Burrhead Jones facts for kids

Melvin Nelson (born 1936 or 1937 – died October 15, 2017) was an American professional wrestler. He was famous for his ring names, Jimmy Jones and Burrhead Jones. Because of the rules at the time, he sometimes worked as a referee. This happened when there were no other African American wrestlers for him to compete against.

Early Life of Melvin Nelson

Melvin Nelson was born and grew up in Moncks Corner, South Carolina. His father left before he was born. When he was two years old, his mother moved away to find work. Melvin was raised by his grandparents along with his five brothers and sisters.

He spent several years working in his family's cotton fields. At age 17, he moved to New York City. There, he found a job at a vegetable packing plant. Later, he worked as an elevator operator in a store.

Becoming a Professional Wrestler

Nelson started training to be a wrestler at a gym. This gym was close to the store where he worked. After getting stronger and learning wrestling moves, he was ready. Vincent J. McMahon hired him to wrestle for the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF). He was given the ring name Jimmy Jones.

From 1968 to 1971, he wrestled in some matches for the WWWF. One of his matches was against Ivan Koloff. Koloff later became a champion two months after their fight.

Challenges in Wrestling

Melvin Nelson also wrestled for other companies. Back then, many wrestling groups in the United States were separated by race. There were not enough African American wrestlers in one group. This meant it was hard to find enough opponents. So, Nelson often worked as a referee when he couldn't find another African American wrestler to compete against.

In the early 1970s, Nelson wrestled in Tennessee. He teamed up with other wrestlers like Bearcat Brown. They had many matches against famous wrestlers like Jerry Lawler. Later, he wrestled in Florida as well.

The Name Burrhead Jones

Nelson's ring name was changed to Cockleburrhead Jones by a promoter named Billy Hines. This was meant as a joke. The name was later shortened to Burrhead Jones. Some people thought the name was not kind. It referred to Nelson's afro hairstyle.

As Burrhead Jones, he wrestled in Montgomery, Alabama. At first, he played the role of a villain (a "heel"). In one match, he ended up covered in molasses and feathers. After this, another wrestler named Jimmy Golden came to help him. Golden was a fan favorite (a "face"). This led to a storyline where Golden helped Jones become a fan favorite too. They even won the Tri-State Wrestling Tag Team Championship together.

Nelson also had a similar match in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. After that match, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) protested. Because of their protests, several wrestling shows were cancelled.

Life After Wrestling

After he stopped wrestling in 1987, Melvin Nelson worked as a forklift operator. He lived in Moncks Corner, South Carolina. He also worked in advertising for a furniture store in Montgomery, Alabama.

In 2006, he moved back to New York City. He wanted to be closer to his children. Melvin Nelson passed away in a hospital in New York City on October 15, 2017. He was 80 years old.

Wrestling Achievements

• NWA Mid-America
  • NWA Southern Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
• Tri-State Wrestling
  • Tri-State Heavyweight Champion (1 time) in 1974
  • Tri-State Wrestling Tag Team Championship (1 time)