Early career (1981–1984) Allen started wrestling in 1981 and joined the
National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), where he began competing for the
Championship Wrestling from Florida and the
Pacific Northwest Wrestling (PNW) territories. While in the CWF, Allen won the
Global Tag Team Championship on five occasions before then moving to
Mid-South Wrestling. Upon debuting in Mid-South, Allen renamed himself "Magnum T. A." and adopted a
character known as the "American Heart Throb", based on Allen's slight resemblance to actor
Tom Selleck, who at the time was starring in the popular television series
Magnum, P.I.. After competing in Mid-South, he won the
North American Heavyweight Championship, his first major title, after defeating
Mr. Wrestling II on May 13, 1984. On November 22, Magnum lost to Ladd via disqualification in a title rematch. Initially, investigators believed he was speeding, but
forensic reports showed he was driving the
speed limit and he was left in his car for two hours before a witness called
911. The wreck caused his C-4 and C-5 vertebrae to "explode", and it was doubted at the time whether he would ever walk again. Doctors at
Carolinas Medical Center said Allen's physical conditioning saved his life. The right side of his body was paralyzed for months, ending his in-ring career. Losing Allen as a wrestler prompted NWA
booker Dusty Rhodes to
turn Nikita Koloff, Allen's last rival prior to his wreck, into a
babyface. According to the storyline, Koloff gained respect for Magnum from their feud and wanted to take his place. This was memorialized in the spring edition of the ''Wrestling '87'' magazine, with a large photograph of Koloff with the words "I cry for Magnum T. A." beside him. Prior to his wreck, Magnum was to win the U.S. Title for the third time before being groomed to become the
NWA World Heavyweight Champion. ==Personal life==