Crusher Blackwell before he was a Crusher...

Jerry Blackwell was nothing but a country boy made good. He was from Hall County, Georgia near Gainesville.   I first met Jerry in 1973 when he came to work for Gunkel Enterprises. He was everything you would expect from a  rural Georgia boy. polite, well mannered, and a little mischievous. Jerry Blackwell was ahead of his time and for a big man took better and bigger bumps than most guys half his size. We lost him far too soon.  Here are a couple Blackwell moments...

We were working Atlanta TV and Jerry went back against the ropes. He was not very tall and his momentum carried him backwards  between the middle and lower ropes. His head caught the middle rope just enough to make his neck act like a slingshot to propel him to the floor head first and in reverse. I was afraid as the referee to go look because I assumed he was knocked out or dead.  I started my count and as I looked down I saw that he was smiling. He climbed back into the ring and we finished the match. As we went into the dressing room Tom Renesto who was the booker met us at the door. He said "My boy I thought for sure you were dead".  Jerry's reply, "I have always been kinda stout about the head and shoulders."

I have refereed many matches between Jerry and a wrestling bear that we had here for a tour through the state. I have actually seen Jerry  pin that bear. The bear got so tired of dealing with Jerry he would lay down. Jerry was so strong he could man handle that bear.  I am not poking fun or trying to be cute, Jerry Blackwell did not know how strong he was. However I can assure you that the bear would take Jerry anytime to keep from wrestling Ox Baker (another story for another time ). 

The funniest thing I ever saw involving Jerry was in Newnan, Georgia at the old high school.  Jerry was wrestling under a mask and was heeling at this point in his career. It was a spot show and we were not doing anything special, just a prelim match. I don't even remember who he was working with but he went to get his heat and threw the guy out of the ring. He then proceeds to go out after him.  Normally as a referee I stay in the ring and count but for whatever reason on this night I went after them. I was behind Jerry and he tossed his opponent into a ring post. I jumped in front of him and began chewing him out. He spun around and started after his opponent by going the long way around. As he rounded the next corner he picked up the hammer off the timekeeper's table. As we rounded the next  corner there was a Coweta County Policeman sitting at the far end of the ring, pistol drawn and pointed in the direction of a stunned Jerry Blackwell, and a frozen referee. The officer said and I quote " There will be no hammers in Newnan, Georgia!".   I rolled into the ring and Jerry almost rolled over me getting back in the ring. We stood looked at each other, busted out laughing and  in unison said, "There will be no hammers in Newnan, Georgia."  Talk about kayfabe, that officer believed.