Buddy Austin

Though a mainstay in the west,  Buddy Austin only had a handful of Arizona matches when Roy Shire tried to start running the area. Shire did not last long and he went back to California/Nevada with his crew.

Buddy was seen far more often in California and Texas. Usually, he played the role of a mouthy, strutting heel, who used a piledriver to win things.

One of the high points in Austin's career came in the Los Angeles area when as a heel, he was turned on by partner Fred Blassie, to become a baby. He an Blassie had a number of bloody matches. One of the L.A. bouts which saw both men bathed in blood made it to the magazines.

Strangely, while he was such a draw for a tome in neighboring California, it is mind boggling he did not take or get more Arizona bookings.

Austin died several years ago from a heart attack after retiring from the game.