‘Handsome’ Harley Race, whose championship pro wrestling career took off in KC, dies

Harley Race, one of professional wrestling’s most popular figures, has died. He was 76.

His death was announced Thursday afternoon by World Wrestling Entertainment, whose Hall of Fame includes Race, and his own Twitter account.

“Today at 12:50, we lost the man that fought up until the very last of his existence. More information will be released soon, but just know that he loved pro wrestling and the fans that loved him,” the post on @8XNWAChampion said.

Race twice called Kansas City home. He was born in Quitman, Missouri, near Maryville and moved to Savannah as a teenager.

He started training as a professional wrestler at 16 and first entered the ring in St. Joseph. He was driving when a crash took his wife’s life and injuries nearly derailed Race’s career.

But after rehabilitation, Race’s career was reborn in St. Joseph and Kansas City. He wrestled in the American Wrestling Association as “Handsome” Harley Race and teamed with “Pretty Boy” Larry Henning. They were cast as villains in the wrestling world.

Race won his first individual title in 1973 when he defeated Dory Funk Jr. to become the NWA world heavyweight champion.

“I was the big thing in wrestling,” Race told The Star in a 2013 interview before he was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.

Race and Ric Flair were involved in one of wrestling’s most memorable matches, a 1983 cage match in Greensboro, North Carolina. Flair won the match. Both left the ring with bloodied faces.

In 1986, Race joined Vince McMahon’s World Wrestling Federation, now known as WWE, and won his first “King of the Ring” event.

He won several other regional titles and managed wrestlers. Race operated NWA territories in Kansas City and St. Louis.

In 1999, Race started a wrestling academy that continues today in Eldon, Missouri. It has since relocated to Troy.

His last match occurred in 2014. Race is a member of every pro wrestling hall of fame.

According to his Twitter account, Race was hospitalized on July 12 and returned home on July 23. A cause of death has not been announced.

This story was originally published August 1, 2019 at 2:48 PM.