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Post by Asaemon on Sept 28, 2020 19:13:32 GMT 1
Frank Andersson
The Man of the Headlines
As an eight-year-old, Frank Andersson began to perform his first wrestling moves at his home in Trollhättan, Sweden. He always had a certain restlessness in his body, and he had that during all his life. Andersson was later diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. To some extent, it contributed very well to his success, because he could train extremely hard.
Frank Andersson became "Frankie Boy" with the Swedish people and synonymous with wrestling, but also with scandals and big headlines.
As a young super talent, Frank Andersson signed with the Sundsvall wrestling club in the 1970s. He was not always easy to deal with. Frank Andersson's time in Sundsvall, is when he was at the peak of his wrestling career.
He crashed the Porsche he received on request after moving to Sundsvall, and sent the bill for the repairs to the wrestling club.
Frank Andersson was also known for his life outside the wrestling mat which included both partying and fighting at nightclubs.
Frank Andersson winning the gold metal in 1977.
He had been forced to take painkillers due to his injuries and no wrestler wants to go to a World Championship final with only one fully functioning arm, but Frank Andersson managed to win the final of the Greco-Roman wrestling World Championships. Frank Andersson's amateur wrestling career included gold medals at the 1973 and 1975 Junior World Championships and as he got older he wrestled at a number of Greco-Roman wrestling World Championships over the years. In 1977, 1979 and 1982 he won the gold medal in the 90 kg (200 lb; 14 st) division. He also took the silver medal in 1978 and 1981. The pinnacle of his amateur wrestling career came in 1984 at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles where he won a bronze medal in the 90 kg weight division.
End of Part 1
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Post by jeronimoe on Sept 28, 2020 19:30:31 GMT 1
Frank was a very interesting figure. So glad to see this article. I am looking forward to see part 2. ^-^
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Post by Asaemon on Sept 29, 2020 16:36:48 GMT 1
Part II - Disco, Koskenkorva Vodka and Catch Wrestling
Frank's 1977 Disco vinyl single!
In 1977, the wrestler Frank Andersson was awarded the Svenska Dagbladet achievement medal after winning his first World Championship gold medal. Some believe that it was an even greater achievement that Frank recorded a disco single the same year. Frank / Frank’s Disco with the Swedish dance band Kinells. The song Frank and is largely about Frank Andersson's rumored reputation as a ladies man and a reveller. Andersson recorded the single "Frank / Franks Disco" in 1977 with the group Kinells, but according to himself he could not even sing. A bottle of Koskenkorva vodka came out to keep the nerves in check. During the recording of the song, Frank had fun and drank wildly.
Catch Wrestling!
In 1978, the Baltic Club organized a gala with powerlifting, weightlifting, bodybuilding, wrestling and karate. A rumble between the golden boy Frank Andersson and Swedish weightliftings showman Hoa-Hoa Dahlgren. Hoa-Hoa was world class heavyweight weightlifter. The Judge Ricky Brusch with a background as a superstar Discus thrower and in weightliftning and bodybuilding guaranteed that all moves was allowed in the catch wrestling match.
Frank Andersson won the Catch Wrestling match after flooring both Hoa-Hoa and the referee Ricky Brusch, to the audience's great delight.
Hoa-Hoa Dahlgren, Ricky Brusch and Frank Andersson!
End of Part 2
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Post by jeronimoe on Sept 30, 2020 17:59:38 GMT 1
very fun article. I had no idea Frank Anderson had this much stories behind him. Maybe we need to boost his Star quality in mods.  I even listened to his song fully. |
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Post by Asaemon on Oct 1, 2020 16:59:18 GMT 1
The trip to Las Vegas - and the infamous quote
'There are more stories about Frank Andersson than there are jungle sayings about the cartoon character The Phantom. The most famous is when Frank disappeared from the Swedish wrestling team at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics and went to Las Vegas.
When he returned, a reporter from one of Sweden's largest evening newspapers asked:
"What did you do there?"
"The cock must get it," said Frank. "
Before the Games in Los Angeles, Frank Andersson was one of the great Swedish gold medal hopes and the American television company NBC even called Frank one of the Olympics' seven superstars. But the dream ended with "only" a bronze medal and disappointment after a huge loss of points in the semifinals against the American Steve Frazer. Frank was so disappointed and gave away his medal to a taxi driver.
Frank Andersson and Hoa-Hoa Dahlgren
Former weightlifter Lennart "Hoa-Hoa" Dahlgren was a longtime friend of Andersson and for a period they lived together. Then Frank Andersson went out to buy milk - and did not return until several months later. "When Frank returned Hoa-Hoa just asked: "Where the hell is the milk?".
Frank Andersson was trained for his professional career by his long-time friend Brad Rheingans, a former Olympian as well, and made his debut on 3 May 1991 for the American Wrestling Association, defeating Randy Thornton. Within months, he went to Japan, wrestling for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW).
End of Part 3 |
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Post by Mike Haggar on Oct 3, 2020 11:05:43 GMT 1
Can't wait to read part 4
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Post by Asaemon on Oct 3, 2020 16:56:20 GMT 1
The WCW Years!
The Swedish WWF announce team; color commentator Hoa-Hoa Dahlgren and announcer Bruno Arvidsson.
The year is 1992 in the satellite tv heyday era! European wrestling fans could watch WWF on Sky and WCW on ITV in the UK; WWF on German Tele 5, WWF on French Canal+; WWF on Telecinco in Spain, WWF on RTP in Portugal; WWF on Tele+2 in Italy; and WWF on the Viasat media group channels in Scandinavia. This were a great period for wrestling fans. In 1993 the Swedish wrestling legend Frank Andersson had a tryout match with the WWF, defeating jobber Red Tyler on the WWF European Spring Tour in Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy in France. This match didn't result in a WWF contract and in a dream feud between Frank Andersson and the Finnish wrestler Ludvig Borga. The match all Scandinavians and Nordics would have hoped for. Eric Bischoff about Frank Andersson
One year later during the spring of 1994, Eric Bischoff makes his big swerve. He recruits Frank Andersson and also gets the Scandinavian media group Viasat (Sweden, Denmark and Norway) to jump ship from WWF to WCW. The scandinavian fans would get a custom WCW shows with a lot of Frank Andersson matches on TV3, while the actual WCW pay-per-views was available on the premium pay channel TV1000.
The Swedish WCW announce team; color commentator Hoa-Hoa Dahlgren and announcer Bruno Arvidsson.
Frank Andersson suplex compilation
Frank Andersson and Jimmy Hart
Frank Andersson vs. Booker T
Frank Andersson collection
Frank Andersson told a story about fellow WCW Power Plain trainee Paul "The Giant" Wight. Frank and Paul entered a burger restaurant before Paul Wight made his big breakthrough in the storyline with Hulk Hogan. According to Frank so it was completely dead silent in the hamburger restaurant and everyone just stared at the huge Paul Wight.
Frank Andersson continued to wrestle in WCW until 1995 before the restless soul returned to Sweden.
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Post by rabbitman on Oct 4, 2020 5:23:49 GMT 1
Did he ever get that milk?
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Post by jeronimoe on Oct 4, 2020 20:17:48 GMT 1
WCW years part made me fascinated. I loved to read it. Can't wait for the next part! |
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dakatos555
Dojo Trainee
I have made 1 posts
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Post by dakatos555 on Jul 8, 2021 14:17:49 GMT 1
Gosh, nostalgia! I loved and still miss those years. I grew up watching them like most, if not all of you guys. Also, on a side note, I loved Bischoff's run in WCW and even his first in the WWE, but ever since, I've come to really dislike him and his shoots on wrestlers and writers.
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