Blackjack Lanza Wrestling
- Blackjack Lanza Wrestling Videos
- Blackjack Mulligan Wrestler
- Blackjack Lanza Wrestling Interview
- The Crusher Wrestler
Former professional wrestler best known as a member of the tag team The Blackjacks with Blackjack Mulligan. Together, they won WWWF and AWA Tag Team titles. He began his career as the tag team partner of Bobby Duncum in the American Wrestling Association. In 2006, he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.
| Blackjack Mulligan | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 26, 1942 Sweetwater, Texas |
| Died | 7 april 2016 |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Blackjack Mulligan Big Bob Windham Big Machine |
| Billed height | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) |
| Billed from | Eagle Pass, Texas |
| Trained by | Verne Gagne |
| Debut | 1967 |
| Retired | 1988 |
Robert Jack Windham (born November 26, 1942 in Sweetwater, Texas - April 7, 2016) better known by his ring name, Blackjack Mulligan, was a retired American professional wrestler, author and former American football player.
- Real Name John Lanza Ring Names. Blackjack Lanza (August 11, 1967 - August 2, 1985) Jack Lanza (July 24, 1962 - July 28, 1967) Joe Lanza (October 9, 1961 - November 19, 1963) Height 6 ft 4 in (193 cm) Weight. 245 lbs (111 kg) Born October 14, 1935 (age 85) Birth Place Albuquerque, New Mexico Billed From. Eagle Pass, Texas; Nicknames Cowboy.
- The crusher v blackjack lanza. Dvd #c259: wwa wrestling from the 70's, volume 5 blackjack lanza v johnny kace the mongol v paul christy dick the bruiser & the crusher v johnny diamond & jim escue gene kiniski v tom jones the assassins v prince pullins & rocky montero, 2 out of 3 falls.
- Jack Lanza spent a few years in the 90s as a Road Agent for the WWF. In March 2004, Jack inducted his former manager 'The Brain' Bobby Heenan into the WWE Hall of Fame. With Bob Windham (aka Blackjack Mulligan), inducted into the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Hall of Fame in 2006 as the Blackjacks, the first tag team to be inducted since.
Career[change change source]
Before he started his professional wrestling career, Windham played football at Texas Western College, which is now known as the University of Texas at El Paso. He then left UTEP to play the pre-season for the New York Jets of the National Football League.
Wahoo McDaniel told Windham to train for professional wrestling and he trained with Verne Gagne. He would later join the American Wrestling Association and moved to the World Wide Wrestling Federation.
During his time in the WWWF, Windham became a villain called Blackjack Mulligan. Windham would later team with Jack Lanza which he formed the tag team, The Blackjacks with. He won the NWA American Tag Team Championship, NWA Texas Tag Team Championship, WWA World Tag Team Championship and the WWWF World Tag Team Championship during his time in The Blackjacks.
He also wrestled as a singles competitor and once competed for the WWWF Championship against Pedro Morales in Boston. During the match, Morales slashed Windham across his leg and arm with a knife. The wound became infected but Windham recovered.[1]
He also teamed with André the Giant and Bill Eadie in the wrestling stable, The Machines.
Bobby 'The Brain' Heenan inducted The Blackjacks into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2006.[2]
Personal[change change source]
He is part of the Windham wrestling family and is the father of wrestlers Barry and Kendall Windham, the father-in-law of Mike Rotundo, and the grandfather of Bray Wyatt and Bo Dallas.
Championships[change change source]
Windham held many championships during his professional wrestling career:
- Championship Wrestling from Florida
- NWA Brass Knuckles Championship (Florida version) (one time)
- NWA United States Tag Team Championship (Florida version) (one time) - with Dusty Rhodes
- European Wrestling Union
- EWU World Super Heavyweight Championship (one time)
- International Pro Wrestling
- IWA World Tag Team Championship (one time) - with Larry Hennig
- International Wrestling Federation
- IWF Heavyweight Championship (one time)
- Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling
- NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Mid-Atlantic version) (three times)
- NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic version) (one time) - with Ric Flair
- NWA Big Time Wrestling
- NWA American Heavyweight Championship (one time)
- NWA American Tag Team Championship (one time) - with Blackjack Lanza
- NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship (one time)
- NWA Texas Tag Team Championship (one time) - with Blackjack Lanza
- NWA Western States Sports
- NWA International Heavyweight Championship (Amarillo version) (two times)
- NWA Western States Tag Team Championship (one time) - with Dick Murdoch
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- He was named the PWI Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year in 1978.
- He was ranked #159 of the 500 best singles wrestlers by PWI during the 'PWI Years' in 2003.
- World Wrestling Association
- WWA World Heavyweight Championship (one time)
- WWA World Tag Team Championship (one time) - with Blackjack Lanza
- World Wide Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Entertainment
- WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2006)
- WWWF World Tag Team Championship (one time) - with Blackjack Lanza
References[change change source]
- ↑'Hall of Heroes Class of 2009: Blackjack Mulligan'. Mid-Atlantic Gateway. Retrieved 2013-07-12.
- ↑'The Blackjacks: 2006 WWE Hall of Fame Inductees'. WWE. Retrieved 2013-07-12.
Other websites[change change source]
- The Blackjacks on WWE.com
Hometown
Texas
Career Highlights
World Tag Team Champions; 2006 WWE Hall of Fame Inductees
Blackjack Lanza Wrestling Videos
The Blackjacks were one of the most infamous and merciless tag teams ever. They were two tough Texans who could back up their intimidating look with relentless offense and rule-breaking.
Blackjack Mulligan Wrestler
Blackjack Mulligan was a brutish 6-foot-9, 340-pound native of Sweetwater. In addition to many regional championships, Mulligan was NWA World Tag Team Champion (with Ric Flair), NWA United States Heavyweight Champion and NWA World Heavyweight champion, defeating WWE Hall of Famer Bobo Brazil. Mulligan also had many memorable battles with WWE Hall of Famer Andre the Giant, as well as matches with Pedro Morales and Bruno Sammartino.
Jack Lanza, with his devastating Iron Claw, was mean and sadistic in the ring. The AWA superstar was once referred to as 'the embodiment of evil.' The Laredo, Texas, native made his debut in 1962 and achieved early success under the tutelage of Bobby Heenan. With Heenan at his side, Lanza & Bobby Duncum won the AWA World Tag Team Championship from Dick the Bruiser and The Crusher. Lanza also had memorable battles with WWE Hall of Famer 'Big Cat' Ernie Ladd, among many others.
While both Mulligan and Lanza had stellar singles careers, they seemed destined to join one another and formed the infamous Blackjacks tag team in the 1970s. Along with their manager, Bobby 'The Brain' Heenan, they won championships everywhere they competed.
Blackjack Lanza Wrestling Interview
More than a decade after the Blackjacks dominated, Mulligan's son Barry Windham and Bradshaw would form the new Blackjacks, paying homage to the WWE Hall of Famers who inspired them.
