Early career and National Wrestling Alliance (1939–1961) 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 as Dutch Rhode, where he gained his first major win over
Ed "Strangler" Lewis. 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 between them both in and out of the ring. After leaving the Texas territory for
Columbus, Ohio, Rogers bleached his hair, and was given the moniker "Natural Guy" by promoter
Jack Pfefer. The moniker later evolved to "Nature Boy". In the early 1950s, Lillian Ellison (under the moniker
Slave Girl Moolah) worked as his
valet. Ellison claims that the partnership ended after Rogers pushed for a sexual relationship, which Ellison refused. In addition, the $148,000 gate in ticket sales was a professional wrestling record for almost twenty years. Every NWA World Heavyweight Champion was required to pay a $25,000 deposit to the NWA Board of Directors, before winning the
championship belt. The deposit was held by the NWA for the duration of the champion's reign. The third safeguard was Thesz, who could "take" the title if necessary. Ultimately, Thesz won the match and the title. Rogers was formally recognized as the first ever
WWWF World Heavyweight Champion on April 11, 1963, when promoter and first
WWWF President Willie Gilzenberg handed Rogers the WWWF World Heavyweight Championship belt on Washington, D.C., television. Gilzenberg explained that Rogers won a wrestling tournament in
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, although it was fictional. WWE.com currently cites April 25, 1963, as the beginning of Rogers's reign. Rogers was a top draw, but his reign was ultimately cut short by a mild heart attack which greatly hindered his endurance and in-ring performance. Vincent J. McMahon and Toots Mondt were in a panic and hid Rogers's medical problems. In an emergency title switch, Rogers lost to
Bruno Sammartino in a quick 48 second match on May 17, 1963, in Madison Square Garden. The match had to be kept short for fear of Rogers having a major heart attack and dying in the ring. Following his loss to Sammartino, health problems forced Rogers to wrestle in only a limited number of short singles matches that lasted a minute or two. He participated in a few tag team matches with partner Handsome Johnny Barend where he spent almost the entire match in his corner on the ring apron while Barend did the wrestling. Rogers defeated Hans "The Great" Mortier in less than a minute with the figure-four leglock in Madison Square Garden and teamed with Handsome Johnny Barend to take two out of three falls via pin from Sammartino and Bobo Brazil, with Rogers pinning Sammartino for the final fall. The big rematch was to be held October 4, 1963, at Roosevelt Stadium in Jersey City, New Jersey. The tickets were printed with Rogers–Sammartino on them. However, it was announced that Rogers was retiring and
Gorilla Monsoon, who had won a tournament, got the title shot that night. In 1966–1967, Rogers wrestled in 18 short matches in Canada. In 1969, Rogers appeared in 19 quick matches in an Ohio-based promotion called Wrestling Show Classics before he realized his health was not getting better to the point where he could wrestle. He spent time on television talking with his former manager
Bobby Davis. A decade later, Rogers would try to make a legitimate comeback.
Jim Crockett Promotions and return to WWF (1978–1992) In 1979, Rogers returned to wrestling as a
fan favorite in
Florida, although he was in his late 50s. He later moved up to
Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP) in the Carolinas as a villain manager overseeing professional wrestlers like
Jimmy Snuka,
Ken Patera,
Gene Anderson,
Dewey Robertson and
Big John Studd. His most notable moment during his run in the Carolinas was his feud with the new "Nature Boy"
Ric Flair, before Rogers
put over Flair on July 9, 1978. After his time in
Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling (MACW), Rogers moved back into WWF where he was a fan favorite manager and part-time professional wrestler who also hosted the interview segment "Rogers' Corner" until 1983. Rogers was instrumental in helping
turn Jimmy Snuka into a fan favorite, leading to Rogers managing Snuka for his feud with
Lou Albano and
Ray Stevens. Rogers wrestled his last ever match on September 17, 1983, teaming with Snuka to defeat Albano and the
Magnificent Muraco in
Baltimore, Maryland. During the feud, Rogers broke his hip and retired from professional wrestling for good. His show was replaced by "Victory Corner", which would later be replaced by "
Piper's Pit". Rogers would continue to make sporadic appearances in the WWF until 1984, right before the beginning of the
Rock 'n' Wrestling era. Rogers, who was at the age of 71, was set to wrestle yet another "Nature Boy", this time
Buddy Landel, in a comeback match for the
Tri-State Wrestling Alliance (TWA, a predecessor of
Extreme Championship Wrestling – ECW) in early 1992, but the promotion went out of business and the match never occurred. ==Personal life==