John's Icons of Wrestling: Jim Cornette Quiz

Answer: photographer

Jim began his career at the tender age of fourteen. Jim had stated many times he would have done anything to break into the business. He wanted to be a part of the wrestling world desperately. Jim was not only a photographer, but a ring announcer as well. I have no doubt in my mind that this is where Jim honed his verbal skills. I also believe his willingness to do any job made him the successful personality he is today.

Answer: Sherri Martel

Sherri came to Memphis after she was kicked out of the Fabulous Moolah's wresting school. She was paired with Jim by promoter Jerry Jarrett. Sherri left Jarrett's promotion and went to the AWA. She held the AWA World Women's Championship on three separate occasions. Sherri would also hold the then WWF Women's Championship one time. Sherri was not only an accomplished wrestler, but a successful manager as well. She led several individuals as well as tag teams to wrestling gold. Sherri sadly passed away at the age of forty nine in 2007.

Sherri was Jim's first wrestler, she helped him develop his in-ring persona. Jim was made out to be a spoiled rich kid who was basically unable to carry out any responsibilities. He was hone his skills with Sherri and successful use this gimmick throughout his career.

Answer: tennis racquet

Jim began carrying the loaded tennis racket around the time he started to manage "The Midnight Express". The racket not only served as a weapon, but a prop for his in ring persona of a spoiled rich brat. He used the racket to weaken or disable his wrestler's opponents. Cornette used the racquet on Robert Gibson of "The Rock 'n Roll Express" to help his team win the NWA World Tag Team Titles. Jim was a deciding factor in the majority of the bouts between his team and Gibson and Morton.

Answer: Lee and Watts dressed Jim up as a baby

Jim had made several rude remarks against Bill Watt's son. Bill was outraged by the verbal assault on his son. Bill slapped Jim across the face and warned him to not speak ill of his son again. Watts was attacked and beaten bloody by Dennis Condrey and Bobby Eaton a week later. Watts enlisted the help Stagger Lee in his feud against Jim and his men. Stagger Lee was the Junkyard Dog under a mask. Lee and Watts would go onto victory over Bobby and Dennis. Jim would then be humiliated by being stripped down to his underwear and having a diaper placed on him. Lee and Watts added insult to injury by making Jim wear a baby bonnet and suck a pacifier.

Answer: Hercules Hernandez

Hercules Hernandez started out as Jim's bodyguard. Jim would later manage Hernandez in his bouts against "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan. Hercules came to the defense of Cornette when Duggan attacked Cornette. In one memorable bout, Jim Cornette had his head shaved.

Hercules had beaten Duggan who was then to have his head shaved. Several "face" wrestlers came to Duggan's aid. Cornette was not so lucky the "faces" held him down while they shaved his head with disposable razors. Jim wore a mask to the ring until his hair grew back.

Answer: Baby Doll

Baby Doll was the valet for Dusty Rhodes at the onset of their feud. Jim called Dusty out during his interview. Baby Doll came along with Dusty and Jim insulted them both. Jim hit Dusty with his tennis racket while Bobby Eaton held Baby Doll. Jim then turned the racket on Baby Doll hitting her in the ribs. Jim had a series of bouts with Baby Doll during "The Great American Bash" tour of 1986.

The two would also wrestle bouts with Jim teaming with Eaton and Condrey. Baby Doll would team with Dusty Rhodes and Magnum T.A.. Baby Doll was the clear victor in these bouts, she actually slammed Jim with a body to body suplex.

Answer: The Road Warriors

The two teams faced in a "Scaffold Match" at Starrcade '86. "The Midnight Express" had wrestled this type of match in their Mid-South wrestling days. Jim fell twenty feet from the scaffolding and blew out his knee. He was supposed to have been caught by "Big" Bubba Rogers, his security guard. Jim landed three feet away from Rogers thus causing his injury. Jim would later state he was terrified of heights. He knew he could get hurt, but being the true professional he was he went on with the show.

"The Road Warriors" are considered by many people myself included as the best tag team ever. They have held the World Tag Team Titles in the AWA, NWA, and WWF. They used brute strength and power to win their matches. The team of Hawk and Animal were managed the majority of their careers by Paul Ellering.

Answer: Paul E Dangerously

Dangerously had reunited "The Original Midnight Express" in the AWA. He led the team of Randy Rose and Dennis Condrey to the AWA World Tag Team Titles with a victory over Jerry Lawler and Bill Dundee. Dangerously mastered his style of managing after Jim Cornette.

He even carried a foreign weapon which he used to help his wrestlers win. Dangerously used a portable phone instead of a tennis racket. The feud between Rose and Condrey against Bobby Eaton and new member, Stan Lane promised to be a good one.

The two teams were perfectly matched and with their loud mouth managers by their side it promised to be a good one. Dennis Condrey like previously decided to leave the federation. The feud never really took off. It is one of my greatest disappointments.

Answer: SMW

Along with former protege, Stan Lane they opened Smoky Mountain Wrestling in 1991. The organization was going to focus mainly on "rasslin". It was to be a throw back to the days when a wrestler was either a "heel" or "face". The wrestling organization lasted until 1995 when it closed the doors.

After the demise of SMW, Jim went to work for the WWF. He manager of several wrestlers including former nemesis "The Rock 'n Roll Express". He tried to recreate the NWA in 1998 with Ricky Morton, Robert Gibson, and Barry WIndham.

It was supposed to be an invasion on the WWF. The angle was short lived.

Answer: PWI Manager of the Year

Jim was awarded by the readers of Pro Wrestling Illustrated the award three times. He won the award in 1985, 1993, and 1995. He lost to Paul E Dangerously in 1992. He beat out his former protege, Sherri Martel in 1995. Jim has stated his passion for the business of professional wrestling in many interviews.

He would often risk harm to himself to make sure we were entertained. Love him or hate he is without a doubt one of the finest people to ever grace the squared circle.