Eddie Graham

Real name: Edward F. Gossett
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 215 lbs.
Date of birth: January 15, 1930
Date of death: January 21, 1985
Hometown: Chattanooga, TN
Pro debut: 1947
Trained by: Cowboy Luttrell

Biography

– Gossett began competing under his real name, working primarily out of Texas
– On August 24, 1956, Gossett & Art Nelson defeated Don & Red McIntyre in a Texas Death Match to win the NWA Amarillo Tag Team Titles
– On November 1, Gossett & Nelson defeated Lou Newman & Hans Schnabel to retain the NWA Amarillo Tag Team Titles
– In 1957, Gossett often competed as Rip Rogers, kayfabe brother of Buddy Rogers
– On April 22, 1958, Rogers & Johnny Valentine defeated The Torres Brothers (Enrique & Alberto) to win the NWA Texas Tag Team Titles
– On April 29, Rogers & Valentine defeated Fritz Von Erich & Oyama Kato to retain the NWA Texas Tag Team Titles
– After moving to the New York territory, Gossett was repackaged as ‘Eddie Graham’, kayfabe brother of Jerry, Luke and (later) Billy
– On September 4, The Golden Grahams (Eddie & Jerry) defeated Don Curtin & Mark Lewin to win the NWA Capitol United States Tag Team Titles
– On September 8, The Golden Grahams defeated Chief Big Heart & Chief Kit Fox to retain the NWA Capitol United States Tag Team Titles. The pair would defend the titles against these two teams multiple times through the end of October
– In November 1958, The Golden Grahams defended the NWA Capitol United States Tag Team Titles against Don Curtis & Mark Lewin, Miguel Perez & Chito Lopez, Chief Big Heart & Chief Kit Fox, Marvin Mercer & Chito Lopez, Bull Curry & The Sheik Of Araby and Cyclone Anaya & Hurricane Anaya
– On May 27, 1959, The Golden Grahams defeated Don Curtis & Mark Lewin to regain the NWA Capitol United States Tag Team Titles
– In June 1959, The Golden Grahams defended the NWA Capitol United States Tag Team Titles against Donn Lewin & Johnny Barend, Don Curtis & Mark Lewin, Johnny Valentine & Killer Kowalski, Alberto Torres & Gregory Jarque, Haystacks Calhoun & Red Bastien and Alberto Torres & Miguel Perez
– In July 1959, The Golden Grahams defended the NWA Capitol United States Tag Team Titles against Luis Torres & Luis Martinez, Johnny Valentine & The Sheik of Araby, Red Bastien & Antonino Rocca, Chief Big Heart & Chief Little Eagle, Chief Big Heart & Haystacks Calhoun, Don Curtis & Mark Lewin, Luis Martinez & Greg Jarque, Luis Martinez & Rito Romero,
– In August 1959, The Golden Grahams defended the NWA Capitol United States Tag Team Titles against Antonino Rocca & Red Bastien, Don Curtis & Mark Lewin, Chief Big Heart & Chief Little Eagle, Red Bastien & Argentine Zuma and Red Bastien & Haystacks Calhoun
– On March 10, 1960, The Golden Grahams defeated The Bastien Brothers (Red & Lou) to retain the NWA Capitol United States Tag Team Titles. They lost the titles to The Bastiens on April 2, only to regain them on April 16 and lose them once again on April 23
– In 1961, Graham moved permanently to the Florida territory
– On November 28, Graham & Dick Steinborn defeated Tojo Yamamoto & Taro Myaki to win the NWA Florida United States Tag Team Titles
– On January 11, 1962, Graham & Steinborn defeated The Von Brauners (Karl & Kurt) to retain the NWA Florida United States Tag Team Titles
– On March 10, Graham defeated Mike DiBiase to win the vacant NWA Florida Southern Heavyweight Title
– On March 24, Graham defeated Jim Wright to retain the NWA Florida Southern Heavyweight Title
– Graham picked up an injury in May 1962 and was forced to vacate the NWA Florida Southern Heavyweight Title
– In his return match on November 22, Graham defeated Boris Malenko to regain the NWA Florida Southern Heavyweight Title
– On December 4, Graham defeated Malenko to retain the NWA Florida Southern Heavyweight Title
– On August 1, 1963, Graham defeated Hiro Matsuda to regain the NWA Florida Southern Heavyweight Title
– On September 16, Graham defeated Assassin #1 to retain the NWA Florida Southern Heavyweight Title
– On November 21, Graham fought Bob Orton to a no-contest to retain the NWA Florida Southern Heavyweight Title
– On June 23, 1964, Graham & Sam Steamboat defeated The Tolos Brothers (Chris & John) to win the NWA Florida Tag Team Titles
– On July 14, Graham & Steamboat defeated The Tolos Brothers in a Losers Leave Town Match to retain the NWA Florida Tag Team Titles
– On July 24, Graham & Steamboat defeated Felix & Marcus Godo to retain the NWA Florida Tag Team Titles
– On August 11, Graham & Steamboat defeated Bob Orton & Hiro Matsuda to retain the NWA Florida Tag Team Titles
– On August 20, Graham & Steamboat again defeated Orton & Matsuda to retain the NWA Florida Tag Team Titles
– On December 10, Graham & Steamboat defeated Tim & Tarzan Tyler to regain the NWA Florida Tag Team Titles, having lost them just over a month prior
– On December 15, Graham & Steamboat defeated The Assassins to retain the NWA Florida Tag Team Titles
– On September 21, 1965, Graham & Steamboat fought The Medics to a time-limit draw to retain the NWA Florida Tag Team Titles
– On October 4, Graham & Steamboat defeated Tojo Yamamoto & Treach Phillips to retain the NWA Florida Tag Team Titles
– Graham & Steamboat lost the NWA Florida Tag Team Titles to Tojo Yamamoto & Alex Perez on October 11, regained them on October 25 before losing them back to Hiro Matsuda & Kanji Inoki on January 27, 1966
– On June 29, 1967, Graham & Sam Steamboat defeated The Brothers Monroe (Rocket & Sputnik) to win the NWA Florida Tag Team Titles, but would lose them to The Von Stroheims (Kurt & Skull) just over a month later
– On February 2, 1968, Graham & Lester Welch defeated Bronko Lubich & Aldo Bogni to win the NWA Florida Southern Tag Team Titles, but lost them back three weeks later
– In 1971, Graham took over booking the Florida territory and scaled back his in-ring work as a result
– On November 27, 1973, Graham defeated Buddy Colt to win the NWA Florida Heavyweight Title, retained it on December 5 and 11, but lost it back on December 17
– On December 23, 1975, The Grahams (Eddie & Mike) defeated Roger Kirby & Rip Hawk to win the NWA Florida Tag Team Titles, but lost them to Bob Orton Jr & Bob Roop a month later
– In 1976, Graham was appointed President of the NWA. He officially held the position until 1978, but due to poor health, he did not serve an active role in either 1977 pr 1978
– Graham wrestled his final match on March 3, 1982, taking Terry Funk to a draw
– Graham remained active as the promoter of the Florida territory through to January 21, 1985, when he took his own life after a long battle with depression and alcoholism
– Graham was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame on March 29, 2008