Ernie Ladd
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"Big Cat" Ernie Ladd (born 1939) was an American college and professional football player and a professional wrestler.
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Football Career
The American Football League's San Diego Chargers selected the Grambling State University standout with their 15th pick in the 1961 draft. At 6'9" and 315 pounds, Ladd was arguably the biggest and strongest man in professional football: 52-inch chest, 39-inch waist, 20-inch biceps, 19-inch neck, 20-inch calf, and size 18D shoes. He played in three AFL championship games, helping the Chargers win the American Football League title in 1963 with fellow Hall of Famer Earl Faison, both members of the original “Fearsome Foursome”.
Ladd spent the 1966 season playing for the Houston Oilers before moving, in 1967, to the Kansas City Chiefs. There, with Buck Buchanan, a former Grambling teammate, he filled out what was probably the biggest defensive tackle tandem in history, and won another AFL title. Both Ladd and Buchanan are members of the Grambling State University Athletic Hall of Fame.
The Boston Patriots’ Hall of Fame center Jon Morris said Ladd was so big, he blocked out the sun: “It was dark. I couldn’t see the linebackers. I couldn’t see the goalposts. It was like being locked in a closet.” Ladd was an American Football League All-Star from 1962 through 1965, and is a member of the American Football League Hall of Fame.
Wrestling Career
Ladd started wrestling in 1965 primarily in the southeastern part of the United States. He had feuds with Paul Orndorff, Ray Candy, Junkyard Dog and the Von Erichs (Fritz and Waldo).
He was primarily a singles wrestler but he did have a decent run as a tag team with "Bad" Leroy Brown in the early 1980's.
Ladd retired from wrestling in 1986.
See also
Wrestling Championships/Accomplishments
Mid-South Wrestling
- 1-Time Mid-South North American Heavyweight Champion
- 4-Time NWA Tri-State North American Champion
- 2-Time Mid-South Louisiana Heavyweight Champion
- 2-Time Mid-South Tag Team Champion (with Leroy Brown)
World Class Championship Wrestling
- 1-Time WCCW American Heavyweight Champion
- 1-Time WCCW Texas Heavyweight Champion
- 1-Time WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Champion
Florida Championship Wrestling
Other Titles
- 1-Time Georgia Tag Team Champion (with Ole Anderson)
- 1-Time NWF Heavyweight Champion
- 1-Time NWF North American Champion
- 1-Time Central States Tag Team Champion (with Bruiser Brody)
- 1-Time Tri-State Tag Team Champion (with Masked Assassin)
- 1-Time WWA Heavyweight Champion
- 1-Time WWA Tag Team Champion (with Baron Von Raschke)
- 2-Time NWA America's Heavyweight Champion
Halls of Fame
- Member of WCW Hall of Fame (inducted in 1994)
- Member of WWE Hall of Fame (inducted in 1995)
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) ranked him # 205 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003.
External links
- American Football League Website (http://www.conigliofamily.com/AFLdotcom.htm)
- Ladd's citation on the AFL Hall of Fame website (http://www.conigliofamily.com/Chargers.htm#ERNIELADD)