October 4th in the Time Tunnel:
Happy Birthday to those who have passed on and to those great wrestlers still with us:
In Memoriam:
Timothy Geohagen 1922
Dick Hutton 1923
Joe Scarpa\Chief Jay Strongbow 1928
Gene Anderson 1939
Michel Martel\Mad Dog Martel 1944
Joe Pedicino 1949
Happy Birthday:
Phil Hickerson (79)
Linda McMahon (77)
Jimmy Hines\Bobby Fulton (65)
Emi Sakura (49)
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.
Gene Murphy 10-4-2205 at the age of 73
Gene Murphy, whose real name was Lloyd Stuart John Murphy, was an Australian professional wrestler born on July 8, 1932, in Sydney, New South Wales. He was active primarily in the 1960s, competing under the ring names Gene Murphy and Gene Geronimo. His career spanned several promotions across North America, despite his Australian origins. He appeared in Stampede Wrestling in Canada during 1961, where he had matches such as against Ken Larmer on April 29 of that year.
He also wrestled in Toronto for Maple Leaf Wrestling around 1960, including a disqualification loss to Dino Bravo. In the United States, he competed in Championship Wrestling from Florida, with a recorded loss to Danny Hodge on August 21, 1964, at a Miami Beach event. Little is known about his early life, training, or post-wrestling years, as biographical details are scarce. He passed away on October 4, 2005, at the age of 73.
50 Year Flashback
10-4-1975: A Plane carrying several Mid-Atlantic wrestling stars crashed near Wilmington, North Carolina
In the mid-1970s, professional wrestling was thriving in the Mid-Atlantic region under Jim Crockett Promotions. Johnny Valentine was a top heel and the reigning NWA United States Heavyweight Champion, known for his tough, no-nonsense style. Ric Flair, then a 26-year-old rising star (real name Richard Fliehr), was early in his career, having debuted in 1972 and building a reputation as a charismatic performer. Bob Bruggers was a mid-card wrestler and former NFL player. Tim Woods, performing as the masked babyface “Mr. Wrestling,” was a popular technical wrestler. David Crockett, son of promoter Jim Crockett Sr. and brother of Jim Crockett Jr., was involved in the promotion’s operations and was filling in for his ill brother on this trip.
On October 4, 1975, the group was scheduled to appear at a sold-out wrestling event at Legion Stadium in Wilmington, North Carolina. They boarded a small twin-engine Cessna 310 in Charlotte for the short 45-minute flight, piloted by 28-year-old Vietnam veteran Joseph Michael Farkas. The plane was overloaded by about 1,400 pounds due to the combined weight of the large wrestlers (averaging around 240 pounds each), leading to improper weight distribution. To get airborne, the pilot dumped fuel from the backup tanks, a decision not communicated to the passengers.
During the flight, the plane encountered headwinds near the coast. At around 4,000 feet while approaching New Hanover County Airport in Wilmington, the engines began to sputter. Valentine, seated next to the pilot, noticed the fuel gauges were empty and alerted the others. The pilot switched to the reserve tanks, but they were also dry. Panic ensued as the plane lost power and began a rapid descent, dropping “like a rock” according to Woods. Farkas screamed in fear, and Valentine slapped him to regain focus.
The aircraft clipped treetops, a utility pole, and narrowly missed a prison camp water tower before crashing nose-first into a railroad embankment about 100 yards short of the runway. The impact speed was estimated at 85-100 mph. The seats broke loose, causing passengers and luggage to pile forward. All six were trapped in the wreckage until rescuers extracted them through the rear baggage door.
The survivors were rushed to New Hanover County Hospital. Pilot Farkas suffered severe injuries and died two months later on December 4, 1975. The crash was attributed to human error: fuel mismanagement and overloading. Johnny Valentine had his back broken in three places with a bone fragment wedged into his spinal column which caused permanent paralysis from the waist down. Ric Flair had his back broken in three places with multiple lacerations. Bob Bruggers had his back broken and required surgery with a steel rod inserted into his spinal column. David Crockett suffered head trauma with a dislocated shoulder and shattered teeth with exposed nerves. The Pilot, Joseph Michael Farkas suffered multiple severe injuries. Tim Woods had a concussion with bruised and broken ribs and a compression fracture in his back. Woods was released the next day, Crockett after a few days, Bruggers after three weeks, Flair after about a month, and Valentine remained hospitalized longer due to his paralysis.
Pictured: The Charlotte Observer, Monday, October 6th, 1975
The crash devastated Jim Crockett Promotions, sidelining two top stars (Valentine and Flair) and paralyzing the territory for months. Valentine, at the peak of his career and set to face NWA World Champion Jack Brisco never wrestled again, retiring as a legend but confined to a wheelchair.
Flair, told by doctors he might never wrestle again and to expect at least a year of recovery, defied odds by returning in February 1976 after six months of intense training. The experience transformed him; he adopted the “Nature Boy” gimmick inspired by Buddy Rogers, restarting his career with renewed flair and eventually becoming a multiple time world champion across NWA, WCW, and WWE. Bruggers retired from wrestling despite potential for a comeback, later working in real estate. Woods, to maintain kayfabe (as he was a babyface and Valentine a heel), used his real name in hospital records and appeared on TV soon after to dispel rumors, wrestling through pain just two weeks later. He continued his career successfully.
David Crockett recovered fully and remained a key figure in the promotion, later becoming a prominent announcer. The event underscored the era’s strict kayfabe, with stories like Wahoo McDaniel being denied hospital access due to mistaken identity as a rival. Overall, the crash is seen as a pivotal moment that could have altered wrestling history, particularly Flair’s trajectory, and it strengthened bonds among survivors like Flair and Crockett.
One Thing I Learned Today About Pro Wrestling History
In Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling, Johnny Valentine was awarded the Mid Atlantic Heavyweight Championship in January 1974, after Jerry Brisco left to work in Japan. Valentine lost the title to Wahoo McDaniel shortly before winning the United States Heavyweight Championship from Harley Race in Greensboro, North Carolina on July 4, 1975. Valentine held that title at the time he was paralyzed in a plane crash. His last match was a defense against McDaniel on September 28 in Greensboro.
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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