Roger Kirby

Willis Kirby (December 14, 1939 – March 18, 2019), better known by the ring name Roger Kirby, was an American professional wrestler who competed throughout the United States, Mexico and Puerto Rico. He primarily competed within the National Wrestling Alliance, where he is a former NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion, and also competed in promotions such as the World Wrestling Association, the World Wrestling Federation and Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre. Fellow wrestlers have called Kirby "one of the greatest performers to ever work in the squared circle".

Early life Willis Kirby was born on December 14, 1939, in Muncie, Indiana, and raised in Dunkirk, Indiana. He is a cousin of fellow professional wrestler Les Thatcher After graduating in 1957, Kirby attended a wrestling event at his high school, where he got into an altercation with Ron Shire for standing on the ring apron. After telling his mother about this, he was informed that his cousin's husband was a wrestler named "Cowboy" Dennis Hall. That Sunday, Kirby visited Hall and soon thereafter was wrestling as Wild Bill Baker. He worked at a glass factory while he underwent his wrestling training The following year he won the titles on two more occasions, both times with Paul Christy. He lived in Grandview, Missouri, a suburb of Kansas City where he bred exotic fish and enjoyed amateur photography. He was married and had seven children.

Championships and accomplishments Capitol Sports Promotions WWC North American Heavyweight Championship (1 time) NWA North American Tag Team Championship (Puerto Rico/WWC version) (1 time) Cauliflower Alley Club 2010 Men's Wrestling Award NWA Central States Heavyweight Championship (5 times) NWA Central States Tag Team Championship (5 times) NWA Central States Television Championship (2 times) NWA North American Tag Team Championship (Central States version) (4 times) NWA Heart of America Championship ( 1 time ) NWA United States Championship (Central States version) (2 times) NWA Mid-America NWA United States Tag Team Championship (Mid-America version) NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Championship (Tennessee/Alabama) (2 times) AWA Southern Tag Team Championship (NWA Mid-America) (2 times) NWA Western States Sports NWA Western States Heavyweight Championship (1 time) NWA Western States Tag Team Championship ( 1 time ) - with Doug Somers Western States Alliance WSA Heavyweaght Championship ( 2 times ) World Wrestling Association WWA World Tag Team Championship (3 times) Other titles: Fort Myers Heavyweight Championship ( 2 times )