Giant Baba

[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..