Non Participant
Gordon Solie
Gordon Solie is only considered a "Non Participant" as he never
got into the squared circle himself, nor did he ever manage a professional
wrestler. However, his impact on the wrestling business was greater than
most "partcipants".
Gordon Solie, "The Dean of Wrestling Announcers" and "The
Walter Cronkite of Wrestling", was born on January 26, 1929 in Minneapolis,
Minnesota. After serving time in the Air Force working with Armed Forces
Radio, he moved to Florida in the 1950's. He worked as a disc jockey,
reporter, and talk show host for a small Tampa radio station as well as
the announcer of stock car races in the area.
In the early 1950s, Solie was hired by Cowboy Luttrell as a ring announcer
for $5.00 per night. His duties soon expanded to advertising and publicity.
He wasn't a wrestling fan at first, but eventually learned about the sport
and got his big break in 1960 when he was hired to announce the weekly
Tampa television show, which later became syndicated throughout Florida
Solie learned about wrestling holds and how they worked from men such
as Eddie Graham and John Heath. The wrestlers would actually put Solie
into the various holds so he would know what every move was supposed to
feel like. While other wrestling announcers treated pro wrestling as a
comedy act, Solie was told by Cowboy Luttrell to treat it very seriously,
just like his paycheck. Solie had a knowledge of human anatomy and used
it to sell the pain and psychology of the moves to the audience. He was
the last man in wrestling to use the term "suplay" for the word
spelled "suplex". His reputation for treating the sport seriously
added to the success of Championship Wrestling from Florida. It is said
that Solie announced an estimated 25,000 televised wrestling matches.
Solie also came up with terms such as "crimson mask" when a
wrestler was bleeding heavily from his face.
In addition to his announcing in Georgia and Florida, Solie also announced
for Continental Championship Wrestling from September 1975 to 1988. He
co-hosted, with Joe Pedicino, a new concept of a wrestling program, Pro
Wrestling This Week, a weekly rundown of matches from the various NWA
territories as well as matches from Puerto Rico and Japan.
Solie returned to WCW in 1989 and stayed with the company until his departure
in 1995. Gordon was also the host of Ring Warriors, a syndicated version
of New Japan Pro Wrestling which aired on Eurosport. Gordon also did play-by-play
on New Japan Pro Wrestling videotapes.
Solie's health deteriorated drastically after being diagnosed with cancer
of the larynx. Solie's life came to an end on June 28, 2000 at the age
of 71, succumbing to brain cancer.
Despite the fact that Solie was neither a wrestler nor a promoter, he
was deeply admired and respected by many within and outside the pro wrestling
business. As long as pro wrestling continues to be on television, Gordon
Solie's legacy will live on.
Gordon Solie is the voice that will always be heard when most fans relive
some of the most memorable matches in their minds. It is a thrill to induct
Gordon Solie into the Independent Wrestling Hall of Fame.
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Gordon Solie... Something Left Behind
by Gordon Solie, Robert and Pamela Allyn
"...Who cares whether these thoughts of mine are ever printed? The important premise is they have been written. Whether anyone else ever reads them or not is transcended by the fact that I have expressed my own truisms." -Gordon Solie
Something Left Behind is truly an invaluable journey through the private, inner dialogue of a man who will forever remain famous for his voice. This collection of personal stories, poems, pictures and inner thoughts from the "Dean of Professional Wrestling Announcers" is almost as priceless as Solie's numerous contributions to the world of Florida wrestling and stock car racing.
This highly anticipated book will not disappoint fans of the late Solie. More than 150 photos paint the story how of a young man, who as a child, would entertain his family with play-by-plays of radio sport programming, worked his way to becoming the premier television wrestling announcer in the world.
Never-before published personal Solie writings, including the beginnings of a screenplay and various short stories accompany the pictures. Thought- provoking poems detailing the ups and downs of the wrestling world offer an exclusive insight into this often- controversial sport and is a true treat for any fan.
Florida Media, Inc. - Hardcover - 224 pages
(book available at www.floridabookstore.com)
