From a phone conversation (in 2010) w/ Stan Hansen

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From a phone conversation with the legendary Stan "The Lariat" Hansen from his home in Waco, Texas on Friday. Stan was up my way in OKC a few weeks ago while his son Shaver was playing baseball for the Baylor Bears in the Big 12 Tournament but we were unable to hook up. Stan, 60 years old, is doing great and making a few autograph conventions from time to time and getting ready to watch his younger son play college baseball for the University of Texas at Arlington. We talked old times specifically when Stan and Frank "Bruiser Brody" Goodish were a young, physical tag team in Mid South Wrestling for Bill Watts. Watts wanted to separate the two big bruisers which they did not like. Stan told me that even though both he and Brody were not willing to split at that time that they both realized years later that Watts was correct when he said that both men would make much more money as single stars than as a tag team. Hansen and Goodish/Brody had an eventful, short run in Memphis that ended not long after they wrestled the team of Jerry Lawler and Austin Idol. Idol told Lawler that if Idol ever had to wrestle either Hansen or Brody again that Idol was quitting the wrestling business for good. Indeed, Stan Hansen and Bruiser Brody were physical, athletic, big men who asked no quarter and certainly gave none. I actually refereed many of their matches in the mid 70's. Hansen delivered the most devastating close line I ever witnessed and I have seen a few including JBL's "Close Line from Hell."

Stan's son Shaver was the 6th round draft pick of the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball and is a power hitting 3rd baseman. I have promised to buy the BBQ the next time Stan and his family are in Norman of which I look forward.

-Shaver Hansen, the son of Stan, was the sixth round draft choice of the Seattle Mariners in yesterday's baseball draft. Hansen played at Baylor and was one of the
nation's top college home run hitters.