Mr. Wrestling…
Not Just His Name, But His Way Of Life

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I remember the first time I saw the man in the white mask. It was in the early 70's in a tag team match. He was teaming with another Mid Atlantic favorite Sam Steamboat against the hated duo of Rip Hawk and Swede Hanson. This wasn't the first time these four men collided in the ring for JCP, but was certainly the most brutal.

Hawk and Hanson were at the height of their terrorizing ways in the area, and were hell bent on setting an example with Steamboat and Mr. Wrestling. This match was an all out brawl, with the fan favorites having to resort to some roughhouse tactics of their own in an effort to combat the onslaught of their rivals.

The ending of this particular match was where the violence was most prevalent. Hawk and Hanson did one of their classic double teams on Steamboat outside the ring, leaving the popular Hawaiian star laying on the concrete. The two villains then turned their wrath on the masked man. Using a foreign object, they managed to make Mr. Wrestling bleed…right through his trademark white hood! The obvious result was an immediate disqualification for Hawk and Hanson, but their carnage didn't stop after the bell had sounded.

They left Mr. Wrestling laying in a crumpled heap on the mat, and as Steamboat tried to make a save, Hawk gave him an illegal (at the time in JCP) pile driver that laid him out. The fans were ready to riot at this time in protest of their heros being demolished. This match was featured in one of the wrestling magazines at the time and drew considerable reaction from fans all around the country.  

However, despite this horrific incident, Mr. Wrestling would not be denied revenge. He succeeded in beating Hawk and Hanson in subsequent rematches. He showed a lot of heart and soul after receiving such a brutal mauling from them earlier.  

This was typical of the man known as Mr. Wrestling. Even after he unmasked and was wrestling as Tim Woods, most fans still referred to him as Mr. Wrestling. Tim Woods was successful in every territory he competed in throughout his illustrious career. He made an impact in Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling on more than one occasion. In 1976, he teamed with a young Dino Bravo to capture the Mid Atlantic Tag Team titles and had a stint as the United States Heavyweight champion. But, his biggest accomplishment that year was when he and Bravo upset the legendary Anderson Brothers (Gene and Ole) to win the World Tag Team titles.  

Tim's style of wrestling was based a lot on his amateur background. Tim was a highly successful wrestler in high school and college before turning pro in 1962. His stature as one of wrestling's legends was built on two decades of hard work, perseverance, and dedication. His smooth style, quick reflexes, and conditioning led to always being on the top of his game. Even after the unfortunate 1975 plane crash he was involved in couldn't stop him.

Tim was well liked and respected by his peers throughout the wrestling community. His values and convictions helped set the standard for future generations. I've never heard anyone speak bad about Tim Woods…and probably never will.

S'long, Mr. Wrestling.