[Giant Baba GALLERY]
[Japanese Wrestlers GALLERY]
Title History
- AJPW All Asia Tag Team titles w/Toyonobori defeating Caripus Hurricane & Gene Kiniski (May 29, 1964);
- AJPW All Asia Tag Team titles w/Toyonobori defeating The Destroyer & Billy Red Lyons (July 15, 1965);
- NWA (JWA) International Heavyweight title defeating Dick the Bruiser for vacant title (November 24, 1965);
- AJPW All Asia Tag Team titles w/Michiaki Yoshimura defeating Eddie Graham & Killer Karl Kox (July 1, 1966);
- NWA (JWA) International Tag Team titles w/Michiaki Yoshimura defeating Fritz Von Goering & Mike Paidosis (November 5, 1966);
- NWA (JWA) International Tag Team titles w/Antonio Inoki defeating Tarzan Tyler & Bill Watts (October 31, 1967);
- NWA (JWA) International Tag Team titles w/Antonio Inoki beating Bill Miller & Crusher Lisowski for vacant titles (February 3, 1968);
- NWA (JWA) International Heavyweight title defeating Bobo Brazil (June 27, 1968);
- NWA (JWA) International Tag Team titles w/Antonio Inoki defeating Danny Hodge & Wilbur Snyder (February 4, 1969);
- NWA (JWA) International Tag Team titles w/Antonio Inoki defeating Dick the Bruiser & Crusher (August 13, 1969);
- NWA (JWA) International Heavyweight title defeating Gene Kiniski (December 19, 1970);
- NWA (JWA) International Tag Team titles w/Seiji Sakaguchi defeating Terry & Dory Funk Jr. (May 19, 1972);
- PWF (Japan) Heavyweight title wins Series Tournament (February 27, 1973);
- NWA World Heavyweight title defeating Jack Brisco (December 2, 1974);
- NWA (All Japan) International Tag Team titles w/Jumbo Tsuruta defeating Terry & Dory Funk Jr. (February 5, 1975);
- NWA (All Japan) International Tag Team titles w/Jumbo Tsuruta defeating Kintaro Ohki & Kim Duk (December 9, 1976);
- All Asia Heavyweight title defeating Kintaro Ohki (October 29, 1977);
- NWA (All Japan) International Tag Team titles w/Jumbo Tsuruta defeating Kintaro Ohki & Kim Duk (May 11, 1978);
- PWF (Japan) Heavyweight title defeating Abdullah the Butcher (February 10, 1979);
- NWA (All Japan) International Tag Team titles w/Jumbo Tsuruta defeating Ray Candy & Abdullah the Butcher (October 19, 1979);
- NWA World Heavyweight title defeating Harley Race (October 31, 1979);
- NWA (Detroit) World Tag Team titles w/Jumbo Tsuruta defeating Randy Scott & John Bonello (June 28, 1980);
- NWA World Heavyweight title defeating Harley Race (September 4, 1980);
- PWF (Japan) Heavyweight title defeating Harley Race (February 11, 1983);
- NWA (All Japan) International Tag Team titles w/Jumbo Tsuruta defeating Ron Bass & Stan Hansen (April 17, 1983);
- NWA (All Japan) International Tag Team titles w/Jumbo Tsuruta defeating Umanosuke Ueda & Tiger Jeet Singh (August 1, 1983);
- PWF (Japan) Heavyweight title defeating Stan Hansen (July 31, 1984);
Career Highlights
- 1955: Shohei Baba joined the Yomiuri Giants baseball team after dropping out of High School as a pitcher..
- 1959: Shohei Baba was released from the team due to injury and lackluster performances..
- 1960: Shohei Baba, who towered over the average Japanese with a 209-centimeter frame, became a professional wrestler..
- Giant Shohei Baba formed a tag team with the equally legendary wrestler, Antonio Inoki in the JWA promotion..
- July 1, 1961: Giant Baba leaves Japan to tour the United States..
- 1970: Giant Baba founded the All Japan Pro Wrestling promotion..
- 1970: Giant Baba’s All Japan promotion went head-to-head with Antonio Inoki’s New Japan Pro Wrestling..
- 1970s: Giant Baba & AJPW had a strong relationship with many NWA promoters, such as:
- ~~~Texas (Dory Funk Sr. & Fritz Von Erich), Florida (Eddie Graham), Georgia (Jim Barnett), and Mid Atlantic (Jim Crockett Jr.)..
- December 2, 1974: Giant Baba defeated Jack Brisco to become the first Japanese wrestler to win the NWA World Heavyweight title..
- February 8, 1964: NWA World Heavyweight champion Lou Thesz defeated Giant Baba in Detroit, Michigan.
- February 15, 1964: NWA World Heavyweight champion Lou Thesz defeated Giant Baba in Cincinatti, Ohio.
- February 17, 1964: WWWF champion Bruno Sammartino defeated Giant Baba at Madisok Square Garden in New York City.
- February 28, 1964: WWA World champion Fred Blassie vs Giant Baba went to a draw at the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles, California.
- September 28, 1985 – AWA SuperClash: Jumbo Tsuruta & Giant Baba & Genichiro Tenryu beat Harley Race & Bill & Scott Irwin..
- April 20, 1986 – AWA WrestleRock: Giant Baba defeated :Bulldog: Bob Brown..
- April 13, 1990 – WWF/AJPW Wrestling Summit: Giant Baba & Andre the Giant defeated Demolition (Ax & Smash)..
- February 1, 1999: Giant Baba, an avid cigar smoker, passed away as a result of Cancer at the age of 61..