Wilbur Snyder

Wilbur Snyder (September 15, 1929 – December 25, 1991) was an American football player and professional wrestler. He played college football for the Utah Utes.

Wrestling career Snyder's wrestling debut occurred during football's 1953 off-season. He was trained by Sandor Szabo and Warren Bockwinkel in Southern California. In 1954, Snyder retired from football completely to pursue a full-time career in wrestling. Part of his in-ring persona included the use of many football tactics, and it garnered Snyder a lot of national attention. He had already been a regional champion in Montreal, Quebec, Canada when he made a name for himself by defeating Verne Gagne and winning the United States Championship at Marigold Arena in Chicago on April 7, 1956. One of those championships was an offshoot of the world title that he won from Verne Gagne on November 15, 1958, in Omaha, Nebraska.

After the departure of Jim Barnett, Snyder bought into the Indianapolis territory with Dick the Bruiser. The enterprise was known as Championship Wrestling Inc. on April 27, 1965.

Championships and accomplishments American Wrestling Alliance AWA World Tag Team Championship (Indiana version) (2 times) – with Dick the Bruiser American Wrestling Association AWA United States Heavyweight Championship (3 times) AWA World Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Leo Nomellini (1) and Pat O'Connor (1) World Heavyweight Championship (Omaha version) (2 times) Big Time Wrestling (San Francisco) NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (San Francisco version) (1 time) NWA World Tag Team Championship (San Francisco version) (1 time) – with Nick Bockwinkel Fred Kohler Enterprises NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Chicago version) (2 times) George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame Class of 2014 International Wrestling Association (Montreal) IWA International Heavyweight Championship (1 time) Japan Wrestling Association NWA International Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Danny Hodge Midwest Wrestling Association NWA Eastern States Heavyweight Championship (1 time) NWA United States Tag Team Championship (Ohio version) (1 time) – with Dick the Bruiser NWA Detroit NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Detroit version) (2 times) World Wrestling Associates/NWA Hollywood Wrestling NWA "Beat the Champ" Television Championship (2 times) WWA International Television Tag Team Championship (4 times) – with Sandor Szabo (2) and Bobo Brazil (2) NWA Western States Sports NWA World Tag Team Championship (Texas version) (2 times) – with Verne Gagne (1) and Pepper Gomez (1) St. Louis Wrestling Hall of Fame Class of 2014 World Wrestling Association WWA World Tag Team Championship (14 times) – with Dick the Bruiser (3), Moose Cholak (3), Luis Martinez (1), Pat O'Connor (1), Paul Christy (1), Pepper Gomez (2), Dominic Denucci (1), and Spike Huber (2) Worldwide Wrestling Associates WWA International Television Tag Team Championship (4 times) – with Sandor Szabo (2) and Bobo Brazil (2)