Tom Prichard joins Major League Wrestling

Tom Prichard joins Major League Wrestling

NEW YORK — Dr. Tom Prichard has joined Major League Wrestling as a senior agent within the wrestling operations division of the league. The former wrestler and guiding light of countless champions and perennial main eventers will join MLW starting in Dallas on September 7 when MLW presents WAR CHAMBER . Prichard will work as a coach and coordinator as some of his many duties for the league. An accomplished grappler in his own right, Prichard has competed all over the the world; finding great success in southern promotions stateside. Starting his career along with his brother Bruce in Houston, Prichard would win gold in several organizations.  A champion in Smoky Mountain Wrestling, the USWA, WWE as well as the Continental Wrestling Federation, the "Doctor of Desire" was a renowned tag team specialist. Moreover, Prichard is a revered trainer. Prichard played a key role in developing the likes of future legends like The Rock, Edge, Kurt Angle and countless others including some of today's preeminent wrestlers. For several years Prichard was a senior trainer for WWE's developmental system. "Dr. Tom is praised for his work with young athletes and we're thrilled to have him join our staff," said MLW CEO Court Bauer. "As MLW grows, so does our need for more top-level coaches.  Few can match Tom's experience, ability to connect with prospects as well as coach wrestlers to reach their full potential like Dr. Tom." When not working with MLW Dr. Tom Prichard serves as the head coach for Jacobs-Prichard Wrestling Academy in Knoxville.

Eddie Marlin Passes Away

Very sad to report the death of Eddie Marlin, the longtime wrestler, road manager and television authority figure for Jarrett Promotions and Tennessee Wrestling.  Marlin passed away this morning at about 5 a.m. We have a lot of notes on Marlin in the new issue.  Marlin,who just turned 89, was in hospice care with multiple organ failures.  He started wrestling in 1949, and was a regular for the Gulas Promotion in the 50s and 60s, with his biggest in-ring stardom being in the early 70s as part of a babyface tag team with Tommy Gilbert. 

After retiring as a wrestler in 1980, he became "promoter Eddie Marlin" on Championship Wrestling, an always-babyface authority figure who was part of the company's office staff as well.  Marlin was extremely well liked and respected within the business.

Marlin was an important piece of Memphis Wrestling history, where he wrestled for Nick Gulas and later became a promoter for his son-in-law Jerry Jarrett's promotion after Jarrett split off from Gulas. Jerry Jarrett's second wife was Eddie Marlin's daughter Debra, so Marlin was very much Jeff Jarrett's grandfather. 

  

Marlin was married to his wife Norma for 65 years before her passing in 2014.  He had been dealing with a number of health issues in recent years, including COPD.

In the ring, Marlin held several Tag Team Championships in that area, alongside Robert Gibson, Tojo Yamamoto and Tommy Gilbert but for most fans, he is best remembered as appearing on screen on WMC-TV's weekly Memphis TV series as the General Manager of the promotion, playing the face of the company (since obviously Jerry Lawler and Jerry Jarrett could not appear in that role), specifically when it was promoted under the CWA initials.     

Marlin would return to the ring to feud with Tommy Gilbert and even appeared under a mask as a Frankenstein character in Memphis.    He would also, from time to time, be used as a special referee.  He was a fountain of information about the territory and was very much beloved by everyone he had some into contact with