Jim Duggan

Jim Duggan
Jim Duggan
Born	January 14, 1954; Glens Falls, New York
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)	"Hacksaw"; Jim Duggan
Billed height	6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Billed weight	280 lb (127 kg)
Trained by	Fritz Von Erich
Debut	1979

James (Jim) Duggan (born January 14, 1954 in Glens Falls, New York), better known by his ring name "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan, is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling. His best known gimmick is that of an American patriot, a gimmick he used for well over a decade.

Duggan is a former WCW United States Champion and is one of the most instantly noticeable wrestlers among wrestling fans. His trademarks include bringing an American flag (dubbed "Old Glory") and a 2x4 plank of wood with him to the ring. His trademark rallying cry of "Ho!" is also well known. Duggan is also known for starting "U.S.A." crowd chants before and during his matches. His entrance music is a variation of "The Stars and Stripes Forever."

Career

Duggan grew up in Glens Falls, where he became a star athlete in high school. He was a letterman in football, track, wrestling and basketball. In wrestling, he won the New York State High School wrestling championship, unlimited weight class division – the first wrestler from Glens Falls to do so.

He was recruited by the football programs of several major universities, including Penn State and Ohio State, but would play at Southern Methodist University (SMU), where he was eventually voted team captain. After college, Duggan was signed by the Atlanta Falcons of the NFL, but was released after being plagued by knee injuries.

Duggan is a survivor of kidney cancer, an illness he was diagnosed with during his employment with WCW. His real-life struggle with the disease was very public and his comeback to wrestling after fighting off the ailment was a triumphant affair involving his entire immediate family. His right eye is afflicted with strabismus.

It is reported that he got the idea of carrying a 2x4 plank of wood to the ring from the 1973 movie Walking Tall, in which the lead character carries a 2x4 around as a weapon. Duggan himself seldom used the object in the ring as a weapon (The rare exception was when he used it on the Iron Sheik at Wrestlemania III in 1987), though as a perpetual face (good guy character), his 2x4 was at times used as a weapon against him when various heels (bad guy characters) got their hands on it.

Duggan was arrested for drunk driving and marijuana possession in 1987. The Iron Sheik, who was in his car, was arrested for drug possession. More than one lifetime wrestling fan has said that hearing of that incident forever shattered kayfabe for them; if Duggan and The Iron Sheik really hated each other, why were they traveling in the same vehicle?

Duggan has claimed to have wrestled in all 50 States in America as well as in the foreign countries Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Belgium, Bermuda, Canada, Dominican Republic, England, France, Germany, Guam, the Netherlands, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Poland, Scotland, Spain and Switzerland.

Early career

Jim Duggan broke into the professional wrestling business thanks in large part to wrestler Fritz Von Erich. The two met while Duggan was on a recruiting trip to SMU. Duggan's first professional match was in 1979 against Gino Hernandez. Training at the Sportatorium in Dallas, Texas as well as with Hawaiian wrestling promoter Peter Maivia (grandfather of The Rock), Duggan gained the attention of Vince McMahon Sr. and the WWF (the precursor to WWE).

After a brief stint with the WWF, Duggan began to work regularly for Georgia Championship Wrestling. During this time, Duggan was known by two in-ring aliases: in the United States as "Big Jim Duggan" and in Hawaii as "The Convict", a masked wrestler. After wrestling for a Birmingham, Alabama-based promotion, Duggan began wrestling in a promotion based in San Antonio, Texas where he adopted the "Hacksaw" nickname. He then worked for Mid-South Wrestling from 1982 to 1986, where he became tag team champions with Terry Taylor, before being signed to the WWF.

World Wrestling Federation

Duggan was signed to the World Wrestling Federation (now WWE), in 1987. Although he did not win any major titles in the promotion, for 7 years, he was a consistent fan favorite with his patriotic gimmick. During his time in the WWF, he feuded with the likes of Harley Race, Haku (whom he beat to earn the title of "King of Wrestling") and André the Giant. Duggan also claims to be the only wrestler to "knock out" André the Giant in a WWF wrestling match. Duggan won the first Royal Rumble matchup in 1988 (though he did not receive a title shot for his efforts).

He also feuded with Nikolai Volkoff in 1987. Just three years later, after Volkoff's face turn, Duggan and Volkoff joined forces in tag team matches.

World Championship Wrestling

Duggan signed with World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in 1994. In one of his first matches with the company, he won the WCW United States Championship from Steve Austin in less than one minute. For most of his tenure with the company he was seldom used in major storylines but often appeared on the company's minor wrestling show WCW Saturday Night.

Duggan disappeared during 1998 after he was diagnosed with kidney cancer. He went into remission, and returned to WCW in late 1999.

Under the tenure of former storyline writers Vince Russo and Ed Ferrera, Duggan became involved in a storyline where he became a janitor for WCW, though during this period, he found the WCW World Television Championship and claimed it for himself. He would make title defenses, and was still champion when the title was retired. Near the end of his career in WCW, he became involved in more major storylines, including one that involved him abandoning the patriotic gimmick for a short time to join Lance Storm and his heel faction Team Canada.

World Wide Wrestling Alliance

Duggan made frequent appearances in the World Wide Wrestling Alliance promotion formally known as, NWA Ohio. He was later listed as co-owner of the promotion, but disclaimed any affiliation on his official website, saying that, despite making a few appearances with the company, he has never signed a contract with them, and that he "has nothing to do with the WWWA or NWA Ohio."

World Wrestling Entertainment

Duggan appeared at WWE Homecoming on October 3, 2005 along with several other WWF and WWE alumni. He and the other legends would end up attacking Rob Conway after Conway came to the ring and insulted them. He was also one of the "legends" available for fans to select to team with Eugene in a match at Taboo Tuesday 2005 on November 1, 2005 to face the team of Conway and Tyson Tomko (Jimmy Snuka was chosen instead of Duggan). Duggan made a further appearance in WWE at the 2006 Royal Rumble on January 29, insulting Lita by uttering his signature rallying cry of "Hooo!" ("ho") as she walked by him. He also appeared on the February 6, 2006, episode of RAW, offering to referee a WWE Championship match between John Cena and Edge, the on-screen boyfriend of Lita. He was attacked by Edge after once again calling Lita a "ho". On the February 20, 2006 episode of RAW, Duggan responded to a challenge from Edge, but was defeated following interference from Lita.