Full Description
George Gordienko (1928-2002) may be the greatest wrestler you've never heard of. From humble, Ukrainian/Cossack immigrant roots in the Canadian Prairies, he endured a tough childhood during the Great Depression to emerge as a leading "shooter" and one-of-a-kind artist on the mat. Excluded from wrestling in the United States during the McCarthy era because of his association with the Communist Party as a young man, he was deprived of a run with the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, for which he was hand-picked by the great Lou Thesz. After retirement, Gordienko transitioned to a different sort of canvas and became a successful painter. This first full-length biography traces his remarkable career.
Contents
Table of Contents
Foreword by Bret Hart
Foreword: A Memory by Greg Oliver
Preface
Introduction
1. The World into Which He Came
2. The View from Winnipeg
3. Coming Into His Own
4. The Norseman Plunger
5. World Class Amateur
6. An Auspicious Start
7. Earning a Buick in San Francisco
8. Looking Like He Couldn't Miss
9. Hiatus
10. Back in the Saddle
11. Trip Around the World
12. Alberta Gold
13. If Thesz Had His Way...
14. Gordienko-Nelson: Returning the Favor
15. 1957-1958: Here and There
16. Back on the Treadmill
17. A Few Memorable Meetings
18. Back to Europe
19. Life at 4 Conyers Road
Between pages 110 and 111 are 8 color plates containing 11 photographs
20. Hottest Wrestler on the Continent
21. Friends Get Together in New Zealand
22. Autumn in Japan
23. Closing Out a Remarkable Decade
24. Adventure with Adnan
25. The Marchesa
26. More Tours and Travels
27. From One Butcher to Another
28. Flash Gordon
29. Crossing the Border
30. Looking Like the End
31. A Little More in the Tank
32. Father-Son Reunion—Part One
33. Dutiful Son Returns
34. Father-Son Reunion—Part Two
35. Tranquility and Tension
36. Decision to Downsize
37. Black Creek
38. Adding to His Legacy
39. Summing Up an Amazing Life
40. End of the Journey
41. Fulfilling George's Wishes
42. Looking Up the Marchesa
43. Filling In Blanks at the CAC
44. A Few More Honors
45. Final Thoughts
Bibliography
Index
