Jim Raschke
James Donald Raschke is an American retired professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Baron von Raschke.
After a successful amateur wrestling career and a stint in the United States Army, James Raschke started in professional wrestling in 1966 in the American Wrestling Association as a referee. He was soon wrestling under his real name, playing off of his amateur wrestling notoriety in the area. He eventually changed his ring name to Baron von Raschke and claimed to be from Germany. He would do a goose-step and then put his finisher known as the "brainclaw", on his opponent. Earlier in his career, the Von Raschke had a finishing maneuver known as the "Prussian sleeper", a rather complex variation of a traditional sleeper hold. His mantra at the time was; "I am ordered to win! I must win! And I will win!"
Throughout the 1970s and early 1980s he held numerous singles and tag team titles throughout several NWA and AWA territories, as well as wrestling for the WWWF, where his claw hold was "censored" by a huge red X on WWWF television because it was considered such a violent act. Managed by Fred Blassie, Von Raschke's highest-profile match of his 1970s WWWF run came in March 1977, where he wrestled WWWF World Heavyweight Champion Bruno Sammartino for the title at Madison Square Garden in New York. Von Raschke lost the match by disqualification when, after Sammartino became tied up in the ropes, he shoved the referee away as he had his clawhold applied to Sammartino's head. Sammartino defeated Von Raschke in a rematch a month later at Madison Square Garden, marking Sammartino's last successful title defense before losing the belt to Superstar Billy Graham.
In 1978, Von Raschke was recognized as the first NWA Television champion (the Mid Atlantic Television title had been renamed).
In May 1984, Raschke and The Crusher defeated Jerry Blackwell and Ken Patera for the AWA World Tag Team Championship. They would lose the belts in August of that same year to The Road Warriors.
Known For | Acting |
---|---|
Most Rating | 0.808 |
Birthday | 1940-10-18 |
Place of Birth | Omaha, Nebraska, USA |
Also Known As | James Donald Raschke, Baron Von Raschke, The Baron, Jimmy Raschke, The Clawmaster, Fritz von Raschke, |
2006
WWE: The Spectacular Legacy of the AWA
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The Spectacular Legacy of the AWA.
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1983
AWA Christmas Night 1983
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1983
AWA Christmas Show 1983
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AWA Christmas Show 1983
1984
AWA Christmas Show 1984
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AWA Christmas Show 1984
1985
PWUSA Star Wars
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1985
PWUSA Mayhem at The Meadowlands
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1985
AWA Super Clash
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1993
WCW Slamboree 1993
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1999
Mad Dog Vachon: Wrestling with the Past
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2021
The Claw
10/1
A documentary about legendary wrestler and all around supervillain Baron von Raschke by director Philip Harder.
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1973
The Wrestling Queen
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2016
Back To The Territories: Indianapolis
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2006
Grand Masters of Wrestling: First Blood Vol. 2
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1990
AWA SuperClash IV
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1985
AWA StarCage
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1986
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1988
WWE SummerSlam 1988
7.4/7
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1982
NWA Sam Muchnick Retirement Show
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1986
The First Annual NWA Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup Tag Team Tournament
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The first Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup Tag Team Tournament was held on April 19, 1986. The tournament featured 24 tag teams.
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1986
NWA Great American Bash '86 Tour: Charlotte
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1986
NWA Great American Bash '86 Tour: Greensboro
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1986
NWA Starrcade '86: The Night of The Sky-Walkers
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1987
The Second Annual NWA Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup Tag Team Tournament
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The second Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup Tag Team Tournament was held over two nights, April 10 and 11, 1987. The tournament included 24 tag teams.
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