Anderson Brothers in Mid-Atlantic Wrestling

By by Dick Bourne Research by Dick Bourne, Carroll Hall, and David Chappell Special Thanks to Mark Eastridge UPDATE SUMMARY \| ANDERSON BROTHERS CLASSIC MAIN PAGE
		1966
May 1966		Gene and Lars Anderson make their debut for Jim Crockett Promotions at WBTV-3 TV studios in Charlotte NC on 5/11/66. They defeat Abe Jacobs and Rudy Kay in their first match in the area. (See also: The Original Minnesota Wrecking Crew)
October 1966		Gene and Lars leave to wrestle for Georgia Championship Wrestling
		1967
May 1967		Gene and Lars Anderson lose the Georgia version of the NWA tag team titles to Enrique and Ramon Torres and return to the Mid-Atlantic territory. They feud with such teams as The Scott Brothers, George Becker and Johnny Weaver, and Tex McKenzie and Nelson Royal.
		1968
April 1968		Gene and Lars Anderson defeat George Becker and Johnny Weaver for the Southern Tag Team championship.
June 1968		Ole Anderson joins his brothers Gene and Lars in the Minnesota Wrecking Crew in the Crockett territory. His first match is believed to be 6/10/68 teaming with Gene and Lars defeating Les Thatcher, the Amazing Zuma, and Paul Demarco.
November 1968		Ole Anderson briefly returns to the AWA. Gene tags with Chris Tolos during some of this time.
December 1968		Lars Anderson leaves Jim Crockett Promotions to wrestle in the AWA. Gene and Ole begin their long run as one of wrestling's greatest tag teams.
		1969
May 1969		Lars Anderson challenges Verne Gagne for the AWA World Championship in Minneapolis before returning to the Mid-Atlantic area.
June 1969		Lars Anderson returns to Jim Crockett Promotion for 4 months. The three brothers wrestled in many six-man tag matches over the next 4 months. His first match back is with Ole and Gene against The Scott Borthers and Paul Jones on June 16 in Charlotte.
September 1969		Lars Anderson receives two title shots against Dory Funk, Jr. for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship in Greenville SC and Raleigh NC.
Fall 1969		Lars Anderson leaves Jim Crockett Promotions for the last time in the fall of 1969.
		1970
January 1970		Gene and Ole Anderson tour Japan for All-Japan Pro Wrestling.
March 1970		Dory Funk Jr. defends the NWA World Heavyweight title against both Ole and Gene Anderson during the month of March. Gene and Ole win the Atlantic Coast Tag Team titles from George Becker and Johnny Weaver on 3/26/70 at the Coliseum in Greensboro, NC.
September 1970		Gene and Ole Anderson lose the Atlantic Coast Tag Team titles to Paul Jones and Nelson Royal on 9/20/70 in Raleigh NC. Dory Funk Jr. defends the NWA World Heavyweight title against both Ole Anderson.
September 1970		Ole Anderson leaves Jim Crockett Promotions to wrestle in Georgia. Gene teams with Chris Tolos to challenge for the Atlantic Coast Tag titles. Gene also teams with Art Nelson in early 1971.
		1971
February and July 1971		Gene Anderson receives title shots against Dory Funk, Jr. for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship in Raleigh and Asheville NC.
		1972
Late Winter 1972		Ole Anderson returns to Crockett Promotions to once again team up with brother Gene as the Minnesota Wrecking Crew.
November 1972		The Anderson Brothers win the Atlantic Coast Tag Team titles from Art nelson and Johnny Weaver on 11/6/70 in Greensboro, NC.
November 1972		Art Nelson and Johnny Weaver regain the Atlantic Coast Titles from the Anderson Brothers on 11/13/72 in Charlotte NC.
		1973
March 1973		The Anderson Brothers defeat Johnny Weaver and Art Nelson again for the Atlantic Coast Tag Team titles on 3/3/73 in Winston-Salem NC.
May 1973		Ole Anderson wins the Eastern Heavyweight Championship (forerunner of the Mid-Atlantic title) from Jerry Brisco on 5/9/73 at the TV studios of WRAL-5 in Raleigh NC.
May 1973		The Anderson Brothers lose the Atlantic Coast Tag Team titles to Thunderbolt Patterson and Jerry Brisco on 5/29/73 at WGHP-8 studios in Highpoint, NC.
July 1973		Ole loses the Eastern Heavyweight title back to Jerry Brisco on 7/3/73 at the Township Auditorium in Columbia SC.
December 1973		Gene and Ole win the Mid-Atlantic tag team titles from Brute Bernard and Jay York on 12/26/73 at the Township Auditorium in Columbia SC.
		1974
April 1974		Gene and Ole lose the Mid-Atlantic tag team titles to Paul Jones and Bob Bruggers on 4/8/74 at Memorial Arena in Fayetteville NC.
May 1974		The Anderson Brothers leave Jim Crockett Promotions to wrestle in Georgia. They win the Georgia Tag Team Championship on May 31. (See Anderson Georgia Highlights 1974 for more details.)
November 1974		The Andersons, who had become "good guys" in their final months in the Georgia territory, lose a "loser-leaves-town" match to the Mighty Yankees in Atlanta on Nov. 29, 1974. They leave the Georgia territory and prepare to return to the Mid-Atlantic area.
		1975
January 1975		The Minnesota Wrecking Crew return to the Mid-Atlantic area.
January 1975		Gene and Ole Anderson win the NWA World Tag Team Championships in a tournament in California. They defeat Dino Bravo and Gino Brito in the finals. (Fictitious tournament.) This is announced at the WRAL TV tapings on 1/29/75 in Raleigh NC.
February 1975		NWA World Tag champs Gene and Ole Anderson defeat Mid-Atlantic Tag Team champions Paul Jones and Tiger Conway Jr. in a title-vs.-title match on a special televised match from the Coliseum in Greensboro NC on 2/20/75.
March 1975		Ole announces that the Anderson Brothers are forfeiting the Mid-Atlantic tag titles and announces on television he has thrown the belts in a dumpster. The Andersons then begin defense of their World Tag titles, and the Mid-Atlantic tag titles remain vacant until September 1976.
May 1975		Wahoo McDaniel and Paul Jones defeat the Anderson Brothers for the NWA World Tag team titles in 5/15/75 at the Coliseum in Greensboro NC.
June 1975		The Anderson Brothers regain the NWA World Tag Team titles, defeating Wahoo McDaniel and Paul Jones in the famous match remembered today as the "Supreme Sacrifice". Ole sacrificed his brother Gene buy slamming Wahoo's head into Gene's head, knocking both men out, and allowing Ole to pin Wahoo to win the titles. The televised match took place 6/11/75 at WRAL-5 TV studios in Raleigh NC.
		1976
January 1976		Wahoo McDaniel and Rufus R. Jones defeat the Anderson Brothers for the NWA World Tag Team titles on 1/27/76 at the Township Auditorium in Columbia SC.
February 1976		The Andersons regain the NWA World Tag Team titles from Wahoo McDaniel and Rufus R. Jones on 2/3/76 at Dorton Arena in Raleigh NC.
March 1976		The Andersons have a series of matches with Bolo and Geto Mongol after the Mongols arrive in Crockett Promotions from the IWA with the IWA tag belts. Crockett Promotions recognizes the Mongols as the International Tag Team Champions and they are managed by Boris Malenko.
April 1976		The Andersons defeat the International tag champions the Mongols on 4/5 in Charlotte and leave the ring with both the NWA and IWA tag team title belts.
May 1976		Mr. Wrestling Tim Woods and Dino Bravo defeat the Anderson Brothers for the NWA World Tag Team titles. The televised match took place 5/5/76 at WRAL-5 TV studios in Raleigh NC. Ole Anderson is stabbed by a fan in Greenville SC on 5/24/76 and nearly dies that night. Two nights later, he wrestles at a TV taping in Raleigh NC.
June 1976		The Andersons regain the NWA World Tag Team titles from Tim Woods and Dino Bravo on 6/28/76 at Memorial Auditorium in Greenville SC.
September 1976		After Ole loses several "loser-leaves-town" matches to Rufus R. Jones in September, the Anderson Brothers leave the territory with the NWA World Tag Team titles to wrestle in Georgia. They continue to make appearances for Jim Crockett Promotions as a team, but only sporadically. They would not return as a full-time team until 1981. Gene Anderson would return for longer stints as a single or with other partners.
October 1976		Although fulltime in Georgia, Gene Anderson makes a special TV appearance in the Mid-Atlantic for a six man tag match, teaming with cousin Ric Flair and his regular partner Greg Valentine. Flair gets angry at Gene for making a mistake in the match and slaps him in "the slap heard round the world." Gene and Ric have an altercation, and Ric and Greg issue a challenge to the Andersons for the World Tag Titles. In Georgia, the Andersons hold and defend the Georgia tag team titles as well as the NWA World tag titles.
October 1976		Ole and Gene make the first of several Sunday-only returns to the Mid-Atlantic area, making their first title defense against cousin Ric Flair and his partner Greg Valentine on 10/31/76 in Charlotte. The Andersons are generally the fan favorites in these matches.
November 1976		Continuing Sunday only appearances while full-time in Georgia, the Anderson Brothers take former arch enemy Wahoo McDaniel as a tag partner to face Ric Flair, Greg Valentine and Blackjack Mulligan in six man tag team matches.
December 1976		The Anderson Brothers lose the NWA World Tag Team titles to their cousin Ric Flair and his partner Greg Valentine the day after Christmas 12/26/76 at the Coliseum in Greensboro NC.
		1977
		1977 Mid-Atlantic Results
February 1977		The Andersons make a rare appearance on Mid-Atlantic television, expressing an interest in regaining the NWA World Tag Team titles.
March 1977		The Andersons make a special appearance headlining a big Greensboro NC card (3/20/77) televised in Japan. Many stars from All-Japan Pro Wrestling appear on this card as well. The Andersons made an unsuccessful bid at regaining the NWA world tag team titles from Ric Flair and Greg Valentine.
April 1977		During another rare TV appearance, the Andersons sit ringside and watch the NWA world tag champs Ric Flair and Greg Valentine in action. Ole tells Bob Caudle that the Andersons are back are the only team tough enough to take the world titles from Flair and Valentine. They make several unsuccessful bids for the title in April and May.
May 1977		Gene and Ole Anderson regain the NWA World Tag titles from Ric Flair and Greg Valentine on 5/8/77 in a famous cage match in Charlotte NC. Wahoo McDaniel served as special referee. After the match, Flair and Valentine injure Ole Anderson.
May 1977		After winning the NWA World Tag titles, the Anderson's immediately leave the area and return full-time to Georgia with the titles.
June 1977		Following up after his injury at the hands of Flair and Valentine, Ole Anderson returns for a few singles matches with Ric Flair. Some are for Flair's Mid-Atlantic TV title. On June 26 in Columbia SC, the Anderson brothers finally return to defend the tag titles against former champions Flair and Valentine.
September 1977		Wrestling full-time in Georgia, the Andersons lose the NWA World Tag Titles to Dusty Rhodes and Dick Slater on 9/23/77 in the Omni. One week later, on 9/30/77, they regain the titles in the same building.
October 1977		Gene and Ole Anderson lose the NWA World Tag team titles back to Ric Flair and Greg Valentine on October 30, 1977 in Greensboro NC. Gene Anderson is injured in this match and is out of action for many months. The famous video of Gene in a Crawford Long Hospital bed is shown, with Ole and Georgia announcer Freddy Miller. This effectively ends the tag feud between the two teams.
December 1977		Ole Anderson asks Wahoo McDaniel to be his tag team partner while Gene is out with his injury. They make a couple of unsuccessful attempts to take the NWA World Tag Team titles from Flair and Valentine.
		1978
February 1978		Gene Anderson, still sidelined with neck injury and recuperating from neck surgery, returns to the Mid-Atlantic territory to act as a special referee in several matches between Greg Valentine and Wahoo McDaniel for the Mid-Atlantic title (Valentine defending.) Ole Anderson makes several appearances teaming with Wahoo McDaniel to challenge Flair and Valentine again for the World Tag Team titles. Ole remains full-time in Georgia, however, and even teams once with Ric Flair there (unbeknownst to Mid-Atlantic fans) against Tony Atlas and Dick Slater on 2/4 in Marietta.
March 1978		Gene Anderson returns to ring action on 3/19/78 following neck surgery in October 1977. Gene begins full time again in April.
April 1978		Ole returns to team with Gene for one night (Greensboro 4/23/78) as they enter a tournament for the vacant NWA World Tag Team titles previously held by Ric Flair and Greg Valentine. They defeat another brother team, Jack & Jerry Brisco, in the opening round but lose to eventual tournament winners Paul Jones and Ricky Steamboat in the 2nd round.
June 1978		Gene Anderson forms a full time tag team with Sgt. Jacques Goulet.
August 1978		Gene Anderson serves as a special referee in a US title match between Ric Flair and Ricky Steamboat. Gene helps Flair win and the two reconcile; the Anderson family is back together in one of the most remembered moments of the year. Gene wrestles Ricky Steamboat in several main event or semi-main event matches.
		1979
Jan. - Dec. 1979		Gene Anderson cuts back to a part time schedule for Crockett Promotions during the entire year of 1979, wrestling mid-card tag matches with various rotating partners including Sgt. Goulet, Swede Hanson, Brute Bernard, and Moose Moralski. He also begins making a few appearances in Georgia, teaming with Ole (still full time in Georgia) in the early months of 1979, primarily against Wahoo McDaniel and Tommy Rich.
March 1979		Ole Anderson returns to the Mid-Atlantic area for one night, Saturday March 31, to team with Gene Anderson to challenge Jimmy Snuka and Paul Orndorff for the NWA World Tag Team Championships.
December 1979		Buddy Rogers, manager of Big John Stuudd and the U.S. Champion Jimmy Snuka, leaves the Mid-Atlantic area. He sells the contracts of his wrestlers to Gene Anderson.
		1980
January 1980		Gene Anderson takes a hiatus from wrestling and begins his managerial career, managing the US champion Jimmy Snuka. But before he leaves the ring, he has several singles matches with his cousin Ric Flair. It is the first sign of the split in the Anderson family once again that will manifest itself over much of the next two years. Ole Anderson remains full time in Georgia for the entire year of 1980.
April 1980		Jimmy Snuka, with manager Gene Anderson, loses the US title to Ric Flair in Greensboro. Gene also begins managing his 2nd wrestler, the Iron Sheik.
May 1980		The Iron Sheik, managed by Gene Anderson, wins the Mid-Atlantic title from Jim Brunzell in Charlotte. Anderson also begins management of the team of Jimmy Snuka and Ray Stevens who win the World Tag Team championship from Ricky Steamboat and Jay Youngblood. Snuka, Stevens, and the Iron Sheik are now known as "Anderson's Army".
June 1980		The famous cage match angle in Georgia on 7/20 takes place where Ole Anderson teams with Dusty Rhodes to take on the Assassins with special referees Gene Anderson and Ivan Koloff. They all turn on Dusty.
July 1980		The family feud escalates: In a famous angle, Greg Valentine breaks Ric Flair's nose with Gene Anderson's cane. During the summer, Gene Anderson wrestles in a few six man matches with his tag champs Snuka and Stevens as his partners. The Masked Superstar joins "Anderson's Army".
August 1980		"Anderson's Army" turns on the Masked Superstar, who begins to take several different partners in an attempt to challenge Anderson's team of Snuka and Stevens for the NWA World Tag Team titles.
August 1980		Gene Anderson wrestles in a singles match for the first time since facing Flair earlier in the year, in a semi-main event against Ricky Steamboat in Asheville NC.
November 1980		Snuka and Stevens, managed by Gene Anderson, lose the NWA World Tag Team titles in a cage match to Paul Jones and the Masked Superstar at the annual Thanksgiving Night card in Greensboro.
December 1980		Gene Anderson has a series of singles matches with the Masked Superstar.
		1981
February 1981		Ole Anderson returns for one night to team with Gene Anderson as they challenge The Masked Superstar and Paul Jones for the NWA World Tag Team titles. They are unsuccessful, but Gene Anderson's team of Ray Stevens and Ivan Koloff take the tag titles from Superstar and Paul Jones on 2/22/81 in Greensboro.
March 1981		Ole Anderson returns to the Mid-Atlantic area, splitting time equally between both the Mid-Atlantic and Georgia territories. He and Gene Anderson reunite as the Minnesota Wrecking Crew and begin a long series of matches for the NWA World Tag Team championship with the Masked Superstar and Paul Jones, who had regained the tag title on 3/22 in Greensboro. The Andersons also cause Blackjack Mulligan to be eliminated from the NWA TV title tournament, setting up a series of matches where the Andersons faced Blackjack and a mystery partner, which turns out to be his son, Blackjack Mulligan Jr. (Barry Windham.)
May 1981		Gene and Ole Anderson defeat Paul Jones and the Masked Superstar for the NWA World Tag team titles on 5/1/81 in Richmond VA. One of their first challenges comes from a team with which they had some of their greatest battles: Wahoo McDaniel and Paul Jones. They continue to defend their World Tag Team titles throughout the summer of 1981 against many different combinations in both the Mid-Atlantic and Georgia territories.
July 1981		The Andersons jump Ric Flair during a cage match and begin a feud with Flair, who takes several different partners including Jay Youngblood, Blackjack Mulligan, and Wahoo McDaniel.
August 1981		In a tag team match in Wilmington NC between the Anderson Brothers vs. Ric Flair and Wahoo McDaniel, Gene Anderson is severely injured when he is hit with a baseball bat. Gene is out of action indefinitely. The NWA allows Ole Anderson to select substitute partners to defend the NWA title with for a short period of time, which include Jim Nelson, Mr. Fuji, Buzz Sawyer, and Swede Hanson. Ole Anderson also begins a long series of singles matches with his cousin Ric Flair including bunkhouse matches, bull rope matches, and Indian strap matches.
September 1981		The Anderson's cousin Ric Flair wins the NWA World Heavyweight Championship from Dusty Rhodes on 9/17 in Kansas City, MO. Flair's first title defenses in the Mid-Atlantic area are against Ole Anderson.
October 1981		Gene Anderson returns to both manage Ole Anderson with various partners including the Super Destroyer (Scott Irwin) as well as occasionally team with Ole in an attempt to maintain title defenses within 30 days. The re-create the famous 1975 angle where Ole sacrifices Gene in a match with Jake Roberts and Jay Youngblood. Gene and Ole also begin working again in Georgia, defending the NWA tag titles.

		1982
January 1982		The NWA strips the Anderson Brothers of the NWA World Tag Team Championship for failure to defend the titles in 30 days. A three-month divisional tournament is announced to recognize new champions. Ole Anderson and Stan Hansen enter the tournament.
February		Ole Anderson and Stan Hanson win the Atlanta regional in the NWA World Tag Team Tournament.

		... TO BE CONTINUED ...
Special thanks to Mark Eastridge for his assistance with this feature and to Brad Anderson for many of the the photos used on this page and on this website. Thanks also to Brad Anderson and Boris Zhukov for information used in this feature. ANDERSON BROTHERS CLASSIC MAIN PAGE UPDATE SUMMARY 01/05/07 - Added/edited additional information for June 1968, November 1968, May 1974, and February 1978. Also added new timeline information for all of 1979 and 1980. 01/06/07 - Added an entry for March 1976 documenting the unification of the NWA and International Tag Team titles. Also updated May 1966 01/07/07 - Added new timeline information for April 1968, and all of 1981, plus January of 1982. Edited info for October 1981. 01/08/07 - Added timeline material for September 1969, January 1970, and December 1979. Edited information for June 1969, and 1971. 1/9/07 - Added/Edited information for March 1970. 1/14/07 - Added/edited information for March and April 1976.