Chief Wahoo McDaniel was one of the very first "big time" wrestlers I ever met. I very vividly remember in January of 1990 being one of the winners in a contest sponsored by Raleigh's channel 22. The winners would get tickets to the NWA house show at Dorton Arena and also get to attend a meet and greet session before the show with many of the stars. Shane Douglas and Johnny Ace (at the time the Dynamic Dudes), Arn Anderson, Ricky Morton, Robert Gibson, and some of the other babyfaces at the time were there, but what I remember most was running into Wahoo McDaniel, a road agent at the time, in the lobby of the arena. McDaniel graciously stopped whatever he was doing and began chatting with me after I recognized him. He seemed really impressed by my knowledge of wrestling for someone so young, but I cannot describe how impressed I was that someone of his legendary stature took the time out to stand and converse with me for what turned into several minutes.
Wahoo was a larger-than-live being to me. As a young child, one of the feuds I grew up captivated by was Wahoo McDaniel's 1986 rivalry with "Gorgeous" Jimmy Garvin. As I grew older, I learned of his wars with Johnny Valentine, Ric Flair, Billy Graham, and others, and his legend just kept expanding. In 1994, when I first began attending indy shows regularly, the promotion was ACW and the top dog, unquestionably, was Chief Wahoo McDaniel. Throughout the glory days of ACW, Wahoo could always be seen in the thick of things, taking on the likes of Jimmy Garvin, Greg Valentine, Rick Link, and Bonecrusher Curtis. When he was not in the ring, Wahoo was often seen at his gimmick table, interacting with fans young and old, always courteous and cordial to all that approached him.
Chief Wahoo McDaniel was among the last of a generation of professional wrestlers who hopefully will not be forgotten by time and the new generation of casual, uneducated fans. We at the Hardcore Fan Club will never forget Ed "Wahoo" McDaniel, nor his contribution to the sport of professional wrestling. He was a gentleman outside the ring, a phenominal worker and performer inside the ring, and a legend in the truest sense of the word.
