Also the WWWF at this time was often criticized for being rather uncreative in their characters (certainly untrue today, eh?). Mostly all they had were ethnic characters such as the Italian Dominic Denucci, the Australian Tony Garea, the Pole Ivan Putski, the "Russian Bear" Ivan Koloff, the Puerto Rican Pedro Morales, the Japanese tandem of Mr. Fuji and Prof. Tanaka, the Indian Chief Jay Strongbow, and so on. So it seemed only a natural that the "All American" would be champion over all these other nationalities. That made Backlund a shoe-in.

As champion, Backlund was an open fighter who faced anyone and everyone who came his way. He used various finishers over the years including the atomic drop, the victory roll, and the crossface chicken-wing. Many may not consider Backlund as much of a "hard core" style wrestler because of his clean-cut, "All American" image, but anyone who remembers him well will wholly disagree. In an angle with Slaughter, Backlund’s body was left with whip marks all across his back and chest, which were every bit legitimate. He was also well known to blade to add to the excitement of a match, and often hit a real juicer.

But he wasn’t champion long before facing controversy. While on tour in Japan he met Antonio Inoki, and to help get over, Inoki wanted to pin the American champion Backlund. Since he was not adverse to losing like so many other champions then and especially later, Backlund did not refuse the job, and agreed to be pinned. Backlund was supposed to win the title back later in the same tour so American audiences would never hear about the change, but instead the rematch ended in a draw. Desperate to get the title back on Backlund without having to say anything to US fans about it, Backlund’s upcoming match with Bobby Duncum in Madison Square Garden was for the "held up" WWF title (since Duncum was announced as the number one contender). They never announced the title was held up in the arena, but Backlund simply came down to the ring without the belt. To distract the Garden crowd from this, they changed the match at the last minute to a "no count-out, no disqualification" match. Backlund defeated the Texan, Duncum in decisive fashion to regain the belt in front a throng of Japanese press. Over the last several years, the WWF has finally recognized the title change and Backlund is now considered a 3-time champion.

In another title controversy, Backlund was defending the belt against Greg "The Hammer" Valentine on October 19, 1981. It was a long and grueling match, when lo and behold the ref gets knocked down (what a surprise in a wrestling match, eh?). Backlund managed to pin Valentine, and a dazed referee counted three, but when he rose, the ref raised Valentine’s hand in victory, and claimed he was so dizzied he wasn’t sure whose shoulders he counted. However, Backlund ended the controversy by defeating Valentine in a rematch at the Garden.

As the top champion, Backlund was often involved with the promotion’s top feuds, including the one I talked about last month with Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka. His feuds often started similarly, with Backlund in the ring doing some activity with a fan, or interviewing, when a heel attacks. Because of this, fans knew to watch on weeks when Backlund was announced as appearing. His feud with Duncum saw Backlund get hung by a bull-rope from the top rope. During another interview, "Bulldog" Bob Brown attacked Backlund with a steel chair. Sgt. Slaughter challenged Backlund to the "Harvard step test" only to attack his manager, and whip Backlund with his riding whip.

Other top challengers included unification matches with other champions such as NWA World Champions Harley Race, whom he defeated by count-out, and Ric Flair, whom he wrestled to a draw with at Atlanta’s Omni. He also once met AWA Champion Nick Bockwinkel, but again to a no contest. At the last and often considered greatest Shae Stadium Showdown, Backlund teamed with Pedro Morales to defeat The Wild Samoans for the Tag Team Titles, becoming the first to hold those two titles simultaneously since Sammartino did it in 1967 with Spiros Arion. Bobby even met other babyfaces, but since the McMahon’s didn’t like the idea of two babies meeting, these matches usually happened in Japan, where Backlund once survived a title defense against "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes. He even got past a future multiple time WWF Champion, named Hulk Hogan.

His last feud as champion saw The Iron Sheik challenge our hero to swing the Iranian clubs, only to attack him with the clubs and injure his shoulder. This led to his controversial defeat in Madison Square Garden, where Iron Sheik worked the arm and shoulder for about ten minutes before managing to slap on the dreaded camel clutch. But Backlund would never submit, so it was up to his manager, Arnold Skaaland to throw in the towel and let his man save face while losing the title.

Once the Hogan era began, Backlund stuck around for a time, but could see the writing on the wall. Vince McMahon, Jr. who by now took over the promotion, saw no reason to ever give the title back to Backlund. So he suggested Backlund help get over his new champion by having Bobby turn on Hogan, turn heel, and dye his hair black. Backlund refused the idea, and instead allowed himself to be pushed out of the promotion.

His first stop was in the AWA where his outstanding wrestling skills made him a natural for a big push. He received a shot at their World Champion Rick Martel, and they wrestled to a stellar match that has been rarely televised. Someday, perhaps I’ll chronicle all of Gagne’s mistakes that led to the destruction of his company, but one major boo-boo was not having this match turn into a long series, as both were great workers who could go the distance in exciting matches. But seeing that Gagne was also not going to use him on top for very long, Backlund faded away completely. Occasionally, he came out of retirement to wrestle in Japan and help put over one their future stars, but by and large he remained retired from the sport.

In his retirement, Backlund started a carpentry business, and lived a quiet, peaceful life away from the rugged travel schedules and physically deteriorating work of professional wrestling. Then one day in 1992 the phone rang, and I cannot imagine how surprised he could have been when he answered to hear Vince McMahon’s voice asking him to come back to work after nearly a 10-year absence from the company. The WWF at the time was shifting away from the cartoon gimmickry that made it popular in the 80s and was somewhat returning to the more basic style Backlund excelled at.

On his return, Backulnd didn’t change much at all, but this hurt him to some degree. He still didn’t have ring music, or a fancy robe, but just came down in a jacket, trunks and boots. His wrestling grew some rust, but he worked a few layers of it off in matches like a one-hour performance at the 1993 Royal Rumble, where he was first in, and one of the last to leave. However, since fewer fans remembered Backlund, he had trouble getting over. Finally, WWF head booker and Southern promoter Jerry Jerrett had the idea of turning Backlund heel. Perhaps it was because he knew this was his last hurrah, or perhaps he just plain didn’t want to put over Hulk Hogan (and I’m personally glad he never did), Backlund agreed to turn this time.

His opponent was current Champion Bret Hart, and just in case it didn’t work the match was held on the syndicated show Superstars, instead of their top show Raw. But at the end of a stellar 15 minute match, Backlund was defeated and distraught. He was about to leave the ring, when he snapped and attacked Hart, slapping on his most painful submission hold, the crossface chicken-wing, and left Hart lying. Backlund, unable to believe what he’d just done, sat in the ring staring at his hands.

The angle went over tremendously, and Backlund was back. Soon he would slap the chicken-wing on anyone who crossed him in any way, announcers, his former manager Arnold Skaaland, and oh yes opponents too. He continually teased at eventually slapping the chicken-wing on WWF owner Vince Mcmahon at a time when McMahon was never involved in any angles. His feud with Hart took him all the way back to another World Title reign with a controversial win over Hart at the Survivor Series in 1994. However, the title reign was short lived as just a few days after winning the belt Diesel (Kevin Nash) defeated Bob at a house show in MSG (why couldn’t they just wait until Wrestlmania?). This was the beginning of the end for Backlund’s second run. Jarrett, largely responsible for bringing Backlund in and his push, walked out on the WWF for political reasons, and immediately, the WWF’s clique started taking over. Since Backlund was not part of this elite clique, he was once again pushed out, never getting the chance to "procure the chicken-wing on Vince McMahon."

Today, Backlund has started moving into politics, and hopes one day to reach the pinnacle of Senator. Even if he never reaches this dream, he has left a mark on many a wrestling fan as exemplifying the image of "champion."

NEXT MONTH: 

I’ll look at the tail end of the "Living Legend" Bruno Sammartino’s stellar career.