Larry Matysik
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Larry Matysik (April 26, 1947 – November 25, 2018) was an American
professional wrestling Professional wrestling, often shortened to either pro wrestling or wrestling,The term "wrestling" is most often widely used to specifically refer to modern scripted professional wrestling, though it is also used to refer to Real life, real- ...
commentator, promoter and author best known for his commentary on ''
Wrestling at the Chase ''Wrestling at the Chase'' is a professional wrestling television series of local and national historical importance in the field of television wrestling. The show was recorded in St. Louis, Missouri, for KPLR-TV, Channel 11, and aired from May ...
''.


Biography

In 1963, Matysik was hired by
St. Louis St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a populatio ...
promoter
Sam Muchnick Samuel Muchnick (born Jeshua Muchnick, August 22, 1905 – December 30, 1998) was an American professional wrestling promoter from St. Louis, Missouri. He is often regarded as wrestling's equivalent of Pete Rozelle (the forward-thinking commissio ...
at the age of 16 to work as a publicist and office manager. In 1970, Matysik became an announcer for his promotion. Along with
Gordon Solie Gordon Solie (born Francis Jonard Labiak, later Jonard Pierre Sjoblom, January 26, 1929July 27, 2000) was an American professional wrestling play-by-play announcer. He is best known for working for Georgia Championship Wrestling, Championship Wr ...
and
Lance Russell Lance Russell (March 18, 1926 – October 3, 2017) was an American sports broadcaster and ring announcer, primarily serving as a professional wrestling announcer and commentator in the Memphis region from 1959 to 1997. In NWA Mid-America and its ...
, Matysik was considered one of the top wrestling announcers in the country. He remained ''
Wrestling at the Chase ''Wrestling at the Chase'' is a professional wrestling television series of local and national historical importance in the field of television wrestling. The show was recorded in St. Louis, Missouri, for KPLR-TV, Channel 11, and aired from May ...
''s ringside announcer until the show went off the air in 1983. He would also occasionally do commentary for the
American Wrestling Association The American Wrestling Association (AWA) was an American professional wrestling promotion based in Minneapolis, Minnesota that ran from 1960 until 1991. It was founded by Verne Gagne and Wally Karbo. The promotion was born out of the Minneapolis ...
. Behind the scenes, Matysik was responsible for several aspects of the business. He served as co-booker with Pat O'Connor and was partly responsible for the company's success in the late 1970s. In 1982, Matysik severed ties with the St. Louis office and started a promotion outside the control of the
National Wrestling Alliance The National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) is an American professional wrestling professional wrestling promotion, promotion and governing body owned by Billy Corgan and operated by its parent company Lightning One, Inc. Founded in 1948, the NWA be ...
, Greater St. Louis Wrestling Enterprises. Matysik was a close friend of
Bruiser Brody Frank Donald Goodish (June 18, 1946 – July 17, 1988) was an American professional wrestler who earned his greatest fame under the ring name Bruiser Brody. He also worked as King Kong Brody, the Masked Marauder, and Red River Jack. Over the year ...
, who created the promotion with him. Their promotion was financially successful, but issues behind-the-scenes caused problems for financiers. From 1984 to 1993, Matysik worked for
Vince McMahon Vincent Kennedy McMahon ( ; born August 24, 1945) is an American businessman and former professional wrestling promoter. McMahon, along with his later-estranged wife Linda McMahon, Linda, is a co-founder of the modern WWE, the world's largest ...
's
World Wrestling Federation World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) is an American professional wrestling promotion. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority-owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. A global integrated media and entertainment company, ...
. In later years, he remained active on the
independent circuit In professional wrestling, the independent circuit (often shortened to the indie circuit or the indies) is the collective name of independently owned promotions which are deemed to be smaller and more regionalized than major national promotions. ...
and authored many books. He was also responsible for creating the St. Louis Wrestling Hall of Fame, and was personally inducted in 2007. He battled a number of health issues towards the end of his life, including
spinal stenosis Spinal stenosis is an abnormal narrowing of the spinal canal or neural foramen that results in pressure on the spinal cord or nerve roots. Symptoms may include pain, numbness, or weakness in the arms or legs. Symptoms are typically gradual in ...
and he suffered at least three strokes. He received the
James C. Melby James C. Melby (1949-February 11, 2007) was an American professional wrestling historian and magazine editing, editor, publishing almost 100 wrestling projects since 1991. Career Melby's first publication was ''Matmania'' which he started aged 15 ...
Award from the
George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame The George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame (TNTHOF) is a professional wrestling hall of fame The Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame (PWHF) and Museum was an American professional wrestling hall of fame and museum located in ...
in 2014 but was too ill to attend the ceremony. On November 24, 2018 it was reported that he had entered hospice care, and he died the following day. In his obituary, ''
Wrestling Observer Newsletter The ''Wrestling Observer Newsletter'' (''WON'') is a newsletter that covers professional wrestling and mixed martial arts. Founded in print in 1982 by Dave Meltzer, the ''Wrestling Observer'' website merged with Bryan Alvarez's ''Figure Four Wee ...
'' founder
Dave Meltzer David Allen Meltzer (born October 24, 1959) is an American journalist, author, and historian who reports on professional wrestling and mixed martial arts. Since 1983, he has been the publisher and editor of the ''Wrestling Observer Newsletter' ...
wrote that he "learned more about pro wrestling from him than perhaps any other individual".


Awards and accomplishments

*
Cauliflower Alley Club The Cauliflower Alley Club is a non-profit fraternal organization, which includes a newsletter and website, comprising both retired and active professional wrestlers and boxers in North America. Established in 1965 by Mike Mazurki and Art Ab ...
**Posthumous Award (2019) *
George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame The George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame (TNTHOF) is a professional wrestling hall of fame The Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame (PWHF) and Museum was an American professional wrestling hall of fame and museum located in ...
** James C. Melby Award (2014) * Missouri Wrestling Revival ** Lifetime Achievement Award (2010) * St. Louis Wrestling Hall of Fame ** Class of 2007


References


External links


Larry Matysik
at the
National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum The National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum and hall of fame for amateur wrestling, headquartered in Stillwater, Oklahoma. In 2010, it began operating the Dan Gable Museum in Waterloo, Iowa. History The museum was awarded to Stil ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Matysik, Larry 1947 births 2018 deaths People from Belleville, Illinois American professional wrestling announcers American professional wrestling executives Professional wrestling historians Professional wrestling journalists and columnists