Blackjack Mulligan

Photo credit: World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc.

Real name: Robert Windham
Height: 6’9″
Weight: 340 lbs.
Date of birth: November 26, 1942
Date of death: April 7, 2016
From: Sweetwater, TX
Pro debut: 1960’s
Trained by: Verne Gagne
Finishing move: Iron Claw

Biography

– Prior to wrestling, Windham served in Guam and had tryouts with several NFL outfits
– Windham first came to prominence in the AWA in the late 1960s, wrestling as ‘Bob Windham’
– In late 1970, Windham went on a tour of Japan with the IWE promotion
– On November 19, 1970, Windham & Larry Hennig defeated Thunder Sugiyama & Great Kusatsu to win the IWA Tag Team Titles
– On November 30, Windham & Hennig defeated Thunder Sugiyama & Rusher Kimura to retain the IWE Tag Team Titles
– In early 1971, Windham joined the WWWF and became ‘Blackjack Mulligan’
– Though his stint with the company was comparatively short, Windham retained the Blackjack Mulligan ringname after moving to the Michigan territory in April 1971
– In October 1971, Mulligan formed The Blackjacks alongside Blackjack Lanza
– On November 6, 1971, The Blackjacks defeated Paul Christy & Wilbur Snyder to win the WWA Tag Team Titles
– On November 19, Windham (still using his real name for his Japanese work) & Larry Hennig defeated Thunder Sugiyama & Great Kusatsu to win the IWA Tag Team Titles. The duo would retain the titles twice more before the end of the month
– On December 10, The Blackjacks (Mulligan & Lanza) defeated Art Thomas & Dick The Bruiser by DQ to retain the WWA Tag Team Titles
– On January 8, 1972, The Blackjacks again defeated Thomas & Bruiser to retain the WWA Tag Team Titles
– On March 11, The Blackjacks defeated Art Thomas & Billy Red Cloud to retain the WWA Tag Team Titles
– On March 21, The Blackjacks defeated Dick The Bruiser & Prince Pullins to retain the WWA Tag Team Titles
– On June 2, The Blackjacks defeated The Bruiser & The Crusher to retain the WWA Tag Team Titles
– On August 26, The Blackjacks defeated Art Thomas & The Crusher to retain the WWA Tag Team Titles
– On April 13, 1973, Mulligan defeated Jose Lothario to win the NWA Texas Heavyweight Title, but would lose it back just over a month later
– On January 22, 1974, The Blackjacks (Mulligan & Lanza) defeated The Wild Samoans (Afa & Sika) to win the vacant NWA American Tag Team Titles
– The next day, The Blackjacks defeated Jose Lothario & Red Bastien to retain the NWA American Tag Team Titles
– On January 30, The Blackjacks defeated The Wild Samoans (Afa & Sika) to retain the NWA American Tag Team Titles
– On February 9, The Blackjacks defeated Jose Lothario & Mil Mascaras to retain the NWA American Tag Team Titles
– On March 6, The Blackjacks defeated Bob Orton Jr & Black Angus to retain the NWA American Tag Team Titles
– On March 26, Mulligan (as ‘The Texan’) defeated Fritz Von Erich to win the NWA American Heavyweight Title
– On November 16, 1974, Mulligan defeated Dick Murdoch to win the NWA International Heavyweight Title
– On November 28, Mulligan defeated Killer Karl Kox to retain the NWA International Heavyweight Title
– On December 4, Mulligan defeated Gorgeous George Jr to retain the NWA International Heavyweight Title
– Two days later, Mulligan defeated Nick Kozak to retain the NWA International Heavyweight Title
– On January 2, 1975, Mulligan defeated Dick Murdoch to retain the NWA International Heavyweight Title. He would lose the title to Murdoch on January 6, before regaining it on January 10 and finally losing it for good on January 22
– On August 26, The Blackjacks (Mulligan & Lanza) defeated Pat Barrett & Dominic DeNucci to win the WWWF Tag Team Titles
– On September 12, The Blackjacks defeated Haystacks Calhoun & Pete Sanchez to retain the WWWF Tag Team Titles
– On September 20, The Blackjacks defeated Pat Barrett & Dominic DeNucci to retain the WWWF Tag Team Titles
– On October 6, The Blackjacks defeated Bruno Sammartino & Bobo Brazil to retain the WWWF Tag Team Titles
– On October 22, The Blackjacks defeated Pat Barrett & Dominic DeNucci to retain the WWWF Tag Team Titles
– On March 13, 1976, Mulligan defeated Paul Jones to win the NWA United States Title. He would retain the title against Jones three times into early April
– On April 15, Mulligan defeated Rufus R Jones to retain the NWA United States Title
– On April 22, Mulligan defeated Paul Jones to retain the NWA United States Title
– On May 1, Mulligan defeated Andre The Giant by DQ to retain the NWA United States Title
– The next day, Mulligan defeated Dusty Rhodes to retain the NWA United States Title
– On May 16, Mulligan defeated Wahoo McDaniel to retain the NWA United States Title
– On May 22, Mulligan defeated Paul Jones to retain the NWA United States Title
– On May 30, Mulligan defeated Wahoo McDaniel by DQ to retain the NWA United States Title
– On June 11, Mulligan defeated Paul Jones to retain the NWA United States Title
– On June 19, Mulligan defeated Rufus R Jones to retain the NWA United States Title
– On July 20, Mulligan again defeated Rufus R Jones to retain the NWA United States Title, and would do so six more times in the next month
– On August 27, Mulligan defeated Johnny Weaver to retain the NWA United States Title
– On September 10, Mulligan defeated Tiger Conway Jr to retain the NWA United States Title
– On September 24, Mulligan defeated Rufus R Jones in a Texas Death Match to retain the NWA United States Title
– On October 4, Mulligan defeated Paul Jones to retain the NWA United States Title
– Mulligan lost the NWA United States Title to Paul Jones on October 16, regained it on November 28, lost it back again on December 9, before regaining it once more on December 15
– On January 4, 1977, Mulligan defeated Paul Jones to retain the NWA United States Title and would do so seven more times through the rest of the month
– On February 3, Mulligan defeated Wahoo McDaniel to retain the NWA United States Title
– On February 8, Mulligan defeated Paul Jones to retain the NWA United States Title
– On February 28, Mulligan defeated Jones with George Scott as special guest referee to retain the NWA United States Title
– On April 17, Mulligan defeated Dino Bravo to retain the NWA United States Title
– On May 10, Mulligan again defeated Dino Bravo to retain the NWA United States Title
– On May 13, Mulligan defeated Thunderbolt Patterson to retain the NWA United States Title
– On May 30, Mulligan defeated Dino Bravo in a Lumberjack Match to retain the NWA United States Title
– On June 9, Mulligan defeated Bravo in a Cage Match to retain the NWA United States Title
– On January 1, 1978, Mulligan defeated Ricky Steamboat to regain the NWA United States Title
– On January 8, Mulligan defeated Mighty Igor to retain the NWA United States Title
– On January 19, Mulligan defeated Ricky Steamboat to retain the NWA United States Title
– On February 10, Mulligan defeated Paul Jones to retain the NWA United States Title
– On February 13, Mulligan defeated Bobo Brazil to retain the NWA United States Title
– The next day, Mulligan defeated Mr Wrestling to retain the NWA United States Title
– On February 28, Mulligan again defeated Mr Wrestling to retain the NWA United States Title
– On October 31, Mulligan & Dick Murdoch defeated Doug Somers & Roger Kirby to win the NWA Western States Tag Team Titles
– On August 8, 1979, Mulligan & Ric Flair defeated Paul Jones & Baron Von Raschke to win the NWA World Tag Team Titles and would retain them four times before losing them back on August 22
– By 1981, Mulligan was regularly competing as ‘Blackjack Mulligan Sr’, as his son (better known as Barry Windham) had begun his career as ‘Blackjack Mulligan Jr’
– On October 11, 1981, Mulligan defeated Bobo Brazil to win the WWA World Title
– On May 5, 1984, Mulligan defeated Black Bart to win the NWA Florida Brass Knuckles Title
– In late 1984, Mulligan returned to the WWF and began hosting an interview segment ‘Blackjack’s Barbeque’
– Mulligan retired from active competition in 1989
– Mulligan came out of retirement for one night only at Slamboree 1993, teaming with Wahoo McDaniel & Jim Brunzell to fight Dick Murdoch, Jimmy Snuka & Don Muraco to a no-contest
– In retirement, Mulligan worked for several southern promotions as a booker and eventually bought a stake of the Amarillo territory
– Mulligan was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2006 as a member of The Blackjacks
– In 2012, Windham became an ordained minister in Lake Saint Louis, Missouri
– Windham passed away on April 7, 2016