Eddie Marlin
Edward Marlin (August 13, 1930 – August 15, 2019) was an American promoter and professional wrestler. He was the father-in-law of promoter and professional wrestler Jerry Jarrett and the grandfather of professional wrestler and promoter Jeff Jarrett.[1]
| Eddie Marlin | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Edward Marlin |
| Born | August 13, 1930 Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Died | August 15, 2019 (aged 89) Hendersonville, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Children | 2 |
| Family | Jeff Jarrett (grandson) Jerry Jarrett (son-in-law) Karen Jarrett (granddaughter-in-law) |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Eddie Marlin[1] Frankenstein[1] The Mummy[1] |
| Billed height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)[1] |
| Billed weight | 200 lb (91 kg)[1] |
| Trained by | Dick Dunn |
| Debut | 1950s |
| Retired | January 4, 1993 |
Professional wrestling career
In 1967, Marlin wrestled for Nick Gulas' NWA Mid-America promotion under a mask as "The Mummy". He formed a short-lived movie monster-themed tag team with Dr. Frank.[2]
In the early-1970s, Marlin formed a tag team with Tommy Gilbert. The duo achieved their greatest success in NWA Mid-America, winning the NWA Southern Tag Team Championship, NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship, and NWA Mid-America Tag Team Championship.[3]
In the mid-1970s, Gulas placed Marlin in a tag team with his son George in an attempt to help season him.
In 1977, Marlin's son-in-law Jerry Jarrett broke away from Gulas and formed his own rival promotion, the Memphis, Tennessee-based Continental Wrestling Association. Marlin began working with Jarrett, promoting and booking some CWA shows.[4]
Marlin was the on-screen General Manager of Continental Wrestling Association throughout the 1980s. He was "hired" by CWA promoter Jerry Jarrett to run the company. He worked primarily as a good guy, often sticking up for the faces. He often butted heads with the "Head Booker" of CWA, Tom Renesto, who tended to favor the heels.
In early 1988, Marlin was involved in a feud with former tag team partner Tommy Gilbert that resulted in the former friends wrestling in a Cowboy Boot Match. It began when Gilbert's son, Doug, interrupted Marlin who was being interviewed by Lance Russell, and accused Marlin of showing favoritism towards Jerry Lawler. As Marlin argued against Doug Gilbert, Tommy Gilbert attacked him from behind. Then, the Gilberts proceeded to drag Marlin to the ring, where Tommy Gilbert busted Marlin open with a cowboy boot. In the following weeks, Marlin challenged his former partner to a Cowboy Boot Match, where the winner would be the first one to remove the opponent's cowboy boots. Eddie Marlin would go on to win that match, and defeat his former friend.
In 1989, Marlin portrayed "Frankenstein" in the CWA.
Marlin worked a few more years as General Manager after CWA was combined with WCCW to become USWA. He also continued to wrestle a few times in Dallas at the famous Sportatorium. His last match was held on January 4, 1993, teaming with Miss Texas in a loss to Bert Prentice & Leslie Belanger.
In 2001, Eddie Marlin took part in the “Clash of the Legends ” in Memphis that also had Jerry Lawler, Brian Christopher, Sputnik Monroe, Tracy Smothers, Tommy Rogers, Lord Humongous ( Emery Hale ), Jimmy Hart, The Moondogs, The Bushwhackers, and referee Jerry Calhoun.
Death
On August 14, 2019 it was announced by his son in law Jerry Jarrett on Twitter that he would be moved to hospice care with multiple organ failure. Marlin died the next morning, just 48 hours after turning 89 years old.
Championships and accomplishments
- NWA Mid-America
- NWA Mid-America Tag Team Championship (3 times) - with Tommy Gilbert
- NWA Southern Tag Team Championship (5 times) – with Tommy Gilbert (4) and Tojo Yamamoto (1)[3][5][6]
- NWA Tennessee Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with George Gulas[7]
- NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Tommy Gilbert and Ricky Gibson
- NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-America version) (1 time) - with Jackie Fargo[7]
- NWA Southern Tag Team Championship Tournament (January 1975) - with Tojo Yamamoto[8]
Lucha de Apuestas record
| Wager | Winner | Loser | Location | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mask | Mummy | Blue Inferno #1 | Chattanooga, Tennessee | November 9, 1967 | |
| Hair | Eddie Marlin | Al Greene | Memphis, Tennessee | June 10, 1974 | No disqualification |
| Hair | Eddie Marlin | Phil Hickerson | Memphis, Tennessee | July 1, 1974 | Hickerson was the loser of the fall in a six-man tag team match of Marlin, Tommy Gilbert, and Ricky Gibson vs. Hickerson, Al Greene, and Sam Bass |
| Hair | Eric Embry | Eddie Marlin and Paul Neighbors | Memphis, Tennessee | July 15, 1991 | Handicap match |
References
- Philip Kreikenbohm. "Eddie Marlin". Cagematch.net. Retrieved March 4, 2018.
- "Wild Finish, Tag Battlers Disqualified". The Tennessean (via Newspapers.com). Nashville, Tennessee, United States. October 11, 1967. p. 29. Retrieved March 4, 2018.
The Mummy took the first fall in 11 minutes when he used a head claw on Rossi.
- Harris M. Lentz III (2003). Biographical Dictionary of Professional Wrestling, 2d ed. McFarland & Company. p. 125. ISBN 978-0-7864-1754-4.
- Jimmy Hart (2004). The Mouth of the South: The Jimmy Hart Story. ECW Press. p. 51. ISBN 978-1-55022-595-2.
- Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2006) [2000.]. "(Memphis, Nashville) Tennessee: Southern Tag Team Title [Roy Welsch & Nick Gulas, Jerry Jarrett from 1977]". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Waterloo, Ontario: Archeus Communications. pp. 185–189. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
- "Southern Tag Team Title". Wrestling-Titles. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
- Eddie Marlin Cagematch.net Retrieved August 17, 2019
- NWA Mid-America Southern Tag Team Title Tournament Cagematch.net Retrieved August 17, 2019
External links
- Eddie Marlin at IMDb
- Eddie Marlin's profile at Cagematch.net