Minnesota Wrecking Crew (professional wrestling)

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Minnesota Wrecking Crew (professional wrestling) - Wikipedia

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Minnesota Wrecking Crew
Gene (left) and Ole Anderson as tag team champions, c. 1982
Tag team
Members	Gene Anderson^[1] Lars Anderson^[1] Ole Anderson^[1] Arn Anderson^[1]
Name(s)	Andersons Minnesota Wrecking Crew
Billed heights	Gene: 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) Lars: 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) Ole: 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) Arn: 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Billed from	Minnesota
Debut	1966
Disbanded	1990
Years active	1966-1990

The Minnesota Wrecking Crew, also known simply as the Andersons, was originally a professional wrestling tag team who was formed by Gene and Lars Anderson, but since then has comprised a number of wrestlers. All members wrestled were presented as members of the Anderson family despite not being blood related.

History

Gene Anderson formed the original Minnesota Wrecking Crew with his kayfabe brother Lars Anderson in 1966. They wrestled throughout the country in the late 60s until Lars left to live in Hawaii. In 1969 Gene then brought in Alan Rogowski, and renamed him Ole Anderson. They dominated tag team wrestling in the 1970s, winning the NWA World Tag Team Titles 8 times. Over those years, Lars Anderson was on occasion brought back in as part of this team.^[1]

A young Ric Flair was promoted in the mid 1970s as being the cousin of the Andersons who fell out with them resulting in a family feud over the NWA World Tag Team Championship - with Flair enlisting Greg Valentine as his partner - throughout the late 1970s.^[2]

When Gene stopped wrestling in 1981 to manage, the team was disbanded.^[1]

In 1985, Ole reformed the Crew with Arn Anderson (his kayfabe nephew) as his partner.^[3] They won the NWA National Tag Team Titles and were members of the original Four Horsemen as the Wrecking Crew, reuniting with their kayfabe cousin Flair. They disbanded in 1987 when Ole was kicked out of the Horsemen.^[3]

Arn and Ole revived the Wrecking Crew in 1990, yet again in alliance with Flair as Horsemen, but it lasted for only a few months before Ole retired.^[4]

Also in 1990, Ole managed the Minnesota Wrecking Crew 2 in NWA while Arn was out injured.^[4] This team consisted of Mike Enos and Wayne Bloom. Both members were from Minnesota and wore masks. The two men were the then-current AWA World Tag Team Champions, but were beaten by NWA World Tag Team Champions Rick and Scott Steiner in the NWA.^[4]

Legacy

In 2001 in Ohio Valley Wrestling, Brock Lesnar and Shelton Benjamin (once teammates on the University of Minnesota wrestling team) formed the Minnesota Stretching Crew in honor of the Wrecking Crew. More recently, independent women wrestlers Lacey and Rain have used the name Minnesota Home Wrecking Crew in homage to the Andersons' classic tag team.

The Canadian sketch comedy troupe The Minnesota Wrecking Crew are also named in honor of the original MWC tag team.

Championships and accomplishments

National Wrestling Alliance

NWA Hall of Fame (class of 2010)

Ranked Ole and Arn Anderson No. 79 of the best 100 tag teams during the PWI Years in 2003

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Greg Oliver and Steve Johnson (2005). "Top 20: #6 The Minnesota Wrecking Crew". The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Tag Teams. ECW Press. ISBN 978-1-55022-683-6.
^ Greer, Jamie (April 30, 2016). "Genetically Superior: The Story of the Anderson Family". Last Word On Sports. Archived from the original on September 6, 2023. Retrieved August 20, 2024.
^ ^a ^b Cawthon, Graham (2013). the History of Professional Wrestling Vol 3:Jim Crockett and the NWA World Title 1983-1989. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. ISBN 978-1494803476.
^ ^a ^b ^c Cawthon, Graham (2014). the History of Professional Wrestling Vol 4: World Championship Wrestling 1989-1994. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. ISBN 978-1499656343.
^ Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2006). "Georgia: NWA Columbus Tag Team Title". Wrestling Title Histories (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
^ Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2006). "Georgia: NWA Georgia Tag Team Title". Wrestling Title Histories (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
^ Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2006). "Georgia: NWA Macon Tag Team Title". Wrestling Title Histories (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
^ Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2006). "Georgia: NWA World Tag Team Title". Wrestling Title Histories (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
^ Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2006). "North Carolina: NWA Atlantic Coast Tag Team Title". Wrestling Title Histories (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
^ Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2006). "North Carolina: NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Title". Wrestling Title Histories (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
^ Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2006). "North Carolina: NWA World Tag Team Title". Wrestling Title Histories (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
^ Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2006). "NWA National Tag Team Title [Crockett]". Wrestling Title Histories (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.

v t e Anderson family
Storyline brothers	Gene Anderson Lars Anderson Ole Anderson Arn Anderson
Storyline cousins	Ric Flair C. W. Anderson
Other storyline relatives	Rip Hawk Rocky Anderson Andrew Anderson Brock Anderson
Related articles	Minnesota Wrecking Crew The Four Horsemen
Category

NWA Hall of Fame Inductees

2005
Gordon Solie Harley Race Jim Barnett Jim Cornette Lou Thesz Sam Muchnick

2006
Dory Funk Jr. Eddie Graham Lance Russell Leilani Kai Rock 'n' Roll Express Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson Saul Weingeroff

2008
Corsicans Corsica Joe and Corsica Jean The Iron Sheik Midnight Express Bobby Eaton and Dennis Condrey Nikita Koloff Ric Flair Tommy Rich

2009
Dennis Coralluzzo Gene Kiniski Jerry Jarrett Mil Máscaras Paul Orndorff Terry Funk Tully Blanchard

2010
Buddy Rogers Dan Severn Danny Hodge Ed Chuman Jack Brisco Minnesota Wrecking Crew Gene Anderson, Lars Anderson, and Ole Anderson Nick Gulas The Sheik Shinya Hashimoto

2011
Angelo Savoldi Bill Apter Dusty Rhodes Freddie Blassie Johnny Valentine LeBells Aileen Eaton, Gene LeBell and Mike LeBell Pat O'Connor Rikidōzan Sue Green Wahoo McDaniel

2012
The Fabulous Moolah John Tolos Joyce Grable Little Beaver Misty Blue Mr. Wrestling II Paul Boesch Ricky Steamboat Road Warriors Road Warrior Animal and Road Warrior Hawk Sputnik Monroe Teddy Long

2013
Bobo Brazil Dory Funk, Sr. Ernie Ladd Fabulous Kangaroos Al Costello and Roy Heffernan Jackie Fargo Ray Stevens Salvador Lutteroth

2014
Cowboy Bob Kelly Giant Baba J. J. Dillon Kevin Sullivan Ox Baker Pinkie George

2015
Adam Pearce Leroy McGuirk Mike Sircy Wright Brothers Don Wright and Ron Wright

2016
Boris Malenko Gary Hart Jim Ross Len Rossi Nick Bockwinkel

2017
Everett Marshall José Lothario

National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Champions (Georgia version)

1950s

Reggie Lisowski and Art Neilson
Bill Blassie and Freddie Blassie
Jerry Graham and Don McIntyre
Roger Mackay and Jackie Nichols
Jack O'Brien and Pierre LaSalle
Eddie Gosset and Art Neilson
Don McIntyre and Red McIntyre
Reggie Lisowski and Stan Lisowski
The Fabulous Fargos (Jackie Fargo and Don Fargo)

1960s

Joe Scarpa and Don Curtis
The Assassins (Assassin #1 and Assassin #2)
The Von Brauners (Karl Von Brauner and Kurt Von Brauner)
Lenny Montana and Tarzan Tyler
Chief Big Heart and Chief Little Eagle
Ray Gunkel and Lester Welch
The Globetrotters (Al Costello and Louie Tillet)
The Mysterious Medics (Mysterious Medic #1 and Mysterious Medic #2)
The Infernos (Inferno #1 and Inferno #2)
Enrique Torres and Alberto Torres
Enrique Torres and Ramon Torres
Maurice Vachon and Paul Vachon
Minnesota Wrecking Crew (Gene Anderson and Lars Anderson)
Paul Vachon and Stan Vachon
Buddy Fuller and Ray Gunkel

WCW World Tag Team Champions

MACW/JCP
(1975–1988)

1970s

Minnesota Wrecking Crew (Gene Anderson and Ole Anderson)
Paul Jones and Wahoo McDaniel
Rufus R. Jones and Wahoo McDaniel
Dino Bravo and Mr. Wrestling
Greg Valentine and Ric Flair
Dick Slater and Dusty Rhodes
Paul Jones and Ricky Steamboat
Baron von Raschke and Greg Valentine
Jimmy Snuka and Paul Orndorff
Baron von Raschke and Paul Jones
Blackjack Mulligan and Ric Flair
Jay Youngblood and Ricky Steamboat
Greg Valentine and Ray Stevens

1980s

Jimmy Snuka and Ray Stevens
The Masked Superstar and Paul Jones
Ivan Koloff and Ray Stevens
Ole Anderson and Stan Hansen
Don Kernodle and Sgt. Slaughter
Jack Brisco and Jerry Brisco
Bob Orton Jr. and Don Kernodle
Mark Youngblood and Wahoo McDaniel
Don Kernodle and Ivan Koloff
Dusty Rhodes and Manny Fernandez
The Russians (Ivan Koloff and Nikita Koloff)
The Rock 'n' Roll Express (Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson)
The Midnight Express (Bobby Eaton and Dennis Condrey)
Manny Fernandez and Rick Rude
Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard
Barry Windham and Lex Luger
The Midnight Express (Bobby Eaton and Stan Lane)
Road Warriors (Animal and Hawk)

WCW
(1988–2001)

1980s	The Varsity Club (Mike Rotunda and Steve Williams) Fabulous Freebirds (Jimmy Garvin and Michael Hayes) Steiner Brothers (Rick Steiner and Scott Steiner)
1990s	Doom (Butch Reed and Ron Simmons) Enforcers (Arn Anderson and Larry Zbyszko) Dustin Rhodes and Ricky Steamboat Arn Anderson and Bobby Eaton Terry Gordy and Steve Williams Barry Windham and Dustin Rhodes Ricky Steamboat and Shane Douglas Hollywood Blonds (Brian Pillman and Steve Austin) Arn Anderson and Paul Roma The Nasty Boys (Brian Knobbs and Jerry Sags) 2 Cold Scorpio and Marcus Bagwell Cactus Jack and Kevin Sullivan Pretty Wonderful (Paul Orndorff and Paul Roma) Stars and Stripes (Marcus Alexander Bagwell and The Patriot) Harlem Heat (Booker T and Stevie Ray) Bunkhouse Buck and Dick Slater American Males (Marcus Bagwell and Scotty Riggs) Sting and Lex Luger The Public Enemy (Johnny Grunge and Rocco Rock) The Outsiders (Kevin Nash, Scott Hall and Syxx) The Giant and Lex Luger Kevin Nash and Sting The Giant and Scott Hall Kenny Kaos and Rick Steiner Barry Windham and Curt Hennig Chris Benoit and Dean Malenko Filthy Animals (Billy Kidman and Rey Misterio Jr.) Perry Saturn and Raven Jersey Triad (Bam Bam Bigelow, Diamond Dallas Page and Kanyon) Chris Benoit and Perry Saturn West Texas Rednecks (Barry Windham and Kendall Windham) Filthy Animals (Konnan and Rey Misterio Jr.) Filthy Animals (Billy Kidman and Konnan) Creative Control/The Harris Brothers (Gerald/Ron Harris and Patrick/Don Harris) Bret Hart and Goldberg
2000s	Crowbar and David Flair Mamalukes (Big Vito and Johnny the Bull) Buff Bagwell and Shane Douglas KroniK (Brian Adams and Bryan Clark) The Perfect Event (Chuck Palumbo and Shawn Stasiak) Dark Carnival (The Great Muta and Vampiro) Filthy Animals (Juventud Guerrera and Rey Misterio Jr.) Mark Jindrak and Sean O'Haire Misfits in Action (Corporal Cajun and Lieutenant Loco) Boogie Knights (Alex Wright and Disco Inferno) The Insiders (Diamond Dallas Page and Kevin Nash) Natural Born Thrillers (Chuck Palumbo and Sean O'Haire)

WWF
(2001)

Brothers of Destruction (Kane and The Undertaker)
Booker T and Test
Hardy Boyz (Jeff Hardy and Matt Hardy)
Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray Dudley and D-Von Dudley)

Categories:

Hidden categories:

History

Legacy

Championships and accomplishments

Lars and Gene

Gene and Ole

Ole and Arn

See also

References