Photo: Pro Wrestling Illustrated
Dick Slater, the former professional wrestler and National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) Champion, died this week, WWE confirmed.
Slater, who struggled with addiction and was arrested for a violent crime following his wrestling career, was 67. His cause of death has not been released.
“Slater was a prolific competitor during the 1970s and 1980s in Georgia Championship Wrestling, Mid-South Wrestling and Mid-Atlantic Wrestling, where he teamed with WWE Hall of Famer Bob Orton and had a memorable rivalry with WWE Hall of Famer Jake ‘The Snake’ Roberts,” it read. “Slater competed in WWE from 1986 to 1987 before moving to Japan and finishing his in-ring career in WCW.”
The NWA also posted a tribute to Slater on Twitter early Thursday morning.
Slater — born Richard Van Slater — struggled after retiring from the ring.
In 2003, Slater was arrested after he stabbed his ex-girlfriend, Theresa Halbert, in the leg, arm, and back with a knife, theNew York Daily Newsreports. He later blamed the incident on the influence of pain medications, which he said he overdosed on.
A year after the stabbing, Slater was sentenced to one-year house arrest and two years probation, along with paying Halbert restitution fees.
He was also famously involved in an incident during the early 80’s, where wrestler Wahoo McDaniel accidentally shot Slater in the leg during an altercation at an Atlanta bar.
“When the police got there, I told them that a sniper shot me… to save Wahoo,” Slater toldMid-Atlantic Gatewayin an interview. Despite the injury, Slater returned to the ring within three weeks.
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
Although his career lasted over three decades, it didn’t take off until 1972 after he won the NWA Georgia Heavyweight Championship four times, according to records fromwrestlingdata.com.
From there, Slater went on to compete in Mid-Atlantic Championship and the Mid-South Wrestling Association, where he won over five championships in a six-year period.
NWA/Twitter
In 1986, Slater made his WWE debut but only competed for a year, before moving to Japan and wrestling in their professional league. He also had a brief one-year stint in the American Wrestling Association and the World Wrestling Federation, sayswrestlingdata.com.
He then moved to the World Championship Wrestling league, where he would remain for seven years until a career-ending back injury in 1996.
The wrestling community mourned his death on Thursday, with many close to the ring reminiscing on memories with Slater.
“So Sad To Hear About The Passing Of My Good Friend Dick Slater Who Was A Great Wrestler And One Of The Legit Toughest Guys Of All Time. RIP,”wrote former WWE star Ric Flairon Twitter.
Wrestling trainer Les Thatcher also paid tribute to his friend on Twitter, writing “Sad to hear that Dick Slater passed away this morning at age 67. One hell of a worker, and promo man. Go with God my friend.”
source: people.com
