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Dorrance Wilhelm Funk[2] (May 4, 1919 – June 3, 1973) was an American professional wrestler. He is the father of wrestlers Dory Funk Jr. and Terry Funk, and was a promoter of the Amarillo, Texas-based Western States Sports promotion.

Key Information

Early life

[edit]

Funk was born in Hammond, Indiana, on May 4, 1919, as the son of Emma E. (Gust) and Adam Funk. He was an Indiana high school state champion amateur wrestler for three years at Hammond High School in Hammond, Indiana, as well as an Indiana State University Amateur Athletic Union champion for one year.[3]

Professional wrestling career

[edit]

Funk began his career as a professional wrestler after serving in the United States Navy during World War II, starting in the southwest United States. He wrestled primarily in the Texas territories and the Central States territories during his career. Mainly a junior heavyweight, he fought Iron Mike DiBiase, Mike Clancy, Danny Hodge and Verne Gagne. After Dory Jr. won the NWA Heavyweight championship in 1969, he was at ringside for many of his son's title defences.

Promoter

[edit]
Funk (right) in a 1972 Texas Death match against Ciclón Negro

Funk began promoting Western States Sports with Doc Sarpolis in Amarillo, Texas, where he led a thriving wrestling scene that produced many stars, including his sons Dory Funk Jr. and Terry Funk, as well as Stan Hansen, Harley Race, Gene Kiniski, Tully Blanchard, Ted DiBiase, Tito Santana, Bruiser Brody, Ricky Romero, Jumbo Tsuruta, and Genichiro Tenryu. Many of his wrestlers had played football at West Texas State University in nearby Canyon, Texas. Funk had a good business relationship with All Japan Pro Wrestling founder Shohei Baba, which led Funk's talent pool to useful international experience. Funk was also heavily involved with the Cal Farley Boys Ranch in Amarillo.[4]

On July 15, 2006, Funk was posthumously inducted into the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame at the International Wrestling Institute and Museum in Newton, Iowa. The award was accepted by his son, Terry.

Death

[edit]

Funk died at St. Anthony's Hospital after suffering a heart attack on June 3, 1973, at the age of 54, while demonstrating a wrestling hold at his home to a visitor at his Flying Mare Ranch in Umbarger, Texas.[5] He was buried at Dreamland Cemetery in Canyon, Texas.

Championships and accomplishments

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Dory Funk

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Dory Funk Jr., born Dorrance Earnest Funk on February 3, 1941, in Hammond, Indiana, is an American professional wrestler and trainer renowned for his contributions to the sport over seven decades. As the son of wrestling promoter and champion Dory Funk Sr. and older brother to fellow wrestler Terry Funk, he debuted in the ring on January 10, 1963, in Amarillo, Texas, quickly rising to prominence in the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA).[1][2][3] Funk's most notable achievement came on February 11, 1969, when he defeated Gene Kiniski in Tampa, Florida, to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, which he held for 1,563 days—the second-longest uninterrupted reign in the title's history—before losing it to Jack Brisco on May 24, 1973.[2][3] He and his brother Terry remain the only siblings to both hold the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, and together they captured multiple tag team titles, including versions in Florida and Texas. Funk's career extended internationally, with stints in promotions like All Japan Pro Wrestling, where he won the NWA International Heavyweight Championship twice, and he made his WWF (now WWE) debut in January 1986 alongside Terry.[1][2] Beyond wrestling, Funk established himself as a pivotal trainer through the "Dory Funk Method," founding the Funking Conservatory in Ocala, Florida, in 1999, where he has mentored Olympic gold medalist Kurt Angle, WWE Hall of Famers Edge and Lita, and the Hardy brothers (Matt and Jeff).[3][2] His legacy is cemented by multiple inductions into halls of fame, including the WWE Hall of Fame in 2009 (as part of The Funks with Terry), the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, and the International Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2022. At age 84, Funk continues to coach and occasionally compete, embodying the enduring Funk family tradition in professional wrestling.[4][5][6]

Early life and amateur career

Childhood and education

Dorrance Earnest Funk Jr., known professionally as Dory Funk Jr., was born on February 3, 1941, in Hammond, Indiana, to Dory Funk Sr. (Dorrance Wilhelm Funk) and Dorothy Culver Funk. He had a younger brother, Terry, who also became a professional wrestler. The family relocated to Amarillo, Texas, in 1947 when his father took a position as superintendent of the Texas Boys Ranch.[1][7][8] Raised in Amarillo, Funk attended Canyon High School, where he participated in football and amateur wrestling. After high school, he enrolled at West Texas State University on a football scholarship, playing as an offensive and defensive tackle for the Buffaloes. He earned a degree in English and contributed to team successes, including a Sun Bowl victory over Ohio University in his senior year, along with wins against Arizona State, Texas Tech, and Bowling Green.[9][10]

Amateur wrestling achievements

Dory Funk Jr. began practicing amateur wrestling at the age of seven at the Texas Boys Ranch in Amarillo, Texas, a program established by his father Dory Funk Sr. that involved daily wrestling sessions among over 100 boys, fostering his early development in mat-based techniques and endurance.[9] In high school, Funk competed in amateur wrestling while also playing football, building the athletic foundation and competitive mindset essential for his later career, though specific tournament records from this period remain limited in documentation.[9] During his collegiate years at West Texas State University, he shifted focus to football as an offensive and defensive tackle for the Buffaloes, contributing to team successes including a Sun Bowl victory over Ohio University and wins against Arizona State, Texas Tech, and Bowling Green in his senior season, which indirectly honed his physicality for wrestling transitions.[9] His amateur experiences emphasized submission-oriented styles, such as leg locks and toe holds, which he refined into professional signatures like the spinning toe hold, bridging his foundational skills to in-ring dominance.[11]

Professional wrestling career

In-ring career

Dory Funk Jr. trained under his father, Dory Funk Sr., and debuted on January 10, 1963, defeating Don Fargo in Amarillo, Texas, for his father's Western States Sports promotion.[3] Early in his career, he competed in NWA territories across the United States, facing opponents like Harley Race and Iron Mike DiBiase, and quickly established himself as a technical wrestler known for his amateur-style mat work and endurance in long matches.[12][1] Funk's career peaked on February 11, 1969, when he defeated Gene Kiniski in Tampa, Florida, to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, which he defended against top contenders including Jack Brisco, Dory's brother Terry Funk, and international stars like Antonio Inoki and Giant Baba during a record 1,568-day reign—the longest in the title's history—until losing it to Brisco on May 24, 1973.[3][12] He and Terry are the only siblings to both hold the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. Funk also captured numerous regional titles, including the NWA North American Heavyweight Championship (Amarillo version, four times) and NWA Florida Heavyweight Championship (four times), often teaming with Terry for tag team successes in Florida and Texas.[1][12] Internationally, Funk made over 70 tours of Japan with All Japan Pro Wrestling from 1972 to 1997, winning the NWA International Heavyweight Championship twice and participating in World's Strongest Tag Determination Leagues with Terry in 1977, 1979, and 1982.[3] He also worked in Australia, Canada, and other territories. In the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE), Funk debuted in January 1986 alongside Terry as "Hoss Funk," competing at WrestleMania 2 against Junkyard Dog and Tito Santana, and later appeared in the 1996 Royal Rumble.[12] Billed at 6 ft 4 in (193 cm) and 260 lb (118 kg), Funk's style emphasized scientific wrestling with stiff strikes and submissions.[1] Funk largely retired from full-time competition on March 1, 2008, defeating Genichiro Tenryu and Masanobu Fuchi in Japan, but has made sporadic appearances since, including matches against Jeff Jarrett and Tully Blanchard as late as 2024.[3][13]

Promoter and trainer role

Funk entered promotion in 1967, acquiring a 50% share in the Amarillo-based Western States Sports alongside his father, focusing on booking talent and events in the Texas Panhandle and surrounding areas.[14] Following Dory Sr.'s death in 1973, Funk and his brother Terry assumed full control, maintaining weekly television broadcasts on KVII Channel 7 and nurturing talents like Stan Hansen and Dusty Rhodes until selling the territory in the early 1980s amid the decline of regional promotions due to national expansion.[11][3] As a trainer, Funk developed the "Dory Funk Method," emphasizing technical fundamentals, match psychology, and injury prevention drawn from his amateur background. He began mentoring in the 1970s, training wrestlers like Jumbo Tsuruta for All Japan Pro Wrestling, and established the Funking Conservatory (initially Funking Dojo) in Ocala, Florida, in 1999.[3] The school has trained prominent wrestlers including Olympic gold medalist Kurt Angle, WWE Hall of Famers Edge and Lita, and the Hardy brothers (Matt and Jeff), as well as international stars like Chris Sabin.[3] Funk continues to coach at the Conservatory as of 2025.[15]

Personal life and family

Marriages and children

Dory Funk Jr. married his first wife, Jimmie, on June 8, 1960. The couple had three children: sons Dory III (born circa 1979, a doctor in Colorado) and Adam (born circa 1984, a technology facilitator for Amarillo Independent Schools), and daughter Penny (born circa 1980). They divorced in 1983.[16][9] Funk married his second wife, Marti McKinley, in 1984 after meeting her in 1980 while she handled merchandise for Championship Wrestling from Florida. Marti has supported his career as a photographer, videographer, and producer for their wrestling-related TV show. The couple resides in Ocala, Florida, and has no children together. Funk is the son of wrestler and promoter Dory Funk Sr. and brother to wrestler Terry Funk; the family settled in Amarillo, Texas, during his youth.[9][17]

Community involvement

Funk has engaged in charitable activities, often tying them to his wrestling career. He and Marti donated to the Humane Society of Marion County in January 2022 as part of the Betty White Challenge. Through the Funking Conservatory, he has hosted charity wrestling shows, such as events benefiting Champions for Champions (for special needs children) and other youth causes, following the philanthropic example set by his father. These efforts include ticket donations from professional wrestling cards to support local organizations in Ocala and Amarillo.[18][19][20]

Legacy

Dory Funk Jr. has been recognized for his extensive contributions to professional wrestling through multiple hall of fame inductions. In 2009, he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as part of "The Funks" alongside his brother Terry, honoring their combined achievements including NWA World Heavyweight Championship reigns and tag team successes.[21] He was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2011, joining his father Dory Funk Sr. (2006) and brother Terry (1995), making the Funks the first family with three members enshrined.[5] In 2022, Funk was inducted into the International Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame, acknowledging his over 60-year career and influence as a wrestler and trainer.[22] Funk's training legacy is highlighted by the Funking Conservatory, where he developed numerous stars using the "Dory Funk Method," including WWE Hall of Famers Kurt Angle, Edge, and Lita, as well as the Hardy Boyz. His approach emphasizes technical proficiency and storytelling in the ring.[3] The Funk family's dynasty continued to be celebrated in 2025 when Dory Funk Sr. was posthumously inducted as a Legacy member into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2025, with Dory Jr. present at the ceremony.[23] Funk's influence extends through documentaries like The Funks (2016), which explores the family's multi-generational impact on territorial and national wrestling promotions.[24]

Championships and accomplishments

Wrestling titles

Dory Funk Jr. is a former NWA World Heavyweight Champion, holding the title for a record 1,568 days from February 11, 1969, to May 24, 1973, the longest uninterrupted reign in its history.[25][3] In the Amarillo territory (Western States Sports), Funk won the NWA Brass Knuckles Championship (Amarillo version) twice: first in 1967 and again on November 28, 1968, defeating Pat O'Connor.[26] He also held the NWA North American Heavyweight Championship (Amarillo version) once and the NWA Western States Heavyweight Championship. Additionally, with his brother Terry Funk, he captured the NWA World Tag Team Championship (Amarillo version) three times and the NWA Western States Tag Team Championship six times (with various partners).[27][3] Funk's tag team success with Terry extended to other territories, including the NWA Florida Tag Team Championship (once, 1974), NWA North American Tag Team Championship (Florida version, twice), NWA Georgia Tag Team Championship (once), and NWA World Tag Team Championship (Los Angeles version, once). In Florida's Championship Wrestling from Florida, he won the NWA Florida Heavyweight Championship four times (1969, 1971–1972, 1976–1977) and the NWA Florida Television Championship twice.[28][1] Internationally, Funk won the NWA International Heavyweight Championship twice in All Japan Pro Wrestling (1976, 1980) and once in Florida. He also held the NWA Americas Heavyweight Championship (Los Angeles version) once and the WWC Universal Heavyweight Championship once in World Wrestling Council. Other singles titles include the CWA World Heavyweight Championship (once), NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship (twice), NWA Missouri Heavyweight Championship (once), and ICW Heavyweight Championship (once).[29][30]

Other achievements

Funk was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2009 as part of The Funks with brother Terry, inducted by Dusty Rhodes. He is also a member of the NWA Hall of Fame (2010), Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame (2008), and International Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame (2022). In 2017, he and Terry were inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.[31][5][3] Funk co-won the Real World Tag League in All Japan Pro Wrestling three times with Terry (1983, 1984, 1990). He ranked #48 in the PWI 500 in 1991 and was named Most Outstanding Wrestler by the Cauliflower Alley Club in 2004. Funk is credited with popularizing the spinning toe hold submission maneuver.[32][3]

References

  1. Dory Funk Jr. - Pro Wrestlers Database - The SmackDown Hotel
  2. Dory Funk Jr. Biography | Booking Info for Speaking Engagements
  3. Biography - Dory Funk Jr. | Never Quit
  4. Dory Funk Jr. ready to return home for induction | WWE
  5. Dory Funk, Jr. - National Wrestling Hall of Fame
  6. Dory Funk | INTERNATIONAL PRO WRESTLING HALL OF FAME
  7. Funk, Dorrance Wilhelm - Texas State Historical Association
  8. Dory Funk (1919-1973) - Find a Grave Memorial
  9. Adam Funk, uncle to Terry and Dory, police chief
  10. Dory Funk Sr. - Slam Wrestling
  11. https://www.nwhof.org/hall_of_fame/bio/14424
  12. Dory Funk Sr. - Panhandle Sports Hall of Fame
  13. The Legend of Dory Funk Sr.
  14. The Ring is Dory Funk Jr's office
  15. Western States Sports - Funk Amarillo Territory - Pro Wrestling Stories
  16. Dory Funk, Sr. - National Wrestling Hall of Fame
  17. https://www.cagematch.net/?id=2&nr=1395&name=Dory%2BFunk%2BSr.
  18. Dory Funk Sr. - Pro Wrestlers Database - The SmackDown Hotel
  19. Dory Funk Sr. & “Iron” Mike DiBiase and the match that lasted over ...
  20. DORY FUNK SR May 4, 1919 - June 3, 1973 - WrestlingEpicenter.com
  21. Special Issue: 2025 WWE Hall of Fame Legacy Edition, Funk Sr ...
  22. Championship Wrestling from Amarillo (1971)
  23. The Last Outlaw by Stan Hansen with Scott Teal - Crowbar Press
  24. Funk Conservatory Dory's latest triumph - Slam Wrestling
  25. Funk's Corner – A Tribute to Jumbo Tsuruta - Inside Pulse
  26. Dory Funk Jr. Wrestling History
  27. Terry Funk (1944-2023) - Find a Grave Memorial
  28. Doree Ann Funk (1969-2014) - Find a Grave Memorial
  29. Dory Funk Sr.
  30. Amarillo Daily News Archives, Dec 24, 1976, p. 12
  31. Family & faith dominates Tragos/Thesz induction - Slam Wrestling
  32. Kamala, Dory Funk Sr., and Ivan Koloff named 2025 WWE Hall of ...
  33. DVD Release – “The Funks” doc now available – interviews with ...
  34. Texas Brass Knuckles Title (W. Texas) - Pro-Wrestling Title Histories
  35. Dory Funk Sr - Online World of Wrestling
  36. NWA Southern Tag Team Title (Florida) - Pro-Wrestling Title Histories
  37. NWA Florida Southern Tag Team Championship - Cagematch
  38. https://prowrestling.fandom.com/wiki/Dory_Funk_Sr.
  39. The Unbreakable Bond Between Terry Funk and Japanese Fans
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