Von Erich family: Difference between revisions

Browse history interactively ← Previous editContent deleted Content addedVisual WikitextInline

Revision as of 02:48, 16 March 2007 editBcarlson33 (talk \| contribs)1,412 edits →Mike Von Erich: POV, unsourced statements of questionable validity... lots to fix here.← Previous edit		Latest revision as of 06:39, 22 December 2024 edit undoSjö (talk \| contribs)Extended confirmed users, New page reviewers, Pending changes reviewers, Rollbackers58,683 editsm Reverted edits by 2A02:214C:8404:5700:D374:5C15:6EAF:66FF (talk) to last version by SjöTag: Rollback
(886 intermediate revisions by more than 100 users not shown)
Line 1:		Line 1:
			{{Short description\|American professional wrestling family}}
	<!-- Image with unknown copyright status removed: ] -->
			{{Redirect\|The Von Erichs\|the current tag team also using that name\|Marshall and Ross Von Erich}}
	The '''Von Erich family''' is a legendary ] family. Their birth names are that of "Adkisson", but in honor of the family patriarch, ], all of his sons who ventured into the wrestling business (], ], ], ], and ]) took the Von Erich name on as their own.
			{{Use American English\|date=February 2023}}
			{{Use mdy dates\|date=February 2023}}], ], ] (front), ], ] and ].]]
			The '''Von Erich family''' is an American ] family. Originally from ], their actual surname is '''Adkisson''', but every member working in wrestling has used the ] "Von Erich" after family patriarch ] (real name Jack Adkisson). Fritz, who wrestled from 1953 to his retirement in 1982, took on the German-sounding name as part of his wrestling gimmick (i.e. in-ring persona), as he originally portrayed a Nazi ].

			Fritz and his wife Doris had six children between 1952 and 1969, all sons. Except for their firstborn Jack Jr., who died at age six, all went on to become professional wrestlers. By the time Fritz died of cancer in 1997 at age 68, five of his sons had predeceased him: Jack Jr. drowned in a freak accident in 1959, ] died from ] in 1984 at age 25, and ], ], and ] all died by suicide, respectively in 1987 at age 23, 1991 at age 21, and 1993 at age 33. ], Fritz's last surviving son, retired from wrestling in 1995 and remains alive today. The Von Erichs' involvement in wrestling continued into a third generation: Kerry's daughter ] wrestled from 2007 until 2010, and Kevin's sons ] have been wrestling since 2012, including as a ] named "The Von Erichs".
	==Members==
	===Fritz Von Erich===
	{{main\|Fritz Von Erich}}
	]
	Fritz Von Erich was born on ], ] in ], ]. Standing 6'4" tall and weighing 240 lbs, Fritz was an imposing figure who quickly became a top heel in the professional wrestling business due mainly to his devastating finishing maneuver, "The Iron Claw".

			The deaths of Kevin's brothers are the main basis for a widespread myth about a ]. The term "Von Erich curse" is also used colloquially to refer to the chain of events leading to each brother's death, as well as associated tragedies (such as the death of David's two-month-old daughter of ] in 1978). The story of the Von Erich family has been presented as a cautionary tale about parental influence and the various dangers of the professional wrestling business.<ref>{{cite web \|last1=Grater \|first1=Tom \|title='Martha Marcy May Marlene' Director Sean Durkin Plots Pic On Von Erich Wrestling Family; Tessa Ross & BBC Films Onboard \|url=https://deadline.com/2020/01/martha-marcy-may-marlene-sean-durkin-von-erich-wrestling-family-house-productions-bbc-films-1202837942/ \|website=Deadline \|access-date=13 January 2022 \|date=22 January 2020}}</ref> They remain one of the best-known families in professional wrestling, both for their accomplishments and their tragic personal history: Fritz and all five of his wrestler sons were collectively inducted into the ] in ], and he, David, Kerry and Kevin were all individually inducted into the ] between 2007 and 2016. The family was the subject of a '']'' episode in 2019 and the 2023 ] '']'', titled after the Von Erichs' signature move.
	Originally trained by the legendary ], Fritz became a top star in many ] promotions, most notably in St. Louis and in ] (the latter of which was later renamed ].

			== Members ==
	Despite never having won the ], he maintained his presence within the Alliance, holding many other major belts. Fritz also served as NWA President for a short period in the 1970s, as well as President of WCCW when it moved to ].

			=== Fritz Von Erich ===
	Fritz Von Erich was also a major part of Japanese wrestling, helping to rebuild it after the death of ]. It was there that he was known as "Tetsu no Tsume" (in English, "The Iron Claw").
			{{Main\|Fritz Von Erich}}
			], 1976\|193x193px]]
			Fritz Von Erich was born Jack Barton Adkisson on August 16, 1929, in Jewett, Texas.<ref name="Von Erich Official Website bio">{{cite web\|url=http://www.vonerich.com/Bios.html\|title=Von Erich Official Website bio}}</ref> Originally trained by ], Fritz became a top star in many ] (NWA) promotions, most notably in St. Louis and in ] (WCCW).<ref name=mick129>Foley, Mick. Have A Nice Day: A Tale of Blood and Sweatsocks (p. 129)</ref> He held the ] at one time in the 1960s. Despite never winning the ], he maintained his presence within the NWA, holding many other major belts. Fritz also served shortly as NWA President in the 1970s, as well as President of WCCW when it moved to ]. Fritz was also a major part of ], where he was known as "{{transliteration\|ja\|Tetsu no Tsume}}" ({{lang\|ja\|鉄の爪}}; "The Iron Claw"), and helped rebuild the business after the death of ].

			Fritz married Doris on June 23, 1950. Together, they had six sons before divorcing on July 21, 1992.<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.familytreelegends.com/records/31992?c=search&first=jack&last=adkisson&spelling=Exact&7_year=1950&7_month=0&7_day=0&8_year=&8_month=0&8_day=0&3=&10=&5=&11=&9=&6=&1=&SubmitSearch.x=0&SubmitSearch.y=0&SubmitSearch=Submit\|title=Free Family Tree, Genealogy and Family History – MyHeritage\|website=www.familytreelegends.com}}</ref> On September 10, 1997, Fritz died of lung cancer that had spread to his brain.<ref>{{cite web \| url = http://www.canoe.ca/SlamWrestlingArchive/sep11_fritz.html \| archive-url = https://archive.today/20120722031857/http://www.canoe.ca/SlamWrestlingArchive/sep11_fritz.html \| url-status = usurped \| archive-date = July 22, 2012 \| title = Fritz Von Erich dead at 68 \| publisher = Slam! Sports \| access-date=2007-05-30 \| date = September 11, 1997}}</ref><ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.familytreelegends.com/records/33861?c=search&first=jack&last=adkisson\|title=Free Family Tree, Genealogy and Family History – MyHeritage\|website=www.familytreelegends.com}}</ref>
	Fritz is the father of the other legendary members of the Von Erich family, and the grandfather of Kevin's son, Ross. He died of lung cancer which spread to his brain in ].<sup></sup>

	===~~Jack~~ ~~Adkisson~~===		=== Second generation ===
	]

			==== Jack Adkisson Jr. ====
	Fritz Von Erich's first son. Died after accidentally being electrocuted and drowning. He was 7 years old.
			Fritz Von Erich's first son was born Jack Barton Adkisson Jr. on September 21, 1952. He died at age six in ], on March 7, 1959, after he stepped on a trailer tongue, was ], then fell into a melting snow puddle face first and drowned.<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.dmagazine.com/publications/d-magazine/1988/february/the-fall-of-the-house-of-von-erich/\|title=The Fall of the House of Von Erich\|first=Skip\|last=Hollandsworth\|date=February 1, 1988\|website=D Magazine}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://bunow.com/a-family-of-tragedy-the-von-erichs/\|title=A Family of Tragedy: The Von Erichs\|first=Mason\|last=Malloy\|date=June 19, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.oxygen.com/martinis-murder/von-erich-family-curse-wrestling-family-story-dark-side-of-the-ring\|title=The Von Erich Family's Curse Supposedly Haunts Wrestling To This Day\|date=April 29, 2019\|website=Oxygen Official Site}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.dodwrestlepod.com/post/the-von-erich-curse\|title=The Von Erich Curse\|first=Matt\|last=Dod\|date=April 12, 2023\|website=Dodwrestlepod}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1993-02-19-1993050137-story.html\|title=Wrestler found shot dead family has lost five sons Latest tragedy apparently a suicide\|date=February 19, 1993\|website=Baltimore Sun}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/the-iron-claw-zac-efron-a24-kevin-von-erich-family-curse-b1037084.html\|title=The Iron Claw: What is the true story behind Zac Efron's new film?\|first=Syraat Al\|last=Mustaqeem\|date=November 2, 2022\|website=Evening Standard}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web\|url=http://www.wrestlingclassics.com/wawli/Nos.236-245.html\|title=The WAWLI Papers #236–245\|website=www.wrestlingclassics.com}}</ref>

			==== Kevin Von Erich ====
	Since he didn't venture into the wrestling business due to his early death, he never used the "Von Erich" name.
			{{Main\|Kevin Von Erich}}
			]
			Born Kevin Ross Adkisson on May 15, 1957, in ], "The Golden Warrior" Kevin Von Erich is the second oldest and last surviving son of Fritz Von Erich.

			The majority of Kevin's career was spent working in ] (WCCW), where he had feuds against wrestlers such as ], ], and ]. It was there that Kevin became known for utilizing trademark maneuvers like the body scissors and the iron claw, as well as for wrestling barefoot.
	===Kevin Von Erich===
	]
	{{main\|Kevin Von Erich}}
	Born ], ] in ], "The Golden Warrior" Kevin Von Erich is the second oldest son of Fritz Von Erich.

			Kevin has been married since August 1, 1980, to Pamela J. May.<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.familytreelegends.com/records/25456?c=search&first=kevin+&last=adkisson\|title=Free Family Tree, Genealogy and Family History – MyHeritage\|website=www.familytreelegends.com}}</ref> Together they have four children, including two daughters: Kristen Rain (born February 3, 1981)<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.familytreelegends.com/records/20902?c=search&first=kristen&last=adkisson\|title=Free Family Tree, Genealogy and Family History – MyHeritage\|website=www.familytreelegends.com}}</ref> and Jillian Lindsey (born February 10, 1985)<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.familytreelegends.com/records/20902?c=search&first=Jillian&last=adkisson\|title=Free Family Tree, Genealogy and Family History – MyHeritage\|website=www.familytreelegends.com}}</ref> as well as two sons: David Michael "Ross" (born June 1, 1988)<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.familytreelegends.com/records/txbirths?c=search&first=david&last=adkisson&spelling=Exact&11_year=1988&11_month=0&11_day=0&4=&14=&SubmitSearch.x=0&SubmitSearch.y=0&SubmitSearch=Submit\|title=Free Family Tree, Genealogy and Family History – MyHeritage\|website=www.familytreelegends.com}}</ref> and Kevin Marshall (born November 10, 1992).<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.familytreelegends.com/records/20902?c=search&first=marshall&last=adkisson\|title=Free Family Tree, Genealogy and Family History – MyHeritage\|website=www.familytreelegends.com}}</ref> Kevin has thirteen grandchildren.
	The majority of Kevin's career was spent working in World Class Championship Wrestling, where he had many memorable feuds against legendary wrestlers such as ], ], and ]. It was there that Kevin became known for utilizing the body scissors and iron claw as his trademark manouvers, as well as wrestling barefoot.

			In May 2006, Kevin sold the WCCW footage to ] and ] (WWE). At ], Kevin represented the Von Erich family during their induction into the ]. In 2015, Kevin appeared in an ] '']'' short film titled "Wrestling the Curse".
	Kevin retired in ] and is now settled down with his family and working in real estate. He has been married for over twenty five years and has two daughters, two sons, and a grandchild. He occasionally makes appearances in wrestling shows, but never wrestles. He is the sole survivor of the sons of Fritz Von Erich. Though he remained in Texas for several years after his retirement, Kevin and his family eventually moved to Hawaii.

			==== David Von Erich ====
	In May 2006, Kevin sold the World Class footage to Vince McMahon and the WWE. By July of 2006, Kevin had made two brief appearances at WWE shows when they filmed in Dallas, one before the sale and one after.
			{{Main\|David Von Erich}}
			], {{Circa\|1982}}]]
			"The Yellow Rose of Texas" David Von Erich was the third son of Fritz Von Erich. He was born David Alan Adkisson on July 22, 1958, in ].<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.familytreelegends.com/records/txbirths?c=search&first=david&last=adkisson&spelling=Exact&11_year=1958&11_month=0&11_day=0&4=&14=&SubmitSearch.x=0&SubmitSearch.y=0&SubmitSearch=Submit\|title=Free Family Tree, Genealogy and Family History – MyHeritage\|website=www.familytreelegends.com}}</ref>

			David worked in the ] promotion. It was there that he faced off with Harley Race and later ] several times for the ] (never winning), as well as teamed with brothers Kevin and Kerry against ]. David also wrestled in ], winning the ] on a couple of occasions. From late 1981 to mid-1982, David wrestled in the ] to show that he could work as a heel. This run was successful, with David enjoying brief reigns as both singles and tag team champion.
	In his first appearance, at WWE homecoming, he beat down Rob Conway with several other legends, even applying the legendary Von Erich Claw.

			David was married on June 26, 1978, to Candy L. McLeod.<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.familytreelegends.com/records/txmarriages?c=search&first=david&last=adkisson&spelling=Exact&6_year=1978&6_month=0&6_day=0&3=&8=&5=&9=&7=&1=&SubmitSearch.x=0&SubmitSearch.y=0&SubmitSearch=Submit\|title=Free Family Tree, Genealogy and Family History – MyHeritage\|website=www.familytreelegends.com}}</ref> Together, they had a daughter Natosha Zoeanna (born October 19, 1978).<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.familytreelegends.com/records/20902?c=search&first=natosha&last=adkisson\|title=Free Family Tree, Genealogy and Family History – MyHeritage\|website=www.familytreelegends.com}}</ref> The baby died in infancy and David's marriage soon ended in divorce on July 12, 1979.<ref name="familytreelegends">{{cite web\|url=http://www.familytreelegends.com/records/31992?c=search&first=david&last=adkisson&spelling=Exact&7_year=1978&7_month=0&7_day=0&8_year=&8_month=0&8_day=0&3=&10=&5=&11=&9=&6=&1=&SubmitSearch.x=0&SubmitSearch.y=0&SubmitSearch=Submit\|title=Free Family Tree, Genealogy and Family History – MyHeritage\|website=www.familytreelegends.com}}</ref> He married again on June 8, 1982, to Patricia A. Matter.<ref name="familytreelegends"/> They remained together until David's death.
	He also made a brief appearance on the 7/15/2006 episode of Saturday Nights Main Event.

			David died on February 10, 1984, in ], Japan. The US Embassy's death report says he died of acute ].<ref></ref> Ric Flair wrote in his autobiography, '']'', that "everyone in wrestling believes" that it was a drug overdose that really killed him and that ] (a fellow wrestler who found David) disposed of the narcotics by flushing them down a toilet before the police arrived. ] also claims that David died from an apparent drug overdose.<ref name=mick129/> A tribute show was held a couple of months later in his honor, during which his younger brother, Kerry Von Erich, won the NWA World Title from Ric Flair.<ref name=mick129/>
	===David Von Erich===
	<!-- Unsourced image removed: ] -->
	{{main\|David Von Erich}}
	"The Yellow Rose of Texas" David Von Erich is the third son of Fritz Von Erich. He was born on ], ] in Denton, Texas.

			==== Kerry Von Erich ====
	David had many memorable feuds, mostly in Fritz's World Class Championship Wrestling promotion. It was there that he faced off with ] several times for the NWA World Heavyweight Title (never winning), as well as teamed with brothers Kevin and Kerry against the Fabulous Freebirds. David also wrestled in Missouri, winning the ] on a couple of occasions.
			{{Main\|Kerry Von Erich}}
			]
			Kerry Von Erich was the fourth son of Fritz Von Erich. He was born Kerry Gene Adkisson on February 3, 1960, in ]. Known as "The Modern Day Warrior" and "The Texas Tornado", Kerry was by far the best-known of the Von Erich Family.

			Much like his brothers, Kerry spent the majority of his career wrestling in ]. Amongst the many major feuds he had were those against ], ], ] and ]. Kerry became the most successful of the Von Erich family when he won the NWA World Heavyweight Title from ] at the ], a tribute show to his deceased older brother.<ref name=mick129/> Kerry lost the belt three weeks later to Flair. Kerry also wrestled for several months under the ring name "The Texas Tornado" in both the ] (where he won the ] at ] on August 27, 1990) and ].
	David died in ] , reportedly shortly before he was booked to win the NWA World Heavyweight Title from Ric Flair. The official doctor's report states that he died of acute ], but as Ric Flair states in his book "everyone in wrestling knows" it was a drug overdose that really killed him and that ] (a fellow wrestler who found David) disposed of the narcotics by flushing them down a toilet before the police arrived. Brody, a close friend of Von Erich, would later admit that he overreacted in the moment of tragedy and flushed David's pain killers down the toilet. It has been confirmed that David Von Erich's official cause of death was a heart attack caused by ruptured intestines, which were the result of acute ]. It should be noted that David is, to the best of anyone's knowledge, the only person that was voted to win the NWA World Championship by the board of directors but die before actually winning the title.

			Kerry was married on June 18, 1983, to Catherine "Cathy" Murray.<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.familytreelegends.com/records/txmarriages?c=search&first=kerry&last=adkisson&spelling=Exact&6_year=&6_month=0&6_day=0&3=&8=1960&5=&9=&7=&1=&SubmitSearch.x=0&SubmitSearch.y=0&SubmitSearch=Submit\|title=Free Family Tree, Genealogy and Family History – MyHeritage\|website=www.familytreelegends.com}}</ref> Together they had two daughters: Hollie Brooke (born September 19, 1984)<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.familytreelegends.com/records/20902?c=search&first=hollie&last=adkisson\|title=Free Family Tree, Genealogy and Family History – MyHeritage\|website=www.familytreelegends.com}}</ref> and Lacey Dawn (born July 17, 1986).<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.familytreelegends.com/records/txbirths?c=search&first=lacey&last=adkisson&spelling=Exact&11_year=1986&11_month=0&11_day=0&4=&14=&SubmitSearch.x=0&SubmitSearch.y=0&SubmitSearch=Submit\|title=Free Family Tree, Genealogy and Family History – MyHeritage\|website=www.familytreelegends.com}}</ref> Lacey wrestled for several years, most notably with ] as ], before leaving the wrestling business in 2010. Kerry and Catherine later separated, before divorcing on April 22, 1992.<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.familytreelegends.com/records/31992?c=search&first=kerry&last=adkisson\|title=Free Family Tree, Genealogy and Family History – MyHeritage\|website=www.familytreelegends.com}}</ref>
	A tribute show was held a couple of months later in his honor, during which his younger brother, Kerry Von Erich, won the NWA title from Ric Flair.

			On June 4, 1986, Kerry was involved in a ] accident that resulted in the amputation of his right foot. He continued wrestling after the accident with a prosthesis and kept the amputation secret from the majority of fans and fellow wrestlers. He became addicted to pain killers, developed several drug problems, and was arrested multiple times.<ref>{{Cite web \|last=Guerrasio \|first=Jason \|title=Jeremy Allen White's character in 'The Iron Claw,' Kerry Von Erich, really wrestled his entire WWE career with only one foot, and never told anyone about it \|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/iron-claw-kerry-von-erich-foot-amputation-jeremy-allen-white-2023-12 \|access-date=2024-03-22 \|website=Business Insider \|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news \|date=1993-02-18 \|title=Kerry Von Erich Warrant \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-marshall-news-messenger-kerry-von-er/30792455/ \|access-date=2024-03-22 \|work=The Marshall News Messenger \|pages=9}}</ref> Kerry died after shooting a .44 caliber bullet through his heart on February 18, 1993, on his father's ranch in ]. There is a marker of an angel placed by his father Fritz on the spot where Kerry shot himself. ] states in his autobiography, '']'', that Kerry had told him months before about his plans, that he had wanted to follow his late brothers, and that they were calling him. His marriage had fallen apart, and he thought his death was inevitable.<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.familytreelegends.com/records/33861?c=search&first=kerry&last=adkisson\|title=Free Family Tree, Genealogy and Family History – MyHeritage\|website=www.familytreelegends.com}}</ref>
	===Kerry Von Erich===
	]
	{{main\|Kerry Von Erich}}
	Kerry Von Erich is the fourth son of Fritz Von Erich. He was born on ], ] in Niagara Falls, New York. Known as "The Modern Day Warrior" and "The Texas Tornado", Kerry was by far the best-known of the Von Erich Family.

			==== Mike Von Erich ====
	Much like his brothers, Kerry spent the majority of his career wrestling in World Class Championship Wrestling. Amongst the many major feuds he had were those against ], ], ] and ].
			{{Main\|Mike Von Erich}}
			]
			Mike Von Erich was the fifth son of Fritz Von Erich. He was born Michael Brett Adkisson on March 2, 1964, in ], and was later known as the "Inspirational Warrior".<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.familytreelegends.com/records/txbirths?c=search&first=michael&last=adkisson&spelling=Exact&11_year=1964&11_month=0&11_day=0&4=&14=&SubmitSearch.x=0&SubmitSearch.y=0&SubmitSearch=SubmitTexas\|title=Free Family Tree, Genealogy and Family History – MyHeritage\|website=www.familytreelegends.com}}</ref>

			Mike replaced David in the feud the Von Erichs had with ] following David's death. According to the DVD ''Heroes of World Class'', Mike wanted to work for World Class as a cameraman and had no interest in being in the ring full-time. His only previous appearance on-screen was being involved in an angle where Ric Flair insulted him and wrestled him as a run-up to what was planned as David winning the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, but Fritz pressured Mike into the ring after David's death. Kevin once stated that Mike suffered from the pressure of having to "be David" and to succeed on the same level as his older brothers.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web \|last=Hollandsworth \|first=Skip \|date=1988-02-01 \|title=The Fall of the House of Von Erich \|url=https://www.dmagazine.com/publications/d-magazine/1988/february/the-fall-of-the-house-of-von-erich/ \|access-date=2024-03-22 \|website=D Magazine \|language=en-US}}</ref>
	Kerry became the most successful of the Von Erich family when he won the NWA World Heavyweight Title from Ric Flair at the David Von Erich Memorial Parade Of Champions, a tribute show to his deceased older brother. Kerry lost the belt three weeks later to Flair. Kerry also wrestled for several months in both the ] and ], two national promotions that were rising to fame at the expense of regional promotions such as WCCW.

			Mike was married on February 14, 1985, to Shani Danette Garza, but was divorced later that year.<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.familytreelegends.com/records/txmarriages?c=search&first=michael&last=adkisson&spelling=Exact&6_year=&6_month=0&6_day=0&3=&8=1964&5=&9=&7=&1=&SubmitSearch.x=0&SubmitSearch.y=0&SubmitSearch=Submit\|title=Free Family Tree, Genealogy and Family History – MyHeritage\|website=www.familytreelegends.com}}</ref> In 1985, he injured his shoulder on a tour of ] and had surgery, leading to ], as there was an infection missed by the surgeons. He suffered some ] as a result of his illness and lost a great deal of weight.<ref name=":0" /> In 1986, he also suffered head injuries from a car accident in which his vehicle overturned after he lost control.
	On June 4th, 1986, Kerry was in a horrendous motorcycle accident that nearly ended his life. With a dislocated hip and a badly injured right leg, Kerry was in bad shape. Doctors tried hard, but could not save his foot, eventually amputating it. According to brother Kevin, Kerry injured the foot following surgery by attempting to walk on it prematurely, thus forcing the doctors to amputate it. He was able to continue wrestling after the accident with a fused ankle and until his death kept the amputation secret to the majority of fans and even some fellow competitors.

			Mike tried returning to wrestling after partial recovery. He continued to compete despite lack of mental coordination and strength. After an arrest for DUI and marijuana possession, Mike took a fatal dose of tranquilizers and alcohol around April 12, 1987, in ]. He was missing for 4–5 days, with the date of death being set the Sunday after bailing out of jail.<ref>{{Cite web \|date=2017-03-02 \|title=Who's Who in the Von Erich Wrestling Family? \|url=http://prowrestling.about.com/od/wrestlerprofiles/tp/vonerichfamilytree.htm \|access-date=2024-03-22 \|archive-date=March 2, 2017 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170302194925/http://prowrestling.about.com/od/wrestlerprofiles/tp/vonerichfamilytree.htm \|url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.familytreelegends.com/records/33861?c=search&first=michael&last=adkisson\|title=Free Family Tree, Genealogy and Family History – MyHeritage\|website=www.familytreelegends.com}}</ref>
	Kerry had a history of drug problems. Amongst the many of them were two arrests, the first of which resulted in probation. After the second, which violated the probation and likely would have resulted in extensive jail time, Kerry committed suicide by a shot to the heart in ] on his father's ranch.


	===~~Mike~~ Von Erich===		==== Chris Von Erich ====
			{{Main\|Chris Von Erich}}
	]
			Born Chris Barton Adkisson on September 30, 1969, in ], Chris Von Erich was the youngest of the Von Erich family. With his short stature (5'5”), asthma, and extremely brittle bones, which were prone to breaking, Chris was never able to achieve the success that his father and brothers achieved. He made many attempts to succeed in ] because of his incredible love of wrestling, which kept him going despite numerous injuries. He managed one major feud with ] in the ]/], but his career did not take off like the rest of the family's. On occasion, he and his brothers Kerry and Kevin, as well as ], wrestled tag-team matches against Percy Pringle and ], but Chris only wrestled Pringle, while the much more athletic Adams, Kerry or Kevin wrestled Austin.
	{{main\|Mike Von Erich}}
	Mike Von Erich, born ], ] in Denton, Texas, was the fifth son of Fritz Von Erich.

			After several years of not being able to succeed in the wrestling business, Chris became depressed and frustrated. He was also heartbroken over the loss of his brother, Mike, and experienced drug addiction. On September 12, 1991, aged 21, he shot himself in the head.<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.familytreelegends.com/records/33861?c=search&first=chris&last=adkisson\|title=Free Family Tree, Genealogy and Family History – MyHeritage\|website=www.familytreelegends.com}}</ref> His brother Kevin and mother attempted to dissuade him from his suicidal tendencies that same day. An apparent suicide note had been found at the scene. Toxicology reports also revealed cocaine and valium were in Chris' system at the time of his death.<ref>{{Cite book \|last=Frasier \|first=David K. \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3rmJCgAAQBAJ&dq=chris+von+erich&pg=PA332 \|title=Suicide in the Entertainment Industry: An Encyclopedia of 840 Twentieth Century Cases \|date=2015-09-11 \|publisher=McFarland \|isbn=978-1-4766-0807-5 \|language=en}}</ref>
	Mike replaced David in the feud the Von Erichs had with the Fabulous Freebirds following David's death.

			=== Third generation ===
	After suffering a shoulder injury in ] on a tour of ], Mike was forced to have surgery. Shortly after, it was discovered that he suffered from ], a rarity in men, and was forced to retire after not being able to return to the ring at full strength anymore. He committed suicide in ] by intentional overdose of a tranquilizer.
			{{multiple image
			\| align = right
			\| direction = vertical
			\| width =
			\| total_width = 200
			\| image1 = Ross Von Erich, April 2019 (cropped).jpg
			\| image2 = Marshall Von Erich, April 2019 (cropped).jpg
			\| image3 = Lacey Von Erich TNA Tag Champion.jpg
			\| caption1 = Ross Von Erich in 2019
			\| caption2 = Marshall Von Erich in 2019
			\| caption3 = ], the first of three third-generation Von Erichs to wrestle in ], and a former ]
			\| caption_align = center
			\| footer =
			\| footer_align = centre
			\| alt1 =
			}}

	===~~Chris~~ Von Erich===		==== Ross Von Erich ====
	]		{{Main\|Marshall and Ross Von Erich}}
			'''David Michael Ross Adkisson''' (born June 1, 1988), better known as '''Ross Von Erich''', is the son of Kevin Von Erich. He is named after David and Mike. He was trained by Kevin, Harley Race and the ] dojo. Ross returned to Texas to attend college in 2008, according to the family website, and reportedly has wrestled a couple of times. In a 2010 interview, Ross stated that he and his brother Marshall are also training to become professional wrestlers. They debuted as a tag team for Pro Wrestling Noah on July 22, 2012.<ref name="rossandmarshalldebut">{{cite web\|url=http://www.profightdb.com/cards/noah/great-voyage-3912-in-ryogoku-16083.html\|title=NOAH Great Voyage '12 in Ryogoku at New Sumo Hall – Ryogoku Kokugikan wrestling results – Internet Wrestling Database\|website=www.profightdb.com}}</ref> Ross and Marshall made their national television debut as part of the ] (TNA) ] PPV on June 15, 2014, in a tag match defeating ] via disqualification.<ref name="rossandmarshalltnadebut">{{cite web\|url=http://www.impactwrestling.com/news/item/5829-Breaking-News-The-Von-Erich-Family-To-Appear-at-Slammiversary-in-Dallas,-TX\|title=Impact Wrestling: Breaking News Von Erich Family Scheduled to Appear at Slammiversary}}</ref> In July 2017 Ross, along with his brother Marshall and father Kevin, wrestled at the ''Rage Megashow'' in Israel.<ref name=rage>{{Cite news\|url=http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Sports/The-Rage-Megashow-wrestling-competition-brings-Israel-into-the-ring-499272\|title='Rage Megashow' wrestling event brings Israel into the ring\|work=The Jerusalem Post {{!}} JPost.com\|access-date=2017-11-21}}</ref> In May 2019, Ross and Marshall signed a multi-year contract with ] (MLW).<ref name="fightful.com">{{Cite web\|url=https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/mlw-sign-ross-and-marshall-von-erich-set-debut-june-1\|title = MLW Sign Ross and Marshall von Erich; Set to Debut on June 1 \| Fightful News}}</ref>
	{{main\|Chris Von Erich}}
	Born ], ] in Denton, Texas, Chris Von Erich was the youngest, shortest, and least athletic of the Von Erich family. He made many attempts to succeed in the squared circle due to an incredible love of wrestling that kept him going despite numerous injuries. He managed one major feud with ] in the ], but his career didn't take off like the rest of the family's.

			==== Marshall Von Erich ====
	After several years of not being able to succeed in the wrestling business Chris became depressed and frustrated. He was also heartbroken over the loss of his brothers. He committed suicide in ].
			{{Main\|Marshall and Ross Von Erich}}
			'''Kevin Marshall Adkisson''' (born November 10, 1992), better known as '''Marshall Von Erich''',<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.cagematch.de/?id=2&nr=12083&gimmick=Marshall+von+Erich\|title=Marshall von Erich « Wrestlers Database « CAGEMATCH – The Internet Wrestling Database\|first=Philip\|last=Kreikenbohm\|website=www.cagematch.de}}</ref> is the son of Kevin Von Erich. He is named after his father. He was trained by Kevin, ] and at the Noah dojo. He debuted in 2012, with his brother Ross in Pro Wrestling Noah.<ref name="rossandmarshalldebut"/> He adapted his father's trademark of wrestling barefoot. Marshall and Ross made their national television debut at Slammiversary XII on June 15, 2014,<ref name="rossandmarshalltnadebut"/> where they defeated ]. On May 29, 2015, the brothers debuted at Imperial Wrestling Revolution, their new home promotion. They won the IWR Tag Team Championships from the Arrow Club in 2017. In July 2017 Marshall, along with his brother Ross and father Kevin, wrestled at the ''Rage Megashow'' in Israel.<ref name=rage /> In May 2019, Marshall and Ross signed a multi-year contract with ] (MLW).<ref name="fightful.com"/>

			==== Lacey Von Erich ====
	==Other members==
	~~===Ross~~ Von Erich~~===~~		{{Main\|Lacey Von Erich}}
			'''Lacey Dawn Adkisson''' (born July 17, 1986), better known as '''Lacey Von Erich''' is the daughter of Kerry Von Erich. She was previously with World Wrestling Entertainment and ] (TNA) where she was a former ]. She retired in 2010.
	{{main\|Ross Von Erich}}
	Ross Von Erich is the stage name of Ross Adkisson. He is the son of Kevin Von Erich & the grandson of Fritz von Erich, and the heir to the Adkisson family name and Von Erich legacy. Ross, like his father before him, is also a football player at ].

			== Fictional relatives ==
	===Waldo Von Erich===
	{{main\|Waldo Von Erich}}
	Waldo Von Erich was the stage name of Canadian professional wrestler Walter Sieber. Though billed as the brother of Fritz Von Erich when they teamed, he is not related to the Adkisson family. Waldo is retired and currently working in therapy.

	===~~Lance~~ Von Erich===		=== Waldo Von Erich ===
	{{~~main~~\|~~Lance~~ Von Erich}}		{{Main\|Waldo Von Erich}}
	~~Lance~~ Von Erich was the stage name of professional wrestler ~~William Kevin~~ ~~Vaughn~~. ~~He was~~ billed ~~for a brief period of time in the 1980s~~ as the ~~son~~ of ~~Waldo~~ Von Erich, ~~but~~ ~~there~~ ~~was~~ no ~~biological~~ ~~relation~~ ~~between~~ the ~~two~~. ~~Lance~~ ~~also~~ ~~has~~ ~~no biological relation to the Adkisson family~~.		Waldo Von Erich was the stage name of Canadian professional wrestler Walter Sieber. Though billed as the brother of Fritz Von Erich when they teamed, he is not related to the Adkisson family. Waldo died in July 2009.

	==Von Erich ~~curse~~==		=== Lance Von Erich ===
			{{Main\|Lance Von Erich}}
	The Von Erich curse is a name applied to the situation involving the legendary Von Erich family. While patriarch Fritz lived until his natural death, four of his five wrestling sons died premature deaths within a 10-year span (as well as his eldest son who was electrocuted as a child). As previously mentioned, David died in 1984 under circumstances that were disputed for years, while Michael, Kerry, and Chris all committed suicide in subsequent years.
			Lance Von Erich was the stage name of Dallas-born professional wrestler William Kevin "Ricky" Vaughn. He was billed for a brief period of time in the 1980s as the son of Waldo Von Erich, but there was no biological relation between the two. Lance also has no biological relation to the Adkisson family.

			=== Rip Von Erich ===
	Kevin Von Erich is the sole survivor of the Adkisson sons who recently sold the WCCW Video Library to the WWE.
			On two episodes of '']'', ], who was involved in a feud with the Von Erichs after turning his back on them, mercilessly beat and then aligned himself with a wrestler he called "Rip Von Erich", who was played by a wrestler who had previously gone under the name Kit Osbourne in other promotions.

			=== Mark Von Erich ===
	==External links==
	*Obsessed With Wrestling Bio: http://www.obsessedwithwrestling.com/profiles/v/vonerichs.html

			Rick LeRibeus, a Texas-based wrestler, has been billed as "Mark Von Erich" since the 1990s. This eventually became a storyline in the ] with ] accusing LeRibeus of being an illegitimate son of ].
	]
	]

			== WWE Hall of Fame ==
	]
			On March 16, 2009, it was announced that the Von Erich family would be inducted (as a group) into the ]. They were inducted by longtime Von Erich rival ], with Kevin Von Erich accepting the induction and celebrating victory.<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.wwe.com/superstars/vonerichs\|title=The Von Erichs}}</ref>

			== Family tree ==
			{{Tree chart/start}}
			{{Tree chart\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|FRITZ\|FRITZ=]<sup>†</sup><br /><small>(1929–1997)</small>}}
			{{Tree chart\|\|,\|-\|-\|-\|v\|-\|-\|-\|-\|-\|v\|-\|^\|-\|-\|-\|v\|-\|-\|-\|v\|-\|-\|.}}
			{{Tree chart \|JACK \| \| KEVIN \| \| \| \| DAVID \| \| \| \| KERRY \| \| MIKE \| \| CHRIS \|JACK=Jack Adkisson, Jr.<sup>†</sup><br /><small>(1952–1959)</small>\|KEVIN=]<br /><small>(born 1957)</small>\|DAVID=]<sup>†</sup><br /><small>(1958–1984)</small>\|KERRY=]<sup>†</sup><br /><small>(1960–1993)</small>\|MIKE=]<sup>†</sup><br /><small>(1964–1987)</small>\|CHRIS=]<sup>†</sup><br /><small>(1969–1991)</small>}}
			{{Tree chart\|\|\|\|,\|-\|^\|-\|.\|\|\|\|!\|\|\|\|,\|-\|^\|-\|.\|\|\|\|\|}}
			{{Tree chart\|\|\|ROSS\|\|MARSHALL\|\|NATOSHA\|\|HOLLIE\|\|LACEY\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|ROSS=]<br /><small>(born 1988)</small>\|MARSHALL=]<br /><small>(born 1992)</small>\|LACEY=]<br /><small>(born 1986)</small>\|NATOSHA= Natosha Zoeanna Adkisson <sup>†</sup><br /><small>(1978–1978)</small>\|HOLLIE=Hollie Brooke Adkisson<br /><small>(born 1984)</small>}}

			† = deceased
			{{Tree chart/end}}

			== Championships and accomplishments ==
			'''As a family'''
			* ''']'''
			** ] (]) - Fritz, Kerry, Kevin, Mike, David, and Chris

			'''Individual'''
			* Fritz Von Erich
			** ]
			* Kevin Von Erich
			** ]
			* David Von Erich
			** ]
			* Kerry Von Erich
			** ]
			* Mike Von Erich
			** ]
			* Chris Von Erich
			** ]
			* Lacey Von Erich
			** ]
			* Marshall and Ross Von Erich
			** ]

			== In popular culture ==

			The ] film '']'' takes its title from the wrestling move used by several of the family members. The movie portrays the Von Erich family through the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s; directed by ], the film stars ], ], ], ], ], ] and ].<ref>{{cite web\|url=https://deadline.com/2022/10/lily-james-sean-durkins-the-iron-claw-a24-1235153019/ \|title=Lily James Joins Sean Durkin's 'The Iron Claw' For A24\|last=Kroll\|first=Justin\|date=October 24, 2022\|access-date=October 28, 2022}}</ref>

			==See also==
			* ]

			== References ==
			{{Reflist}}

			== Further reading ==
			* {{Cite web \|last=Spong \|first=John \|date=October 2005 \|title=Six Brothers \|url=https://www.texasmonthly.com/arts-entertainment/six-brothers/ \|url-status=live \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231013051520/https://www.texasmonthly.com/arts-entertainment/six-brothers/ \|archive-date=October 13, 2023 \|access-date=November 15, 2023 \|website=]}}
			* {{Cite web \|last=Vogt \|first=Ryan \|date=October 2005 \|title=The Last Von Erich \|url=https://www.texasmonthly.com/articles/the-last-von-erich/ \|url-status=live \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230326154633/https://www.texasmonthly.com/articles/the-last-von-erich/ \|archive-date=March 26, 2023 \|access-date=November 15, 2023 \|website=]}}

			== External links ==
			*
			*
			*

			{{Von Erich family\|state=expanded}}
			{{MLW World Tag Team Championship}}
			{{NWA World Tag Team Champions (Texas version)}}
			{{WWE Hall of Fame}}
			{{World Class Championship Wrestling}}
			{{Authority control}}

			{{DEFAULTSORT:Von Erich Family}}
			]
			]
			]
			]
			]
			]

Latest revision as of 06:39, 22 December 2024

American professional wrestling family "The Von Erichs" redirects here. For the current tag team also using that name, see Marshall and Ross Von Erich.

The Von Erich family is an American professional wrestling family. Originally from Texas, their actual surname is Adkisson, but every member working in wrestling has used the ring name "Von Erich" after family patriarch Fritz Von Erich (real name Jack Adkisson). Fritz, who wrestled from 1953 to his retirement in 1982, took on the German-sounding name as part of his wrestling gimmick (i.e. in-ring persona), as he originally portrayed a Nazi heel.

Fritz and his wife Doris had six children between 1952 and 1969, all sons. Except for their firstborn Jack Jr., who died at age six, all went on to become professional wrestlers. By the time Fritz died of cancer in 1997 at age 68, five of his sons had predeceased him: Jack Jr. drowned in a freak accident in 1959, David died from enteritis in 1984 at age 25, and Mike, Chris, and Kerry all died by suicide, respectively in 1987 at age 23, 1991 at age 21, and 1993 at age 33. Kevin, Fritz's last surviving son, retired from wrestling in 1995 and remains alive today. The Von Erichs' involvement in wrestling continued into a third generation: Kerry's daughter Lacey wrestled from 2007 until 2010, and Kevin's sons Marshall and Ross have been wrestling since 2012, including as a tag team named "The Von Erichs".

The deaths of Kevin's brothers are the main basis for a widespread myth about a family curse. The term "Von Erich curse" is also used colloquially to refer to the chain of events leading to each brother's death, as well as associated tragedies (such as the death of David's two-month-old daughter of SIDS in 1978). The story of the Von Erich family has been presented as a cautionary tale about parental influence and the various dangers of the professional wrestling business. They remain one of the best-known families in professional wrestling, both for their accomplishments and their tragic personal history: Fritz and all five of his wrestler sons were collectively inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2009, and he, David, Kerry and Kevin were all individually inducted into the St. Louis Wrestling Hall of Fame between 2007 and 2016. The family was the subject of a Dark Side of the Ring episode in 2019 and the 2023 biographical film The Iron Claw, titled after the Von Erichs' signature move.

Members

Fritz Von Erich

Main article: Fritz Von Erich

Fritz Von Erich was born Jack Barton Adkisson on August 16, 1929, in Jewett, Texas. Originally trained by Stu Hart, Fritz became a top star in many National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) promotions, most notably in St. Louis and in World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW). He held the AWA World Heavyweight Championship at one time in the 1960s. Despite never winning the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, he maintained his presence within the NWA, holding many other major belts. Fritz also served shortly as NWA President in the 1970s, as well as President of WCCW when it moved to Dallas, Texas. Fritz was also a major part of Japanese wrestling, where he was known as "Tetsu no Tsume" (鉄の爪; "The Iron Claw"), and helped rebuild the business after the death of Rikidōzan.

Fritz married Doris on June 23, 1950. Together, they had six sons before divorcing on July 21, 1992. On September 10, 1997, Fritz died of lung cancer that had spread to his brain.

Second generation

Jack Adkisson Jr.

Fritz Von Erich's first son was born Jack Barton Adkisson Jr. on September 21, 1952. He died at age six in Niagara Falls, New York, on March 7, 1959, after he stepped on a trailer tongue, was electrically shocked, then fell into a melting snow puddle face first and drowned.

Kevin Von Erich

Main article: Kevin Von Erich

Born Kevin Ross Adkisson on May 15, 1957, in Belleville, Illinois, "The Golden Warrior" Kevin Von Erich is the second oldest and last surviving son of Fritz Von Erich.

The majority of Kevin's career was spent working in World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW), where he had feuds against wrestlers such as Chris Adams, The Fabulous Freebirds, and Ric Flair. It was there that Kevin became known for utilizing trademark maneuvers like the body scissors and the iron claw, as well as for wrestling barefoot.

Kevin has been married since August 1, 1980, to Pamela J. May. Together they have four children, including two daughters: Kristen Rain (born February 3, 1981) and Jillian Lindsey (born February 10, 1985) as well as two sons: David Michael "Ross" (born June 1, 1988) and Kevin Marshall (born November 10, 1992). Kevin has thirteen grandchildren.

In May 2006, Kevin sold the WCCW footage to Vince McMahon and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). At WrestleMania 25, Kevin represented the Von Erich family during their induction into the WWE Hall of Fame. In 2015, Kevin appeared in an ESPN 30 for 30 short film titled "Wrestling the Curse".

David Von Erich

Main article: David Von Erich

"The Yellow Rose of Texas" David Von Erich was the third son of Fritz Von Erich. He was born David Alan Adkisson on July 22, 1958, in Dallas, Texas.

David worked in the World Class Championship Wrestling promotion. It was there that he faced off with Harley Race and later Ric Flair several times for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship (never winning), as well as teamed with brothers Kevin and Kerry against The Fabulous Freebirds. David also wrestled in Missouri, winning the Missouri Heavyweight Championship on a couple of occasions. From late 1981 to mid-1982, David wrestled in the Florida territory to show that he could work as a heel. This run was successful, with David enjoying brief reigns as both singles and tag team champion.

David was married on June 26, 1978, to Candy L. McLeod. Together, they had a daughter Natosha Zoeanna (born October 19, 1978). The baby died in infancy and David's marriage soon ended in divorce on July 12, 1979. He married again on June 8, 1982, to Patricia A. Matter. They remained together until David's death.

David died on February 10, 1984, in Tokyo, Japan. The US Embassy's death report says he died of acute enteritis. Ric Flair wrote in his autobiography, To Be the Man, that "everyone in wrestling believes" that it was a drug overdose that really killed him and that Bruiser Brody (a fellow wrestler who found David) disposed of the narcotics by flushing them down a toilet before the police arrived. Mick Foley also claims that David died from an apparent drug overdose. A tribute show was held a couple of months later in his honor, during which his younger brother, Kerry Von Erich, won the NWA World Title from Ric Flair.

Kerry Von Erich

Main article: Kerry Von Erich

Kerry Von Erich was the fourth son of Fritz Von Erich. He was born Kerry Gene Adkisson on February 3, 1960, in Niagara Falls, New York. Known as "The Modern Day Warrior" and "The Texas Tornado", Kerry was by far the best-known of the Von Erich Family.

Much like his brothers, Kerry spent the majority of his career wrestling in World Class Championship Wrestling. Amongst the many major feuds he had were those against Gino Hernandez, Iceman Parsons, Chris Adams and The Fabulous Freebirds. Kerry became the most successful of the Von Erich family when he won the NWA World Heavyweight Title from Ric Flair at the David Von Erich Memorial Parade of Champions, a tribute show to his deceased older brother. Kerry lost the belt three weeks later to Flair. Kerry also wrestled for several months under the ring name "The Texas Tornado" in both the World Wrestling Federation (where he won the WWF Intercontinental Championship at SummerSlam on August 27, 1990) and Global Wrestling Federation.

Kerry was married on June 18, 1983, to Catherine "Cathy" Murray. Together they had two daughters: Hollie Brooke (born September 19, 1984) and Lacey Dawn (born July 17, 1986). Lacey wrestled for several years, most notably with TNA as Lacey Von Erich, before leaving the wrestling business in 2010. Kerry and Catherine later separated, before divorcing on April 22, 1992.

On June 4, 1986, Kerry was involved in a motorcycle accident that resulted in the amputation of his right foot. He continued wrestling after the accident with a prosthesis and kept the amputation secret from the majority of fans and fellow wrestlers. He became addicted to pain killers, developed several drug problems, and was arrested multiple times. Kerry died after shooting a .44 caliber bullet through his heart on February 18, 1993, on his father's ranch in Denton County, Texas. There is a marker of an angel placed by his father Fritz on the spot where Kerry shot himself. Bret Hart states in his autobiography, Hitman: My Real Life in the Cartoon World of Wrestling, that Kerry had told him months before about his plans, that he had wanted to follow his late brothers, and that they were calling him. His marriage had fallen apart, and he thought his death was inevitable.

Mike Von Erich

Main article: Mike Von Erich

Mike Von Erich was the fifth son of Fritz Von Erich. He was born Michael Brett Adkisson on March 2, 1964, in Dallas, Texas, and was later known as the "Inspirational Warrior".

Mike replaced David in the feud the Von Erichs had with The Fabulous Freebirds following David's death. According to the DVD Heroes of World Class, Mike wanted to work for World Class as a cameraman and had no interest in being in the ring full-time. His only previous appearance on-screen was being involved in an angle where Ric Flair insulted him and wrestled him as a run-up to what was planned as David winning the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, but Fritz pressured Mike into the ring after David's death. Kevin once stated that Mike suffered from the pressure of having to "be David" and to succeed on the same level as his older brothers.

Mike was married on February 14, 1985, to Shani Danette Garza, but was divorced later that year. In 1985, he injured his shoulder on a tour of Israel and had surgery, leading to toxic shock syndrome, as there was an infection missed by the surgeons. He suffered some brain damage as a result of his illness and lost a great deal of weight. In 1986, he also suffered head injuries from a car accident in which his vehicle overturned after he lost control.

Mike tried returning to wrestling after partial recovery. He continued to compete despite lack of mental coordination and strength. After an arrest for DUI and marijuana possession, Mike took a fatal dose of tranquilizers and alcohol around April 12, 1987, in Denton County, Texas. He was missing for 4–5 days, with the date of death being set the Sunday after bailing out of jail.

Chris Von Erich

Main article: Chris Von Erich

Born Chris Barton Adkisson on September 30, 1969, in Dallas, Texas, Chris Von Erich was the youngest of the Von Erich family. With his short stature (5'5”), asthma, and extremely brittle bones, which were prone to breaking, Chris was never able to achieve the success that his father and brothers achieved. He made many attempts to succeed in the squared circle because of his incredible love of wrestling, which kept him going despite numerous injuries. He managed one major feud with Percy Pringle in the USWA/World Class, but his career did not take off like the rest of the family's. On occasion, he and his brothers Kerry and Kevin, as well as Chris Adams, wrestled tag-team matches against Percy Pringle and Steve Austin, but Chris only wrestled Pringle, while the much more athletic Adams, Kerry or Kevin wrestled Austin.

After several years of not being able to succeed in the wrestling business, Chris became depressed and frustrated. He was also heartbroken over the loss of his brother, Mike, and experienced drug addiction. On September 12, 1991, aged 21, he shot himself in the head. His brother Kevin and mother attempted to dissuade him from his suicidal tendencies that same day. An apparent suicide note had been found at the scene. Toxicology reports also revealed cocaine and valium were in Chris' system at the time of his death.

Third generation

Ross Von Erich in 2019

Marshall Von Erich in 2019

Lacey Von Erich, the first of three third-generation Von Erichs to wrestle in TNA, and a former TNA Knockouts Tag Team Champion

Ross Von Erich

Main article: Marshall and Ross Von Erich

David Michael Ross Adkisson (born June 1, 1988), better known as Ross Von Erich, is the son of Kevin Von Erich. He is named after David and Mike. He was trained by Kevin, Harley Race and the Pro Wrestling Noah dojo. Ross returned to Texas to attend college in 2008, according to the family website, and reportedly has wrestled a couple of times. In a 2010 interview, Ross stated that he and his brother Marshall are also training to become professional wrestlers. They debuted as a tag team for Pro Wrestling Noah on July 22, 2012. Ross and Marshall made their national television debut as part of the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) Slammiversary XII PPV on June 15, 2014, in a tag match defeating The BroMans via disqualification. In July 2017 Ross, along with his brother Marshall and father Kevin, wrestled at the Rage Megashow in Israel. In May 2019, Ross and Marshall signed a multi-year contract with Major League Wrestling (MLW).

Marshall Von Erich

Main article: Marshall and Ross Von Erich

Kevin Marshall Adkisson (born November 10, 1992), better known as Marshall Von Erich, is the son of Kevin Von Erich. He is named after his father. He was trained by Kevin, Harley Race and at the Noah dojo. He debuted in 2012, with his brother Ross in Pro Wrestling Noah. He adapted his father's trademark of wrestling barefoot. Marshall and Ross made their national television debut at Slammiversary XII on June 15, 2014, where they defeated The BroMans. On May 29, 2015, the brothers debuted at Imperial Wrestling Revolution, their new home promotion. They won the IWR Tag Team Championships from the Arrow Club in 2017. In July 2017 Marshall, along with his brother Ross and father Kevin, wrestled at the Rage Megashow in Israel. In May 2019, Marshall and Ross signed a multi-year contract with Major League Wrestling (MLW).

Lacey Von Erich

Main article: Lacey Von Erich

Lacey Dawn Adkisson (born July 17, 1986), better known as Lacey Von Erich is the daughter of Kerry Von Erich. She was previously with World Wrestling Entertainment and Total Nonstop Action (TNA) where she was a former TNA Knockouts Tag Team Champion. She retired in 2010.

Fictional relatives

Waldo Von Erich

Main article: Waldo Von Erich

Waldo Von Erich was the stage name of Canadian professional wrestler Walter Sieber. Though billed as the brother of Fritz Von Erich when they teamed, he is not related to the Adkisson family. Waldo died in July 2009.

Lance Von Erich

Main article: Lance Von Erich

Lance Von Erich was the stage name of Dallas-born professional wrestler William Kevin "Ricky" Vaughn. He was billed for a brief period of time in the 1980s as the son of Waldo Von Erich, but there was no biological relation between the two. Lance also has no biological relation to the Adkisson family.

Rip Von Erich

On two episodes of MLW Fusion, Tom Lawlor, who was involved in a feud with the Von Erichs after turning his back on them, mercilessly beat and then aligned himself with a wrestler he called "Rip Von Erich", who was played by a wrestler who had previously gone under the name Kit Osbourne in other promotions.

Mark Von Erich

Rick LeRibeus, a Texas-based wrestler, has been billed as "Mark Von Erich" since the 1990s. This eventually became a storyline in the Global Wrestling Federation with Skandor Akbar accusing LeRibeus of being an illegitimate son of Fritz Von Erich.

WWE Hall of Fame

On March 16, 2009, it was announced that the Von Erich family would be inducted (as a group) into the WWE Hall of Fame. They were inducted by longtime Von Erich rival Michael "P.S." Hayes, with Kevin Von Erich accepting the induction and celebrating victory.

Family tree

† = deceased

Fritz Von Erich
(1929–1997)

Jack Adkisson, Jr.
(1952–1959)

Kevin Von Erich
(born 1957)

David Von Erich
(1958–1984)

Kerry Von Erich
(1960–1993)

Mike Von Erich
(1964–1987)

Chris Von Erich
(1969–1991)

Ross Von Erich
(born 1988)

Marshall Von Erich
(born 1992)

Natosha Zoeanna Adkisson
(1978–1978)

Hollie Brooke Adkisson
(born 1984)

Lacey Von Erich
(born 1986)

Championships and accomplishments

As a family

WWE
- WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2009) - Fritz, Kerry, Kevin, Mike, David, and Chris

Individual

Fritz Von Erich
- Championships and accomplishments
Kevin Von Erich
- Championships and accomplishments
David Von Erich
- Championships and accomplishments
Kerry Von Erich
- Championships and accomplishments
Mike Von Erich
- Championships and accomplishments
Chris Von Erich
- Championships and accomplishments
Lacey Von Erich
- Championships and accomplishments
Marshall and Ross Von Erich
- Championships and accomplishments

In popular culture

The A24 film The Iron Claw takes its title from the wrestling move used by several of the family members. The movie portrays the Von Erich family through the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s; directed by Sean Durkin, the film stars Zac Efron, Lily James, Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson, Maura Tierney, Chavo Guerrero Jr. and Holt McCallany.

References

Grater, Tom (January 22, 2020). "'Martha Marcy May Marlene' Director Sean Durkin Plots Pic On Von Erich Wrestling Family; Tessa Ross & BBC Films Onboard". Deadline. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
"Von Erich Official Website bio".
^ Foley, Mick. Have A Nice Day: A Tale of Blood and Sweatsocks (p. 129)
"Free Family Tree, Genealogy and Family History – MyHeritage". www.familytreelegends.com.
"Fritz Von Erich dead at 68". Slam! Sports. September 11, 1997. Archived from the original on July 22, 2012. Retrieved May 30, 2007.
"Free Family Tree, Genealogy and Family History – MyHeritage". www.familytreelegends.com.
Hollandsworth, Skip (February 1, 1988). "The Fall of the House of Von Erich". D Magazine.
Malloy, Mason (June 19, 2023). "A Family of Tragedy: The Von Erichs".
"The Von Erich Family's Curse Supposedly Haunts Wrestling To This Day". Oxygen Official Site. April 29, 2019.
Dod, Matt (April 12, 2023). "The Von Erich Curse". Dodwrestlepod.
"Wrestler found shot dead family has lost five sons Latest tragedy apparently a suicide". Baltimore Sun. February 19, 1993.
Mustaqeem, Syraat Al (November 2, 2022). "The Iron Claw: What is the true story behind Zac Efron's new film?". Evening Standard.
"The WAWLI Papers #236–245". www.wrestlingclassics.com.
"Free Family Tree, Genealogy and Family History – MyHeritage". www.familytreelegends.com.
"Free Family Tree, Genealogy and Family History – MyHeritage". www.familytreelegends.com.
"Free Family Tree, Genealogy and Family History – MyHeritage". www.familytreelegends.com.
"Free Family Tree, Genealogy and Family History – MyHeritage". www.familytreelegends.com.
"Free Family Tree, Genealogy and Family History – MyHeritage". www.familytreelegends.com.
"Free Family Tree, Genealogy and Family History – MyHeritage". www.familytreelegends.com.
"Free Family Tree, Genealogy and Family History – MyHeritage". www.familytreelegends.com.
"Free Family Tree, Genealogy and Family History – MyHeritage". www.familytreelegends.com.
^ "Free Family Tree, Genealogy and Family History – MyHeritage". www.familytreelegends.com.
"Acute Enteritis Blamed For Von Erich’s Death", by Debra Martine, Dallas Morning News
"Free Family Tree, Genealogy and Family History – MyHeritage". www.familytreelegends.com.
"Free Family Tree, Genealogy and Family History – MyHeritage". www.familytreelegends.com.
"Free Family Tree, Genealogy and Family History – MyHeritage". www.familytreelegends.com.
"Free Family Tree, Genealogy and Family History – MyHeritage". www.familytreelegends.com.
Guerrasio, Jason. "Jeremy Allen White's character in 'The Iron Claw,' Kerry Von Erich, really wrestled his entire WWE career with only one foot, and never told anyone about it". Business Insider. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
"Kerry Von Erich Warrant". The Marshall News Messenger. February 18, 1993. p. 9. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
"Free Family Tree, Genealogy and Family History – MyHeritage". www.familytreelegends.com.
"Free Family Tree, Genealogy and Family History – MyHeritage". www.familytreelegends.com.
^ Hollandsworth, Skip (February 1, 1988). "The Fall of the House of Von Erich". D Magazine. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
"Free Family Tree, Genealogy and Family History – MyHeritage". www.familytreelegends.com.
"Who's Who in the Von Erich Wrestling Family?". March 2, 2017. Archived from the original on March 2, 2017. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
"Free Family Tree, Genealogy and Family History – MyHeritage". www.familytreelegends.com.
"Free Family Tree, Genealogy and Family History – MyHeritage". www.familytreelegends.com.
Frasier, David K. (September 11, 2015). Suicide in the Entertainment Industry: An Encyclopedia of 840 Twentieth Century Cases. McFarland. ISBN 978-1-4766-0807-5.
^ "NOAH Great Voyage '12 in Ryogoku at New Sumo Hall – Ryogoku Kokugikan wrestling results – Internet Wrestling Database". www.profightdb.com.
^ "Impact Wrestling: Breaking News Von Erich Family Scheduled to Appear at Slammiversary".
^ "'Rage Megashow' wrestling event brings Israel into the ring". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. Retrieved November 21, 2017.
^ "MLW Sign Ross and Marshall von Erich; Set to Debut on June 1 | Fightful News".
Kreikenbohm, Philip. "Marshall von Erich « Wrestlers Database « CAGEMATCH – The Internet Wrestling Database". www.cagematch.de.
"The Von Erichs".
Kroll, Justin (October 24, 2022). "Lily James Joins Sean Durkin's 'The Iron Claw' For A24". Retrieved October 28, 2022.

External links

v t e Von Erich family
First generation	Fritz Von Erich
Second generation	Kevin Von Erich David Von Erich Kerry Von Erich Mike Von Erich Chris Von Erich
Third generation	Lacey Von Erich Marshall Von Erich Ross Von Erich
Storyline relatives	Waldo Von Erich Lance Von Erich
Related articles	Fritz Von Erich Retirement Show Von Erich Memorial Parade of Champions World Class Championship Wrestling The Iron Claw (film)
Category

v t e MLW World Tag Team Champions
2000s	The Extreme Horsemen (C. W. Anderson and Simon Diamond)
2010s	Lucha Brothers (Pentagón Jr. and Rey Fénix) The Hart Foundation (Teddy Hart, Davey Boy Smith Jr. and Brian Pillman Jr.) The Dynasty (MJF and Richard Holliday) The Von Erichs (Marshall and Ross Von Erich)
2020s	Los Parks (El Hijo de L.A. Park and L. A. Park) 5150 (Danny Rivera and Slice Boogie) Hustle & Power (EJ Nduka and Calvin Tankman) Samoan SWAT Team (Juicy Finau and Lance Anoa'i) The Calling (Akira and Rickey Shane Page) The Second Gear Crew (Matthew Justice, 1 Called Manders and Good Brother #3) World Titan Federation (Tom Lawlor and Davey Boy Smith Jr.) CozyMax (Satoshi Kojima and Shigeo Okumura) Contra Unit (Ikuro Kwon and Minoru Suzuki) (current)

v t e NWA World Tag Team Champions (Texas version)
1950s	Verne Gagne and Wilbur Snyder Bill Longson and Ike Eakins El Médico and Pepper Gomez The Fabulous Kangaroos (Al Costello and Roy Heffernan) Pepper Gomez and Rito Romero Duke Keomuka and Mr. Moto
1960s	Ciclone Anaya and Pepper Gomez Joe Christie and Man Mountain Managoff Adnon Kaisy and Hogan Wharton Danny McShain and Joe Christie Pepper Gomez and Torbellino Blanco Pepper Gomez and Wilbur Snyder Dory Dixon and Rito Romero Duke Keomuka and Tony Martin Dory Dixon and Pepper Gomez The Dalton Brothers (Jack Dalton and Jim Dalton) Ciclón Negro and Dory Dixon The Kozak Brothers (Jerry Kozak and Nick Kozak) The Alaskan and Tarzan Tyler Duke Keomuka and Taro Miyake Mike Clancy and Red McKim Ciclon Negro and Oscar Salazar Ivan the Terrible and Tony Borne Bull Curry and Lucas Pertano Rip Hawk and Rock Hunter Von Brauners (Karl Von Brauner and Kurt Von Brauner ) Ciclon Negro and Ricki Starr Fritz Von Erich and Killer Karl Kox Duke Keomuka and Kanji Inoki The Destroyer and Golden Terror Duke Keomuka and Fritz Von Erich The Internationals (Al Costello and Karl Von Brauner) Danny Miller and Nick Kozak Nick Bockwinkel and Ricky Romero Dory Funk Jr. and Terry Funk The Infernos (Inferno #1 and Inferno #2) Chati Yokouchi and Mr. Ito
1980s	Ali Mustafa and Hercules Ayala Von Erichs (David Von Erich and Kevin Von Erich) Chang Chung and The Great Kabuki Kerry Von Erich and Terry Orndorff Bill Irwin and Frank Dusek Al Madril and Kerry Von Erich Bill Irwin and Bugsy McGraw

WWE Hall of Fame inductees

1990s

1993	André the Giant
1994	Arnold Skaaland Bobo Brazil Buddy Rogers Chief Jay Strongbow Freddie Blassie Gorilla Monsoon James Dudley
1995	Antonino Rocca Ernie Ladd The Fabulous Moolah George Steele Ernie Roth Ivan Putski Pedro Morales
1996	Jimmy Snuka Johnny Rodz Killer Kowalski Lou Albano Mikel Scicluna Pat Patterson Valiant Brothers Jimmy Valiant Johnny Valiant Vince McMahon Sr.

2000s

2004

Celebrity	Pete Rose

2005

2006

Celebrity	William Perry

2007

2008

The Brisco Brothers
- Gerald Brisco
- Jack Brisco
Eddie Graham
Gordon Solie
Mae Young
Peter Maivia
Ric Flair
- See also: 2012
Rocky Johnson

2009

Bill Watts
The Funk Brothers
- Terry Funk
- Dory Funk Jr.
Howard Finkel
Koko B. Ware
Ricky Steamboat
Stone Cold Steve Austin
Von Erich family

2010s

2010

Celebrity	Bob Uecker

2011

Celebrity	Drew Carey

2012

Celebrity	Mike Tyson

2013

Celebrity	Donald Trump

2014

Celebrity	Mr. T

2015

Celebrity	Arnold Schwarzenegger
Warrior	Connor Michalek

2016

Celebrity	Snoop Dogg
Warrior	Joan Lunden
Legacy	Ed Lewis Frank Gotch George Hackenschmidt Lou Thesz Mildred Burke Pat O'Connor Sailor Art Thomas

2017

Warrior	Eric LeGrand
Legacy	Bearcat Wright Dr. Jerry Graham Haystacks Calhoun Judy Grable June Byers Luther Lindsay Martin Burns Rikidōzan Toots Mondt

2018

Celebrity	Kid Rock
Warrior	Jarrius "JJ" Robertson
Legacy	Boris Malenko Cora Combs Dara Singh Hiro Matsuda Jim Londos Lord Alfred Hayes Rufus R. Jones El Santo Sputnik Monroe Stan Stasiak

2019

Warrior	Sue Aitchison
Legacy	Bruiser Brody Buddy Rose Hisashi Shinma Jim Barnett Joseph Cohen Luna Vachon Primo Carnera Professor Tanaka S. D. Jones Wahoo McDaniel

2020s

2020

Celebrity	William Shatner
Warrior	Titus O'Neil
Legacy	Baron Michele Leone Brickhouse Brown Gary Hart Ray Stevens Steve Williams

2021

Celebrity	Ozzy Osbourne
Warrior	Rich Hering
Legacy	Buzz Sawyer Dick the Bruiser Ethel Johnson Paul Boesch Pez Whatley

2022

Warrior	Shad Gaspard

2023

Celebrity	Andy Kaufman
Warrior	Tim White

2024

Celebrity	Muhammad Ali

Category

v t e World Class Championship Wrestling
Championships	NWA Heavyweight NWA World Tag Team World Heavyweight World Tag Team World Six-Man Tag Team World Light Heavyweight Texas Heavyweight Texas Tag Team Brass Knuckles Middle Eastern Television Southwestern Heavyweight
Shows	Parade of Champions Cotton Bowl Extravaganza Fritz Von Erich Retirement Show Wrestling Star Wars (1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1989)
Von Erich family	Fritz Von Erich Kerry Von Erich Kevin Von Erich David Von Erich Mike Von Erich Chris Von Erich
Miscellaneous	Dallas Sportatorium
Partnerships	National Wrestling Alliance Southwest Championship Wrestling

Categories: