This Day In Wrestling History – March 29th

Happy birthday to Brittany Blake!!

For recaps of the three WrestleMania’s to occur on March 29th (1987, 1998, and 2015), click on this link.

1939 – In Boston, Steve Casey defeats Gus Sonnenberg, to win the American Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Championship.

1955 – Bulldog Curtis & Tommy Martinez defeat Kurt Von Poppenheim & Leo Wallick, to win the NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship.

1959 – Nick Kozak & Al Kashney defeat Kurt Von Poppenheim & Kurt Von Himmler, to win the NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship.

1962 – Joe Scarpa (later known as Chief Jay Strongbow) and Don Curtis defeat The Von Brauners (Karl & Kurt), to win the NWA (Florida) World Tag Team Championship.

1968 – The Spoiler defeats Billy Red Lyons, to win the NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship.

1974 – The owners of Mid-South Sports, Inc. vote to rename their corporation Georgia Championship Wrestling.

1976 – Buck Robley & Bob Slaughter defeat The Hollywood Blonds (Jerry Brown & Buddy Roberts), to win the NWA (Tri-State) United States Tag Team Championship.

1979 – The World Wide Wrestling Federation drops a W from its name, and becomes the World Wrestling Federation.

1980 – Greg Valentine & Ray Stevens defeat Ricky Steamboat & Jay Youngblood, to win the NWA World Tag Team Championship.  Elsewhere, Americo Rocca defeats Lizmark, to win the Mexican National Welterweight Championship.

1982 – Bugsy McGraw defeats Jose Lothario, to win the NWA (Texas) Brass Knuckles Championship.

1994 – At a house show in London, Men on a Mission (Mabel & Mo) defeat The Quebecers (Pierre & Jacques), to win the WWF Tag Team Championship.

1999 – In the Monday Night Wars, WWF RAW IS WAR (6.5 TV rating) beats WCW Monday Nitro (3.5 rating).  On RAW, Goldust defeats Road Dogg, to win the WWF Intercontinental Championship for the 3rd time.  On Nitro, Billy Kidman & Rey Mysterio, Jr. defeat Chris Benoit & Dean Malenko, to win the WCW World Tag Team Championship.

2008 – The WWE Hall of Fame Ceremony is held in Orlando, Florida.

– Ric Flair (inducted by Triple H):  Flair is the first active wrestler inducted into the Hall of Fame.
– Peter Maivia (inducted by The Rock)
– Rocky Johnson (also inducted by The Rock)
– Mae Young (inducted by Pat Patterson)
– Jerry & Jack Brisco (inducted by John Bradshaw Layfield)
– Eddie Graham (inducted by Dusty Rhodes), accepted by his son Mike Graham.
– Gordon Solie (inducted by Jim Ross)

2009 – At an ECW Hardcore Reunion event in Allentown, PA, Shane Douglas announces that he would be running a ECW reunion show in November 2009, calling it November to Remember: The Final Chair Shot.  The event never took place, due to scheduling conflicts at the formerly-named ECW Arena.  It was replaced with an event in June, to coincide with an American Cancer Society charity event, hosted by Francine (Douglas’ former valet).

2009 – In Florida Championship Wrestling, Joe Hennig defeats Eric Escobar, to win the FCW Florida Heavyweight Championship.

2010 – Former TNA World Tag Team Champion Consequences Creed is released by the company.  He would sign a developmental contract with WWE July 22nd, and make his debut in Florida Championship Wrestling one week later, as Xavier Woods.

2010 – One night after WrestleMania XXVI,  RAW (airing live, as usual) beats TNA Impact! (which was taped) 3.7 to 0.62 in the ratings.  With ratings declining, since competing head-to-head with RAW Mondays from 9pm-11pm ET, executives at SPIKE TV decide to air April 5th’s live edition Impact! one hour earlier, at 8pm ET.

2011 – WWE trainer & agent Dave Finlay is released from the company, after a controversial incident at a house show over the weekend.  Finlay had authorized the interruption of The National Anthem by The Miz.  This offended many, including National Guard members in attendance.  Finlay wanted to intensify the audience’s dislike for The Miz, in preparation for The Miz’s main event appearance at WrestleMania XXVII.  Finlay would be rehired by WWE July 11, 2012, as a backstage producer.

2013 – Reid Flair, son to Ric and sister to Charlotte Flair, is found dead in a hotel room.  Reid had overdosed on heroin, and had traces of prescription drugs clonazepam and alprazolam in his system.

2015 – The annual WWE Hall of Fame Ceremony is held at the SAP Center in San Jose, CA.  The Class of 2015 is listed below.

– Arnold Schwarzenegger (inducted by Triple H)
– “Macho Man” Randy Savage (inducted by Hulk Hogan and represented by his brother Larry Poffo)
– Rikishi (inducted by Jimmy & Jey Uso)
– Alundra Blayze (inducted by Natalya)
– Larry Zbyszko (inducted by Bruno Sammartino)
– Tatsumi Fujinami (inducted by Ric Flair)
– Kevin Nash (inducted by Shawn Michaels)

– The Bushwhackers – Butch & Luke (inducted by John Laurinaitis)
– Connor “The Crusher” Michalek receives the inaugural Warrior Award.  The award is given to “those who have “exhibited unwavering strength and perseverance, and who lives life with the courage and compassion that embodies the indomitable spirit of the Ultimate Warrior.”  The award was presented by Dana Warrior and Daniel Bryan, and was accepted on Connor’s behalf by his father and his brother.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO: Current CZW wrestler (former Medal of Valor champion) Brittany Blake (26 years old);  WWE Hall of Famer Michael “P.S.” Hayes (58 years old);  and former Jersey All Pro Wrestling (JAPW) Tag Team Champion Dixie, aka Brian Brower (35 years old).

SOURCES: NATIONAL WRESTLING ALLIANCE – The Untold Story of the Monopoly that Strangled Pro Wrestling (by Tim Hornbaker), PW Insider, Dave Finlay on Wikipedia, wrestlingdata.com, The Internet Wrestling Database, gerweck.net

Follow me on Twitter at @Bill_Fenbers.