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Dondo1978 · 06-09-2007, 03:45 AM

Credit: wCw/nWo Magazine, Issue 48, February 1999

Dusty Rhodes dined on all the Thanksgiving offerings at his Atlanta home. He savored the time with his wife, Michelle, and his children. He sat back, watched football, and simply reflected. Dusty Rhodes, pro wrestling personality, had just begun his 31st year in the business.

It was back in the late '60s when Rhodes, fresh out of West Texas State University, went to play for the Hartford Charter Oaks in the now-defunct Continental Football League. As a youngster, Rhodes spent Friday nights watching wrestling with his father, and even spent the summer before joining the Oaks, working with former pro wrestler Joe Blanchard, learning the industry from popcorn vendor on up. "That's when I fell inlove with wrestling," he said. Eight games into the season, the Oaks folded. Rhodes had $35 and a Mustang, with no air conditioning or heat, to his name.

He saw an ad in a Northeast newspaper for pro wrestling at the Boston Arena Annex and decided to throw his hat in the ring. Rhodes made his pro wrestling debut at age 19 against Bull Montana, wearing boxing shoes from his Golden Gloves days. The wrestling champion at the time was Old Joe Scarple. Rhodes wrestled three days in the Massachusetts area, earning $36. He was hooked.

He was also broke, living off his Gulf Oil credit card to get him through each day. Rhodes started the drive back to his native Texas, but just outside Dallas, he lost his credit card. He needed about $9 worth of gas at the time, and convinced a gas station owner that he would pump gas in exchange for the fuel he needed. "I'll pay ya back someday," he added. Later that year, after Fritz Von Erich introduced Dusty to the Dallas corwd, Rhodes returned to the gas station. The same attendant was there, but with no memeory of Rhodes. Dusty still gave him $50.

"It was lean times then, but I knew the first night I walked into a building that I was special. Not in my physical look, but rather I was special in that I had a knack for the show business side of pro wrestling. I was tough enough from football to take care of myself," added Rhodes. In 1970, his rookie season, he made $17,000. "Yeah, it's been a long, hard road since then," he said.

Today, at the "permanent" age of 39, Rhodes is a consultant for WCW, a throwback to the days of tradition. The era of Dick Murdock and company is alive and well, living through Dusty Rhodes. When historians talk about the "Babe Ruths of wrestling," Dusty is high on that list. Whether you loved him or hate him, Rhodes was a star. During the 70s and 80s, he was a wrestler with an incredibly strong southern fan base. He was a legend in Florida and Georgia. He had a memorable match in 76 at Madison Square Garden working for Vince McMahon Sr., versus "Superstar" Billy Graham, with Andy Warhol, Omar Sharif, Cheryl Tiegs, and Peter Bird at ringside. But it was the classic bloody battles with Ric Flair and Harley Race diehard fans recall. This was wrestling, pure wrestling. Total "I-hate-you-more-than-anything-in-the-world" and "I'm-gonna-kick-your-ass" animosity.

Rhodes was NWA Champ in 1979, 1981, and 1986. He claimed the World tag Team Championship belts with Manny Fernandez in 1984. He was the TV Champ in 1985 and 1986, and the U.S. Champ in 1987. Hall Of Fame? First ballot is a lock. Rhodes would wrestle 60-minute draws against Ric Flair during the prime of both of their careers. The matches were classic. And once they went 60-minutes six times in one week. "Even as big as I was, and as out of shape as I looked, I had the athletic ability to do that," Rhodes said. The son of a plumber, he helped his dad at work before his 10th birthday, even if it was just digging ditches. A local ditch-digger named T.C. Lee once told Dusty, "There's a dream out there...you oughtta get out of this ditch and live it."

Dusty has long said that , if he ever had the cahnce to go to a small town anc coach high school football for $20,000 annually, he'd sign the contract without ever reading it. Hs wife shudders at the notion, knowing football is his first love yet appreciating the security of the wrestling industry. The fact that Dusty's brother is know past the 20-year mark as a prep coach in Boulder, CO, makes the comment that much more serious. Dusty's youngest son, Cody, plays for Atlanta's Lassiter High School 8th Grade team. Dusty is the head coach. Coach Rhodes is as happy as during any World Title reign. "I get so much out of being around young kids," he said. Dusty's eldest son, Dustin, is his most controversial offspring, and the father-son relationship reflects that. Dusty wasn't around much during Dustin's childhood, a side-effect of pro wrestling. Dustin Spent several years in WCW before joining the WWF and converting himself into Goldust.

2nd Part to come later.