Virgil Riley Runnels Jr. (October 11, 1945 – June 11, 2015), better known as "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes, was an American professional wrestler, booker, and trainer who worked for the National Wrestling Alliance and the World Wrestling Federation, later known as WWE. Rhodes was considered a star wrestler and presented the persona of an American everyman, the American Dream personified.[8] Rhodes is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time.
Dusty Rhodes
Rhodes, c. 1982
Birth name
Virgil Riley Runnels Jr.
Born
October 11, 1945[1]
Austin, Texas, U.S.
Died
June 11, 2015 (aged 69)
Orlando, Florida, U.S.
Cause of death
Kidney failure
Alma mater
West Texas State University
Spouse(s)
Sandra McHargue
(m. 1965; div. 1975)
Michelle Rubio (m. 1978)
Children
4, including Dustin and Cody Rhodes
Family
Brandi Rhodes (daughter-in-law)
Fred Ottman (brother-in-law)
Jerry Sags (brother-in-law)
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)
The Bounty Hunter
Dusty Rhodes[2]
Dusty Runnels[3]
The Midnight Rider
Mr. Ichiban
Uvalde Slim
Billed height
6 ft 1 in (185 cm)[4]
Billed weight
301 lb (137 kg)[4]
Billed from
Austin, Texas[4]
Diablo Canyon, Colorado
Trained by
Joe Blanchard[3][5]
Debut
1967[6]
Retired
2007[7]
Rhodes was a three-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion, and during his time in Jim Crockett Promotions/World Championship Wrestling, he was a United States Heavyweight Champion, and multi-time World Television, World Tag Team and World Six-Man Tag Team Champion. He also won many regional championships, and is one of seven men inducted into each of the WWE, WCW, Professional Wrestling, and Wrestling Observer Newsletter Halls of Fame. His sons, Dustin and Cody, both pursued careers in professional wrestling, currently performing for All Elite Wrestling and WWE, respectively.
Following his retirement from wrestling, he made occasional on-air appearances on WWE television and pay-per-views and worked as a backstage booker and producer in WWE's NXT developmental territory. Billed as "the son of a plumber", Rhodes did not have a typical wrestler's physique; his character was that of the "common man", known for the personality exhibited in his interviews. WWE chairman Vince McMahon remarked that no wrestler "personified the essence of charisma quite like Dusty Rhodes".[9]
Early life
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Virgil Riley Runnels Jr. was born on October 11, 1945, in Austin, Texas.
After graduating from Albert Sidney Johnston High School in Austin, Rhodes played baseball and football at West Texas State (now known as West Texas A&M University). Turning professional, Rhodes tried out for the American Football League's Boston Patriots, but was cut. He then played for the Hartford Charter Oaks in the Continental Football League until the team folded.[10]
Professional wrestling career
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Early career (1967–1974)
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In 1967, Rhodes saw an advertisement in the newspaper for Tony Santos' professional wrestling promotion Big Time Wrestling, based in Boston. Rhodes drove to Boston, and despite not having any wrestling experience, bluffed his way into working for the company by using his real life friendships with Bobby Duncum and the Funk brothers. Billed as Dusty Runnels,[6] one of his first matches was for the BTW World Heavyweight title against champion Frank Scarpa in the Boston Arena. Having little money, Rhodes slept in his car and spent Thanksgiving with Rufus R. Jones in a Boston soup kitchen.[10]
Rhodes moved on to Fritz Von Erich's Texas territory World Class Championship Wrestling in 1968, at that time also called Big Time Wrestling. It was in Texas where Rhodes first adopted the ring name "Dusty Rhodes".[11] Upon meeting Rhodes, Gary Hart suggested that he change his ring name to "Lonesome Rhodes", a character Andy Griffith portrayed in the film A Face in the Crowd. Rhodes reportedly replied: "Well...I don't plan on being 'Lonesome'. I think I'll stick with Dusty."[12] Hart took an immediate liking to Rhodes and convinced Von Erich of the young wrestler's potential. Rhodes became a rule-breaking heel with Hart as his manager, teaming with Don Jardine, better known as The Spoiler.
Rhodes performing his finishing maneuver, the Bionic Elbow, in 1979
In 1968, Rhodes left Texas and entered the Kansas City territory, tagging with fellow Texan Dick Murdoch to form the tag team The Texas Outlaws.[11][12] The team traveled both nationally and internationally, appearing in Big Time Wrestling (Texas), NWA Western States Sports (Texas), NWA Detroit, National Wrestling Federation (NWF), Championship Wrestling from Florida, World Championship Wrestling (Australia), Tri-State Wrestling, the American Wrestling Association (AWA), and International Wrestling Enterprise (Japan).[4][11][13]
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