Jim Duggan

James Duggan (born January 14, 1954 in Glens Falls, New York) better known by his stage name "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan, is a former professional wrestler for the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling. His most well-known gimmick is that of an American patriot, a gimmick he used for well over a decade.

Duggan is a former WCW United States champion and is one the most instantly noticeable wrestlers among wrestling fans. His trademarks include bringing an American flag (dubbed "Old Glory") and a 2x4 plank of wood with him to the ring. His trademark rallying cry of "Ho!" is also well known. Duggan is also known for starting "U.S.A." crowd chants before and during his matches. His entrance theme music is a variation of "The Stars and Stripes Forever."

Personal

Duggan grew up in Glen Falls, where he became a star athlete in high school. He was a letterman in football, track, wrestling and basketball. In wrestling, he won the New York State High School wrestling championship, unlimited weight class division – the first wrestler from Glen Falls to do so.

He was recruited by the football programs of several major universities, including Penn State and Ohio State, but would play at Southern Methodist University (SMU), where he was eventually voted team captain. After college, Duggan was signed by the Atlanta Falcons of the NFL, but was released after being plagued by knee injuries.

Duggan is a survivor of kidney cancer, an illness he was diagnosed with during his employment with WCW. His real-life struggle with the disease was very public and his comeback to wrestling after fighting off the ailment was a triumphant affair involving his entire immediate family.

It is reported that he got the idea of carrying a 2x4 plank of wood to the ring from the 1973 movie Walking Tall, in which the lead character carries a 2x4 around as a weapon. Duggan himself seldom used the object in the ring as a weapon.

Duggan has claimed to have wrestled in all 50 States in America as well as in the foreign countries Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Belgium, Bermuda, Canada, Dominican Republic, England, France, Germany, Guam, Holland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Poland, Scotland, Spain and Switzerland.

Early wrestling career

Jim Duggan broke into the professional wrestling business thanks in large part to wrestler Fritz Von Erich. The two met while Duggan was on a recruiting trip to SMU. Duggan's first professional match was in 1979 against Gino Hernandez. Training at the Sportatorium in Dallas, Texas as well as with Hawaiian wrestling promoter Peter Maivia (grandfather of The Rock), Duggan gained the attention of Vince McMahon Sr. and the WWWF (the precursor to WWE).

After a brief stint with the WWWF, Duggan began to work regularly for Georgia Championship Wrestling. During this time, Duggan was known by two in-ring aliases: in the United States as "Big Jim Duggan" and in Hawaii as "The Convict", a masked wrestler. After wrestling for a Birmingham, Alabama-based promotion, Duggan began wrestling in a promotion based in San Antonio, Texas where he adopted the "Hacksaw" nickname. He then worked for Mid-South Wrestling from 1981 to 1986, where he became tag team champions with Terry Taylor, before being signed to the WWF.

World Wrestling Federation

Duggan was signed to the World Wrestling Federation (now WWE), in 1987. Although he did not win any major titles in the promotion, for 7 years, he was a consistent fan favorite with his patriotic gimmick. During his time in the WWF, he feuded with the likes of Harley Race (who he beat to earn Race's title of "King of Wrestling") and André the Giant. Duggan also claims to be the only wrestler to "knock out" André the Giant in a WWF wrestling match.

World Championship Wrestling

Duggan signed with World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in 1994. In one of his first matches with the company, he won the WCW United States Championship from future WWE World Champion Stone Cold Steve Austin. For most of his tenure with the company he was seldom used in major storylines but often appeared on the company's minor wrestling show WCW Saturday Night. Under the tenure of former storyline writers Vince Russo and Ed Ferrera, Duggan became involved in a storyline where he became a janitor for WCW. Near the end of his career in WCW, he became involved in more major storylines, including one that involved him abandoning the patriotic gimmick for a short time to join Lance Storm and his heel faction Team Canada.

Profile

• Height: 6'3" (1.905 m)
• Weight: 280 lbs (127 kg)
• Professional Debut: 1979
• Finishing/Signature Moves: Three-point stance and tackle, Old Glory Knee drop

Championships/Accomplishments

• 1-Time Universal Wrestling Federation Tag Team Champion (with Terry Taylor)
• 1-Time Mid-South Wrestling Tag Team Champion (with Magnum T.A.)
• 1-Time Mid-South Wrestling Louisiana Champion
• 1-time Mid-South Wrestling North American Champion
• 1-Time WCW United States Champion
• 1-Time WCW Television Champion
• 1-Time IWA Heavyweight Champion (in Japan)

• Winner of the inaugural WWF Royal Rumble in 1988

• Pro Wrestling Illustrated ranked him # 157 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the "PWI Years" in 2003.

References

• Duggan, Jim. Official Hacksaw Jim Duggan website. Retrieved Jul 7 2001.