| Tiger Conway | |
| Names: | Tiger Conway Tiger Conway Sr. |
| Birth Name: | Plasse Dennis Bradford Conway |
| Height: | 5 ft 11 in |
| Weight: | 264 lb |
| Birth Date: | 4 August 1932 |
| Birth Place: | Shreveport, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Death Place: | Houston, Texas, U.S. |
| Trainer: | Danny McShain |
| Debut: | 1955 |
| Retired: | 1979 |
Plasse Dennis Bradford Conway (August 4, 1932 – November 13, 2006) was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Tiger Conway.
Conway was born on August 4, 1932, in Shreveport, Louisiana. He grew up living on a plantation with his parents and moved to Houston, Texas, in 1947, where he worked in a hotel. At the hotel, he met wrestler Danny McShain, who helped him get involved in wrestling.[1]
In the 1950s, when Conway made his debut, professional wrestling was segregated and people competed against others of their own race. Conway was forced to compete against only other African Americans for much of his career. Conway was forced to wrestle on the "chitterling circuit",[1] named after the innards of pigs that slave owners refused to eat and gave to their slaves instead.[2] Conway won his only title, the Texas Negro Championship, in his first professional match.[1] [3]
By the 1960s, Conway was permitted to compete against Caucasians. In a match against Maurice "Mad Dog" Vachon, Vachon broke Conway's kneecap.[1] Later in his career, Conway formed a tag team with his son, who competed as Tiger Conway Jr.[1] [3]
Conway was a member of the Cauliflower Alley Club, an organization for retired wrestlers and boxers.[1] After his retirement from wrestling, he operated a fence-building business and was a member of the Christian Alliance for Humanitarian Aid, Inc. board of directors.[1]
Conway married Inita Conway, and they remained married until his death 56 years later. In November 2006, Conway suffered a stroke and brain aneurysm. He died on November 13, 2006, in Houston.[1] [4] [5]