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Steve Williams is truly a fascinating guy!
If you don't believe me, read his just-released autobiography, "How Dr. Death Became Dr. Life."
Or talk to the hundreds of fans who had a chance to meet the wrestling legend, July 13-14, at the annual inductions into the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame weekend.
The pro hall of fame is headquartered in the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum, located in Waterloo, Iowa . Only pro wrestlers who could really wrestle are inducted. There is a nomination process and then the wrestlers are evaluated by a panel of 16 people that includes all living Hall of Famers and several historians.
Steve Williams was inducted, July 14, and was a smash hit over the weekend. He charmed folks on the golf course Friday afternoon at the Celebrity Golf Tournament, then wrestled on a pro card that night at Young Arena.
He was officially inducted Saturday morning at the museum as a huge overflow crowd watched. He was a member of the ninth group, the Class of 2007, which included Red Bastien (a tough, no-holds-barred carnival wrestler who had a long pro career), Dale Lewis (two-time NCAA champion at the University of Oklahoma and a member of two Greco- Roman Olympic teams), The Great Gama (an incredible wrestler from the 1910-1930 era) and the late Curt Hennig, known as "Mr. Perfect" in the pro ranks.
After the inductions, the honorees sat at tables in a special area where they signed autographs for over an hour and mingled with the fans. That night, they were invited to give a speech during the banquet.
It was interesting that Ed Banach, three-time NCAA champion and 1984 gold medalist, gave the invocation at the banquet, because Williams had some classic matches with Ed's brother, Lou. In fact, Ed and Steve were both among the 22 sports stars that played in the Celebrity Golf Tournament on Friday and got to relive some matches from the "old days," when the Sooners and Hawkeyes were on top of the amateur world.
STEVE WILLIAMS was a phenomenal athlete in high school at Lakewood, Colo ., and then at the University of Oklahoma. As a Sooner, Steve went double duty, playing football and wrestling. He appeared in four bowl games for the Sooners . and was a four-time All-American wrestler, as well. He was second in the NCAA tournament his senior year, losing in a close match in the finals to a pretty fair heavyweight by the name of Bruce Baumgartner.
"I wonder how good I could have been if I had just wrestled and channeled all my energies into just one sport, instead of two sports," said Steve several times over the weekend.
You should have heard him say that . and I mean really heard him!
Because Steve speaks now by placing a finger on a voice box in his throat. It was inserted after he was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2003 and almost died. The man, who high school and college fans nicknamed "Dr. Death" for his imposing physique and contentious demeanor, almost met his end. In fact, on three occasions, he was as close to death as a person can come.
How did he survive this vicious form of cancer? Two ways: his incredible toughness, both mentally and physically, and his unflinching trust in God. He writes about the ordeal in detail in his terrific autobiography, just published, entitled, "How Dr. Death Became Dr. Life."
"Right before my major surgery, I was lying in the hospital bed and praying and preparing for the will of God. As with all major surgeries, a member of the clergy came to pray with me. Along with my brother Jeff, we engaged in deep prayer.
"While praying, I felt the Holy Spirit working inside my body. The presence of God was unequivocally in the room. Because of this, I knew that everything was going to be fine and that the Lord would spare my life. Sure enough, nine hours later I had survived the operation."
After the euphoria of being alive, Steve was taken to his room and faced an incredible sight. They had cut his face from ear to ear!
"My head was swollen," he wrote. "I had a hole in my neck. I couldn't talk. As a person who made a living based on appearance, I was in total shock by the way I looked. I was also in serious pain. Next to God, morphine was my best friend."
Steve fought back with the same intensity that had made him a tremendous collegiate athlete in two sports, and one of the world's premier performers in the incredibly-demanding game of professional wrestling. He had become a superstar in America and then Japan during his 20-year pro career, carving out a reputation as one of the toughest men to ever step in a ring.
"There are stories about Steve Williams that would scare a normal person half to death," said Brad Rheingans, with a chuckle. Brad is another great amateur wrestler who made it big in the pros and is a member of the pro hall of fame. "Suffice it to say, 'Dr. Death' is a real legend in wrestling circles for his toughness.
" Another huge fan of Steve Williams is Barry Switzer, the legendary football coach of both the University of Oklahoma and the Dallas Cowboys . He wrote this about Steve in the foreword to How Dr. Death Became Dr. Life:
"In the time that I have been coaching, I have never seen any player physically tougher or stronger than Steve Williams. He was simply a force that no one, and no combination of 'someones,' could physically handle on the football field. He was so dominant. On the football field, he was truly a 300-pound 'monster' who intimidated many, if not most, of those against whom he played."
Switzer added that all coaches have four or five athletes they can never forget, and "Steve 'Dr. Death' Williams makes my list."
IN WATERLOO, Steve made a ton of new fans. He was at the golf tournament on Friday with his son Wyndam, 15, and was one of the most popular stars there. He then wrestled on the pro card Friday night at Young Arena, and signed photos and his book for two hours after the show. He was back at the museum for the inductions and signings on Saturday and spoke eloquently at the banquet Saturday night.
"I give all credit to God," he said over and over. "He's the reason I am here today."
One of his close friends, Ted DiBiase, known as the "Million Dollar Man" during his starring days in the WWE, received the Frank Gotch Award for his benevolent work outside the ring. Ted is now a minister who gives motivational speeches all around the nation, and is heading to Africa soon with two other pro wrestlers, Nikita Koloff and Father Jason Sanderson, to spread the word of Jesus Christ.
Steve Williams and Ted DiBiase were once tag-team partners, electrifying pro wrestling crowds all across the nation. They were larger than life figures in the squared ring, and were super stars. Now, both of them have found a new calling in life. And thousands of new fans and friends, as well.
"Steve Williams is an unbelievable man," said Kyle Klingman, associate director of the Gable Museum. "He was the most active person the entire weekend, going everywhere - golfing, wrestling, talking to hundreds of fans, signing books, being inducted. He did radio interviews for the museum and a TV interview.
"But what's most amazing is that he has to hold his finger to this throat to even talk and he was so upbeat the entire weekend, talking to everyone who came to meet him. He was a real pleasure to be around. I'm a huge fan and I know everyone else that met him is too."
Harry White, a long-time fan of pro wrestling, wrote the following on his web site: "Everyone enjoys themselves on a weekend like this. Few though could rival the fun that Steve Williams seemed to have.
"The wrestling on the card Friday, TV spot for the museum on Saturday morning and the award on Saturday night, Steve never seemed to stop smiling. Steve will continue to smile and be grateful for his best win ever.. that one being over cancer."
As for Steve Williams, the July 13-14 weekend is etched in his memory bank as one of the special events of his life.
"My mom was there and my brother and son," he said. "We all had such a wonderful time. The museum is first class all the way. I got to meet old friends like Dan Hodge, Ted DiBiase and Brad Rheingans, and so many others.
"It was very emotional watching Leonice Hennig (the widow of Curt) and Larry Hennig (Curt's father) get up and accept his award. And then I had to go on after them.Wow!
"And I had my picture taken with Dan Gable. There's a man I really respect. How much better could something be? I won't ever forget this weekend."
There is no doubt that Steve Williams is one of the toughest men to ever step on an amateur mat, or in the pro ring. When men like Barry Switzer, Brad Rheingans and Dan Hodge say so, then it is true. He didn't earn his famous nickname for nothing.
But there is also another side to "Dr. Death." His brush with death has given him a new outlook on life and an unshakeable belief that God spared him to do even more in the years ahead. His story is powerful and inspiring.
If you want to know more about Steve and his days as an amateur star and professional hero, I recommend that you purchase his book. How Dr. Death Became Dr. Life is available at his web site, or by ordering it through the museum in Waterloo ( 319-233-0745 or wrestlingmuseum.org .)
As I said at the outset, Steve Williams truly is a fascinating guy!
(Mike Chapman is the founder of W.I.N. and has written over 500 columns on the sport of wrestling. He is also the executive director of the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum in Waterloo, Iowa . Mike and his wife, Beverly, were given W.I.N.'s IMPACT of the Year Award for 1999, while Mike was named W.I.N. Journalist of the Year in 2006.) |
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