Dr. Bill Miller

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Dr. Bill Miller
Bill Miller (wrestler).jpg
Birth nameWilliam M. Miller
Born(1927-06-05)June 5, 1927
Fremont, Ohio, United States
DiedMarch 24, 1997(1997-03-24) (aged 69)
Columbus, Ohio, United States
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Big Bill Miller
Dr. Bill Miller
Doctor "X"
Mr. M
The Crimson Knight
Billed height6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)[1]
Billed weight290 lb (130 kg)[1]
Billed fromFremont, Ohio[1]
Debut1952[1]
Retired1976

William M. Miller (June 5, 1927 – March 24, 1997) was an American professional wrestler. He is a one time American Wrestling Association world champion and also wrestled in the National Wrestling Alliance, the World Wrestling Association in Indianapolis and the World Wide Wrestling Federation.

Professional wrestling career[]

Prior to his professional wrestling career, Miller was a Nine-letterman at Ohio State University in wrestling, football and track. He was an All-American heavyweight wrestler, a two-time Big Ten heavyweight champion, and Conference MVP his senior year. He was also an All-American shot-put and discus track star. He was voted into the Ohio State University Athletic Hall of Fame in 1997 for both wrestling and track.

Miller then began to wrestle professionally in Columbus, Ohio under the promoter, Al Haft. He became a Veterinarian[1] while starting his wrestling career, hence, the "Dr." in his name. He wrestled as "Mr. M" in the Minneapolis-St.Paul area and held the AWA title for over seven months while feuding with Verne Gagne. Under his own name he wrestled in the Detroit area with "The Sheik" (Eddie Farhat) through the 60s. He also wrestled in Calgary and Toronto. Later on in the WWA with Dick the Bruiser, in the Indianapolis area near the end of his career.

He was a #1 challenger to Bruno Sammartino for the WWWF World Championship in the mid-1960s, managed by Bobby Davis.

In the early 1960s he teamed with storyline brother Big Ed Miller (Edward B. Albers) in the northeast. His true brother Danny (Daniel Miller), also wrestled and tagged with Bill many times. They held the WWWF United States Tag Team Championship, winning it from Gorilla Monsoon & Cowboy Bill Watts[1] in Washington, DC; losing it to Johnny Valentine & Antonio Pugliese in Madison Square Garden. In the late 1960s he was in a brutal feud against Ray Stevens for the San Francisco version of the United States title. Miller later wrestled in Detroit, St. Louis and Cleveland.

After retiring from the ring in 1976, he returned to his first love of veterinarian medicine and opened a practice in Ohio.

Death[]

Miller died on March 24, 1997. He suffered a heart attack after working out at the Wyandotte Athletic Club, on Columbus' east side. This was just a few miles west of where Al Haft staged his wrestling bouts in Reynoldsburg, many years before.

Championships and accomplishments[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Shields, Brian; Sullivan, Kevin (2009). WWE Encyclopedia. DK. p. 31. ISBN 978-0-7566-4190-0.
  2. ^ Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2006). "(Texas) Dallas: NWA Texas Brass Knuckles Title". Wrestling Title Histories (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. p. 271. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
  3. ^ "Texas Brass Knucks Title [East Texas]". Wrestling-Titles. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  4. ^ Whalen, Ed (host) (December 15, 1995). "Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame: 1948-1990". Showdown at the Corral: A Tribute to Stu Hart. Event occurs at 15:38. Shaw Cable. Calgary 7.
  5. ^ "Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame (1948-1990)". Puroresu Dojo. 2003.
  6. ^ "W.W.A. World Tag Team Title (Indianapolis)". Puroresu Dojo. 2003.

External links[]

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