"Cowboy" Bill Watts
Bill Watts was a linebacker for the Putnam City Pirates when Bud Wilkinson recruited him to come play football for the Oklahoma Sooners. Watts was a guard during his time at OU and briefly played for the Houston Oilers after his collegiate career. “Cowboy”, as he would come to be known, then made a huge name for himself as a professional wrestler. As a wrestler, Watts tangled with Bruno Sammartino, Jerry “The King” Lawler and Dusty Rhodes. As a promoter, he brought wrestling fans in the South many big events featuring huge names like Andre the Giant, the Junkyard Dog, Ric Flair, Sting and “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan. Watts was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2009.
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Coaches’ All-State Selection (Senior)
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1st Team Daily Oklahoman All-State (Senior)
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1st Team Daily Oklahoman All-City (Senior)
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Daily Oklahoman All-City Player of the Year (Senior)
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Continued Career at the University of Oklahoma
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Member of 3 Conference Championship Teams (1957 Big 7, 1958 Big 8, 1959 Big 8)
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1x Letterwinner (1959)
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Signed with the Houston Oilers (1961)
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Played 1 Season in the United Football League (1962)
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5x NWA United States Tag Team Champion (1963, 1971, 1976 w/Greg “The Hammer” Valentine, 1976 vs. Ken Patera, 1979)
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NWA Texas Heavyweight Champion (1963)
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WWE Tag Team Champion with Gorilla Monsoon (1965 vs. Gene Kiniski & Waldo Von Erich)
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AWA United States Heavyweight Champion (1966)
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NWA International Tag Team Champion (1967 vs. Giant Baba)
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7x NWA North American Heavyweight Champion (1970, 1971 vs. Dusty Rhodes, 1972, 1972, 1975, 1975, 1977 vs. Stan Hansen)
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2x NWA Tri-State Brass Knuckles Heavyweight Champion (1970, 1971 vs. Dusty Rhodes)
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NWA Georgia Heavyweight Champion (1973)
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NWA Gulf Coast Heavyweight Champion (1973)
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3x NWA Florida Heavyweight Champion (1974, 1974 vs. Dusty Rhodes, 1974 vs. Dusty Rhodes)
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NWA Southern Heavyweight Champion (1974 vs. Jerry Brisco)
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2x Mid-South North American Heavyweight Champion (1979, 1980)
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Mid-South Tag Team Champion (1979)
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NWA Louisiana Tag Team Champion (1979)
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Pro Wrestling Illustrated Man of the Year (1986)
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Was Executive Vice President of World Championship Wrestling (1992-1993)
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Inducted into the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (1996)
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Authored an Autobiography titled "The Cowboy and the Cross" (2006)
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Inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame (2009)
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Inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame (2013)
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Inducted into the Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame (2013)