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Legends of Pro Wrestling: Wilbur Snyder |
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One of the true unsung legends of pro wrestling from the "modern" era has to be Wilbur Snyder. Snyder was born in Santa Monica, California, and later played football at the University of Utah. He followed that up by playing for the Edmonton Eskimos of the then Western Interprovincial Football Union. His career with the Eskimos started in 1951 and by 1953, he was one of the top placekickers in football. He set various WIFU records, including best convert kicking percentage, 100 percent on 31 kicks, and set the record for the longest kickoff at 83 yards.
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Snyder was a regional champion in a myriad of territories that were affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance.[2] One of those championships was an offshoot of the World Title that he won from Verne Gagne on November 15, 1958 in Omaha, Nebraska. Between 1956 and 1962, he was a ten time US Champion.Snyder was also involved in long in-ring feuds with Dick the Bruiser and Hans Schmidt. Another accomplishment of Snyder’s was his reign as 13-time WWA Tag Team Champion. During a tour of Japan in 1969, Snyder teamed with Danny Hodge to claim the Japan Pro-Wrestling Alliance's NWA International Tag Team Championship. Snyder's legacy was cemented by WWE announcer Jim Ross who would refer to "shades of the late Wilbur Snyder" anytime somebody used the abdominal stretch for most of the late 90's and early 00's.
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Shown here is Wilbur Snyder |
