The Underrated Living Legend

Not that long ago I made what some would consider to be a controversial statement to my friend. No, I didn’t endorse a political candidate (they’re all awful!). I didn’t denounce Taylor Swift (although I don’t quite get it). I didn’t even say that classic wrestling is better than modern wrestling (though if you think otherwise I doubt you’d have been reading this particular blog for fifteen years). The declaration that I made was that, in the realm of two wrestlers who were very similar in a lot of ways and were also contemporaries, I prefer Larry Zbyszko to Tully Blanchard.

I don’t dislike Tully. Don’t take it that way at all. I’m a big fan! He should’ve had a longer run in his prime, but sadly his salad days and prime earning years collided. Still, even though they had little if any interaction despite being contemporaries, I think that Blanchard and Zbyszko are very similar in a lot of ways. Both had great careers but each left you wanting a bit more. Both had great singles runs but could tear it up in tag teams as well. Both were excellent tag team partners for “The Enforcer” Arn Anderson, each with their own comparative style, in teams that could’ve gone on longer! Tully was a founding member of The Four Horseman. Larry was a pillar of The Dangerous Alliance. They do size up quite nicely.

I will say that, in my opinion, Zbyszko is a tad underrated compared to Blanchard, especially when he had a comparatively longer career. “The Living Legend” celebrated his 72^nd birthday earlier this week and was still making the occasionally in-ring appearance less than a decade ago. I’m sure that many, like myself, would’ve enjoyed a WWF run during the national expansion. In my opinion he would’ve fit right in and probably been upper-mid-card as far as roster status, but it wasn’t meant to be. It could be a lack of a run there, something that Tully did have, albeit briefly, that gives him less of an edge in comparing the two. Another advantage of Tully’s, being part of the aforementioned best-remembered supergroup or faction, is something that I would’ve enjoyed seeing Zbyszko part of as well. 

That being said, Larry Z made his own impact. He was definitely of the more recognizable faces in the dying days of the AWA. He had video tapes, action figures and plenty of magazine covers. He was a frequent coverboy for the WWWF programs of the ‘70s and later into the very early ‘80s once his famous feud with mentor Bruno Sammartino shocked wrestling fans in the northeast. His too-brief run with Jim Crockett Promotions in the late ‘80s, between stints with the AWA, landed him several trading cards in the famous Wonderama set, including with The Western States Heritage Championship belt. He once told me that he had been signed by Jakks to be part of the Legends of the Ring figure series (part of their TNA line) and that the figure would include that particular belt. It didn’t end up happening, but Larry did finally get his due with a modern figure in the Mattel line around the time that he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

Let’s not forget his several year stint as a WCW announcer, though he never seemed to have the top color commentator spot that he really deserved. With zero disrespect to Bobby Heenan, “The Brain” just wasn’t anything close to what he was in the WWF after he went to WCW. Zbyszko should’ve had the prime spot but, again, it just was not meant to be. The announcer position did lead to a few returns to the ring, but the thought of Larry being part of that great 1993 active WCW roster really brings some regret that it didn’t happen. Didn’t like the Paul Roma version of the Horsemen? Why not try Larry in there? Ultimately we did get that great feud with Lord Steven Regal, but I always felt underwhelmed when Larry feuded with “the new World odor.” Perhaps if Dusty had stepped into the ring during his brief nWo run we could’ve had an intriguing legends feud.

I enjoy seeing Larry at shows and conventions. He seems to be one who got out of the business with happiness and contentment. If he didn’t, he’s putting on an awfully good show. He doesn’t take it too seriously and is always up to talk to fans and reminisce about all of those GLORIOUS years. He truly is a star, that while underrated, made his mark in all of the biggest promotions of the day. He’s certainly memorable, still discussed to this day and best of all he lived to talk about and enjoy it. I don’t think that it gets more successful than that. Oh yeah, and like me, he’s a Pittsburgher! It doesn’t get much better than THAT, either!