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Interview:
Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka, professional wrestling
living legend
Media
Man Australia continues to interview the greatest
in the professional wrestling business. Jimmy Snuka
tells us about his life, business and much more.
What
are the personal and professional highlights of your
life?
My
children are the most important highlights of my personal
life and I am now married for 3 years to my beautiful
wife and I am very happy.
My
profession, you may know, I was a body builder and
won Mr Hawaiian Islands and Mr Hemisphere in North
Carolina. My wrestling highlights are Madison Square
Garden, with Bob Backlund and Don Muraco. Working
with the greats like Andre the Giant, Bruno Sammartino,
Roddy Piper.
How,
when and why did you get into the professional wrestling
business?
I
was approached by the Hawaiian Islanders Baseball
team to play baseball for them and I left the islands
to play ball in Hawaii. I worked out at Rex Ravell's
gym. I was also training for Mr. Hawaiian Island and
met a lot of the wrestlers in the guy. I met Cowboy
Frankie Lane and he asked me to show him how to workout
and in return he would teach me the wrestling business.
My first match was in Portland, Oregon in 1907.
What
do you do to keep busy these days?
I
wrestle Independent shows, I love what I do and try
to keep up with the young guys.
What
is your connection with Australia?
I
have so much family in Australia, New Zealand and
Fiji. My mother was a Louiese Smith and my father
was Ben Thomas. My step father was Bernie Reiher.
I visited Australia and New Zealand 20 years ago with
my x-wife, we had so many family visit I can't remember
their names. I had my wife write down their names
and addressees but she still has the list of family
members
WW WWF boys?
I see them at the independent shows and legend autograph
shows. I see Tony Atlas, Rocky Johnson, Captain Lou,
Iron Sheik, Kamala, Greg Valentine, George Steel,
Tito Santana, Roddy Piper, Bruno Samartino and so
many more.
Great
to see you at the WWE Hall Of Fame Awards.
Thank
you, I was inducted in the WWE Hall of Fame in 1996,
that was a great highlight in my like also, and it
was lovely to see all the guys.
What's
your motto?
I
always sigh my photos with T.C.B. "taking care
of business" but I tell them it says "taking
care of brother".
What
inspires you?
I
guess I am just an entertainer. I love to entertain
the people, I love them very much. They tell me their
stories of how I inspire them and it is so lovely
that I can do that for them. As long as the people
want to see the Superfly, the Superfly will still
be there for them.
What's
some of the biggest challenges you have every overcome?
I
lived in Fiji with my Grandparents thinking they were
my parents. My Mother and her new husband came and
took me to the Marshall Island. My step father sent
my brother and me to a Catholic boarding school in
Ponape Guam, we didn't know the language but soon
learned it. We were bad boys and my Father wanted
us to learn how to be men. I guess I was about 8 or
9 years old, we stayed there 3 years without seeing
our parents. We learned how to survive. Someday I
would like to write a book and tell everyone my story.
...end.
What
an amazing career and life Jim Snuka has. We look
forward to hearing more from the living legend, Jimmy
"Superfly" Snuka.
Websites
Jimmy
"Superfly" Snuka official website
WWE
Hall Of Fame
Profiles
Jimmy
"Superfly" Snuka
Wrestling
Wrestling
Legends
Fiji
Islands
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