Houston Harris (July 10, 1924 in Little Rock, Arkansas — January 20, 1998), known professionally as Bobo Brazil, was an African-American professional wrestler who was known for breaking down barriers of racial segregation in professional wrestling. He was a favorite of not only African-American wrestling fans, but of fans of any race, creed or color. Bobo Brazil is regarded as the first successful African-American professional wrestler, he is often referred to as "the Jackie Robinson of professional wrestling." July 10 is the 191st day (192nd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 174 days remaining. ... 1924 (MCMXXIV) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Little Rock skyline Motto: Nickname: The Capital City, Rock-Town, City of Roses Map Political Statistics Founded 1821 Incorporated 1831 Pulaski County Mayor Jim Dailey Geographic Statistics Area  - Total  - Land  - Water 302. ... January 20 is the 20th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ... An African American (also Afro-American or Black American, or black) is a member of an ethnic group in the United States whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Africa. ... ... The Rex Theatre for Colored People, Leland, Mississippi, June 1937 Racial segregation is characterized by forced separation of people of different races in daily life when both are doing equal tasks, such as eating in a restaurant, drinking from a water fountain, using a rest room, attending school, going to... Jackie Robinson in his now-retired number 42 jersey. ...

Career

Originally, Houston was to be known as "Boo-Boo Brazil", but a local promoter misprinted his first name as "Bobo" in a print advertisement. The name "Bobo Brazil" stuck. In the early years of Brazil's career, African-American wrestling fans were forced to sit in different sections from white fans at some arenas, and Brazil was denied service at certain hotels and restaurants. To his credit, Brazil handled these issues in a dignified manner.

In those early days, some wrestling promoters would only match Brazil against fellow African-American wrestlers. Fans clamored to see Brazil face opponents of any type, and soon enough, promoters responded in kind. In his wrestling career, Brazil had many classic matches with competitors such as Killer Kowalski, Dick the Bruiser, Johnny Valentine, and most famously, The Sheik, who feuded with Bobo over the course of several decades. These and other famous rivals would all fall victim to Brazil's finishing maneuver of choice, the Coco Butt. Brazil also once wrestled André the Giant to a draw, and challenged Bruno Sammartino for the WWWF Championship in a rare battle of two top babyface competitors. On October 18th 1962 Bobo Brazil made history by becoming the first African Amercian to win the NWA world heavyweight title by defeating "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers. Although Bobo Brazil refused the title (because of an "injury" that Rogers had claimed to have), however Bobo was awarded the title the next day after Doctors had found nothing wrong with Rogers. Bobo Brazil served as a mentor to legendary wrestler "Soulman Rocky Johnson." Brazil's manager was James Dudley, the first African-American to be in charge of a major arena in the United States. Dudley would run to the ring waving a towel, as Brazil followed behind. for disambiguation of the term promoter, see the promoter Wiktionary article In genetics, a promoter is a DNA sequence that enables a gene to be transcribed. ... Wladek Kowalski Wladek (Walter) Killer Kowalski was a professional wrestler. ... Johnny Valentine (born John Wisniski, September 29, 1929 – April 24, 2001) was a professional wrestler with a career spannig almost three decades, ending prematurely due to an airplane accident in 1975 which left him crippled. ... Edward George Farhat (June 11, 1924 – January 18, 2003) was a professional wrestler best known as The Sheik (or The Original Sheik to distinguish him from the wrestler the Iron Sheik of the 1980s). ... Head butting is a fighting technique that uses the cranium to strike an opponent to cause injury or a knockout. ... André the Giant (May 19, 1946 – January 27, 1993) was a professional wrestler and actor, born André René Roussimoff in Molien, France. ... Bruno Laopardo Francesco Sammartino (born October 6, 1936 in Pizzoferrato, Abruzzo, Italy), is a former professional wrestler. ... John Cenas customized version of the WWE Championship, April 2005-present. ... In professional wrestling jargon, a face is a character who is portrayed as being moral or approving - that is, faces are good guys or crowd favorites. The vast majority of wrestling angles (or storylines) - though not all - place a heel (or bad guy) against a face. ... Nature Boy Buddy Rogers (Born Herman C. Rohde Jr. ... James Dudley (born 1921 - died June, 2004) was a famous worker for the World Wide Wrestling Federation (now World Wrestling Entertainment). ...

Bobo Brazil was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 1994. He passed away on January 20, 1998 at age 74. WWE Hall of Fame logo, 2005-present. ... 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International year of the Family. ... January 20 is the 20th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ...

Profile

• Height: 6 ft 6 in
• Weight: 270 lb
• Birthday: July 10, 1924
• Hometown: Benton Harbor, Michigan
• Date of death: January 20, 1998
• Trained by: Joe Savoldi
• Professional debut: 1951
• Previos identities: Boo-Boo Brazil
• Finishing and signature moves: Coco Butt

July 10 is the 191st day (192nd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 174 days remaining. ... 1924 (MCMXXIV) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Benton Harbor is a city located in Berrien County in the U.S. state of Michigan. ... Official language(s) English de-facto Capital Lansing Largest city Detroit Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 11th 250,494 km² 385 km 790 km 41. ... January 20 is the 20th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ... 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ... Attacking maneuvers in professional wrestling are mainly used to wear down an opponent for a submission hold, or set up for a throw. ...

Trivia

• Brazil has two sons that wrestled, Bobo Brazil, Jr. and Andy Chene. He also had a brother who wrestled as "Hank James" in the Detroit area.
• Brazil was the first African American United States Champion.
• Brazil was the first African American man to wrestle in the state of Florida.

Official language(s) English Capital Tallahassee Largest city Jacksonville Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 22nd 170 451 km² 260 km 800 km 17. ...

Championships and accomplishments

• National Wrestling Alliance
  • 1-Time NWA World Heavyweight Champion
  • 1-Time NWA America's Heavyweight Champion
  • 1-Time NWA "Beat the Champ" Television Champion
  • 9-Time NWA Detroit United States Heavyweight Champion
  • 7-Time NWA Detroit World Tag Team Champion (with Sailor Art Thomas, Lord Athol Layton, The Stomper, Fred Curry and Tony Marino 3 times)
  • 1-Time NWA Florida Tag Team Champion (with Dusty Rhodes)
  • 2-Time NWA International Heavyweight Champion
  • 3-Time NWA Los Angeles International Television Tag Team Champion (with Primo Carnera, Wilbur Snyder and Sandor Szabo)
  • 2-Time NWA San Francisco Tag Team Champion (with Enrique Torres)
  • 1-Time NWA San Francisco United States Champion
  • 1-Time NWA Toronto United States Heavyweight Champion
  • 1-Time NWA Mid-Atlantic/WCW United States Champion
• Pro Wrestling Illustrated
  • Brazil was awarded the 1998 PWI Editor's Award upon his death.
• World Wide Wrestling Federation
  • Member of WWE Hall of Fame (inducted in 1994)
  • 1-Time WWWF United States Heavyweight Champion
• Other Titles
  • 1-Time Canadian Open Tag Team Champion (with Whipper Billy Watson)
  • 1-Time ESA North American Heavyweight Champion
  • 1-Time Ohio Heavyweight Champion
  • 1-Time Superstars of Wrestling United States Champion (Detroit)
  • 2-Time WWA World Heavyweight Champion
  • 1-Time WWA World Tag Team Champion (with Chris Carter)

The National Wrestling Alliance is a group of independent professional wrestling promotions, in operation since 1948. ... The NWA Detroit United States Heavyweight Championship was a version of the NWA United States Heavyweight Title. ... The NWA Detroit World Tag Team Championship was the Detroit, Michigan version of the NWA World Tag Team Titles. ... Sailor Art Thomas (January 30, 1924 - March 20, 2003) was a bodybuilder working as a professional wrestler. ... The NWA Florida Tag Team Championship is the primary tag team title in NWA Florida. ... Virgil Runnels, Jr. ... Primo Carnera (October 26, 1906 - June 29, 1967) was an Italian boxer who became the World Heavyweight champion. ... The NWA San Francisco Tag Team Championship was the San Francisco, California version of the NWA World Tag Team Titles. ... The NWA San Francisco United States Championship was a version of the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship that was defended in San Francisco, California. ... The NWA Toronto United States Heavyweight Championship was the version of the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship that was defended in the Toronto, Ontario-based Maple Leaf Wrestling. ... The World Wrestling Entertainment United States Championship was formerly the National Wrestling Alliance and then the World Championship Wrestling United States Championship but is now a World Wrestling Entertainment title exclusive to the SmackDown! brand. ... Hulk Hogan on the cover of the November 1994 issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ... World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. ... WWE Hall of Fame logo, 2005-present. ... 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International year of the Family. ... The WWWF United States Championship was a short-lived title in the World Wide Wrestling Federation from 1970 until 1976. ...

Championship succession