Bull Curry Explained

Bull Curry
Names:Bull Curry
Birth Name:Fred Thomas Koury Sr.[1]
Height:[2]
Weight:220lb
Birth Date:2 May 1913
Birth Place:Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.[3]
Death Date:[4]
Death Place:Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
Billed:Hartford, Connecticut
Trainer:Adam Weissmuller
Debut:1932
Retired:1979

Fred Thomas Koury Sr. (May 2, 1913 – March 8, 1985), best known under his ring name ”Wild Bull” Curry, was an American professional wrestler of Lebanese descent. He is recognized as the originator of the hardcore style, predating legends such as The Sheik, Abdullah the Butcher, and Bruiser Brody.[5]

Professional wrestling career

At the age of sixteen, Curry left high school and joined the circus in order to help provide for his four brothers and sisters.[3] His job at the circus was that of the “tough man” who took on all comers from the audience in a fight. He had 65 straight wins without anyone going past one 5-minute round.[1] In 1939, Curry joined the Hartford Police Department, where he put his “tough man” background to good use in the streets, quickly earning him a reputation for toughness.[3] It has been claimed that on one occasion, a wild steer bull broke out of the Hartford stockyard and ran wild in the streets. Curry grabbed the bull by the horns and managed to wrestle it to the ground, however, it is likely this was in fact nothing more than a fictional story created by wrestling promoters to give a reason for his nickname of “Wild Bull” that stuck with him for the rest of his life.[1] [6]

In the 1940s, Curry began wrestling in Detroit under promoter Adam Weissmuller.[3] While there, Curry developed his brutal, hardcore style of wrestling that made him a top name in the territory. In July 1940, Curry faced professional boxer Jack Dempsey in an exhibition match.[7] Years later, Curry would often claim that he knocked Dempsey out in the match, but he was actually stopped in the second round.[8]

In the early part of the 1950s, Bull Curry relocated to Texas, where his combination of unpredictable violence, unique look and intensity made him a star more or less immediately upon arrival.[1] [6] Curry's brawling style made him a success but it also kept the promoters from giving him the “main” title of the territory despite being the biggest draw in the territory.[9] Instead of letting Curry win the top title of the Texas territory, the bookers created a brand new title to match his hardcore style of wrestling: the NWA Texas Brass Knuckles Championship, which he won on March 6, 1953, in a tournament final over Danny McShain.[10] From that year onwards until 1967, Curry personified the Texas Brass Knuckles Championship as he held it 20 times, defeating such names including Fritz Von Erich, Tony Borne, Waldo Von Erich, Louie Tillet, Killer Karl Kox and Brute Bernard for the title.[10] Also in 1953, Curry would briefly hold the Texas version of the NWA World Tag Team Championship with Lucas Pertano, as well as the NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship for three weeks.[10]

Bull Curry's son Fred Thomas Koury, Jr. would later start wrestling as "Flying" Fred Curry. Unlike his father, Fred was a clean cut, high flying face, but the two Currys teamed up on a regular basis. The two won the NWA International Tag Team Championship in 1964 and held it until 1966,[10] as well as beating Nikolai and Boris Volkoff for the Ohio version of the NWA World Tag Team Championship.[4] Fred's eventual attempts to get out of his father's shadow never caused any problems between the two Currys.[11] Bull retired from wrestling in 1979 and worked as a corrections officer.[3] [12]

His grandson, Fred Curry Jr. also is a wrestler.

Professional wrestling persona

Bull Curry's trademark was his “wildman” look with bushy eyebrows, maniacal facial expressions and insane eyes that could scare the crowd just by looking at them. In one case, he scared a girl at ringside so badly she had to be carried from the ring in terror.[13] This wild look, coupled with his wild brawling style, made Curry one of the most disliked heels in wrestling. Other wrestlers also refused to work with Curry as they felt he seldom showed the effects of their offense. He was so hated in places that riots broke out more than once as irate fans attacked Curry in the ring.[14]

Death

Koury died from liver disease at a hospital on March 8, 1985, at the age of 71.[3]

Championships and accomplishments

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Wild Bill Curry . https://web.archive.org/web/20071016113832/http://www.wrestlingclassics.com/currys/wildbull.html . October 16, 2007 . June 18, 2007 . The Currys' official website.
  2. News: August 6, 1958 . Bull Curry Returns Here . 15 . . . Curry stands six-foot one-inch tall and weighs 220 pounds..
  3. News: March 8, 1985 . 'Wild Bull' Curry: Champion Wrestler . 77 . . Hartford, Connecticut.
  4. Web site: Wrestler Profiles: Bull Curry . https://web.archive.org/web/20080423095432/http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/b/bull-curry.html . April 23, 2008 . June 18, 2007 . Online World of Wrestling.
  5. Web site: CAC 2004 - Wild Bull Curry . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070607213646/http://www.caulifloweralleyclub.org/2004Reunion/WildBullCurry.html . June 7, 2007 . June 30, 2023 . Cauliflower Alley Club.
  6. Book: Johnson, Steven . The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Heels . Oliver . Greg . . 2010 . 978-1-55490-284-2 . 92–96 . en.
  7. News: July 16, 1940 . Another Wrestler Bites The Dust for Dempsey . 13 . The Evening Independent.
  8. Book: Conner, Floyd. Wrestling's Most Wanted: The Top 10 Book of Pro Wrestling's Outrageous Performers, Punishing Piledrivers, and Other Oddities. February 12, 2001. Potomac Books. Lights Out. 1-57488-308-9. 302.
  9. Book: Terry Funk & Scott Williams. Terry Funk: More than just Hardcore. Sports Publishing. August 27, 2006. 978-1-59670-159-5.
  10. Book: Royal Duncan & Gary Will. Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. 2006. 4th. 0-9698161-5-4.
  11. October 1972 . Fred Curry's Heartbreaking Decision: "I Had to Leave My Father to Restore our Good Name! . Inside Wrestling . London Publishing Co. . https://web.archive.org/web/20070128064419/http://www.wrestlingclassics.com/currys/mag4/article4p1.html . January 28, 2007 . June 30, 2023.
  12. Book: Conner, Floyd. Wrestling's Most Wanted: The Top 10 Book of Pro Wrestling's Outrageous Performers, Punishing Piledrivers, and Other Oddities . February 12, 2001. Potomac Books. 1-57488-308-9. 302. Old wrestlers never die.
  13. Book: Conner, Floyd. Wrestling's Most Wanted: The Top 10 Book of Pro Wrestling's Outrageous Performers, Punishing Piledrivers, and Other Oddities. February 12, 2001. Potomac Books. 1-57488-308-9. 302. Not Just another pretty face . “His face scared me” she said..
  14. Book: Pope, Kristian. Whebbe, Ray. The Encyclopedia of Professional Wrestling: 100 Years of History, Headlines & Hitmakers. Krause Publications. 2003. 2nd. 978-0-87349-625-4.
  15. Book: Conner, Floyd. Wrestling's Most Wanted: The Top 10 Book of Pro Wrestling's Outrageous Performers, Punishing Piledrivers, and Other Oddities. February 12, 2001. Potomac Books. 1-57488-308-9. 302. Wrestling Fanatics.
  16. Web site: Big Time Wrestling United States Heavyweight Title History . Marks . Marky . 2003 . . Solie.org . 2020-11-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201117135007/https://solie.org/titlehistories/ushtwwab.html . live .
  17. Web site: Hall of Famers . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130706232003/http://nepwhof.weebly.com/hall-of-famers.html . July 6, 2013 . June 14, 2010.
  18. Book: Royal Duncan & Gary Will . Wrestling Title Histories . (Texas) Dallas: NWA Texas Brass Knuckles Title . 271 . Archeus Communications . 2006. 4th . 0-9698161-5-4.
    • Book: Will . Gary . Royal . Duncan . Wrestling Title Histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present . Archeus Communications . 2000 . Pennsylvania . Texas: NWA Texas Heavyweight Title [Von Erich] . 0-9698161-5-4 . 268–269.

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