Alan Rogowski

Birthday: 1942-09-22
Deathday: 2024-02-26
Birthplace: Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
Gender: Male
Owned By: Unowned

Alan Robert Rogowski, better known by the ring name Ole Anderson (/ˈoʊlɪ/), was an American professional wrestler, booker, and promoter.

Following a stint in the U.S. Army, Rogowski made his professional wrestling debut in his native Minnesota in 1967, wrestling for the American Wrestling Association (AWA) as Al "the Rock" Rogowski or simply Rock Rogowski. The following year, he debuted in the Carolinas-based Jim Crockett Promotions, where he adopted the ring name Ole Anderson and began teaming with his "brother" Gene Anderson as the Minnesota Wrecking Crew. Following a further stint with the AWA and appearances with Championship Wrestling from Florida, in 1972 Anderson settled into wrestling primarily for Jim Crockett Promotions and Georgia Championship Wrestling. By the mid-1980s, Anderson was a part-owner of, and the booker for, Georgia Championship Wrestling. After Georgia Championship Wrestling was acquired by Vince McMahon in 1984 in what was known as "Black Saturday", Anderson broke away to form his own promotion, Championship Wrestling from Georgia, which was itself acquired by Jim Crockett Promotions the following year. Anderson spent the rest of his career with Jim Crockett Promotions and its successor, World Championship Wrestling (WCW), forming a new iteration of the Minnesota Wrecking Crew with Arn Anderson, co-founding influential stable The Four Horsemen, twice serving as booker for WCW, and running the WCW Power Plant. He retired from the ring in 1990, and from the professional wrestling industry in 1994.

Known amongst his contemporaries for his gruff, cantankerous demeanor and toughness, Anderson is a key figure in the history of professional wrestling in Georgia and the Carolinas. He held over 40 championships over the course of his career, including eight reigns as National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) Tag Team Champion (Mid-Atlantic version). He was inducted into the WCW Hall of Fame in 1994 and the NWA Hall of Fame in 2010.

Credits

Year Title Character
2014-07-15 WWE United We Slam: The Best of The Great American Bash Ole Anderson
2008-07-08 Nature Boy Ric Flair - The Definitive Collection Ole Anderson
1993-05-23 WCW Slamboree 1993 Ole Anderson (Appearance)
1992-06-20 WCW Beach Blast Ole Anderson
1990-07-07 WCW Great American Bash '90: New Revolution Ole Anderson
1990-06-13 NWA Clash of The Champions XI: Coastal Crush Ole Anderson (Ringside)
1990-02-25 NWA WrestleWar '90: Wild Thing Ole Anderson
1990-02-06 NWA Clash of The Champions X: Texas Shootout Ole Anderson
1989-10-28 WCW Halloween Havoc '89 Ole Anderson
1987-04-11 The Second Annual NWA Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup Tag Team Tournament Ole Anderson
1986-07-26 NWA The Great American Bash '86: Livin' in the Promise Land Ole Anderson
1986-07-26 NWA Great American Bash '86 Tour: Greensboro Ole Anderson
1986-07-05 NWA Great American Bash '86 Tour: Charlotte Ole Anderson
1985-11-28 NWA Starrcade '85: The Gathering Ole Anderson
1985-07-16 NWA The Great American Bash 1985 Ole Anderson
1984-11-22 NWA Starrcade '84: The Million Dollar Challenge Ole Anderson
1983-10-23 NWA The Last Battle of Atlanta Ole Anderson