WWE Black History Month: Ernie Ladd

Each week during the month of February, we will highlight the contributions of one of the many African-American wrestlers who have helped shape the landscape of the WWE.

At 6’9, 315 lbs, Ernest “Ernie” Ladd (AKA The Big Cat) was one of the largest wrestlers to ever step foot inside the squared circle. He was so imposing and flamboyant that he drew attention no matter where he went, and that’s just the way he wanted it. In a 2011 article for Fox Sports, legendary WWE announcer Jim Ross recalls the first time he met Ladd in a New Orleans airport in the 1970s. Ross had been sent by promoter Cowboy Bill Watts to pick up Ladd for a special match later that evening:

"“Notwithstanding his immense size, he stepped off the plane and into the terminal wearing a lime green leisure suit with a matching hat and green, snakeskin shoes … size 18 for the record.”"

Although Ladd attended Grambling State University on a basketball scholarship it wasn’t long before the gridiron came calling. He was drafted by the AFL’s San Diego Chargers in 1961 and had a successful career (eventually being inducted into the Charges Hall of Fame), but a tense relationship with management would ensure his days were numbered. Ladd had always been a fan of professional wrestling and started to dabble in 1961 during his football off-season. He fought tirelessly for the rights of AFL players during a time when blacks were being openly discriminated against by hotels and restaurants.

As a result of his efforts, the 1965 AFL All-Star Game was moved from New Orleans to Houston, similar to the blowback currently being felt by North Carolina over the controversial HB2 (AKA The Bathroom Bill). After he left the Charges that same year, he played for the Houston Oilers and Kansas City Chiefs before trading in his pads for tights and wrestling full time in 1969.

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Ladd’s love of the spotlight and his natural charisma made him perfect for the squared circle. Not only did he refer to himself in the third person long before Stone Cold or The Rock, Ladd relished the role of heel. During a time when African American wrestlers were still trying to prove themselves as capable alongside their peers, almost none of them were willing or allowed to be villains. Racist agitators across the country had attempted to paint black people as naturally violent and the wrestling promoters of the 1960s and 70s had no interest in perpetuating such a hateful stereotype. The Big Cat had other ideas.

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Not only was Ladd great at generating heat, but he had a “zero fear” mentality that would rival that of Pentagon, Jr. His size and strength made him a force to be reckoned with for any opponent in the ring or any bigoted fan foolish enough to cross the kayfabe barrier. Sometimes his antics blurred the line between playful and offensive, such as when he referred to Choctaw-Chickasaw Native American wrestler Wahoo McDaniel as “the drunken Indian”. In those days, pro wrestling was serious business and Ladd knew exactly how to push people’s buttons. This larger than life black man was going to come into your town, taunt and embarrass you and your heroes, and there was nothing you could do about it.

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After a career that included numerous NWA championships and memorable feuds with the likes of Andre the Giant, Bruno Sammartino, and Junkyard Dog, Ernie Ladd was inducted into the WCW Hall of Fame in 1994, the WWE Hall of Fame in 1995, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame in 1996, and the NWA Hall of Fame in 2013. He was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2003 and died in 2007 at the age of 68. During his journey, Ladd left his mark on not just the business of professional wrestling, but on many other legends who would take his messages to heart. Life-long friend Jim Ross reminds us that Ladd had an effect on more people than maybe even he realized:

"“From presidents like George H.W. Bush, who sought Ernie’s counsel, to the AFL becoming more aware of their black athletes thanks to Ladd’s efforts, to swimming in great-white-infested wrestling waters, he also taught a rural Oklahoma country boy the true meaning of respect among all people no matter the color of their skin.”"

What did you remember about Ernie Ladd the most?

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