Randy Anderson
| Randy Anderson | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Birth name | Randall Anderson |
| Born |
July 17, 1959 Rome, Georgia[1] |
| Died |
May 5, 2002 (aged 42) Rome, Georgia |
| Spouse(s) | Kristy Anderson |
| Children | 2 |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) |
Pee Wee Anderson Randy Anderson |
| Billed height | 5 ft 7 in (170 cm)[1] |
| Debut | 1978 |
| Retired | 1999 |
Randall "Randy" Anderson (July 17, 1959 – May 5, 2002) was an American professional wrestling referee who worked for the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA)'s Jim Crockett Promotions and World Championship Wrestling.
Professional wrestling career
Anderson was a childhood friend of Arn Anderson.[1] He started out training for a professional wrestling career with Arn under the tutelage of Ted Allen.[1] Anderson started working as a referee upon his graduation in 1978 in Mid-South Wrestling. He also refereed in Florida Championship Wrestling before arriving in the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA)'s Jim Crockett Promotions in 1985. He quickly rose up the referee ranks and was the referee for several main event matches.
In 1988, when Ted Turner bought Crockett and renamed it World Championship Wrestling, Anderson stayed on.
Anderson was the referee in charge of the main event six-man tag match at Bash at the Beach 1996 which saw the heel turn of Hulk Hogan and the formation of the NWO.
The most fame Anderson received was in 1997 when Eric Bischoff and the nWo bullied him around. Bischoff fired Anderson and he ended up having a match against fellow referee Nick Patrick of the nWo and defeated him by using a foreign object, from fellow WCW referee Jimmy Jett, to get his job back. Immediately following this match, Eric Bischoff reversed the decision and fired both Jett and Anderson. In 1999 when Ric Flair became the President, they ran a story line that Randy Anderson was still fired, and then became reinstated by Ric Flair, never mentioning that he had beaten Nick Patrick for his job back in 1997 or that the decision was ultimately reversed.
Anderson continued as a referee in WCW until he was forced to retire in 1999 due to his battle with cancer.
Personal life
Anderson was an amateur wrestler in high school, winning a state championship in the 119-lb class.[1]
Anderson was diagnosed with testicular cancer at the age of 36.[1] He was diagnosed after recognizing his symptoms while reading a medical magazine.[1] Because of a malignant tumor, he had to have his left testicle removed.[1] Anderson died on May 5, 2002 as a result of the testicular cancer. He was 42 years old. Anderson was survived by his wife Kristy, daughter Montana, and son Chase.