Alan Robert Rogowski (September 22, 1942 – February 26, 2024), better known by the ring name Ole Anderson (), was an American professional wrestler, booker, and promoter.
Following a stint in the U.S. Army, Rogowski made his professional wrestling debut in his native Minnesota in 1967, wrestling for the American Wrestling Association (AWA) as Al "the Rock" Rogowski or simply Rock Rogowski. The following year, he joined the Carolinas-based Jim Crockett Promotions, where he adopted the ring name Ole Anderson and began teaming with his kayfabe brother Gene Anderson as the Minnesota Wrecking Crew. Following a further stint with the AWA and appearances with Championship Wrestling from Florida, in 1972 Anderson settled into wrestling primarily for Jim Crockett Promotions and Georgia Championship Wrestling. By the mid-1980s, Anderson was a part-owner of, and the booker for, Georgia Championship Wrestling. After Georgia Championship Wrestling was acquired by Vince McMahon in 1984 in what was known as "Black Saturday", Anderson broke away to form his own promotion, Championship Wrestling from Georgia, which was itself acquired by Jim Crockett Promotions the following year. Anderson spent the rest of his career with Jim Crockett Promotions and its successor, World Championship Wrestling (WCW), forming a new iteration of the Minnesota Wrecking Crew with Arn Anderson, co-founding influential stable The Four Horsemen, twice serving as booker for WCW, and running the WCW Power Plant. He retired from the ring in 1990, and from the professional wrestling industry in 1994.
Known amongst his contemporaries for his gruff, cantankerous demeanor and toughness, Anderson is a key figure in the history of professional wrestling in Georgia and the Carolinas. He held over 40 championships over the course of his career, including eight reigns as National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) World Tag Team Champion (Mid-Atlantic version). He was inducted into the WCW Hall of Fame in 1994 and the NWA Hall of Fame in 2010.
Early life Rogowski was born to the Polish immigrants Robert Joseph Rogowski and Georgiana Bryant in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1942. He attended Alexander Ramsey High School in nearby Roseville, Minnesota. He spent his adolescence in St. Paul, Minnesota, where he worked at his father's bar. As a youth he took part in amateur wrestling and football. After high school, Rogowski attended the University of Colorado (where he played football for the Colorado Buffaloes), the University of Minnesota, and St. Cloud State University, but did not graduate.
Rogowski served in the U.S. Army for three years, reaching the rank of specialist. During his service, he spent time stationed in Germany and performed clerical work. While in the Army, Rogowski trained in amateur wrestling, boxing and powerlifting.
Professional wrestling career
American Wrestling Association (1967–1968) While exercising at a YMCA gym, Rogowski was approached by professional wrestler Tiger Malloy to meet with Verne Gagne, the promoter of the Minneapolis, Minnesota-based American Wrestling Association (AWA). Rogowski was trained to wrestle by Gagne and Dick the Bruiser. He debuted with the AWA on August 19, 1967, defeating José Quintero in a bout in the Minneapolis Auditorium. He wrestled as "Al 'the Rock' Rogowski" or simply "Rock Rogowski". He was occasionally billed as being the nephew of Dick the Bruiser, and as a relative of The Crusher. He went on a short unbeaten streak which ended the following month when he and Mighty Igor Vodik unsuccessfully challenged Harley Race and Larry Hennig for the AWA World Tag Team Championship. In October 1967, Rogowski defeated Bob Orton for the AWA Midwest Heavyweight Championship; Orton regained the title from him the following month. In December 1967, he twice again challenged for the AWA World Tag Team Championship, teaming with Bill Watts in a pair of losses to champions Dr. Moto and Mitsu Arakawa. Rogowski wrestled regularly for the AWA until June 1968, when he moved to Jim Crockett Promotions. By the end of his first year in professional wrestling, Rogowski was earning $32,000 () per annum.
Jim Crockett Promotions (1968–1970)
In mid-1968, Anderson began wrestling for the Carolinas-based Jim Crockett Promotions. Adopting the ring name Ole Anderson (Ole being a traditional Norwegian Minnesotan name), he was presented as the "baby brother" of Gene Anderson and Lars Anderson from the Minnesota Northwoods. Billed as the "Minnesota Wrecking Crew", the trio wrestled in a series of six-man tag team matches. In September 1968, they began feuding with Art Thomas, George Becker, and Johnny Weaver, culminating in a Texas death match in October 1968 that was won by Becker, Thomas, and Weaver. Following the Texas death match, Lars Anderson left the territory, and the Minnesota Wrecking Crew continued as a tag team.
In January 1969, the Minnesota Wrecking Crew defeated Becker and Weaver to win the NWA Southern Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic version); they lost the titles back to Becker and Weaver one week later. In January 1969, they began a long-running series of matches against the Flying Scotts. In June 1969, Ole and Gene were rejoined by Lars Anderson. The Minnesota Wrecking Crew resumed their feud with Thomas, Becker, and Weaver, and also began a series of violent matches against Aldo Bogni, Bronko Lubich, and George Harris. After Lars departed once again in July 1969, Ole and Gene reverted to being a tag team. In January 1970, Anderson wrestled a handful of matches in Japan with the Japan Wrestling Association as part of its "New Year Champion Series", including losing to Antonio Inoki in Himeji. In March 1970, the Minnesota Wrecking Crew defeated Becker and Weaver to win the NWA Atlantic Coast Tag Team Championship. They held the titles for 180 days (with successful title defences against teams including the Flying Scotts, the Infernos, and Mr. Wrestling and Tiny Anderson) before finally losing them to Nelson Royal and Paul Jones in September 1970. Anderson departed Jim Crockett Promotions later that month.
American Wrestling Association (1970–1971) In November 1970, Anderson returned to the American Wrestling Association, readopting his "Rock Rogowski" ring name. Upon his return, he defeated Tex McKenzie to win the AWA Midwest Heavyweight Championship for a second time, losing the title to Stan Pulaski the following month. Also in November 1970, Anderson challenged his trainer Verne Gagne for the AWA World Heavyweight Championship, wrestling him to a double countout. In early-1971, Anderson held the AWA Midwest Tag Team Championship on two occasions, once with The Claw and once with Ox Baker. Anderson left the AWA once more in mid-1971 to join Championship Wrestling from Florida.
Championship Wrestling from Florida (1971–1972) In July 1971, Anderson began wrestling for the Florida-based Championship Wrestling from Florida promotion. Shortly after arriving, he formed a tag team with Ronnie Garvin, with the duo winning the vacant NWA Florida Tag Team Championship later that month. They lost the titles to the Australians (Larry O'Dea and Ron Miller) the following month. In December 1971, Anderson defeated Jack Brisco to win the NWA Florida Television Championship. His reign ended one week later when he lost to Bob Roop. Anderson wrestled regularly for Championship Wrestling from Florida until spring 1972, when he left to return to Jim Crockett Promotions.
Jim Crockett Promotions; Georgia Championship Wrestling (1972–1984)
Anderson returned to Jim Crockett Promotions in February 1972, resuming teaming with Gene Anderson as the Minnesota Wrecking Crew. Over the following months, the Minnesota Wrecking Crew faced teams such as Rip Hawk and Swede Hanson, the Von Steigers, Klondike Bill and Nelson Royal, and Ronnie Garvin and Thunderbolt Patterson. In November 1972, the Minnesota Wrecking Crew briefly won the NWA Atlantic Coast Tag Team Championship for a second time by defeating Art Neilson and Johnny Weaver; Neilson and Weaver regained the titles one week later. In March 1973, the Minnesota Wrecking Crew defeated Neilson and Weaver to win the NWA Atlantic Coast Tag Team Championship for a third time. In May 1973, Anderson won the NWA Eastern Heavyweight Championship from Jerry Brisco. He lost the title back to Brisco in July 1973. The Minnesota Wrecking Crew's third reign as NWA Atlantic Coast Tag Team Champions ended that same month when they lost to Jerry Brisco and Thunderbolt Patterson. They defeated Brisco and Patterson to win the NWA Atlantic Coast Tag Team Championship for a fourth time in July 1973; this reign lasted until October 1973, when they lost to Nelson Royal and Sandy Scott.
In October and November 1973, the Minnesota Wrecking Crew toured Japan with International Wrestling Enterprise as part of its Big Winter Series, facing tag teams such as Isamu Teranishi and Strong Kobayashi and Animal Hamaguchi and Mighty Inoue. They unsuccessfully challenged Great Kusatsu and Rusher Kimura for the IWA World Tag Team Championship in a two out of three falls match. The tour also saw Ole Anderson face Rusher Kimura in a pair of cage matches. The final match of the tour, which took place in the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, saw the Minnesota Wrecking Crew and Klondike Bill lose to Great Kusatsu, Mighty Inoue, and Rusher Kimura in a six-man tag team match.
In May 1974, Anderson began wrestling regularly for Georgia Championship Wrestling. From 1974 to 1985, Anderson wrestled primarily for Jim Crockett Promotions and Georgia Championship Wrestling.
In October 1974, the Minnesota Wrecking Crew defeated Bill Dromo and Mike McCord for the NWA Southeastern Tag Team Championship (Georgia version) in Columbus, Georgia. They lost the titles to Buddy Colt and Roger Kirby the following month.
In January 1975, Ric Flair was introduced to Jim Crockett Promotions as a cousin of Ole and Gene Anderson, with the trio taking part in a series of six-man tag team matches.
In 1975, the Minnesota Wrecking Crew faced Paul Jones and Wahoo McDaniel in a series of matches for the NWA World Tag Team Championship. A June 1975 match featured the "supreme sacrifice" angle, which saw Ole ram McDaniel into Gene's head, knocking both men out and enabling Ole to pin McDaniel.
In May 1976, Anderson was attacked by a knife-wielding audience member in Greenville, South Carolina. The attacker slashed his arm and chest, necessitating the reattachment of tendons and a large number of stitches.
In 1976, Anderson was appointed as booker of Georgia Championship Wrestling by majority owner Jim Barnett, replacing Harley Race. Anderson eventually became a part-owner of Georgia Championship Wrestling.
By 1977, Anderson was earning $140,000 () per year.
In May 1977, Anderson defeated Mr. Wrestling II in Macon, Georgia to win the Macon Heavyweight Championship. He held the title until January 1978, when he lost to Dick Slater. In December 1977, Anderson and Jacques Goulet defeated Tommy Rich and Tony Atlas for the NWA Georgia Tag Team Championship; they lost the titles to Atlas and Mr. Wrestling II in February 1978. That same month, Anderson defeated Goulet in the finals of a tournament in Atlanta, Georgia to win the NWA Georgia Television Championship; he lost the title to Thunderbolt Patterson in May 1978.