Frayne described wrestling in its purest form, good versus evil: “Kiniski is always in the black corner, a really rotten man with a repertoire of eye gouging, throat stomping, crotch kicking and assorted other illegalities that drive the customers to paroxysms.”Įugene Nicholas Kiniski was born of Polish descent on November 23, 1928, outside of Edmonton, to Nicolas and Julia Kiniski, with five other siblings. “When a columnist runs into a dull, uninspiring day, the gloom can be dispelled quickly by placing a long-distance telephone call to Gene Kiniski, the sweetest Canadian this side of Guy Lombardo’s musicians,” wrote Coleman in 1968. “He had this mesmerizing interview ability.”Ĭanadian sportswriting royalty like Jim Coleman and Trent Frayne loved to write about him. I think that was probably 50% of his appeal was the fact that he had such camera control,” recalled “Cowboy” Dan Kroffat, a frequent opponent. “Big Thunder” always knew to play to the audience. … Every time I went to a town, I always read things about it so I knew what was happening locally - then I could just quote things.” “I used to leave hours or hours ahead, or even the day before, if I could just get on a radio program,” he explained. Portrayed as a mean thug much of the time, Kiniski was in fact an intelligent, college-educated man, who would cram for his exam, which was usually riling up the fans wherever he was in the world. By referring to myself as Canada’s Greatest Athlete, it stimulated the audience. Beddoes’ rebuttal was this: You have to wrestle Kiniski first, then if you can play basketball, hockey, golf, tennis, then you are a great athlete. “The phone lines lit up, and they wondered what made me the Greatest. “I was being interviewed by Dick Beddoes, on a Hamilton TV station, and he said tonight we have Canada’s Greatest Athlete with us,” Kiniski explained in his chat with SLAM! Wrestling. Gene Kiniski as NWA World heavyweight champion.
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