Career
Football His last football season was with the Calgary Stampeders in 1954. Pro Wrestling In 1953, Blanchard made his debut in pro wrestling in Calgary for Stampede Wrestling. Within all the territories he wrestled, he had the most success in Hawaii (twice winning the NWA Hawaii Tag Team Championship with Lord James Blears) and in Texas (twice winning the NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship).
In 1978, Blanchard founded Southwest Championship Wrestling in San Antonio, where he retired from active competition later that year after 25 years.
Blanchard ran the promotion until selling it Fred Behrend in April 1985, changing its name to Texas All-Star Wrestling. In 1989, he joined the American Wrestling Association, replacing Stanley Blackburn as President of the company.
He would remain with the promotion until its closure in 1991. Joe Blanchard died of squamous-cell carcinoma on March 22, 2012.
He was 83.
