Career
Skaaland served in the United States. Marines during World World War World War II After a short-lived attempt to make a living through boxing, he became a professional wrestler and debuted in 1946 as "Arnold Skaaland". Though competing under his real name, he was billed early in his career as hailing from Norway. Skaaland gained the nickname "The Golden Boy" and was known as a small, agile wrestler who relied on speed, wits, and toughness in the ring rather than size and strength.
In the late 1950s, he wrestled in Georgia under the ring name Bobby Weaver.
In the early 1960s, Skaaland unsuccessfully challenged both Pat O"Connor and "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. In 1962, he refereed a match between Freddie Blassie and Rikidōzan in Japan.
In 1963, Skaaland was a part of the newly created, New York City-based World Wide Wrestling Federation. On June 1, 1967 he collected his only title as one half of the WWWF United States Tag Team Champions, when Tony Parisi gave his half of the title to Skaaland.
Arion and Bruno Sammartino rewon the belts two weeks later, and retired them.
Skaaland managed Bruno Sammartino and Bob Backlund, with both men winning the World Wildlife Fund World Heavyweight Championship under his tutelage. Backlund"s lengthy reign ended on December 26, 1983 when Skaaland threw in the towel while Backlund was trapped in the camel clutch, the finishing move of challenger The Iron Sheik. Skaaland appeared in the 1987 music video for the title track from Piledriver - The Wrestling Album 2, "Piledriver" by Koko B. Ware as the foreman of a construction site.
In 1994, he was inducted into the World Wildlife Fund Hall of Fame for managing both Sammartino and Backlund to the (West)World Wildlife Fund World Heavyweight Championship.
He appeared on World Wildlife Fund television later that year, with Backlund attacking him in order to consolidate his heel turn. He is interred at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Hawthorne, New New York
Skaaland"s Widow Betty was embraced by John Cena as she sat ringside before Cena"s Match with The Rock at Wrestlemania 28. Nicknames
"The Golden Boy"
Wrestlers managed
Bob Backlund
Tony Parisi
Bruno Sammartino
Rick McGraw
Cauliflower Alley Club
Other honoree (1994)
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
PWI Manager of the Year (1978, 1979)
World Wide Wrestling Federation / World Wrestling Federation
WWWF United States Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Spiros Arion
World Wildlife Fund Hall of Fame (Class of 1994).