Baron Von Raschke

Real Names - James Donald Raschke
Birthdate - ?/?/40
??? - Omaha, NB

Aliases - The Baron

Athletic background - Wrestling (US Olympic Team), Football (University of Nebraska)

Teachers - Verne Gagne, Mad Dog Vachon

Professional background - AWA(`66), Montreal(`67), Detroit(`68), St. Louis(`68), WCCW(`69), WWA(`70-`7?), Pittsburgh, AWA(`74-`77), WWWF, Mid-Atlantic(`77-`79), Georgia(`80), Mid-Atlantic(`83), AWA(`84-`85), JCP/NWA(`86-`87), WWF(`88), AWA(`88-`91), Indies(`91)

Groups - Baron's Blitzers

Peak Years - `70-`78

Career Highlights - n/a

Finisher(s) -
- The Iron Claw/Brain Claw

Favorites -
- Piledriver
- Back Suplex
- Hip Toss
- Shoulder Block
- Overhead Forearm

move set - 6
science - 4
aerial - 0
power - 6
strikes - 5

Intangible Rating -
entertainment - 8
selling - 6
bumping - 7
carrying - 4
heat - 8
legacy - 6

Place in History - Baron Von Raschke was one of the premier heels in the 60s and 70s as an evil German monster, but later became one of the major fan favorites in his later years. Jim Raschke came from a decorated amateur background: Nebraska state champ in high school, placed in the Big 8 his sophomore and junior years before winning it his senior year for the Cornhuskers, won a Bronze Medal in the 1963 World Games (and was the second American to ever even place), two consecutive Gold Medals in the Army Championships, AAU Championships in both Greco-Roman and Freestyle in `64 and he made the US Olympic team in `64. Unfortunately days before he left to compete an injury put Raschke out and his amateur career ended. As luck would have it, he found pro-wrestling and pursued it. Mad Dog Vachon took a liking to Raschke and helped him transform into Baron Von Raschke. He quickly became a top player and began touring around and building a name for himself like other "German" heels: Fritz Von Erich, Hans Schmidt and ???. The Baron is typically remembered as a star of the AWA, where started and ended his career, but he spent plenty of time all over the United States. He was an imposing figure who played the role of a hated German to a tee both in the ring and on the mic. His goosestepping was that of a maniacal heel in the 60s and 70s, but it became the trademark of his comebacks in the 80s. Raschke's famed Claw hold, sometimes called the "Iron Claw," sometimes the "Brain Claw," was a tremendous finisher that he got over at every turn. Despite playing a German, Raschke didn't have a mouthpiece and was an excellent talker with a distinctive voice and his "Dat Is All Da People Need To Know" catchphrase. Jim Raschke was a top flight amateur wrestler who went pro and became one of the greats as Baron Von Raschke.