| Roy Welch | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Roy Edward Welch[1] |
| Born | (1901-12-19)December 19, 1901[1] Sallisaw, Oklahoma, United States[1] |
| Died | September 27, 1977(1977-09-27) (aged 75)[1][2] Trenton, Tennessee, United States[2] |
| Children | Penny Welch |
| Family | Jimmy Golden (grandson) Robert Fuller (grandson) Ron Fuller (grandson)[1] |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Roy Welch[1] |
| Billed height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm)[1] |
| Billed weight | 181 lb (82 kg)[1] |
| Trained by | Cal Farley[1] Dutch Mantell (Alfred Albert Joe de Re la Gardiur)[1] |
| Debut | 1930[1] |
| Retired | 1961[1] |
Roy Edward Welch (December 19, 1901 – September 27, 1977) was an American professional wrestler and promoter. He is best known as the promoter of theNWA Mid-America territory (also known simply as theNashville office) alongsideNick Gulas.
Welch began wrestling in 1930.[3] During the 1930s, he was a prominent tag team wrestler alongside his brother Herb Welch.[4]
The Welch brothers were recognized as the inauguralNWA Mid-AmericaAWA Southern Tag Team Champions in 1943. Welch won the title a second time withEddie Gossett in 1950, then twice more with Herb Welch in 1952.[5]
In 1944, the Welch brothers were recognized as theNWA World Tag Team Champions. They vacated the titles in 1946 after Herb Welch was injured in acar accident.[6]
In 1949, the Welch brothers were recognised as the inaugural NWA Tennessee Tag Team Champions after defeating Art Nelson and Earl Knielson.[7]
In 1949, the Welch brothers won theMid-Atlantic Championship WrestlingNWA Southern Tag Team Championship, holding the title until 1951.[8]
In 1956, Roy Welch andChris Tolos won the NWA Tennessee Tag Team Championship.[7]
Welch retired from professional wrestling in 1961.[1]
Welch began promoting in the 1940s,[9] establishing the Nashville office withNick Gulas.[3] Welch and Gulas' territory spanned Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Tennessee.[10] In 1949, Welch and Gulas joined theNational Wrestling Alliance.[3] Their promotion was known asNWA Mid-America.
In the early-1950s, Welch acquired theMobile-Pensacola (Gulf Coast) end ofLeroy McGuirk's Tri-State Wrestling promotion, turning it into its own promotion. Due to Welch's commitments in Nashville, his son Buddy Fuller (Edward Welch) was appointedbooker for Gulf Coast Championship Wrestling. Welch sold his interest in the promotion to Lee Fields in 1959–1960, who rebranded the promotionGulf Coast Championship Wrestling.
In 1960, Welch and Gulas were charged withconspiring to stop an investigation of their business practices, having allegedly made payments toSenatorEstes Kefauver (himself a former wrestler), who had made a complaint against them with theUnited States Department of Justice for obstructing his attempts to promote professional wrestling in opposition to them.[11]
In the 1960s, Welch hiredJerry Jarrett as an office assistant; Jarrett eventually became the booker for the Memphis area of Welch's territory,[12] taking over from Welch as his health declined.[13]
Welch retired from promoting in the 1970s due to ill health.[2] In 1977, shortly before Welch's death, NWA Mid-America was split in two after Jerry Jarrett broke away from Nick Gulas following a business dispute, with Welch siding with Jarrett.[3]
In addition to promoting, Welch owned a largedairy farm inGibson County, Tennessee[2] and a herd ofPoland China pigs.[14]
Welch had multiple relatives who became professional wrestlers, including his brothers Herb, Jack, and Lester,[3] his son Buddy, and his grandsonsJimmy Golden,Robert Fuller, andRon Fuller.[1][9]
Welch died on September 27, 1977, at the age of 75 in the Trenton Memorial Hospital inTrenton, Tennessee.[2]