RIP, Ernie Ladd

I seem to recall he had a son who played prep football about 80 miles from here. Big kid, and he and his teammates on the line were known as Big Cheese and the Cheddar Chips.

RIP, Ernie.

 

His professional grapplin'/showbiz career is of minimal interest or less to me, having gone through that phase about 20-plus years ago.

But watching Ernie Ladd play for the Houston Oilers at Rice Stadium in the '60s, as a kid .... this is sad news. RIP Big Cat.

 

My mind remembers Tony Atlas, Dusty Rhodes, Mr. Wrestling No. 1 and No. 2, Thunderbolt Patterson, Pistol Pez Whatley, Tommy 'Wildfire' Rich - them was the good guys.
Ernie 'Big Cat' Ladd, Ole Anderson, Lars Anderson, 'Natureboy' Rick Flair, Abdullah the Butcher (the Madman from the Sudan), The 'Russian Bear' Ivan Koloff, Stan 'The Lariet' Hansen- them was the bad guys.
And Gordon Solie was calling all the action on WTCG - The Atlanta Superstation which became WTBS
Ladd would sling his opponent into the ropes, then, on the rebound, he'd introduce their faces to his upraised, big Shaq-sized foot.
I watched wrestling every Saturday night as a teen, then gave it up completely around 16 or 17.
And I never knew til later that Ladd was a pro football alum.
RIP Ernie.

 

And Wahoo McDaniel would have been No. 3...

 

Angelo Mosca, who went to Notre Dame and was a huge, huge star in the CFL, would have to be in that list too.