During a recent episode of his podcast “The Snake Pit,” WWE Hall of Famer Jake Roberts revealed the story of his entry into professional wrestling.
Here are some noteworthy moments from the podcast:
On the question of if he ever thought he would follow his dad into wrestling, Roberts commented: “Absolutely not. As a young kid, I held wrestling responsible for my father’s absence. He was always away, and I believed it was wrestling that caused this. I resented wrestling. His wrestling injuries and the way he dramatized them at home didn’t help my feelings.”
On his decisive moment to become a wrestler, Roberts said: “I decided to visit my father in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to inform him that I had graduated from high school. He didn’t seem very interested. When I told him about my plans to study architecture in college, he made it clear that he wouldn’t offer me any assistance. But, I was already hurt and upset. Encouraged by youthful ignorance, alcohol and a wrestling show, I got it into my head that I had to impress my father by challenging a wrestler to a match. That plan backfired, and I ended up crying and embarrassing myself in the ring. The wrestler, Billy ‘Bad Boy’ Heinz, took full advantage of my brashness and made sure I learnt my lesson.”
On his father’s cold reaction, Roberts confessed: “I managed to crawl back to the locker room. My father was there, and all he said was, ‘I’m ashamed of you. You’re gutless, and you’ll never amount to anything.’ That night, filled with anger and desperation, I decided that I was going to pursue wrestling. Not just that, but I was going to outshine my father in it. Despite him being a giant at seven foot and 425 pounds, I resolved to surpass his legacy. Even if it meant adopting unfair methods, I was determined to do it. My wrestling journey began the next day; a journey my father had always wanted me to avoid.”