Terry Funk facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Terry Funk
Funk as NWA World Heavyweight Champion in 1976
Birth name	Terrence Funk
Born	(1944-06-30)June 30, 1944 Hammond, Indiana, U.S.
Died	August 23, 2023(2023-08-23) (aged 79) Amarillo, Texas, U.S.
Alma mater	West Texas State University
Spouse(s)	Vicki Weaver ​ ​ (m. 1965; her death 2019)​
Children	2
Family	Dory Funk Sr. (father) Dory Funk Jr. (brother)
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)	Black Baron Chainsaw Charlie Dr Knows-it-All Terry Funk The Texan
Billed height	6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Billed weight	247 lb (112 kg)
Billed from	Amarillo, Texas
Trained by	Dory Funk
Debut	1965
Retired	2017

Terrence Funk (June 30, 1944 – August 23, 2023) was a famous American professional wrestler. He was known for wrestling for over 50 years! Terry Funk also helped create a tough wrestling style called hardcore wrestling. Many people think he is one of the best professional wrestlers ever.

During his long career, Funk wrestled for many big wrestling companies. These included All Japan Pro Wrestling, Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), and World Championship Wrestling (WCW). He also wrestled for the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). Terry Funk was also in charge of a wrestling company called Western States Sports in Amarillo, Texas.

Terry Funk won many important wrestling titles. Some of these include the ECW World Heavyweight Championship and the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. He also won the WWF World Tag Team Championship. Terry Funk was honored in several wrestling halls of fame. These include the WWE, WCW, and NWA Halls of Fame.

Terry Funk's Early Life

Terry Funk was born on June 30, 1944, in Hammond, Indiana. His father, Dory Funk Sr., was also a professional wrestler. After World War II, his family moved to Amarillo, Texas. Terry and his brother, Dory Jr., grew up around the wrestling business.

After high school, Terry went to West Texas State University. There, he played football and competed in amateur wrestling.

Terry Funk in Movies and TV

Terry Funk was not just a wrestler; he also appeared in movies and on TV! In 1989, he was in the movie Road House with Patrick Swayze. He played a bouncer in the film.

In 1999, Terry Funk was featured in a wrestling documentary called Beyond the Mat. This movie showed how tough he was. Doctors told him he should not even be able to walk without a lot of pain. He also appeared in other movies like Paradise Alley and Over the Top.

Terry Funk also helped choreograph a fight scene in the movie Rocky V. His name can be seen in the movie's end credits. In 2005, he released a book about his life called Terry Funk: More Than Just Hardcore.

In 1985, Funk was in a TV show called Wildside. He also appeared in some WWE video games. These include WWE SmackDown vs Raw 2008 and WWE SmackDown vs Raw 2011. In WWE '13, you could play as his "Chainsaw Charlie" character. In 2022, Terry Funk released his own comic book.

Terry Funk's Family and Later Life

Terry Funk married his wife, Vicki Ann, on August 14, 1965. They had two daughters named Stacy and Brandee. For many years, Terry and Vicki owned a ranch in Canyon, Texas. Vicki sadly passed away on March 29, 2019.

Terry Funk was good friends with NFL player John Ayers. He was also close with actor Sylvester Stallone. In 2016, Terry Funk had surgery for a hernia. Even though he was supposed to rest, he still went to wrestling shows.

In 2021, it was reported that Terry Funk was living with dementia. However, by the end of 2021, he had returned home and was doing well.

Terry Funk passed away on August 23, 2023, at 79 years old. The Friday Night SmackDown show on August 25, 2023, was dedicated to him. It also honored Bray Wyatt, another wrestler who passed away a day after Funk.

Terry Funk's Wrestling Achievements

Terry (left) and his brother Dory Funk Jr. were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2009.

Funk's Hardcore Hall of Fame banner in the former ECW Arena

Terry Funk won many championships and awards throughout his amazing career. Here are some of his biggest achievements:

• All Japan Pro Wrestling
  • World's Strongest Tag Determination League (1977, 1979, 1982) – with Dory Funk, Jr.
• Cauliflower Alley Club
  • Iron Mike Mazurki Award (2005)
• Championship Wrestling from Florida
  • NWA Florida Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
  • NWA Florida Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Dory Funk, Jr.
• Extreme Championship Wrestling
  • ECW World Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
  • ECW Television Championship (1 time)
• George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame
  • Class of 2010
• Georgia Championship Wrestling
  • NWA Georgia Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Dory Funk, Jr.
• Hardcore Hall of Fame
  • Class of 2005
• International Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame
  • Class of 2021
• Jim Crockett Promotions / World Championship Wrestling
  • NWA/WCW United States Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
  • WCW Hardcore Championship (3 times)
  • WCW Hall of Fame (Class of 1995)
• Juggalo Championship Wrestling
  • JCW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
• National Wrestling Alliance
  • NWA Hall of Fame (Class of 2009)
  • NWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
• NWA Big Time Wrestling
  • NWA Brass Knuckles Championship (Texas version) (1 time)
• NWA Hollywood Wrestling
  • NWA Americas Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
  • NWA International Tag Team Championship (3 times) – with Dory Funk, Jr.
• Pro-Pain Pro Wrestling
  • 3PW World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
• Pro Wrestling Illustrated
  • PWI Feud of the Year (1989) vs. Ric Flair
  • PWI Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year (1997)
  • PWI Stanley Weston Award (2021)
  • PWI Wrestler of the Year (1976)
• Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum
  • Class of 2004
• Southwest Championship Wrestling
  • SCW Southwest Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
• Squared Circle Wrestling
  • 2CW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
• St. Louis Wrestling Hall of Fame
  • Class of 2010
• St. Louis Wrestling Club
  • NWA Missouri Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
• Stampede Wrestling
  • Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame (Class of 1995)
• Tokyo Sports
  • Lifetime Achievement Award (1983)
  • Match of the Year Award (1980) with Dory Funk, Jr. vs. Giant Baba and Jumbo Tsuruta
• United States Wrestling Association
  • USWA Unified World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
• Western States Sports
  • NWA Brass Knuckles Championship (Texas version) (2 times)
  • NWA Western States Heavyweight Championship (12 times)
• World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment
  • WWF Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Cactus Jack
  • WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2009)
• Wrestling Observer Newsletter
  • Best Brawler (1989)
  • Best Heel (1989)
  • Feud of the Year (1989) vs. Ric Flair
  • Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 1996)

Terry Funk's Film and TV Appearances

Movies

Television Shows

Terry Funk's Music Albums

• Texas Bronco (1983)
• Great Texan (1984)
• Tougher Than Shoe Leather (2018)

Images for kids

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  Funk in September 2013.

See also

In Spanish: Terry Funk para niños