Larry Matysik

In 1963, Matysik was hired by St. Louis promoter Sam Muchnick at the age of 16 to work as a publicist and office manager. In 1970, Matysik became an announcer for his promotion.{{cite web|url=https://www.f4wonline.com/other-wrestling/former-wrestling-chase-host-larry-matysik-hospitalized-249081|title=Former Wrestling At The Chase Host Larry Matysik Hospitalized|date=January 1, 2018|accessdate=December 1, 2018|work=Wrestling Observer Newsletter|last=Meltzer|first=Dave|authorlink=Dave Meltzer}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bnd.com/sports/article222160430.html|title=Larry Matysik, the voice of 'Wrestling at the Chase,' dies after lengthy illness|date=November 25, 2018|accessdate=December 1, 2018|work=Belleville News-Democrat|last=Eschman|first=Todd}} Along with Gordon Solie and Lance Russell, Matysik was considered one of the top wrestling announcers in the country. He remained Wrestling at the Chase{{'}}s ringside announcer until the show went off the air in 1983.{{cite web|url=https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/columns/joe-holleman/wrestling-at-the-chase-announcer-larry-matysik-dies-at/article_83fabf84-aab6-5f57-b4b1-b81db0d86ff4.html|title='Wrestling at the Chase' announcer Larry Matysik dies at 72|date=November 26, 2018|accessdate=December 1, 2018|work=St. Louis Post-Dispatch|last=Holleman|first=Joe}} He would also occasionally do commentary for the American Wrestling Association.{{cite web|url=https://www.f4wonline.com/other-wrestling/larry-matysik-enters-hospice-care-270871|title=Larry Matysik enters hospice care|date=November 24, 2018|accessdate=December 1, 2018|work=Wrestling Observer Newsletter|last=Meltzer|first=Dave|authorlink=Dave Meltzer}}

Behind the scenes, Matysik was responsible for several aspects of the business. He served as co-booker with Pat O'Connor and was partly responsible for the company's success in the late 1970s. In 1982, Matysik severed ties with the St. Louis office and started a promotion outside the control of the National Wrestling Alliance, Greater St. Louis Wrestling Enterprises.{{cite book|title=National Wrestling Alliance: The Untold Story of the Monopoly That Strangled Pro Wrestling|url=https://archive.org/details/nationalwrestlin00horn|url-access=limited|page=[https://archive.org/details/nationalwrestlin00horn/page/n379 354]|first=Tim|last=Hornbaker|publisher=ECW Press|year=2006|isbn=1-55022-741-6}} Matysik was a close friend of Bruiser Brody, who created the promotion with him. Their promotion was financially successful, but issues behind-the-scenes caused problems for financiers. From 1984 to 1993, Matysik worked for Vince McMahon's World Wrestling Federation.

In later years, he remained active on the independent circuit and authored many books. He was also responsible for creating the St. Louis Wrestling Hall of Fame, and was personally inducted in 2007. He battled a number of health issues towards the end of his life, including spinal stenosis and he suffered at least three strokes. He received the James C. Melby Award from the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2014 but was too ill to attend the ceremony.{{cite web|url=http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/2014/06/30/21775231.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170722155433/http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/2014/06/30/21775231.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 22, 2017|title=Larry Matysik has earned the Melby Award for wrestling journalism|last=Oliver|first=Greg|authorlink=Greg Oliver|date=June 30, 2014 |accessdate=December 1, 2018|publisher=Canadian Online Explorer|work=Slam! Wrestling}} On November 24, 2018 it was reported that he had entered hospice care, and he died the following day. In his obituary, Wrestling Observer Newsletter founder Dave Meltzer wrote that he "learned more about pro wrestling from him than perhaps any other individual".{{cite web|url=https://www.f4wonline.com/other-wrestling/larry-matysik-passes-away-72-years-old-270911|title=Larry Matysik Passes Away at 72 Years Old|date=November 25, 2018|accessdate=December 1, 2018|work=Wrestling Observer Newsletter|last=Meltzer|first=Dave|authorlink=Dave Meltzer}}

• Cauliflower Alley Club
• Posthumous Award (2019){{cite web|url=http://www.caulifloweralleyclub.org/news/2018-12-20-larry-matysik.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225231640/https://www.caulifloweralleyclub.org/news/2018-12-20-larry-matysik.html |archive-date=December 25, 2018 |title=2019 Posthumous award honoree Larry Matysik |publisher=Cauliflower Alley Club|accessdate=August 15, 2019}}

• George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame
• James C. Melby Award (2014)

• Missouri Wrestling Revival
• Lifetime Achievement Award (2010){{cite web|url=https://missouriwrestlingrevival.com/2018/11/25/wrestling-at-the-chase-great-and-friend-to-the-wrestling-fan-larry-matysik-passes-away/|title=Wrestling at the Chase Great and Friend to the Wrestling Fan Larry Matysik Passes Away|last=Simmons|first=Herb|date=November 25, 2018|accessdate=December 1, 2018|publisher=Missouri Wrestling Revival}}

• St. Louis Wrestling Hall of Fame
• Class of 2007{{cite web|url=https://saintlouiswrestling.com/hof/|title=Halls of Fame - St. Louis Wrestling|accessdate=December 1, 2018|publisher=St. Louis Wrestling Hall of Fame}}

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• [https://nwhof.org/blog/dg-inductees/larry-matysik/ Larry Matysik] at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum

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Category:1947 births

Category:2018 deaths

Category:People from Belleville, Illinois

Category:American professional wrestling announcers

Category:American professional wrestling executives

Category:Professional wrestling historians

Category:Professional wrestling journalists and columnists