hansen and Tommy Rich (December 13, 1977);
  • NWA Georgia Tag Team titles w/ Lars Anderson defeating Tony Atlas and Mr. Wrestling II (March 1978);
  • NWA Georgia Television title (April 1978);
  • NWA Georgia Tag Team titles w/ Ivan Koloff defeating Tommy Rich and Thunderbolt Patterson (June 1978);
  • NWA Georgia Tag Team titles w/ Ivan Koloff defeating Tony Atlas and Thunderbolt Patterson (July 1978);
  • NWA Georgia Tag Team titles w/ Stan Hansen defeating Mr. Wrestling II and Tommy Rich (October 27, 1978);
  • NWA Columbus Heavyweight title (December 1978);
  • NWA Georgia Tag Team titles w/ Ivan Koloff defeating Jack and Jerry Brisco (January 19, 1979);
  • NWA Georgia Television title defeating Thunderbolt Patterson (March 2, 1979);
  • NWA Georgia Tag Team titles w/ Ivan Koloff defeating Wahoo McDaniel and Tommy Rich (June 8, 1979);
  • NWA Georgia Tag Team titles w/ Ivan Koloff defeating Stan Hansen and Tommy Rich (August 31, 1979);
  • NWA Georgia Tag Team titles w/ Ernie Ladd defeating Crusher Lisowski and Tommy Rich (October 5, 1979);
  • NWA Georgia Tag Team titles w/ Jerry Brisco Awarded (his half by Jack Brisco) (1980);
  • NWA Southeastern Heavyweight title defeating Killer Karl Kox (April 13, 1980);
  • NWA Georgia Tag Team titles w/ Lars Anderson defeating Alexi Smirnoff and Ivan Koloff (June 8, 1980);
  • NWA (Mid Atlantic) World Tag Team titles w/ Gene Anderson defeating Masked Superstar and Paul Jones (May 1, 1981);
  • NWA (Mid Atlantic) World Tag Team titles w/ Stan Hansen by winning a tournament (February 28, 1982);
  • NWA (Georgia) National Tag Team titles w/ Thunderbolt Patterson defeating Bill and Scott Irwin (January 11, 1985);
  • NWA (Georgia) National Tag Team titles w/ Arn Anderson defeating Thunderbolt Patterson and Manny Fernanadez (April 28, 1985);

Career Highlights

In The Beginning:

  • Al Rogowski spent several years in the Army before discovering professional wrestling through the legendary Verne Gagne.
  • August 18, 1967: Al Rogowski debuted in Verne Gagne’s Minnesota-based promotion under the name “Rock Rogowski”.
  • September 1967: Verne Gagne sent Rock Rogowski to work for the Dusek’s Omaha promotion.

Minnesota Wrecking Crew (Original):

  • Ole Anderson joined Gene Anderson and Lars Anderson to form the orginal Minnesota Wrestling Crew, (aka the Anderson Brothers).
  • June 10, 1968: Lars and Gene and Ole (teaming for the first time ever) beat Paul Demarco and Amazing Zuma and Les Thatcher.
  • ~~~The Anderson Brother trio were only billed as brother because of their uncanny resemblence, they were not related in real life.

Minnesota Wrecking Crew (Gene and Ole Anderson):

  • April 1970: Ole and Gene Anderson captured the Mid-Atlantic Tag Team titles.
  • 1971: Ole Anderson won the Florida Tag Team title with Ronnie Garvin.
  • 1971: Ole Anderson defeated NWA World Champion Jack Brisco for the Florida TV title.
  • 1973: Ole Anderson won the Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Title from Jerry Brisco.
  • 1973: Ole and Gene Anderson recaptured the Mid-Atlantic Tag Team titles.
  • 1973: Ole Anderson defeated James J. Dillon in the finals of a tournament for the first Mid-Atlantic TV Champion.
  • May 31, 1974: Ole and Gene Anderson beat Robert Fuller and “Bullet” Bob Armstrong for the Georgia Tag Team titles.
  • 1973: Ole and Gene Anderson beat Tim Woods and Harley Race to win the Georgia Tag Team titles again.
  • 1975: Ole and Gene Anderson became the first NWA (Mid-Atlantic) World Tag Team champions.
  • 1975: Ole Anderson was defeated by Paul Jones in the first round of a tournament for the United States Heavyweight title.
  • Ole and Gene Anderson continued to bounce back and forth between Georgia and the Mid-Atlantic areas.
  • December 25, 1976: Ole and Gene Anderson were defeated by Ric Flair and Greg Valentine for the titles in a steel cage match.
  • 1977: Ole and Gene Anderson were suddenly “fan favorites”.
  • Ole, Gene and Wahoo McDaniel feuded with Ric Flair, Greg Valentine and Blackjack Mulligan.
  • Ole and Gene Anderson returned to Georgia and went on to win four more Georgia Tag Team championships.
  • May, 1977: Ole and Gene Anderson got a win over Ric Flair and Greg Valentine to win their 4th World Tag Team title.
  • ~~~Ric Flair and Greg Valentine eventually regained the belts.
  • Gene Anderson’s health problems led to his retirement.

Ole Anderson on his own:

  • Ole Anderson teamed with Jacques Goulet, Lars Anderson (ficticious “relitive”), Ernie Ladd to each win the Georgia Tag Team titles.
  • Ole Anderson teamed with Ivan Koloff and they became five-time Georgia Tag Team champions between 1978-79.
  • Ole Anderson travelled to the Alabama area where he had two reigns as the Southeast Heavyweight Champion.
  • Ole and Lars Anderson returned to Georgia as “The Masked Avengers” to feud with the Russians, Ivan Koloff and Alexis Smirnoff.
  • Ole Anderson later teamed with Dusty Rhodes to take on “The Assassins”.
  • Ole Anderson and Dusty Rhodes took on The Assassins in a cage match with Gene Anderson and Ivan Koloff as special guest referees.
  • ~~~Ole and Gene BOTH turned on Dusty leaving him open to a 5-1 beating inside the cage!
  • May 1, 1981: Ole and Gene Anderson (out of retirement) went back to the Carolinas and won one more World Tag Team Championship.
  • ~~~Gene Anderson went into permanent retirement soon after, vacating the titles.
  • 1982: Ole Anderson won another World Tag Team Title with the dangerous cowboy, Stan Hansen in a tournament.

The Four Horsemen:

  • 1984: Ole Anderson began teaming regularly with Thunderbolt Patterson.
  • 1985: Ole Anderson and Thunderbolt Patterson started a feud with Arn Anderson in Georgia.
  • Ole Anderson ended up turning on Thunderbolt and joining forces with his ‘family’, Arn Anderson.
  • Ole and Arn Anderson immediately joined Ric Flair and Tully Blanchard in the first version of the famous Four Horsemen!

Retirement:

  • Ole Anderson released a very well-written and entertaining (yet controversial) book entitled Inside Out, co-written by Scott Teal.
  • Summer 2007: Ole Anderson was suffering from Multiple Sclerosis and it worsened with memory loss and decreased mobility.
  • February 26, 2024: Ole Anderson passed away at the age of 81.
Updated: February 26, 2024 @ 5:49 pm

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Trained By

Verne Gagne
Gene Anderson

Debut

August 19, 1967-April 1990

Birthday

September 22, 1942

Hometown

St. Paul, Minnesota

Gender

Male

Height

6'1"

Weight

256 lbs

Finishing Move(s)

Favorite Move(s)

Notable Feuds

Jerry Brisco
Ron Garvin
Harley Race
Bob Armstrong
Robert Fuller
Ric Flair
Greg Valentine
Blackjack Mulligan
Thunderbolt Patterson
Dusty Rhodes
Ernie Ladd
The Russians
The Assassins
Tommy Rich
Tony Atlas
Road Warriors

Status

Deceased