Dick Beyer (July 11, 1930) is a retired professional wrestler who is best known by his ring names, The Destroyer or Doctor X.
Early life
As an athlete at Syracuse University, Beyer was a member of the varsity football and wrestling teams. He played in the 1953 Orange Bowl for Syracuse. Beyer graduated with a master's degree in education and is a member of the Fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta's Syracuse Chapter. Beyer is also an Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America. Beyer was a teacher in New York until he began his wrestling career, and he also coached swimming.
Professional wrestling career
Worldwide Wrestling Associates
Beyer began as a "babyface" wrestler in the mid-1950s. His career as a "masked" wrestler, The Destroyer, began in 1962 in Los Angeles. He used the “figure-four-leg-lock” on his way to the Worldwide Wrestling Associates (WWA) championship on July 27, 1962 in a win over Freddie Blassie, who convinced him that the mask gimmick would give him a large "push". Beyer went on to defend the WWA title for 10 months.
In early 1963, Beyer wrestled three sold-out matches against Shohei “Giant” Baba at the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. In May 1963, Beyer traveled to Japan for the first time, to wrestle with Rikidōzan, in a match watched by 70 million TV viewers. In June 1964, Beyer returned to Los Angeles and beat Dick “The Bruiser” for another WWA title. Beyer lost the title to Bob Ellis in September, won it back in November, and then lost it for the last time in March 1965 to Pedro Morales.
American Wrestling Association
Between 1966 and 1972, Beyer wrestled as Doctor X while in Minneapolis, although he was known as "The Destroyer" elsewhere. During his time as Doctor X, Beyer had matches with many of the top names in the business including his real life brother-in-law Billy Red Lyons. In fact, it was Lyons who handed "X" his first American Wrestling Association (AWA) defeat on Minneapolis television when he defeated the good Doctor with a figure four leg lock. In August 1970, "X" removed his own mask to get a chance at revenge against his former partner Black Jack Lanza. He stood in center ring with announcer Marty O'Neill, who told the fans that "X" was a former coach from Syracuse University. "X" then removed his mask, handed it to St. Paul promoter Eddie Williams, and wrestled the match as Dick Beyer.
In other AWA cities, he was actually unmasked by both Lanza and Paul Diamond. In these matches, his name was revealed to be Bruce Marshall. The reason for Beyer wanting to be unmasked was that, he and his family were set to go on a world tour, where he would also wrestle again as The Destroyer. It has been speculated that by late August 1970, Beyer had already left the AWA and that it was "jobber" Bobby Jones under the mask. When Beyer removed his own mask on the August 8, 1970 card in St. Paul. During 1972, Beyer had several battles with "Crippler" Ray Stevens. Their last match resulted in Beyer as Doctor X having his leg "broken." This "injury" allowed Beyer to leave the Minneapolis area to join a wrestling tour in Japan.
Japan and Canada
From 1973, Beyer wrestled in Japan for six straight years, in a deal with Giant Baba and NTV of Tokyo. During his tenure in Japan, he had a feud with Mil Máscaras which resulted in a series of seven matches. Beyer also helped promote All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) for Giant Baba and established himself as a television personality in a late-night TV show called “Uwasa No Channel.” Beyer held the PWF United States Championship until 1979, when he left AJPW and the championship was abandoned.
From 1979, Beyer wrestled in Toronto and Montreal, against Bob Backlund, André the Giant, Terry Funk, Dory Funk, Jr., Tony Parisi, Nick Bockwinkel, Édouard Carpentier, Mad Dog Vachon, Superstar Billy Graham, and others.
Post-wrestling
Beyer went into semi-retirement in 1984. From 1984 to 1995, Beyer taught physical education in the Akron Central School District in Akron, New York, where he also coached football, wrestling and swimming.
Beyer now lives in Akron, New York. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Cauliflower Alley Club, which holds annual reunions in Las Vegas. He is a member of Toastmasters International, a public speaking club, and caries the club designation of Certified Toastmaster.
On the March 15th episode of RAW he appeared via pre-recorded footage, talking briefly about newest WWE Hall of Fame Inductee Gorgeous George.
He also Inducted Gorgeous George into the WWE Hall of Fame on March 27, 2010.
On August 27, 2011, Beyer, along with his son, returned to Japan to take part in All Together, a charity event held together by AJPW, New Japan Pro Wrestling and Pro Wrestling Noah. Beyer, appearing under his Destroyer mask, hosted the Destroyer Cup and presented a trophy to its winner, Kentaro Shiga.
In 2013 Beyer opened Destroyer Park Golf in Akron, NY. This is the first Park golf course in the United States. Beyer learned the game while living in Japan.
Championships and accomplishments
- All Japan Pro Wrestling
- AJPW All Asia Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Billy Red Lyons
- PWF United States Heavyweight Championship (4 times)
- January 2 Korakuen Hall Heavyweight Battle Royal Winner (1979)
- American Wrestling Alliance
- AWA World Tag Team Championship (San Francisco version) (1 time) - with Billy Red Lyons
- Cauliflower Alley Club
- Iron Mike Mazurki Award (1996)
- Central States Wrestling
- NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Central States version) (1 time)
- Lutte Internationale (Montreal)
- NWA Big Time Wrestling
- NWA World Tag Team Championship (Texas version) (1 time) - with Golden Terror
- NWA Los Angeles
- NWA International Television Tag Team Championship (Los Angeles version) (1 time) - with Dan Moukian
- NWA Mid-Pacific Promotions
- NWA North American Heavyweight Championship (Hawaii version) (1 time)
- Pacific Northwest Wrestling
- NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
- NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship (3 times) - with Art Michalik (3)
- Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum
- (Class of 2005)
- New York State Award (2003)
- Tokyo Sports Grand Prix
- Popularity Prize (1975)
- World Wrestling Alliance (San Francisco)
- WWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Billy Red Lyons
- Worldwide Wrestling Associates
- WWA International Television Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Dan Manoukian
- WWA World Heavyweight Championship (3 times)
- WWA World Tag Team Championship (2 times) - with Hard Boiled Haggerty