Although a great amount of the wrestling audiences of North America never had the opportunity of seeing Dory Funk Sr. wrestle, he was one of the top wrestlers in the nation. Feared and dreaded by his opponents he was the type of wrestler who loved the rough house style of a match. A grappler, a fighter, a bruiser, he enjoyed the violent action and gory battles. I first saw Dory Funk Sr. wrestle in Amarillo in nineteen-sixty two. He was pitted against another lover of the gory battles, Fritz von Erich. It was a sellout crowd that never did sit in their seats. Within minutes both wrestlers were covered with blood and the feared claw dug into Dory Sr. time after time and again and again Dory fought back and brought the fans to the very tips of their toes. It was exciting, thrilling, the kind of match that causes intense sensations. It was his type of match.

Dory Funk Sr. was born in Hammond, Indiana. To say he was a boy's boy would be an understatement. From the time he could walk he was a scrapper and loved all sports, but was partial to contact sports, the harder the contact the better. It was just a matter of time until football and wrestling would hold his entire attention. During his high school days he won the Indiana State wrestling championship on three different occasions while still finding time to be president of the student body. A football and wrestling scholarship brought him to the University of Indiana where he won the A.A.U. wrestling championship and was voted into the Indiana Wrestling Hall of Fame. Just about this time another fight was starting and Dory wanted some of that action so it was off to serve for Uncle Sam in the Navy. Dory Sr. first appeared in the Lone Star State in nineteen-forty-nine and from the time he hit Amarillo, he knew this was his kind of town. Defeating all opponents the promoters could bring into the panhandle, he was invited out to Boy's Ranch by the late Cal Farley. Cal had founded Boy's Ranch in nineteen-thirty-nine. When the boys threatened to throw the superintendent in the Canadian River it was time to bring in some muscle. From the first moment he was on trial, Dory Sr. took the boys down to the gym and on the mat. The situation soon cleared up, and although he promised Cal three months, he stayed three years serving as Superintendent, coaching football and coaching wrestling. Many a man today can look back and realize the character that he was building came from the hearts of men like Cal and Dory Sr. His greatest pride was yet to come, with two sons following in his footsteps.

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