September 9th in the Time Tunnel:
Happy Birthday to those who have passed on and to those great wrestlers still with us:
In Memoriam:
Danno O'Mahoney 1912
Mike Clancy 1924
Ada Ash 1925
Ida Mae Martinez 1931
Happy Birthday:
(none)
RIP Memorial: We stop & remember those who have passed on this day and gave themselves to the business for us, the fans. We salute you and thank you.
Gus Sonnenberg 9-9-1944 at the age of 46
LeRoy McGuirk 9-9-1988 at the age of 77
Lord Littlebrook 9-9-2016 at the age of 87
Frank Andersson 9-9-2018 at the age of 62
Kuniaki Kobayashi 9-9-2024 at the age of 68
45 Year Flashback
To Read our previous analysis of Baba winning the NWA World Title from Harley Race on September 4th, 1980 in Issue 142 of The Daily Chroniclem cloick the link below:
Issue 142, September 4th, 2025 Baba Defeats Race for NWA Title
9-9-1980: Harley Race defeated Shohei "Giant" Baba (ch) to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship at the Otsu Park Gymnasium in Otsu, Japan
Race arrived in Japan as the NWA champion for AJPW's Summer Action Series II tour in late August/early September 1980. This tour featured a mix of singles and tag matches to build storylines and fill arenas. Key events involving Race and Baba included:
September 1, 1980: City Gymnasium, Kanya, Kagoshima – Race defended the NWA title against Jumbo Tsuruta, ending in a double count-out (Race retained).
September 2, 1980: Municipal Gymnasium, Nakatane, Kagoshima – Race teamed with Austin Idol to defeat Baba and Prince Tonga 2-1 in a best-of-three-falls match.
September 4, 1980: Saga Sports Center, Saga – Baba defeated Race via pinfall to win the NWA title, starting his third reign. This was a major upset for Japanese fans, crowning their hero as world champion
Baba's reign lasted just five days, during which he didn't defend the title in a singles match but participated in tags:
September 5, 1980: Suizenji Gymnasium, Kumamoto – Baba and Tsuruta defeated Karl von Steiger and Karl von Hess.
September 6, 1980: Prefectural Gymnasium, Oita – Race and Idol defeated Baba and Rocky Hata.
September 7, 1980: Community Center Hall, Shonai, Oita – Baba, Mil Mascaras, and Tsuruta defeated Idol, von Steiger, and Race 2-1 in a best-of-three-falls match.
These matches-built tension, showcasing Race's resilience and Baba's dominance in multi-man scenarios. The rematch took place on September 9, 1980, at Otsu Park Gymnasium in Otsu, Shiga Prefecture, Japan, as part of the ongoing Summer Action Series II tour. This was Baba's first (and only) defense of his third NWA reign. Race defeated Baba to regain the title, marking the start of his fifth reign as champion.
Based on their styles and similar encounters (e.g., their 1979 and 1981 matches), the bout emphasized contrast: Baba's size and crowd-pleasing offense (chops, boots, and basic grapples) against Race's aggressive, technical brawling. Race often sold dramatically for bigger opponents like Baba to heighten drama, using spots like headlocks, suplexes, and strikes to wear down the giant.
Video: Shohei “Giant” Baba (ch) vs Harley Race for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship on September 9th, 1980
The finish was a clean win for Race, ensuring the belt returned to the touring champion without controversy. The event drew a strong Japanese crowd, capitalizing on Baba's star power. This title change was a "business decision" by the NWA and AJPW to give local fans a thrill while maintaining Race's credibility for future defenses.
Race continued his tour, defending the title on September 12 against Mil Mascaras in a double count-out at Ichinomiya Industrial Gymnasium, Aichi. His fifth reign lasted 302 days until he lost to Dusty Rhodes in March 1981. Baba never won the NWA title again but remained AJPW's top draw until his retirement in 1999, focusing on his PWF Heavyweight Championship (which he held for over 3,800 cumulative days). This 1980 series exemplified the NWA's global strategy and Baba's role in elevating Japanese wrestling. Race later praised Baba's professionalism, noting their matches helped solidify his own legacy as a worldwide champion.
One Thing I Learned Today About Pro Wrestling History
Harley Race was born to sharecroppers Jay Allen Race and Mary Race on April 11th, 1943. He passed away on August 1st, 2019. He was 76 years old.
Thank You for Reading
I'm Tony Richards, Pro Wrestling Historian, Author and Storyteller. I share pro wrestling historical items in each issue of the Time Tunnel Pro Wrestling History Newsletter. Thanks for reading! If you enjoy my information on select events, matches and insights, please share it with folks you think might like to be a subscriber!
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