Whitey Caldwell

Whitey Caldwell made his professional wrestling debut in the 1950s. During most of his career he feuded with Ron Wright.^[1] Caldwell and Wright would have chain matches in the late 1960s and early 1970s in Tennessee. In 1961, Wright seriously injured Caldwell (putting him out of action for a year), who was by then a very popular wrestling babyface and television champion.

On November 21, 1962, Caldwell defeated Wright in a Hair vs Hair match.^[2] From 1969 to 1971, Caldwell would win the NWA Tennessee Tag Team Championship six times with Ron Wright, Les Thatcher (three times), Johnny Walker, Frankie Cain, and Bearcat Brown.^[3] On September 29, 1972, Caldwell won his last title defeating his arch rival Ron Wright for the NWA Southeastern Heavyweight Championship (Northern Division) in Knoxville, Tennessee.^[4]

On October 7, 1972, Caldwell had wrestled a TV-taping that afternoon in Knoxville and that evening wrestled in Morristown, Tennessee. That night, Caldwell was killed in a car accident when a man was driving at high speed and was trying to pass cars when he hit Caldwell in a curve. Caldwell died in the hospital.^[5] Caldwell was champion when he died.

In 1994, Caldwell was inducted into the Smoky Mountain Wrestling Hall of Fame inducted by Ron Wright.^[5]

• NWA Mid-America
  • NWA Tennessee Tag Team Championship (6 times) – with Ron Wright (1), Les Thatcher (3), Johnny Walker (1), Frankie Cain (1) & Bearcat Brown (1)
  • NWA Southeastern Heavyweight Championship (2 times)

• The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: Heroes and Icons
• Remembering Whitey Caldwell 45 years after his death.

• James, Beau (2016). Don't Miss This! The History of Pro Wrestling in Kingsport, TN 1960–1969. Beau James. ISBN 978-1500847555.