Jimmy Garvin‏

Jan 8, 2016 - by Jamie Cruickshank

jimmy garvin

Real name: James Williams
Height: 5’10″
Weight: 235 lbs.
Date of birth: September 25, 1952
Born: Tampa, Florida
Pro debut: 1968
Trained by: Eddie Graham
Finishing move: Brainbuster

Biography

– Garvin began his career as ‘Beau James’ but soon became part of the kayfabe Garvin family alongside ‘brothers’ Terry & Ron
– In 1972, Garvin married Patti, better known as the valet ‘Precious’
– In July 1977, Garvin & Bob Ellis defeated Dennis Condrey & Phil Hickerson to win the NWA Mid-America Southern Tag Team Titles
– On December 5, 1978, Garvin & Killer Karl Kox defeated Dick Slater & Bob Roop to win the vacant NWA Florida United States Tag Team Titles
– On January 2, 1979, Garvin & Kox defeated Genichiro Tenryu & Mr Saito to retain the NWA Florida United States Tag Team Titles
– 5 days later, Garvin & Kox retained the titles against Mr Saito & Mr Sato
– On January 9, 1979, Garvin defeated Dick Slater to win the NWA Florida Heavyweight Title
– On March 26, 1979, Garvin defeated Thor the Viking to retain the NWA Florida Heavyweight Title
– Over the next week, he would defend the title against Thor & Bugsy McGraw
– In July 1979, Garvin & Steve Keirn defeated Bugsy McGraw & Thor the Viking to win the NWA Florida Tag Team Titles
– On November 5, 1979, Garvin & Herb Calvert defeated Sugar Bear Harris & Oki Shikina to win the NWA Tri-State United States Tag Team Titles
– On January 28, 1980, Garvin defeated NWA Florida Television Champion Bugsy McGraw by DQ
– On March 3, 1980, Garvin & Jack Brisco defeated NWA Florida Tag Team Champions Stan Lane & Bryan St John by DQ
– On March 10, 1980, Garvin & Jack Brisco defeated Stan Lane & Bryan St John to win the NWA Florida Tag Team Titles
– Two days later, Garvin & Brisco defeated Lane & St John to retain the NWA Florida Tag Team Titles. They would retain against the duo three more times before the month was out
– In October 1980, Garvin began a brief tour of Japan with New Japan Pro Wrestling
– In March 1981, Garvin defeated Ernie Ladd to win the Mid-South Louisiana Title
– On May 3, 1982, Garvin defeated Mr Wrestling II to win the NWA Florida Heavyweight Title
– On August 11, 1982, Garvin defeated Sweet Brown Sugar to win the NWA Florida Southern Heavyweight Title
– On October 27, 1982, Garvin defeated Terry Allen to win the vacant NWA Florida Bahamian Title
– In March 1983, Garvin defeated David Von Erich to win the NWA Texas Heavyweight Title
– On July 25, 1983, Garvin defeated Kerry Von Erich to win the vacant NWA American Heavyweight Title
– On October 24, 1983, Garvin defeated Chris Adams to win the WCCW Television Title
– On Christmas Day 1983, Garvin defeated Chris Adams to win the NWA American Heavyweight Title
– In early 1984, Garvin began competing as a semi-regular member of The Fabulous Freebirds, alongside Michael Hayes, Terry Gordy & Badstreet. His role would expand in the coming years
– On April 2, 1984, Garvin defeated Chris Adams to win the NWA American Heavyweight Title. He would lose and regain the belt from Adams later in the month
– In August 1984, Garvin returned to Japan, this time with All Japan Pro Wrestling
– In early 1985, Garvin would unsuccessfully challenge Rick Martel for the AWA World Heavyweight Title on their live show loop, losing by DQ each time
– On September 25, 1985, Garvin & Steve Regal defeated The Road Warriors (Hawk & Animal) to win the AWA Tag Team Titles
– On November 18, 1985, Garvin & Regal defeated Curt Hennig & Greg Gagne to retain the AWA Tag Team Titles
– A week later, Garvin & Regal defeated Buck Zumhofe & Scott Hall to retain the AWA Tag Team Titles
– In December 1985, Garvin & Regal would defend the AWA Tag Team Titles against The Road Warriors, The Freebirds (Roberts & Gordy), Zumhofe & Hall, Zumhofe & Larry Hennig and Hall & Curt Hennig
– In January 1986, Garvin & Regal defended the AWA Tag Team Titles against Hennig & Hall, The Road Warriors and Hall & Jerry Blackwell
– In March 1986, Garvin signed an exclusive contract with Mid-Atlantic Wrestling
– At Starrcade ’86, Garvin fought Brad Armstrong to a time-limit draw
– In July 1987, The Garvins (Jimmy & Ron) twice defeated NWA United States Tag Team Champions The Midnight Express (Bobby Eaton & Stan Lane) by DQ
– At Starrcade ’87, The Freebirds (Garvin & Hayes) & Sting fought Eddie Gilbert, Larry Zbyszko & Rick Steiner to a time-limit draw
– At Clash of the Champions II, Jimmy & Ronnie Garvin defeated The Varsity Club (Mike Rotunda & Rick Steiner)
– At The Great American Bash ’88, Jimmy & Ronnie Garvin, The Road Warriors & Steve Williams defeated Kevin Sullivan, Mike Rotunda, Ivan Koloff, Al Perez & The Russian Assassin in a Tower of Doom Match
– At Clash of the Champions VII, The Freebirds (Garvin & Hayes) competed in the NWA World Tag Team Title Tournament. They defeated The Dynamic Dudes (Shane Douglas & Johnny Ace) and The Midnight Express (Bobby Eaton & Stan Lane) on their way to victory
– On June 24, 1989, The Freebirds (Garvin & Hayes) defeated The Midnight Express (Bobby Eaton & Stan Lane) to retain the NWA Tag Team Titles
– On August 12, 1989, The Freebirds (Garvin & Hayes) defeated Bob Emory & Ray Lloyd to retain the NWA Tag Team Titles
– A week later, The Freebirds defeated Emory & Mark Smith to retain the NWA Tag Team Titles
– In September 1989, The Freebirds defended the NWA Tag Team Titles against The Steiner Brothers (Rick & Scott) and Luis Astea & Tommy Angel
– In October 1989, The Freebirds defended the NWA Tag Team Titles against Tommy Angel & Johnny Kennedy and The Italian Stallion & Tony Suber
– At Halloween Havoc ’89, The Freebirds defeated The Dynamic Dudes (Johnny Ace & Shane Douglas) to retain the NWA Tag Team Titles
– At Halloween Havoc ’90, The Freebirds defeated The Renegade Warriors (Chris & Mark Youngblood)
– At Clash of the Champions XIII, The Freebirds defeated The Southern Boys (Tracy Smothers & Steve Armstrong)
– Garvin remained with the former Mid-Atlantic promotion as it became the independent WCW promotion
– At Clash of the Champions XIV, The Freebirds defeated Tommy Rich & Alan Iron Eagle
– At WrestleWar ’91, The Freebirds defeated Doom (Butch Reed & Ron Simmons) to win the WCW Tag Team Titles
– 2 days later, they defeated Tim Horner & Brad Armstrong to retain the titles
– At SuperBrawl ’91, The Freebirds (Garvin & Hayes) defeated The Young Pistols (Tracey Smothers & Steve Armstrong) to win the vacant WCW United States Tag Team Titles
– On June 3, 1991, The Freebirds (Garvin, Hayes & Badstreet) defeated Junkyard Dog, Tommy Rich & Ricky Morton to win the WCW Six-Man Tag Team Titles
– At Clash of the Champions XVI, The Freebirds defeated The WCW Patriots (Todd Champion & Firebreaker Chip)
– At Starrcade ’91, Garvin & Marcus Alexander Bagwell defeated Michael Hayes & Tracy Smothers, but both would fall short in the BattleBowl
– At WrestleWar ’92, The Freebirds (Garvin & Hayes) defeated Terry Taylor & Greg Valentine to win the WCW United States Tag Team Titles
– On May 23, 1992, The Freebirds defeated Tracy Smothers & Diamond Dallas Page to retain the WCW United States Tag Team Titles
– At Clash of the Champions XIX, The Freebirds defeated Los Cowboys (El Texano & Silver King)
– In September 1992, Garvin left WCW and would take an extended hiatus from wrestling
– On June 3, 1994, The Freebirds (Garvin & Gordy) defeated Johnny Hawk & Black Bart to win the GWF Tag Team Titles. They were the final champions before the promotion closed in September
– In July 1994, The Freebirds (Garvin & Hayes) twice defended their GWF Tag Team Titles against Bill Irwin & Black Bart
– Following the closure of the GWF, Garvin retired. He would make 5 indy appearances between 1994 and 2000 before quitting for good
– On January 31, 2016, The Fabulous Freebirds (Garvin, Hayes, Terry Gordy and Buddy Roberts) were voted into the GERWECK.NET Hall of Fame
– The Fabulous Freebirds (Hayes, Gordy, Roberts and Garvin) were inducted into the WWE hall of fame on April 2, 2016 in Dallas, TX

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