I won forgotten first Royal Rumble that was never televised before becoming a prison guard
One Man Gang may have been prepared for life as a prison guard by WWE trusting him to keep the story of the first Royal Rumble locked. The retired wrestler’s gimmick name is highly applicable for being the only man chosen to have his hand raised over 37 years ago. One Man Gang was turfed out by Jim Duggan in the first official RumbleWWE The 64-year-old, later known as ‘Akeem’, is best known by WWE fans for being the runner-up of the company’s inaugural Royal Rumble. In 1988, One Man Gang, real name George Gray, was flung over-the-top-rope by WWE legend ‘Hacksaw’ Jim Duggan. 18,000 fans were packed inside the Copps Coliseum in Ontario, Canada with millions watching on television and the rest is history. Or so WWE want fans to believe. In fact, a year earlier, Gray was actually the winner of the first unofficial Rumble in a forgotten event confined to the scrapbooks. As the story goes, the modified battle royal was the brainchild of Hall of Famer and Vince McMahon‘s right-hand man Pat Patterson. The latter had the idea to adapt the popular gimmick match by staggering intervals rather than have everyone starting in the ring. “I sat down with Vince and I gave him the concept,” Patterson told CBS Sports. “He goes, ‘Pat, that is stupid. It’s not gonna work!’ I said, ‘Vince, it’s going to work!'” “We didn’t even have a name for it,” Patterson added. “We had a creative department at that time. We gave them the concept. “We didn’t want to call it a battle royal. We came up with the name ‘The Royal Rumble,’ and it fit perfectly.” He actually has the little-known title of the first Rumble winnerNewspapers.com Other non-televised Royal Rumbles March 16, 1988, in Hartford, Connecticut — Winner: Rick Rude Jan. 17, 1994, at Madison Square Garden in New York — Winner: Owen Hart May 9, 1994, in Osaka, Japan — Winner: The Undertaker Despite former WWE chairman McMahon’s reservations, Patterson was given the chance to debut his concept. This led to the first-ever Rumble at a non-televised house show at the Kiel Auditorium in St. Louis, Missouri on October 4, 1987. A 1987 issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter confirmed that 1,976 fans attended the 12-minute match in a 17,000-capacity arena. Only 12 competitors were involved in that Rumble – which later expanded to 30 – with Gang eliminating Junkyard Dog for the win. “I wish I could give you details about it, but I really don’t remember it,” Gray, who portrayed One Man Gang, revealed. That isn’t surprising considering WWE were estimated to have staged over 400 house shows that year alone – without factoring in televised events and PPV cards as well. One Man Gang was rewarded with a title shot against Hulk HoganWWE To add insult to injury, the finish of the Rumble was also inadvertently spoiled for fans during the intermission. An unfortunate ring announcer told the crowd that One Man Gang would be challenging WWF World Heavyweight Champion Hulk Hogan – a precursor of the current prize of a future title clash. “We tried it in St. Louis on a smaller scale,” Patterson continued to CBS. “I was not there. I wish I would have been there. “They got [the Rumble concept] all mixed up. It didn’t work. Then Vince says to me, ‘It’s not gonna work, Patrick.'” It was such a non-issue that the first known reference to the Rumble – which came from the regional St.Louis newspaper ‘Post-Dispatch’ dubbed it a ‘Royal Ramble’. One Man Gang ultimately had a title match with Hogan on a November 1 house show in Portland, with the Hulkster retaining. That was as close as he ever got to a WWE championship during his career, retiring from wrestling at the turn of the millennium. After that, the 6-foot-6 American worked as a Louisiana penitentiary guard before he was forced to quit due to a chronic back issue. “I never considered myself a top main-eventer,” said Gray to SportingNews.com. “I was a utility man. If you needed me do the opening match, that was fine. But I wasn’t a Road Warriors type of name. “I was lucky to break into the business early when there were enough wrestling territories to make a living. Going to (WWE) wasn’t that big to me at all. My heroes were all the guys I grew up watching, like Andre the Giant, Dusty Rhodes and Blackjack Mulligan to name a few. “I just happened to be another name in the business.” Royal Rumble matches have since become a highly-anticipated event WWF House Show (Oct 4, 1987): Results Nikolai Volkoff defeated Hillbilly Jim The Magnificent Muraco defeated Bob Orton Jr. The One Man Gang defeated The Junkyard Dog Billy Jack Haynes & Davey Boy Smith defeated Demolition (Ax and Smash) via DQ Billy Jack Haynes defeated King Kong Bundy via Count Out Paul Orndorff defeated Rick Rude via Count Out Sensational Sherri (c) defeated Velvet McInt
One Man Gang may have been prepared for life as a prison guard by WWE trusting him to keep the story of the first Royal Rumble locked.
The retired wrestler’s gimmick name is highly applicable for being the only man chosen to have his hand raised over 37 years ago.
The 64-year-old, later known as ‘Akeem’, is best known by WWE fans for being the runner-up of the company’s inaugural Royal Rumble.
In 1988, One Man Gang, real name George Gray, was flung over-the-top-rope by WWE legend ‘Hacksaw’ Jim Duggan.
18,000 fans were packed inside the Copps Coliseum in Ontario, Canada with millions watching on television and the rest is history.
Or so WWE want fans to believe.
In fact, a year earlier, Gray was actually the winner of the first unofficial Rumble in a forgotten event confined to the scrapbooks.
As the story goes, the modified battle royal was the brainchild of Hall of Famer and Vince McMahon‘s right-hand man Pat Patterson.
The latter had the idea to adapt the popular gimmick match by staggering intervals rather than have everyone starting in the ring.
“I sat down with Vince and I gave him the concept,” Patterson told CBS Sports. “He goes, ‘Pat, that is stupid. It’s not gonna work!’ I said, ‘Vince, it’s going to work!'”
“We didn’t even have a name for it,” Patterson added. “We had a creative department at that time. We gave them the concept.
“We didn’t want to call it a battle royal. We came up with the name ‘The Royal Rumble,’ and it fit perfectly.”
Other non-televised Royal Rumbles
March 16, 1988, in Hartford, Connecticut — Winner: Rick Rude
Jan. 17, 1994, at Madison Square Garden in New York — Winner: Owen Hart
May 9, 1994, in Osaka, Japan — Winner: The Undertaker
Despite former WWE chairman McMahon’s reservations, Patterson was given the chance to debut his concept.
This led to the first-ever Rumble at a non-televised house show at the Kiel Auditorium in St. Louis, Missouri on October 4, 1987.
A 1987 issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter confirmed that 1,976 fans attended the 12-minute match in a 17,000-capacity arena.
Only 12 competitors were involved in that Rumble – which later expanded to 30 – with Gang eliminating Junkyard Dog for the win.
“I wish I could give you details about it, but I really don’t remember it,” Gray, who portrayed One Man Gang, revealed.
That isn’t surprising considering WWE were estimated to have staged over 400 house shows that year alone – without factoring in televised events and PPV cards as well.
To add insult to injury, the finish of the Rumble was also inadvertently spoiled for fans during the intermission.
An unfortunate ring announcer told the crowd that One Man Gang would be challenging WWF World Heavyweight Champion Hulk Hogan – a precursor of the current prize of a future title clash.
“We tried it in St. Louis on a smaller scale,” Patterson continued to CBS. “I was not there. I wish I would have been there.
“They got [the Rumble concept] all mixed up. It didn’t work. Then Vince says to me, ‘It’s not gonna work, Patrick.'”
It was such a non-issue that the first known reference to the Rumble – which came from the regional St.Louis newspaper ‘Post-Dispatch’ dubbed it a ‘Royal Ramble’.
One Man Gang ultimately had a title match with Hogan on a November 1 house show in Portland, with the Hulkster retaining.
That was as close as he ever got to a WWE championship during his career, retiring from wrestling at the turn of the millennium.
After that, the 6-foot-6 American worked as a Louisiana penitentiary guard before he was forced to quit due to a chronic back issue.
“I never considered myself a top main-eventer,” said Gray to SportingNews.com.
“I was a utility man. If you needed me do the opening match, that was fine. But I wasn’t a Road Warriors type of name.
“I was lucky to break into the business early when there were enough wrestling territories to make a living. Going to (WWE) wasn’t that big to me at all. My heroes were all the guys I grew up watching, like Andre the Giant, Dusty Rhodes and Blackjack Mulligan to name a few.
“I just happened to be another name in the business.”
WWF House Show (Oct 4, 1987): Results
- Nikolai Volkoff defeated Hillbilly Jim
- The Magnificent Muraco defeated Bob Orton Jr.
- The One Man Gang defeated The Junkyard Dog
- Billy Jack Haynes & Davey Boy Smith defeated Demolition (Ax and Smash) via DQ
- Billy Jack Haynes defeated King Kong Bundy via Count Out
- Paul Orndorff defeated Rick Rude via Count Out
- Sensational Sherri (c) defeated Velvet McIntyre to retain the WWF Women’s Championship
- The One Man Gang won a Battle Royal [aka The Royal Rumble]
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