Jim Crockett Jr. passed away at 76 years old Wednesday, succumbing to liver and kidney failure brought on by a bout with COVID-19.
Previous health issues combined with the virus exacerbated the worsening of his condition.
Dave Meltzer first reported last Saturday that things were looking grim for the legendary wrestling promoter. Robert Gibson of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Express first posted about Crockett’s passing on Facebook.
Wrestling was in his blood as his father founded Jim Crockett Promotions with Jr. taking over in 1977, several years after his father’s death. Before that, he was a short-term owner of two minor league baseball teams. He became NWA President in 1980, the first of three terms he served in that position over the subsequent 11 years.
During his second term as president, he purchased the famed Saturday night time slot Vince McMahon owned on WTBS, eventually creating the World Championship Wrestling TV show institution. JCP would eventually re-position itself as the NWA as Crockett Jr. owned six territories and was president at the time. During his time, he helped both create and enhance stars like Ric Flair, Dusty Rhodes, Ricky Steamboat, Roddy Piper, The Andersons, Jimmy Snuka, and so many others.
He sold the company to Ted Turner in 1988 who renamed the organization World Championship Wrestling after its TV namesake. Crockett Jr. flirted with getting back into the business several times, but eventually settled on a life in Texas outside the business. He was preparing