Throwback Thursday – Jobbers
So it seems as if most of the times when my Dad throws out a suggestion for Throwback Thursday (yes, he reads the blog), I have to do a ton of research for that person, mostly because he’s pulling guys from the past that I haven’t watched with my own eyes. Well, instead, I’m going to hold off on his suggestion for another week, and bring to you some of the hardest workers in the business. They may not be well known for their accolades (if they were lucky enough to get any), but they will always be remembered for getting the crap kicked out of them week in and out. They are pro wrestling’s jobbers.
If you don’t know what a jobber is, the simple definition is someone who is used as “enhancement talent” to make another wrestler look fantastic. Jobbers usually are used when a wrestler is making his/her debut, so that the new wrestler can gain some traction (good or bad) when it comes to the fans.
The most famous of all jobbers that comes to my mind is none other than The Brooklyn Brawler. I swear back when I was like 6 and I went to a WWF event, I watched the Brawler job three times in one night because that’s when WWF did their taping for the old shows back then… probably like Wrestling Challenge, Superstars, and Saturday Night Main Event. The Brawler was portrayed by Steve Lombardi who also portrayed some other characters like Kim Chee (Kamala‘s handler), Abe “Knuckleball” Shwartz, and at one point in time, he was under the face paint as Doink The Clown. I honestly cannot remember a single match where this guy ever won as the Brawler though in the WWF. Currently, he works as a road agent for WWE, keeping the boys in the back in line and on schedule.
Another jobber that was lucky enough to catch a fluke win was a man by the name of Barry Horowitz. He was quite the lovable loser, that was until he got a couple wins under his belt. One was actually at SummerSlam 1995 against Skip of The Bodydonnas. I’m remembering that after the match was over, one of the ringside interviewers actually pulled him aside and pimped out a new Barry Horowitz t-shirt that was going to be on sale, and Barry looked like he was in disbelief. I also remember that his trademark was “patting himself on the back,” and that his entrance music was the Jewish song “Havah Nagilah.”
Even some of the bigger names in wrestling of today were once jobbers. For example, The Hardy Boyz were jobbers in WWF when they both were teenagers just before the Attitude Era picked up. They jobbed to guys like Owen Hart, Triple H, and Rob Van Dam. They’ve gone on to win plenty of titles in both singles and the tag team division, as well as for other companies (in Jeff’s case). If WWE can get behind a jobber, and that person has the skills and charisma to make the crowd cheer or boo, anything is possible.
Jobbing is part of the wrestling game, and everyone has to lay down once in awhile, but some wrestlers were the best at it, and when it comes down to things, even the jobbers get paid!
If you have a suggestion for next week’s Throwback Thursday superstar, just drop me a comment or send a message on Twitter or Facebook.