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Listen, You Pencil Neck Geeks
Classy Freddie Blassie was universally acknowledged as one of the most hated heels in wrestling history. Freddie really knew how to antagonize the fans -- how to "get heat." Death threats were frequent, enraged fans stabbed him twenty-one times, and he was even doused with acid. Undeterred, Blassie just took the action up a level. He reveled in being the heel. It was commonplace to see him biting his opponents and then spitting out their blood. Blassie would routinely "file" his teeth during interviews. His matches in Los Angeles' Olympic Stadium brought him to the attention of Hollywood. Freddie's style and unpredictability made him a natural for the medium, and he became one of the biggest draws in the wrestling business. In the early '60s, he was invited to wrestle in Japan. Blassie both horrified and mesmerized sedate Japanese society.
At seventeen, Freddie made his wrestling debut in a carnival. Unhappy with his choice of occupation, his family persuaded him to get a "real" job, and for a while he worked as a meatcutter. But after serving in the Navy in World War II, Freddie returned to wrestling. Here he picked up his catch "pencil neck geek."
Early in his career, Blassie wrestled for Jess McMahon, and would later work for both his son, Vincent James McMahon, and his grandson, Vincent Kennedy McMahon, the current owner of World Wrestling Entertainment. ™ When his days in the ring ended, "Classy" Freddie Blassie became the manager of heels, transferring to a whole new generation of wrestlers the style, moves, and ring knowledge that had made him a legend of wrestling.
Released just prior to his death, Legends of "Classy" Freddie Blassie contains vibrant tales of his days in wrestling with the likes of Hulk Hogan, Killer Kowalski, and the Iron Sheik. He frankly chronicles his dealings with the wrestling fraternity and the promoters, even recounting the infamous "boxer vs. wrestler" match with Muhammad Ali, who was managed by Blassie.
His out-of-the-ring stories are equally compelling. Freddie details his countless sexual exploits, and his three marriages. He reflects on the cult status that he gained after his song "Pencil Neck Geek" rocketed to the top of the Dr. Demento Show play list. He recounts his touching relationship with comedian Andy Kaufman, who cast him in Breakfast with Blassie -- an underground classic in which Blassie "What the hell ever happened to the human race?"
Added to this edition is an epilogue, recounting Freddie's last days and his unforgettable funeral.
At seventeen, Freddie made his wrestling debut in a carnival. Unhappy with his choice of occupation, his family persuaded him to get a "real" job, and for a while he worked as a meatcutter. But after serving in the Navy in World War II, Freddie returned to wrestling. Here he picked up his catch "pencil neck geek."
Early in his career, Blassie wrestled for Jess McMahon, and would later work for both his son, Vincent James McMahon, and his grandson, Vincent Kennedy McMahon, the current owner of World Wrestling Entertainment. ™ When his days in the ring ended, "Classy" Freddie Blassie became the manager of heels, transferring to a whole new generation of wrestlers the style, moves, and ring knowledge that had made him a legend of wrestling.
Released just prior to his death, Legends of "Classy" Freddie Blassie contains vibrant tales of his days in wrestling with the likes of Hulk Hogan, Killer Kowalski, and the Iron Sheik. He frankly chronicles his dealings with the wrestling fraternity and the promoters, even recounting the infamous "boxer vs. wrestler" match with Muhammad Ali, who was managed by Blassie.
His out-of-the-ring stories are equally compelling. Freddie details his countless sexual exploits, and his three marriages. He reflects on the cult status that he gained after his song "Pencil Neck Geek" rocketed to the top of the Dr. Demento Show play list. He recounts his touching relationship with comedian Andy Kaufman, who cast him in Breakfast with Blassie -- an underground classic in which Blassie "What the hell ever happened to the human race?"
Added to this edition is an epilogue, recounting Freddie's last days and his unforgettable funeral.
272 pages, Paperback
First published May 6, 2003
About the author
Keith Elliot Greenberg
87 books21 followersKeith Elliot Greenberg is a New York Times bestselling author and producer for America's Most Wanted. In addition to producing programs for VH1, 48 Hours, MSNBC Investigates, the History Channel, and Court TV, among others, Greenberg has authored more than thirty nonfiction books and written for such outlets as Maxim, The Village Voice, The New York Observer, USA Today, Playboy.com, and US Weekly."
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
December 20, 2021
I was fortunate enough to have met Freddie back when I was a professional wrestling promoter and had him at my one show. A nice man, with a lovely wife and it was great having him there to cut a wonderful promo during my show. So when I saw this book I had to get it and read it. It was a wonderful look back at "old-school" wrestling as told by one of the masters, both as a wrestler and as a talker. Blassie was legendary during his time working in Atlanta in the 50's and 60's but he hit it huge when he was out in Los Angeles working for the WWA owned by Eileen Eaton and run by her two sons Mike and "Judo" Gene Labell. Great stories, memories, and loads of memorable characters. And once he is done as a wrestler he becomes a manager in the WWF (now WWE). If you like reading about old-time wrestling this is a great book, one that still blurs the line between wrestling being sport and wrestling being sports entertainment. Fast read and the stories he tells are just great!
January 25, 2020
My first book of 2020,and its a great one..
Didnt know much about Freddie Blassie but through this book i learned so much about him and his crazy life in and out of the wrestling ring.
An absolute must read for wrestling fans.
Didnt know much about Freddie Blassie but through this book i learned so much about him and his crazy life in and out of the wrestling ring.
An absolute must read for wrestling fans.
July 29, 2011
I've read quite a few of these WWE bios, The Rock, Hulk Hogan, Mick Foley, and this one is easily the best. First off, the scope is ridiculous. From Carnival roots in the 30's to the big shows in the 2000's, Blassie has been there. Since this book is made up from interviews near the end of Blassie's life (with additional commentary from others who were there), it's easily the most no bullshit book by a wrestler I've seen. It's consistently entertaining, interesting, a bit shocking (lubracreme anyone...) and at times very touching. Damn worth checking out if you ever had so much as a passing interest in professional wrestling
October 6, 2013
I have read enough wrestling books to tell you how they are going to go - "I was the first and I was the best". This one is no different, but Blassie does have an interesting story. For those of you interested in the wrestling world of the 1950s and 60s, you will like this read. There's plenty of anecdotes for wrestling fans and they are good stories. There's also recollections of his work with Andy Kaufffman, that Kauffman fans will want to check out.
May 4, 2023
*3.5 stars
This was a hard one for me to rate.
I went into it thinking it'd be HEAVILY SANITIZED since it was sanctioned by the WWE. Thankfully, it wasn't. But like other WWE-official books, it included way too many over-the-top tongue baths for Vince McMahon and his family. (Gross.)
I remember Blassie as the manager for Shiek & Volkoff, but I must admit, I never paid much attention to him as a kid. I picked this up because I like the behind-the-scenes stuff and I'm a sucker for anything about 80s wrestling. Blassie talks about kayfabe and angles and works, yet I'm left wondering how much of the 'truth' in this book was actually a work. At times, his tales reminded me of when your grandpa tells you the same story over & over, but exaggerates & embellishes more with each telling. I found myself rolling my eyes a lot as the book went on.
Blassie was a big mark for himself, that's for sure. He loved himself & his persona maybe even more than Hogan loves the Hulkster. There were lots of testimonials from friends & colleagues saying what a warm & wonderful guy Blassie was, but he comes off as a prick. This is a man who ditched his wife and three kids for wrestling. He ended up having a relationship with only one of his children, and at times in the book, he blames his children for the estrangement. (He also talks about his prick a lot. The dude was a man whore of the first degree.)
This was a hard one for me to rate.
I went into it thinking it'd be HEAVILY SANITIZED since it was sanctioned by the WWE. Thankfully, it wasn't. But like other WWE-official books, it included way too many over-the-top tongue baths for Vince McMahon and his family. (Gross.)
I remember Blassie as the manager for Shiek & Volkoff, but I must admit, I never paid much attention to him as a kid. I picked this up because I like the behind-the-scenes stuff and I'm a sucker for anything about 80s wrestling. Blassie talks about kayfabe and angles and works, yet I'm left wondering how much of the 'truth' in this book was actually a work. At times, his tales reminded me of when your grandpa tells you the same story over & over, but exaggerates & embellishes more with each telling. I found myself rolling my eyes a lot as the book went on.
Blassie was a big mark for himself, that's for sure. He loved himself & his persona maybe even more than Hogan loves the Hulkster. There were lots of testimonials from friends & colleagues saying what a warm & wonderful guy Blassie was, but he comes off as a prick. This is a man who ditched his wife and three kids for wrestling. He ended up having a relationship with only one of his children, and at times in the book, he blames his children for the estrangement. (He also talks about his prick a lot. The dude was a man whore of the first degree.)
August 24, 2021
50 years ago this week, on August 27, 1971, the legendary feud between Fred Blassie and John Tolos could no longer be contained by Los Angeles’ Grand Olympic Auditorium. When Blassie returned to action, three months after being blinded by Tolos, the demand for tickets was so great that the grudge match headlined a card at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The event was also among the first pro wrestling cards to be shown on closed circuit television. In honor of the 50th Anniversary of their historic encounter, the Literary Squared Circle blog reviews Listen, You Pencil Neck Geeks by “Classy” Freddie Blassie with Keith Elliot Greenberg (World Wrestling Entertainment, 2003).
Blassie vs. Tolos drew 25,847 fans to the Coliseum, and the gate that night was $142,158.50. Both the attendance and the gate set records for the state of California. The previous record had been set 19 years earlier, in May 1952, when NWA World Heavyweight Championship Lou Thesz faced the Los Angeles World Heavyweight Champion Baron Michele Leone in a Title Unification Match at Gilmore Field.
To grasp the significance of a pro wrestling card being held at the Los Angeles Coliseum, consider that 20 years later, in 1991, the World Wrestling Federation booked the Coliseum for WrestleMania VII. However, due to sluggish ticket sales (or security concerns, depending on which narrative you choose to believe) the event was scaled down and held next door at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena in front of a sellout crowd of 16,158 fans.
To this day, 50 years later, attendance for the Fred Blassie vs. John Tolos match remains the largest pro wrestling crowd in the history of Southern California. That record will likely fall in April 2023 when WrestleMania 39 is scheduled to emanate from SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. That event could potentially draw a crowd in excess of 100,000 fans. As for the state of California, the attendance record set in 1971 was obliterated in 2015 when WrestleMania 31 drew 76,976 fans to Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.
In his book Listen, You Pencil Neck Geeks, Blassie recalls his match with Tolos at the Coliseum in the following way, “We split the first two falls, then I basically massacred Tolos. Blood was spilling everywhere, and the fans were shrieking for more. I pulled back Tolos’s head, tucked it into my shoulder, and gnawed on his flesh. Referee Johnny ‘Red Shoes’ Dugan squeezed in between us, and broke it up. I pushed Dugan out of the way, grabbed Tolos, and did it some more. Finally, Dugan ruled that Tolos was bleeding so profusely that the match had to be stopped. But the fans went home exhilarated.”
Listen, You Pencil Neck Geeks is easily one of my top ten favorite wrestling books of all-time. It is a comprehensive autobiography covering all aspects of Blassie’s long and eventful life. Blassie grew up in St. Louis and was just learning the craft of professional wrestling when World War II began. Blassie served 42 months in the Navy during the War, 14 of which were spent in the Pacific Theater. Following the War, Blassie began wrestling full-time as a babyface, “Sailor” Fred Blassie.
Despite being a babyface, Blassie found himself being booed in the South simply because he was a northerner. It was then that Blassie decided to turn himself heel. He bleached his hair blonde, became a rulebreaker, and embarked on a long and successfully career as one of the greatest villains of all-time. Blassie competed around the world, most notably in Southern California, New York, and Japan. His home base was Southern California, and he was more often than not treated as a face by the fans there instead of a heel. It was his star power as a babyface that drew the record crowd to the Coliseum on August 27, 1971.
After retiring from the ring in the early 1970s, Blassie began a successful career as a manager in the WWWF. Over the next decade, Blassie would manage the likes of: Nikolai Volkoff, The Iron Sheik, Blackjack Mulligan, “High Chief” Peter Maivia, Kamala, and Hulk Hogan. Blassie even famously managed Heavyweight Boxing Champion Muhammad Ali during his 1976 boxer vs. wrestler match against Antonio Inoki. (See Literary Squared Circle #6)
Many of Blassie’s friends, family members, and fellow wrestlers contributed to Listen, You Pencil Neck Geeks. The book is filled with comments from those who knew Blassie best. Professionally, Killer Kowalski, Dick “The Destroyer” Beyer, Arnold Skaaland, John Tolos, George “The Animal” Steele, Hulk Hogan, and others discuss his career and the impact on the business. Personally, his son, Ron Blassie and his wife, Miyako Blassie reveal what he was like outside of the ring. Friends, including Regis Philbin and promoter Mike LeBell share stories about their colleague.
“Classy” Freddie Blassie appeared on Monday Night Raw to promote his book on May 12, 2003, the night before Listen, You Pencil Neck Geeks was released. Just three weeks later, on June 2, 2003, Blassie passed away due to heart and kidney failure at the age of 85. Doing these book reviews, I often lament the fact that some wrestlers write their books too early in their career (See Rey Mysterio – LSC #10 & Kurt Angle – LSC #14). Often this is done to capitalized on the wrestler’s current popularity, because it may be fleeting. However, oftentimes wrestlers such as Mysterio and Angle go on to compete for decades more. Not Blassie. He included all of his 85 years in Listen, You Pencil Neck Geeks and then he was gone. His entire story had been told.
If you are a wrestling fan, and you’ve not read Listen, You Pencil Neck Geeks, get a copy immediately. You will enjoy it. I guarantee it. If you’ve already read the book, read it again. You’re sure to discover new things, you might have missed the first time around. I cannot recommend the book more highly. “Classy” Freddie Blassie is one of the all-time greats, and his book is one of the absolute best!
5 Stars out of 5
Blassie vs. Tolos drew 25,847 fans to the Coliseum, and the gate that night was $142,158.50. Both the attendance and the gate set records for the state of California. The previous record had been set 19 years earlier, in May 1952, when NWA World Heavyweight Championship Lou Thesz faced the Los Angeles World Heavyweight Champion Baron Michele Leone in a Title Unification Match at Gilmore Field.
To grasp the significance of a pro wrestling card being held at the Los Angeles Coliseum, consider that 20 years later, in 1991, the World Wrestling Federation booked the Coliseum for WrestleMania VII. However, due to sluggish ticket sales (or security concerns, depending on which narrative you choose to believe) the event was scaled down and held next door at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena in front of a sellout crowd of 16,158 fans.
To this day, 50 years later, attendance for the Fred Blassie vs. John Tolos match remains the largest pro wrestling crowd in the history of Southern California. That record will likely fall in April 2023 when WrestleMania 39 is scheduled to emanate from SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. That event could potentially draw a crowd in excess of 100,000 fans. As for the state of California, the attendance record set in 1971 was obliterated in 2015 when WrestleMania 31 drew 76,976 fans to Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.
In his book Listen, You Pencil Neck Geeks, Blassie recalls his match with Tolos at the Coliseum in the following way, “We split the first two falls, then I basically massacred Tolos. Blood was spilling everywhere, and the fans were shrieking for more. I pulled back Tolos’s head, tucked it into my shoulder, and gnawed on his flesh. Referee Johnny ‘Red Shoes’ Dugan squeezed in between us, and broke it up. I pushed Dugan out of the way, grabbed Tolos, and did it some more. Finally, Dugan ruled that Tolos was bleeding so profusely that the match had to be stopped. But the fans went home exhilarated.”
Listen, You Pencil Neck Geeks is easily one of my top ten favorite wrestling books of all-time. It is a comprehensive autobiography covering all aspects of Blassie’s long and eventful life. Blassie grew up in St. Louis and was just learning the craft of professional wrestling when World War II began. Blassie served 42 months in the Navy during the War, 14 of which were spent in the Pacific Theater. Following the War, Blassie began wrestling full-time as a babyface, “Sailor” Fred Blassie.
Despite being a babyface, Blassie found himself being booed in the South simply because he was a northerner. It was then that Blassie decided to turn himself heel. He bleached his hair blonde, became a rulebreaker, and embarked on a long and successfully career as one of the greatest villains of all-time. Blassie competed around the world, most notably in Southern California, New York, and Japan. His home base was Southern California, and he was more often than not treated as a face by the fans there instead of a heel. It was his star power as a babyface that drew the record crowd to the Coliseum on August 27, 1971.
After retiring from the ring in the early 1970s, Blassie began a successful career as a manager in the WWWF. Over the next decade, Blassie would manage the likes of: Nikolai Volkoff, The Iron Sheik, Blackjack Mulligan, “High Chief” Peter Maivia, Kamala, and Hulk Hogan. Blassie even famously managed Heavyweight Boxing Champion Muhammad Ali during his 1976 boxer vs. wrestler match against Antonio Inoki. (See Literary Squared Circle #6)
Many of Blassie’s friends, family members, and fellow wrestlers contributed to Listen, You Pencil Neck Geeks. The book is filled with comments from those who knew Blassie best. Professionally, Killer Kowalski, Dick “The Destroyer” Beyer, Arnold Skaaland, John Tolos, George “The Animal” Steele, Hulk Hogan, and others discuss his career and the impact on the business. Personally, his son, Ron Blassie and his wife, Miyako Blassie reveal what he was like outside of the ring. Friends, including Regis Philbin and promoter Mike LeBell share stories about their colleague.
“Classy” Freddie Blassie appeared on Monday Night Raw to promote his book on May 12, 2003, the night before Listen, You Pencil Neck Geeks was released. Just three weeks later, on June 2, 2003, Blassie passed away due to heart and kidney failure at the age of 85. Doing these book reviews, I often lament the fact that some wrestlers write their books too early in their career (See Rey Mysterio – LSC #10 & Kurt Angle – LSC #14). Often this is done to capitalized on the wrestler’s current popularity, because it may be fleeting. However, oftentimes wrestlers such as Mysterio and Angle go on to compete for decades more. Not Blassie. He included all of his 85 years in Listen, You Pencil Neck Geeks and then he was gone. His entire story had been told.
If you are a wrestling fan, and you’ve not read Listen, You Pencil Neck Geeks, get a copy immediately. You will enjoy it. I guarantee it. If you’ve already read the book, read it again. You’re sure to discover new things, you might have missed the first time around. I cannot recommend the book more highly. “Classy” Freddie Blassie is one of the all-time greats, and his book is one of the absolute best!
5 Stars out of 5
May 14, 2020
A very entertaining book. Blassie lived a wild life in which he says he was stabbed 21 times by crazed fans and had acid poured on him. He also claims that 25 people in Japan had heart attacks and died the first time they saw him on TV, and that he ultimately was responsible for the death of 92 people by virtue of being such an outrageous heel. I have no idea if these things are true but I enjoyed the stories.
I also appreciate the candor in the book. He says modern wrestlers are just as tough, not tougher than those in his time, which is rare to hear from old timers in any sport. He also is very forthcoming about how he loved wrestling more than himself, ultimately incinerating his marriages and family life. One of the better wrestling books out there for sure.
I also appreciate the candor in the book. He says modern wrestlers are just as tough, not tougher than those in his time, which is rare to hear from old timers in any sport. He also is very forthcoming about how he loved wrestling more than himself, ultimately incinerating his marriages and family life. One of the better wrestling books out there for sure.
December 24, 2023
"Classy" Freddie Blassie's 2003 autobiography, released briefly before his death, is one of the best wrestling books I've read so far. Tons of great stories from an incredibly accomplished, long career. Blassie's storytelling style is blunt and captivating and there isn't a dull moment to be found here. From his carnival days to the rise of his heel persona to Andy Kaufman to his late stage managerial career, Blassie covers his entire life, as well as his personal struggles. Freddie Blassie once again proves he is truly the king of men with a classic wrestling autobiography and one of my new favorites.
August 12, 2018
One of the best wrestling books I have read. Freddie Blassie saw it all, from the carnival days of the 1930s to the modern WWE of the 21st Century. Freddie lived an eventful life, to say the least. Highly recommended for not only wrestling fans, but also anyone who wants to learn about the sport's history and one of it's legendary characters.
January 18, 2018
This was a fun read and lookback on one of the WWF’s most colorful characters.
The history of how the local promoters did their things before Vince bought them all out was very interesting.
The history of how the local promoters did their things before Vince bought them all out was very interesting.
May 19, 2024
The pages were like 70% margins, and the ghost writer tried way too hard to sound like a pro wrestler cutting a promo and less like a pro wrestler telling their story.
November 26, 2014
This book shocked me. I picked it up at a library book sale and was happy I got it. Knowing professional wrestling like I do, I knew Blassie as a manager when I started watching in the 1980s, and knew he was a wrestler before he managed. I did enjoy the stories he tells about wrestlers like Haystacks Calhoun, Andre the Giant, and others. I also enjoyed his stories about Capt Lou Albano (another wrestler turned manager in the 1980s). I was shocked at how honest some of his feelings were in the book, especially since it was a WWE book, a company that usually edits heavily on the content so certain people, like Vince McMahon (the now WWE Owner, so he does not look bad. The tales are great, including his friendship with comedian Andy Kaufman (who Blassie claims he sent to Jerry Lawyer which started their famous "feud" after Blassie decided not to pitch the idea to Vince Mcmahon Sr).
If you remember wrestling from the 1980s and only remember Blassie as a manager of people like The Iron Sheik, you should seek this book out, and enjoy the tales of him talking about his wrestling career to managing people like Mohammad Ali, Hulk Hogan, and more.
If you remember wrestling from the 1980s and only remember Blassie as a manager of people like The Iron Sheik, you should seek this book out, and enjoy the tales of him talking about his wrestling career to managing people like Mohammad Ali, Hulk Hogan, and more.
May 17, 2010
I picked this book up at Border's for a dollar a while ago and to say for that price it was worth the read. "Classy" Freddie Blassie lead an interesting life as one of early wrestlings heels or bad guys. Through out the book they have friends, co-workers, and family members comment on Blassie and the reader finds out that this guy who at one point in time was the most hated man in professional wrestling was the nicest guy in the world outside the ring, but this was when the fans thought what was happening in the ring was real that it was not acting. I would recommend this book to a person who has some interest in wrestling specially the 'golden era' when it was considered a legitimate sport unlike today when it is common knowledge that it is just a male soap opera.
September 2, 2012
Forget the word wrestling. and insert the words show business. This bio is very funny, crude, touching. and it reveals a really interesting late 50's and 60's late night Los Angeles television sub culture of wrestling, talk show hosts, characters, music, Dr. Demento.
Blassie traveled the world, worked with tons of talk show hosts, Muhammad Ali,Andre the Giant, Wrestlemania and on.
I am a big fan of comedy/entertainment and I enjoy the road stories surrounding the performance
(that's why you don't have to be a wrestling fan to enjoy this. I enjoy the ridiculously true tales.)
This is prime pickings to make a film out of this book. you get Fred Blassie from WWII to befriending Andy Kaufman to the current show that the WWE has become. Fun read.
Blassie traveled the world, worked with tons of talk show hosts, Muhammad Ali,Andre the Giant, Wrestlemania and on.
I am a big fan of comedy/entertainment and I enjoy the road stories surrounding the performance
(that's why you don't have to be a wrestling fan to enjoy this. I enjoy the ridiculously true tales.)
This is prime pickings to make a film out of this book. you get Fred Blassie from WWII to befriending Andy Kaufman to the current show that the WWE has become. Fun read.
November 1, 2021
Just a great rasslin' book bio, the immortal Freddie Blassie, (who died after publication) takes the reader on a wild ride through his life in the squared circle. A real character, one of a kind in that crazy business, who couldn't help but captivate an audience with his mic skills.
Lots of hilarious stories throughout the decades of the early-to-glory-days of this sports entertainment. I laughed a lot, as he told his no-holds-barred stories & vignettes, and was absolutely stunned by the romantic story of him finding his third wife - how he met her, her impact on him. He also honestly addresses the tragic (family) consequences of his neglected children from a previous marriage.
Read, you pencil-neck geek!
Lots of hilarious stories throughout the decades of the early-to-glory-days of this sports entertainment. I laughed a lot, as he told his no-holds-barred stories & vignettes, and was absolutely stunned by the romantic story of him finding his third wife - how he met her, her impact on him. He also honestly addresses the tragic (family) consequences of his neglected children from a previous marriage.
Read, you pencil-neck geek!
January 21, 2012
I had to remember that when I was reviewing this book, I was reviewing the BOOK and not the man. As for the book, the author did a good job of recounting Blassie's life in and out of wrestling. What I found was that I was a little disapointed about Blassie himself. Like a lot of great wrestlers, he lived his gimmick and that's okay, but I was bothered by some of his "so-called" ribs that he played and his over all view of life. I know that some of this is generational but again, I was just a little bothered by Blassie, the person.
June 16, 2014
Compelling reading! Blassie was some character. Totally mad, could be really horrible at times but you come away liking him despite yourself. A great read, although I didn't know many of the characters in the early days.
He was larger than life, didn't take himself too seriously and told it how he saw it!
A refreshing read!
He was larger than life, didn't take himself too seriously and told it how he saw it!
A refreshing read!
January 1, 2011
A fascinating, if superficial, look at an era of wrestling that is long gone. Blassie was one of the pioneers of wrestling as we know it today and those who are interested in the history of the business will find this a highly entertaining read.
August 3, 2011
Fantastic book....as big a wrestling fan as I am, I really didn't know that much about Blassie, now I do. And while I'm sure some stories may have been somewhat embellished, all in all it was a very believable and great read.
September 11, 2020
the stuff on blassie's early life is interesting, but the book becomes less so as he enters the "glory years" of the early 80s wwe. your typical wwe-branded autobio, for good or ill, but blassie's life story warrants a read-through
June 27, 2007
This is the second best wresting book ive read and ive read a couple.
He tells the craziest stories. Its a good biography.
He tells the craziest stories. Its a good biography.
September 12, 2007
best wrestling bio i've read.
January 23, 2008
A must read for Blassie fans and for fans of old-time wrestling. Blassie was one of the most outrageous characters in the history of the 'sport'.
August 11, 2011
A true classic autobiography, "Classy" Freddie Blassie can make you laugh and cry at the wackyness of the world of pro-wrestling, all from his legendary eyes.
May 2, 2012
Another great wrestling (auto)biography. Wouldn't want Freddie as a buddy though. I also wouldn't want him as an enemy.
August 25, 2012
A good book! Really gives you a good look in to a bygone era in the wrestling world. ( If you dont like wrestling, it's still a good biography ) R.I.P. Classie Freddie Blassie!
July 24, 2013
Yes, I have a weakness for wrestling memoirs. Balssie's was definitely one of the most fascinating and most entertaining ones I've read.
July 17, 2015
Loved every second of this book. The fact that he was in the business from the 30s until his death is astonishing. One of the greatest heels of all time
November 19, 2016
A definite must-read book for any wrestling fan
January 25, 2021
read this last year, fairly good treatment of Blassie's early career and one of the better of the WWE-branded autobiographies
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews