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Blackjack Mulligan (Born Robert Joseph Windham on November 26, 1942 in Sweetwater, Texas) is a former professional wrestler and a former football player.
Career
Mulligan was a former West Texas State University football player who received tryouts with the New York Jets and Denver Broncos in the 1960s. After football, he trained with Verne Gagne and became a professional wrestler in the old AWA. He then moved to the old WWE and became the heel Blackjack Mulligan. At first Mulligan, donning black trunks, black hat, black glove and using the iron claw submission, seemed to be an immitation of AWA wrestling star Blackjack Lanza, but at 6' 9" (2,00 m), 340 lbs and managed by The Grand Wizard, Mulligan went on to great success in the Northeast. He received a big push and went on to wrestle Pedro Morales and Bruno Sammartino.
Mulligan returned to the Midwest and tagged with Lanza and they were now known as The Blackjacks. The Blackjacks went on to capture the WCCW, NWA Texas, and WWF tag team titles.
Blackjack returned to singles wrestling in the Jim Crockett Promotions where he would go onto hold the NWA United States Heavyweight championship and the Mid-Atlantic's version of the NWA World Tag Team Championship with a young Ric Flair.
The large Mulligan was a good opponent for André the Giant. The two wrestlers feuded in many different regions in the early 80's. When they brought their feud to the WWF in 1982, Mulligan would go onto wrestle in Florida as a face. He often teamed with fellow West Texas stars Dusty Rhodes, Dick Murdoch and his son Barry Windham.
Mulligan's style was a classic example of old school rasslin.
In 1990 Mulligan and son Kendal Windham were arrested by the U.S. Secret Service in co-operation with local Florida law enforcement agencies for counterfeiting. Around $500,000 in counterfeit $20 bills were confiscated from the two resulting in Mulligan and son spending 24 months in prison.
Windham and his Blackjacks partner Lanza were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame on April 1, 2006 by their manager and fellow hall of famer, Bobby Heenan.
Trivia
- Mulligan has two sons that wrestle, Barry and Kendall Windham.
- Mulligan's son-in-law is Mike Rotunda.
- Mulligan has a nephew who wrestled named Chip Stetson.
Championships and accomplishments
National Wrestling Alliance
- 3-Time NWA United States Heavyweight Champion
- 1-Time NWA World Tag Team Champion (with Ric Flair)
World Wrestling Entertainment
- 1-Time WWWF World Tag Team Champion (with Jack Lanza)
World Class Championship Wrestling
- 1-Time WCCW American Heavyweight Champion
- 1-Time WCCW Texas Heavyweight Champion
- 1-Time WCCW Texas Tag Team Champion (with Jack Lanza)
- 1-Time WCCW American Tag Team Champion (with Jack Lanza)
Florida Championship Wrestling
- 1-Time NWA Florida Brass Knuckles Champion
- 1-Time Florida United States Tag Team Champion (with Dusty Rhodes)
- 1-Time NWA Global Tag Team Champion (with Barry Windham)
Other titles
- 1-Time AJPW/NWA International Heavyweight Champion
- 1-Time WWA Heavyweight Champion
- 1-Time WWA Tag Team Champion (with Jack Lanza)
- 1-Time IWA Tag Team Champion (with Larry Hennig)
- 1-Time NWA Western States Tag Team Champion (with Dick Murdoch)
- 1-Time IWF Heavyweight Champion
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) ranked him #159 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003.
External links
1942 births | American professional wrestlers | Entertainers who played football | Living people | People from Texas | Professional wrestling announcers | Windham wrestling family
"Blackjack Mulligan"