Larry Weil (June 26, 1951 - April 10, 2017), known in the wrestling world as "Pretty Boy" Larry Sharpe, was a prominent Irish-American professional wrestler, manager, and trainer. His contributions to the sport have left a lasting impact, particularly through the establishment of the Monster Factory professional wrestling school.
Early Life and Wrestling Career
Larry Sharpe achieved early success as a wrestler at Paulsboro High School in New Jersey. He had a record of 13-1-1 and was ranked fourth in the NCAA national rankings. In 1974, he was scouted by Red Berry and Gorilla Monsoon, who trained him for a career in professional wrestling. Later that year, Larry made his pro wrestling debut in the WWF.
Sharpe then headed to Canada, where he won his first championship while working for Stampede Wrestling in Calgary, Alberta. Forming a tag team with Ripper Collins, he won the Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Championship on September 24, 1976. The team held the title for less than one month, dropping it to Ed and Jerry Morrow on October 15.
Tag Team Success and Championship Wins
In June 1977, Sharpe returned to the WWWF where he formed a tag team with Dynamite Jack Evans (who was working in the WWWF in preliminary and mid-card matches). The Hollywood Blondes (as they were known) had a successful run winning matches on television and at live events. On December 17, 1977, they defeated Carlos Colón and Victor Jovica to win the WWC North American Tag Team Championship. The title was declared vacant on April 22 the following year because of a controversial match against Jovica and Chief Thunder Cloud. The teams met for a rematch on May 6, and the Hollywood Blondes regained the championship. Three weeks later, however, they lost the title to Colón and Thunder Cloud.
Sharpe's next stop was Hawaii where he quickly became the top contender for the NWA Hawaii Heavyweight Championship. In November 1978 when the previous champion, Don Muraco, won the NWA Pacific International Heavyweight Championship, was forced to vacate the Hawaiian championship, Sharpe was awarded the title, later losing it to Mando Guerrero on November 22.
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After a brief stint in the Mid Atlantic, he returned to the WWF in 1979.
The World Famous Monster Factory
The World Famous Monster Factory is a professional wrestling school in Paulsboro, New Jersey, currently run by Danny Cage. It is considered to be the first publicly available professional wrestling school.
Sharpe opened the wrestling school with "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers in 1983 and wrestled part-time until retiring in August 1991. In February 2008, the school was threatened by a fire that had started at the building adjacent to the school, ANA Laboratories, and the building was evacuated by the school trainers. The fire was confined to the laboratory until its roof collapsed however, according to Camden County Chief Fire Marshal Paul Hartstein, only a firewall prevented the fire from reaching the school.
The Monster Factory has had a significant impact on the wrestling industry, training numerous wrestlers who have gone on to achieve success in major promotions.
Here is a table summarizing Larry Sharpe's championship wins:
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| Championship | Tag Team Partner (if applicable) | Date Won |
|---|---|---|
| Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Championship | Ripper Collins | September 24, 1976 |
| WWC North American Tag Team Championship | Dynamite Jack Evans | December 17, 1977 |
| WWC North American Tag Team Championship (2nd time) | Dynamite Jack Evans | May 6, 1978 |
| NWA Hawaii Heavyweight Championship | N/A | November 1978 |
Pro Wrestling Wire | Tank Toland
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