RIP - Jim Barnett

[Hisaharu Tanabe]

Surprised nobody mentioned the death of one of the greatest promoters in the history.

<!--QuoteBegin-"Wrestling Observer"+--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE ("Wrestling Observer")</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Legendary promoter Jim Barnett passes away

[email]"Dave@wrestlingobserver.com"[/email]Jim Barnett, one of pro wrestling's all-time most colorful and controversial characters inside of the business, passed away yesterday (Sept. 17th) at the age of 80.

Barnett had been battling cancer, and suffered a broken arm in a fall, necessitating surgery. He never recovered fully from the surgery, contracting pneumonia.

Barnett began in wrestling under Fred Kohler and was a major player when wrestling was on television in the Dumont Network, and was still working in an advisory role with World Wrestling Entertainment.

He was Ted Turner's closest confidante in wrestling, was the promoter during were the glory days of wrestling in Chicago, Indiana, Georgia and Australia and one of the leading executives during the WWE's 1984 expansion under Vince McMahon Jr. He also worked for WCW for much of the 90s. During the late 70s, he was possibly the most powerful promoter in the NWA, and was considered by most to be, along with Sam Muchnick and Frank Tunney, as the NWA's strongest powers over the duration of its history.

Barnett, who was gay, was also controversial in very negative portrayls in recent books by Jim Wilson and Ole Anderson. [/quote]It would have been great to read biography from him. Oh well...

RIP

[edgehead1984]

Well, Rest in Peace Mr. Barnett...You will be remembered.