Jim Crockett Jr. dies at 72; wrestling world mourns loss of legendary promoter

Joe Rivera

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Jim Crockett Jr. dies at 72; wrestling world mourns loss of legendary promoter image

Jim Crockett Jr., legendary wrestling promoter and titan in the grappling industry, has died at age 72.

Crockett is best known as the head of Jim Crockett Promotions, which he took over from his father in the 1970s. JCP's role, played during wrestling's territory days in the '70s and '80s, was titanic, helping grow the National Wrestling Alliance and serving three different terms as president of the NWA in the '80s. 

Crockett purchasing TBS TV time on Saturday nights from rival Vince McMahon helped Crockett-owned promotions grow beyond some regional boundaries, eventually paving the way for national expansion for the company. The company would later be renamed World Championship Wrestling (WCW) after the promotion's sale to TV mogul Ted Turner.

TBS Saturdays in the '80s were heavy on JCP programming, and the promotion would help catapult the careers of several wrestling icons, including Ric Flair, Ricky Steamboat and Sting.

Wrestling figures mourned the loss of Crockett on Thursday:

Joe Rivera

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Joe Rivera is in his seventh year with The Sporting News, handling NFL, MLB and some things pro wrestling. A proud-ish Rutgers University graduate, Rivera combines a new-school flair with an old-school soul. He loves dingers, wrestling, comic books, movies, music and really bad puns. He is also a card-carrying BBWAA member and teaches Multimedia Sports Reporting at his alma mater.

You can find him and tweet him @JoeRiveraSN, if you're into that sort of thing.