10 Things Fans Should Know About The Von Erich Family
David Mccullough Read update
- There are a lot of things that fans might not have known about the Von Erich family, but those items should grow smaller and smaller thanks to two things. First, the Dark Side of the Ring episode about the Von Erich siblings' tragic deaths revealed a lot about the family. In 2024, a new movie hit theaters called The Iron Claw. Produced by the acclaimed A-24 studio, it took a serious, albeit condensed look at the Von Erich family, focusing mainly on Kevin, Kerry, and David. However, there are still things that both of these properties might have left out when it comes to the seemingly cursed family.
Highlights
- Fritz Von Erich, the patriarch of the family, had a successful career as a wrestler and became a top heel in Japan after the murder of Rikidozan.
- World Class Championship Wrestling was the Von Erichs' home promotion, where they became popular babyface stars and held numerous championships.
- The Von Erich family experienced a series of tragedies, with several members dying at young ages, including Kerry Von Erich, who committed suicide, and Chris Von Erich, who also died by suicide at only 21 years old. Kevin Von Erich is the sole surviving member of the family and has made occasional wrestling appearances in recent years.
One of the most important names in Texas pro wrestling, the Von Erich family was hugely popular with fans in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Despite being pro wrestling royalty in their territory, in the ensuing years, the Von Erich family became better known among fans for the string of tragedies that struck the family even at the peak of their success. These have been featured in documentaries like Vice’s Dark Side of The Ring. But besides the unavoidably depressing details, there are a lot of things fans should know about the Von Erichs. Let’s talk about the family, including the patriarch, the various sons, the descendants, and even the relatives whose relationship is strictly kayfabe.
UPDATE: 2024/01/05 07:30 EST BY SHAWN S. LEALOS
There are a lot of things that fans might not have known about the Von Erich family, but those items should grow smaller and smaller thanks to two things. First, the Dark Side of the Ring episode about the Von Erich siblings' tragic deaths revealed a lot about the family. In 2024, a new movie hit theaters called The Iron Claw. Produced by the acclaimed A-24 studio, it took a serious, albeit condensed look at the Von Erich family, focusing mainly on Kevin, Kerry, and David. However, there are still things that both of these properties might have left out when it comes to the seemingly cursed family.
10 Fritz Von Erich: The Patriarch
Birth Date | August 16, 1977 - September 10, 1997 |
|---|---|
Wrestling Years | 1953-1982 (Stampede Wrestling, AWA, JWA, WCCW) |
Notable Accomplishments | AWA World Heavyweight Championship (1), NWA World Tag Team Championship (4), NWA North American Heavyweight Championship (4), NWA American Heavyweight Championship (13), NWA American Tag Team Championship (7), NWA Brass Knuckles Championship (5), NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship (4), NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship (1) |
At the head of the Von Erich family was Fritz Von Erich — real name Jack Adkisson — who found his initial success working as a Nazi-themed heel, hence the German ring name, and was known for his finisher, the Iron Claw. Throughout his in-ring career, he’d hold dozens of championships and even became a big deal in Japan thanks to his role in playing a top heel against emerging stars following the murder of Rikidozan, who was a pillar of the sport at the time.
25 Most Shocking Moments On Vice's Dark Side Of The Ring
Vice's Dark Side of the Ring documentary series has revealed many surprising moments to wrestling fans. But these are the most shocking of all.Throughout his life, he would have six sons, one of whom died as a child, while the rest were trained to become pro wrestlers. He then became the main promoter in the DFW area of Texas and made his sons his top stars, creating the very successful World Class Championship Wrestling.
9 World Class Championship Wrestling: The Promotion
Date Of Operations | 1966-1990 |
|---|---|
Top Stars | David Von Erich, Kerry Von Erich, Kevin Von Erich, Chris Adams, Gino Hernandez, The Freebirds, Iceman King Parsons, Jimmy Garvin, General Skandor Akbar's Devastation Incorporated |
Major Moments | The Freebirds Turn Heel On Kerry Von Erich, Gino Hernandez Blinds Chris Adams, Kerry Von Erich Beats Ric Flair For NWA World Championship, Shawn Michaels & Steve Austin Broke In At WCCW, WCCW Merged With Memphis As USWA |
The Von Erichs’ home promotion was Dallas-based World Class Championship Wrestling. Originally started by Fritz Von Erich as the National Wrestling Alliance-affiliated Big Time Wrestling, the promotion re-branded in 1982 as WCCW, during which the company experienced a peak in popularity as Fritz’s sons became in-ring performers and top babyfaces in the company.
In 1986, the company broke away from the NWA in an attempt to follow WWE’s footsteps in going national. However, sadly, WCCW declined in popularity and folded in 1990. The final step for the promotion was merging with Memphis wrestling as the USWA, and when Jerry "The King" Lawler beat Kerry Von Erich to merge their top titles, it marked the end of major territory wrestling in Dallas.
8 Kerry Von Erich: The Star
Birth Date | February 3, 1960 - February 18, 1993 |
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Wrestling Years | 1978-1989 (WCCW), 1990-1992 (WWE), 1992-1993 (indies) |
Notable Accomplishments | WWF Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship (1), NWA American Heavyweight Championship (5), NWA American Tag Team Championship (6), NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship (3), NWA Texas Tag Team Championship (3), NWA World Heavyweight Championship (1), NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship (6), NWA World Tag Team Championship (3), WCWA World Heavyweight Championship (4), WCWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship (2), WCWA World Tag Team Championship (4), NWA Missouri Heavyweight Championship (1), USWF Texas Heavyweight Championship (1) |
The top star of Fritz Von Erich’s sons was arguably “The Modern Day Warrior,” Kerry Von Erich, who would not only become a World Heavyweight Champion in WCCW, but also an NWA World Heavyweight Champion after defeating Ric Flair in 1984. He’s likely the most recognizable of the Von Erich clan thanks to his stint in WWE in the early 1990s, where he was branded The Texas Tornado and captured the Intercontinental Championship.
10 Wrestlers Who Were Great At Chasing Titles (& But Bad Champions)
Some wrestlers are beloved and at their best when chasing a title. However, once they win the gold, they end up being a lackluster champion.Despite mainstream success, Kerry Von Erich didn’t have it easy. In the mid to late 1980s, he secretly wrestled with a prosthetic foot due to a motorcycle injury, and ensuing drug problems and personal life issues eventually led to his death by suicide in 1993 (via Dark Side of the Ring).
7 David Von Erich: The Athlete
Birth Date | July 22, 1958 - February 10, 1984 |
|---|---|
Wrestling Years | Missouri (1977-1981), Florida (1981-1982), WCCW (1982-1984) |
Notable Accomplishments | NWA American Tag Team Championship (1), NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship (1), NWA Texas Tag Team Championship (2), NWA United National Championship (1), NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship (2), NWA World Tag Team Championship (1), All Asia Tag Team Championship (1), NWA Florida Television Championship (1), NWA North American Tag Team Championship (1), NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship (1), NWA Western States Tag Team Championship (1), NWA Missouri Heavyweight Championship (1) |
Nicknamed "The Yellow Rose of Texas,” David Von Erich was considered by many to be the best in-ring performer of the family thanks to his athleticism and charisma. By the time of his death in 1984 at the age of 25 in Japan, he had already challenged Harley Race and Ric Flair for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship numerous times and was said to have been en route to actually winning the belt.
Details on his death are sketchy at best, as the official word is he died of enteritis, while others believe it was a drug overdose that was kept under wraps.
6 Mike Von Erich: The Reluctant Brother
Birth Date | March 2, 1964 - April 12, 1987 |
|---|---|
Wrestling Years | 1983-1987 (WCCW) |
Notable Accomplishments | NWA American Champion (1), NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Champions (4), WCCW Middle Eastern Champion (1) |
Mike Von Erich trained in the sport like his brothers but never wanted to be a pro wrestler. Instead, he wanted to work for WCCW as a cameraman but was urged by his father to team with his brothers in their feud with The Fabulous Freebirds, taking the place of his recently deceased brother David.
From there, Mike had difficulty filling his brother’s shoes, and things only got worse when complications from toxic shock syndrome not only stripped him of his strength but also gave him brain damage (confirmed in the Heroes of World Class DVD). In 1987, he died by suicide.
5 Chris Von Erich: The Uphill Battle
Birth Date | September 30, 1969 - September 12, 1001 (21) |
|---|---|
Wrestling Years | WCCW (1990-1991) |
Notable Accomplishments | None |
The youngest son, Chris Von Erich, was in a position opposite to his brother Mike. Undersized, injury-prone, and afflicted with asthma, Chris Von Erich was considered unfit for the sport but was tenacious in his pursuit of pro wrestling, performing as a singles' competitor as well as tagging with his brothers, but the success the rest of his family experienced eluded him.
Eventually, depression and frustration took hold of Von Erich, and he died by suicide in 1991 at the age of 21. Kevin Von Erich explained to the Dallas Observer what happened with his youngest brother.
"He had pressure from himself and maybe from the fans, too. Sometimes, fans can be cruel. They don’t know what they’re doing, but they can say things like, ‘Hey, are you gonna be a wrestler when you grow up?’ and things like that. They would just crush Chris because he never got tall and healthy."
4 Kevin Von Erich: The Survivor
Birth Date | May 15, 1957 |
|---|---|
Wrestling Years | 1976-1990 (WCCW), 1991-1995 (indies) |
Notable Accomplishments | NWA American Heavyweight Championship (5), NWA American Tag Team Championship (4), NWA Texas Tag Team Championship (2), NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship (7), NWA World Tag Team Championship (1), WCCW Television Championship (1), WCWA Texas Heavyweight Championship (2), WCWA World Heavyweight Championship (1), WCWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship (4), WCWA World Tag Team Championship (3), NWA North American Heavyweight Championship (1), NWA Missouri Heavyweight Championship (1), NWA Western States Tag Team Championship (1) |
Nicknamed “The Golden Warrior,” Kevin Von Erich was a high-flyer in the ring and was known for wrestling barefoot, the result of a locker room prank that ended up becoming a trademark look. As a tag specialist, he held countless titles with his brothers — both traditional tag team and six-man belts — and as a singles competitor he had a notably violent rivalry with Chris Adams.
10 Wrestlers Who Tragically Passed Too Soon
From overdoses to accidents in the ring, these wrestlers sadly passed before they reached their peak.While he had demons of his own, Kevin Von Erich ended up surviving past the early 1990s, retiring in 1995 and eventually moving to Hawaii. In 2006, he sold the WCCW tape library to WWE and returned to the ring for a one-off tag match alongside his sons in 2017. He has since made a one-shot appearance in AEW where he got to pull out and use the Iron Claw one more time.
3 Waldo & Lance: The “Fake” Von Erichs
Birth Date | Lance: April 24, 1960, Waldo: October 2, 1933 - July 5, 2009 |
|---|---|
Waldo Von Erich Notable Accomplishments | NWA Southern Tag Team Championship (1), NWF Heavyweight Championship (2), NWF North American Heavyweight Championship (1), NWA American Tag Team Championship (2), NWA Brass Knuckles Championship (2), NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship (1), NWA North American Heavyweight Championship (1), NWA United States Tag Team Championship (1), NWA Canadian Heavyweight Championship (1), Stampede Wrestling North American Championship (1), IWA World Tag Team Championship (2), NWA Austra-Asian Heavyweight Championship (1), NWA Austra-Asian Tag Team Championship (1), WWWF United States Tag Team Championship (1) |
Lance Von Erich Notable Accomplishments | NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship (1 as Ricky Vaughan), NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship (1 as Ricky Vaughan), WCWA TV Championship (1), WCWA Six-Man Tag Team Championship (2), WCWA World Tag Team Championship (1) |
With so many members of the Von Erich family, it may surprise fans to find out that there are a handful of kayfabe relatives as well. When Jack Adkisson became Fritz Von Erich, he was initially part of a tag team with kayfabe brother Waldo Von Erich, who continued to use the name even after the two went their separate ways.
Then there’s Lance Von Erich who was brought into World Class Championship Wrestling as the Von Erich boy’s cousin, the son of Waldo. The inclusion of Lance was Fritz’s idea, but the idea backfired — fans saw through the ruse, making it a bad look for the otherwise beloved Von Erichs.
2 Lacey Von Erich: The First Third-Generation Von Erich
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Birth Date | July 17, 1986 |
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Wrestling Years | FCW (2007), Indies (2008), TNA (2009-2010) |
Notable Accomplishments | TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championship (1), WCPW Ladies Championship (1) |
The first “legacy” member of the Von Erich family to debut in pro wrestling was Kerry’s daughter, Lacey Von Erich, who signed to WWE in 2007 and briefly performed as a valet and wrestler for Florida Championship Wrestling. Two years later, she signed with Impact Wrestling, where she joined up with the Beautiful People heel faction and would become a Knockouts Tag Team Champion before departing the company in 2010.
She retired that year, but in the time since, she became a part-owner of Texas-based indie promotion SWE Fury and got accepted to Harvard Business School in 2021.
1 Ross & Marshall Von Erich: The Tag Specialists
Birth Date | Ross (June 1, 1988), Marshall (November 10, 1992) |
|---|---|
Wrestling Years | 2012 (Pro Wrestling Noah), 2014-2015 (TNA), 2019-2022 (MLW), 2023 (AEW) |
Notable Accomplishments | AZW Tag Team Championship (1), IWR Tag Team Championship (1), MLW World Tag Team Championship (1) |
Continuing the Von Erich name are Ross and Marshall Von Erich, the sons of Kevin Von Erich. Trained by their father as well as David Von Erich rival Harley Race, Ross and Marshall spent the early 2010s honing their skills in Japan in Pro Wrestling NOAH, though they never got a shot at the GHC Tag Team belts.
In 2019, the brothers debuted for Major League Wrestling, where they remained signed and enjoyed a run with the promotion’s Tag Team Championship that lasted over a year. More recently, in 2023, they appeared on the biggest stage of their career when they showed up on AEW and wrestled in a televised match on Rampage and then on the Ring of Honor PPV as well.
