"Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers
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| Birth name | Herman Gustav Rohde Jr. |
|---|---|
| Born |
February 20, 1921 Camden, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Died | June 26, 1992 (aged 71) Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S. |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Buddy Rogers Dutch Rogers Herman Rohde |
| Billed height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Billed weight | 227 lb (103 kg) |
| Trained by | Joe Cox Fred Grubmeyer |
| Debut | 1939 |
| Retired | 1982 |
Herman Gustav Rohde Jr. (February 20, 1921 – June 26, 1992), better known by the ring name Buddy Rogers, was an American professional wrestler.
One of the biggest professional wrestling stars in the beginning of the television era, Rogers' performances inspired generations of professional wrestlers, such as Butch Reed during his "Natural" phase, and the "Nature Boy" Ric Flair, who used Rogers' nickname, as well as his look, attitude and finishing hold, the figure-four leglock. Rogers was a two-time world champion, holding the top championship in both the NWA and the WWWF, today known as WWE (he was the inaugural WWWF World Heavyweight Champion). Rogers is one of three men in history to have held both world titles, along with Ric Flair and AJ Styles.
Rogers was the son of German immigrant parents. Rogers was athletic, and took up wrestling at age nine at the local YMCA. Rogers joined the Camden YMCA Wrestling League and won its heavyweight championship. He also excelled in football, boxing, track and swimming. In 1937, he won the YMCA's three-mile swimming championship. Rogers joined the Dale Brothers Circus as a wrestler at age 17. Rogers later worked at a shipyard, and became a police officer.
Rogers visited the offices of professional wrestling promoters Ray and Frank Hanley, who gave him his first match on July 4, 1939 against Moe Brazen, which he won. Rogers soon became a top professional wrestler using his real name around his hometown where he gained his first major win over Ed "Strangler" Lewis. Like many professional wrestlers, Rogers was likely not the height and weight listed, as he probably stood 5'11" tall and weighed in at 195 pounds. He continued his career in Houston, where he assumed the name Buddy Rogers. Rogers would get his first title during his tenure there, winning the NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship four times, once from Lou Thesz, beginning a long feud both in and out of the ring.
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