1. Rolland "Red" Bastien was an American professional wrestler best known for his time in Capital Wrestling Corporation where he was a three-time WWWF United States Tag Team Champion with his kayfabe brother, Lou Bastien.
13 Facts About Red Bastien
1. 2.
Red Bastien took part in football and swimming in high school and broke in on Midwest carnivals, fighting local toughs and learning wrestling the hard way.
3.
Red Bastien was small for a wrestler at 185 pounds, but he was quick, vigorous, fast and employed a wide assortment of aerial moves.
4.
Red Bastien's teachers were Henry Kolln, Einar Olsen, Joe Pazandak and Verne Gagne, and his peak years were from 1959 to 1971.
5.
Red Bastien's favorite finishing moves were the dropkick, flying head scissors, atomic drop and abdominal stretch.
6.
Red Bastien teamed up with Lou Klein to form the Red Bastien Brothers tag team and, in 1960, won the United States Tag Team Championship from Eddie and Jerry Graham in April 1960.
7.
Red Bastien went on to win several more tag team championships.
8.
Red Bastien returned for one match in Madison Square Garden in June 1970, being pinned by Professor Tanaka but prior to that, putting on an amazing performance, dominating most of the match.
9.
Red Bastien had a hot main event run in Florida in the late 1960s, including memorable bouts with Johnny Valentine.
10.
In September and October 1971, Red Bastien wrestled in Japan for the International Wrestling Enterprise promotion as part of its Dynamite Series.
11.
Red Bastien made further tours with International Wrestling Enterprise in winter 1972 and winter 1973.
12.
Red Bastien was good friends with fellow wrestler Roddy Piper and was the best man at his wedding.
13.
Red Bastien served as president of the Cauliflower Alley Club for six years from 2001 to 2007, but was reported in 2010 to be suffering from Alzheimer's disease, his health progressively getting worse.