Luke Brown Explained

Luke Brown
Birth Name:	Carl Dennis Campbell
Birth Date:	28 July 1935
Birth Place:	Kentucky
Death Place:	Washington, D.C.
Names:	Luke Brown Man Mountain Campbell
Height:	6 ft 8 in^[1]
Weight:	328 lb
Trainer:	Fred Atkins
Debut:	1958
Retired:	1977

Carl Dennis Campbell Sr.^[2] (July 28, 1935 – November 12, 1997) was an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Luke "Big Boy" Brown. He is most noted for being one-half of a tag team in the 1950s and 1960s known as the Kentuckians, along with Grizzly Smith.

Professional wrestling career

Brown began his professional wrestling career in 1958, traveling with carnivals.^[2] Wrestler Frankie Townsend gave him the name "Man Mountain Campbell", which Brown used up until 1961.^[2] For a short period during this time he tagged with Stan Stasiak, and they were the first tag team to ever hold the NWA International Tag Team Championship (Toronto version). They defeated Ivan and Karol Kalmikoff on June 8, 1961 in a tournament to win this title.^[3]

In 1961, Brown also began teaming with Grizzly Smith.^[2] The duo became known as The Kentuckians, and they were known for their long beards, dungarees, and cow horn.^[2]

Brown, as Man Mountain Campbell, had his first main event match on April 12, 1960 against Hans Schmidt in Minneapolis, Minnesota.^[4] His first match in Madison Square Gardens took place November 13, 1960 in a tag team match with Haystacks Calhoun against The Kangaroos.^[5]

He retired from professional wrestling in 1977 after a shoulder injury.^[2]

Personal life

Brown was married three times.^[2]

He was in poor health during his last years of life, including kidney failure that required him to undergo dialysis.^[2] He died of a stroke in a Washington, D.C. hospital in 1997.^[2] He was buried in Elkton, Maryland.^[2]

Championships and accomplishments

• American Wrestling Association
  • AWA Midwest Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Jake Smith^{[6] [7]}
• Central States Wrestling
  • NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Central States version) (1 time)^{[6] [8]}
  • NWA North American Tag Team Championship (Central States version) (3 times) – with Tor Kamata, Danny Little Bear, and Ox Baker^{[9] [10]}
• Georgia Championship Wrestling
  • NWA Southern Tag Team Championship (Georgia version) (1 time) – with Jake Smith^{[6] [11]}
• Maple Leaf Wrestling
  • NWA International Championship (Toronto version) (1 time)
  • NWA International Tag Team Championship (Toronto version) (1 time) – with Stan Stasiak^{[3] [12]}
• NWA Tri-State
  • NWA United States Tag Team Championship (Tri-State version) (5 times) – with Dutch Savage (1), Danny Hodge (1), Jake Smith (2), and Klondike Bill (1)^{[6] [13]}
• NWA San Francisco
  • NWA World Tag Team Championship (San Francisco version) (1 time) – with Mr. Kleen^[14]
• Superstar Championship Wrestling
  • SCW Western States Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Ray Steele and Eddie Sullivan ^{[6] [15]}
• Worldwide Wrestling Associates
  • WWA World Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Jake Smith^{[6] [16]}
• Wrestling Fans International Association
  • WFIA Wrestling Award (1968)^[6]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Wrestlingdata.com – The World's Largest Wrestling Database. WrestlingData. September 13, 2020.
2. Web site: "Big Boy" Brown Proud Of Heritage. Mooneyham, Mike. The Wrestling Gospel. 2009-12-22. December 21, 1997.
3. Web site: Will . Gary . TITLE HISTORY: International Tag Team Title . Toronto Wrestling History . 2007-07-23 . https://web.archive.org/web/20031017160101/http://www.garywill.com/toronto/title-int.htm . 2003-10-17 . dead .
4. Web site: First Main Event . Kirby, Carl . Various Magazine Articles . CKerby.com . October 8, 2008.
5. Web site: 1960 Match History . Kirby, Carl . Match History . CarlKerby.com . October 8, 2008.
6. Web site: Luke Brown . Bios . Oklafan.com . December 21, 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20091003201428/http://www.oklafan.com/bios/388/profile.html . October 3, 2009 . dead .
7. Web site: AWA Midwest Tag Team Title . 2003 . Puroresu Dojo . Wrestling-Titles.com. 4 November 2011.
8. Web site: NWA United States Heavyweight Title (Central States) . 2003 . Puroresu Dojo . Wrestling-Titles.com. 4 November 2011.
9. Book: Royal Duncan and Gary Will . Wrestling Title Histories . (Kansas and Western Missouri) West Missouri: North American Tag Team Title. 253. Archeus Communications . 2006 . 0-9698161-5-4.
10. Web site: NWA North American Tag Team Title (Central States version) . wrestling-titles.com . March 24, 2015.
11. Web site: NWA Southern Tag Team Title (Georgia) . 2003 . Puroresu Dojo . Wrestling-Titles.com. 4 November 2011.
12. Web site: International Tag Team Title (Toronto) . 2003 . Puroresu Dojo . Wrestling-Titles.com. 4 November 2011.
13. Web site: NWA United States Tag Team Title (Tri-State) . 2003 . Puroresu Dojo . Wrestling-Titles.com. 4 November 2011.
14. Web site: NWA World Tag Team Title (San Francisco) (Joe Malcewicz) . 2003 . Puroresu Dojo . Wrestling-Titles.com. 4 November 2011.
15. Web site: SCW Western States Tag Team Title . 2003 . Puroresu Dojo . Wrestling-Titles.com. 4 November 2011.
16. Web site: WWA World Tag Team Title (Los Angeles) . 2003 . Puroresu Dojo . Wrestling-Titles.com. 4 November 2011.