Introduction
Richard "Rick" McGraw (March 19, 1955 – November 1, 1985) was an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) under the ring name "Quickdraw" Rick McGraw in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Professional wrestling career
McGraw began his career in 1976 in the Florida area. He adopted the nickname "Quickdraw" in reference to the cartoon character Quick Draw McGraw.
He competed in the Mid-Atlantic region a couple of years later before entering the World Wrestling Federation.
McGraw defeated enhancement talent, but mostly put over heels that were ready to challenge WWF champion Bob Backlund. He also competed on the Showdown at Shea show in August 1980, losing to Greg Gagne.
McGraw left the WWF and competed for various regional territories of the National Wrestling Alliance. He was one-half of The New York Dolls with The Dream Machine (managed by Jimmy Hart) in the World Wrestling Association, winning the WWA World Tag Team Championship in 1982.
Rick then re-entered Vince McMahon Sr.'s WWF as part of the tag team called The Carolina Connection with Steve Travis.
Quickdraw had notable matches with numerous top heels during his time in the WWF. He was once managed by Arnold Skaaland and also had his neck "broken" by Killer Khan in a match. Towards the end of his career, McGraw teamed up with André the Giant to form a lopsided tag team duo: McGraw was 5'7" with the Giant billed at 7'4".
On a 1985 episode of WWF Championship Wrestling, McGraw was a guest on the "Piper's Pit" segment and got on host "Rowdy" Roddy Piper's case about always shooting his mouth off and not wrestling on television, prompting Piper to accept a challenge to wrestle him on the show the very next week. McGraw died just days after wrestling "Hot Rod" in the nationally televised match (Quickdraw wore a "Hot Rod" T-shirt to the ring) in Poughkeepsie, New York. Shortly after McGraw's death, Roddy Piper headlined a show held to benefit McGraw's family.
Personal life
McGraw was married to Lisa. The couple had a single child, Ricky.
Death
McGraw died on November 1, 1985. The official cause of death was a heart attack. Fellow professional wrestler Bret Hart noted in his autobiography that McGraw regularly consumed Placidyls and suggested that this resulted in McGraw's heart failing.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Piledriver
- Managers
- Jimmy Hart
- Arnold Skaaland
- Nicknames
- "Quickdraw"
Championships and accomplishments
- Continental Championship Wrestling
- NWA Alabama Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Lutte Internationale
- Canadian International Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Gino Brito
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- Ranked #485 of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the "PWI Years" in 2003
- World Wrestling Association
- WWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with The Dream Machine
- Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2006). "Alabama: NWA Alabama Heavyweight Title". Wrestling Title Histories (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
- Harris M. Lentz III (1 January 2003). Biographical Dictionary of Professional Wrestling, 2d ed. McFarland. p. 51. ISBN 978-0-7864-1754-4.
- https://web.archive.org/web/20080616064424/http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/pwi/pwi500yr.htm
- "W.W.A. World Tag Team Title (Indianapolis)". Puroresu Dojo. 2003.