Russ Haas
{{short description|American professional wrestler}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2018}}
{{Infobox professional wrestler
|name = Russ Haas
|image = Russ Haas.jpg
|image_size =
|caption = Russ Haas, one half of the Haas brothers.
|birth_name = Thomas Russell Haas
|birth_date = {{Birth date|1974|3|11|mf=y}}{{cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/r/russ-haas.html|title=Russ Haas |access-date=February 13, 2008|publisher=Online World of Wrestling}}
|birth_place = Edmond, Oklahoma, United States
|death_date = {{death date and age|2001|12|15|1974|3|11}}
|death_place = Cincinnati, Ohio, United States{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gMVg5JWqh3YC&pg=PA148|title=Wrestling Babylon: Piledriving Tales of Drugs, Sex, Death, and Scandal|publisher=ECW Press|author=Muchnick, Irv|year=2007|pages=148|isbn=9781554902866}}
|death_cause = Heart failure
|spouse = {{marriage|Deedra Haas|1992}}
|names = Russ Haas{{cite web|url=http://www.bodyslamming.com/deceased/russ.html |title=Russ Haas Biography |access-date=February 13, 2008 |publisher=Bodyslamming |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080118101753/http://www.bodyslamming.com/deceased/russ.html |archive-date=January 18, 2008 }}
|height = {{height|ft=6|in=2}}
|weight = {{convert|220|lb|kg st|abbr=on}}
|billed = Oklahoma
|trainer = Mike Sharpe
|debut = 1998
|retired =
}}
Thomas Russell Haas (March 11, 1974 – December 15, 2001) was an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his work alongside his older brother Charlie in Memphis Championship Wrestling and Jersey All Pro Wrestling.{{cite web|url=http://www.japw.net/new/history/inmemory.htm|title=The History – In Memory|access-date=January 12, 2008|publisher=Jersey All Pro Wrestling}}
Haas was a collegiate wrestler at Seton Hall University, and was then trained for a career in professional wrestling by Mike Sharpe. He quickly began working on the independent circuit alongside his brother Charlie, with the two forming a tag team known as The Haas Brothers. They won the JAPW Tag Team Championship for the first time in mid-1998, and won it for the second time in mid-1999. They went on to win the Pennsylvania Championship Wrestling Tag Team Championship and the ECWA Tag Team Championship in 2000, and also won the CZW World Tag Team Championship in early 2000. In late 2000, The Haas Brothers signed a contract with the World Wrestling Federation, and were assigned to the developmental territories, the Heartland Wrestling Association and Memphis Championship Wrestling (MCW). In MCW, they won the MCW Tag Team Championship on three occasions during early 2001.
In September 2001, Haas had a heart attack, and in December, died in his sleep at the age of 27. Following his death, several wrestling personalities paid tribute to Haas, including Low Ki and Kevin Kelly. JAPW held the Russ Haas Memorial Show in February 2002, and in August 2002 Phoenix Championship Wrestling held The Russ Haas Memorial Tag Team Tournament. In 2004, he was inducted into the ECWA Hall of Fame and in 2007 he was inducted into the JAPW Hall of Fame.
Professional wrestling career
{{Main|The Haas Brothers}}
Haas was a former collegiate wrestler at Seton Hall University.{{cite web|url=http://www.haasofpain.com/russ/articles/asiseeit.html|title=As I See It: Remembering Russ Haas|date=January 23, 2002|access-date=February 13, 2008|publisher=HaasOf Pain.com|archive-date=January 26, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180126070927/http://www.haasofpain.com/russ/articles/asiseeit.html|url-status=usurped}} On July 22, 1998, The Haas Brothers won the Jersey All Pro Wrestling Tag Team Championship by defeating The Skin Head Express. They lost it to The Nation of Immigration just over a month later on August 25. They won the championship for the second time on May 21, 1999, by defeating The Big Unit (Rick Silver and Dave Desire), and held the championship until February 25, 2000 when they were defeated by Da Hit Squad. During 2000 they also held the Pennsylvania Championship Wrestling Tag Team Championship, which they won by defeating Jeff Peterson and Boogie Woogie Brown, and the ECWA Tag Team Championship in the East Coast Wrestling Association promotion, which they won by defeating The Backseat Boyz (Trent Acid and Johnny Kashmere). They also competed in Maryland Championship Wrestling and the Pennsylvania-based World Xtreme Wrestling.
The Haas brothers began competing for Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW) in November 1999, losing to The King Pinz at The War Begins on November 20, 1999.{{cite web|url=http://www.czwrestling.com/archives/1999.html|title='The War Begins' – November 20th 1999 – Mantua, NJ|date=November 20, 1999|access-date=May 22, 2010|publisher=Combat Zone Wrestling|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160110192443/http://www.czwrestling.com/archives/1999.html|archive-date=January 10, 2016}} They competed regularly for CZW throughout early 2000, and won the CZW World Tag Team Championship on February 12 at Climbing The Ladder by defeating The Kashmerino Brothers and The Thrill Kill Kult in a three-way match.{{cite web|url=http://www.czwrestling.com/archives/2000.html|title='Climbing The Ladder' – February 12th 2000 – Blackwood, NJ|date=February 12, 2000|access-date=May 22, 2010|publisher=Combat Zone Wrestling|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100116122533/http://czwrestling.com/archives/2000.html|archive-date=January 16, 2010}} On July 10, they lost the championship to The Backseat Boyz at Caged To The End, when Johnny Kashmere defeated Russ in a singles match and was awarded the championship.{{cite web|url=http://www.czwrestling.com/archives/2000.html|title='Caged To The End' – June 10th 2000 – Sewell, NJ|date=June 10, 2000|access-date=May 22, 2010|publisher=Combat Zone Wrestling|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100116122533/http://czwrestling.com/archives/2000.html|archive-date=January 16, 2010}}
After a World Wrestling Federation (WWF) tryout match at Madison Square Garden on August 7, 2000, they signed a developmental contract with WWF the following day. The two worked their way through the tag ranks in the WWF's developmental territories, Memphis Championship Wrestling (MCW) and the Heartland Wrestling Association (HWA). The brothers won the MCW Southern Tag Team Championship three times during early 2001, defeating The Dupps the first time and the Island Boyz and Joey Matthews and Christian York in a three-way match on both the second and third occasions.
Personal life
Haas' grandfather, Hugh Devore, was an assistant with the Houston Oilers and a former head coach of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.{{cite web|url=http://www.rfvideo.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=2417|title=Shoot with Charlie Haas|access-date=May 22, 2010|publisher=RF Video}} Haas was married to a woman named Deedra.
Death and tributes
On September 24, 2001, Haas had a heart attack. On December 15, 2001, he died of heart failure in his sleep at the age of 27.{{cite book|author=Muchnick, Irvin|page=148|year=2007|title=Wrestling Babylon: Piledriving Tales of Drugs, Sex, Death, and Scandal|publisher=ECW Press|isbn=978-1550227611}} He was found dead by his wife Deedra shortly after his brother Charlie had left for the night. Haas was buried at Memorial Oaks Cemetery in Houston, Texas.
Following Haas's death, Charlie wrestled by the ring name "R.C. Haas", adding Russ's name in front of his own and initializing both, in tribute to his brother until he was called up to the WWE main roster. Charlie also began wrestling with "RUSS" written on his wrist tape, this act of tribute lasting up to this day.{{cite web|url=http://www.gerweck.net/charliehaas.htm|title=Charlie Haas|access-date=February 13, 2008|publisher=gerweck|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080217043858/http://www.gerweck.net/charliehaas.htm|archive-date=February 17, 2008}} On December 15, 2001, CZW's Cage of Death 3 show had a ten bell salute for Haas, with some wrestlers wearing black armbands, and others taping "RH" on their wrestling boots.{{cite web|url=http://www.pwbts.com/columns/b121701.html|title=As I See It – 12/17/2001|date=December 17, 2000|last=Magee|first=Bob|access-date=December 1, 2008}} On December 17, 2001, on Raw, both Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler paid a small tribute to Haas in the middle of the show. Both William Moody and Kevin Kelly paid tribute to Haas on their websites. On July 17, 2002, first ever Ring of Honor Champion Low Ki dedicated his title win to Haas.{{cite web|url=http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/DVDs_-_VGames_-_Books_25/article_7845.shtml|title=DVD Review: Burgan reviews ROH Crowing a Champion- Low Ki, Spanky, Christopher Daniels|date=April 9, 2004|last=Burgan|first=Derek|access-date=May 22, 2010|publisher=Pro Wrestling Torch}}
On February 2, 2002, JAPW held the Russ Haas Memorial Show, with the JAPW roster donating their services for the event. In his honor, Mike Bucci and Charlie had the idea to have local indy talent and talent from Ohio Valley Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment, who were touched by Haas' death, put on a special tag-team tournament. The Russ Haas Memorial Tag-Team Tournament was held by the small New Jersey–based promotion Phoenix Championship Wrestling on August 31, 2002.{{cite web|url=http://www.rfvideo.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=280|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060612074754/http://www.rfvideo.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=280|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 12, 2006|title=PCW Haas Memorial Tag Team Tournament 8/31/02|access-date=January 12, 2008}} There were eight teams in all, but in the end, the team of Bucci and Charlie won the tournament.
Haas was part of the 2004 class of inductees into the ECWA Hall of Fame, with his brother Charlie. On October 27, 2007, Haas posthumously was inducted into the JAPW Hall of Fame.
Championships and accomplishments
- Combat Zone Wrestling
- CZW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Charlie Haas{{cite web|url=http://www.czwrestling.com/titlehistory/|title=CZW title History – CZW World Tag-Team Champions|access-date=May 22, 2010|publisher=Combat Zone Wrestling|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101222162338/http://www.czwrestling.com/titlehistory/|archive-date=December 22, 2010}}
- East Coast Wrestling Association
- ECWA Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Charlie Haas
- ECWA Hall of Fame (Class of 2004){{cite web|url=http://www.ecwaprowrestling.com/main/halloffame/index.html|title=ECWA Hall Of Hame Inductees – Wrestlers|access-date=September 26, 2008|publisher=ECWA|quote=2004 The Haas Brothers|archive-date=June 20, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130620142750/http://www.ecwaprowrestling.com/main/halloffame/index.html|url-status=dead}}
- Jersey All Pro Wrestling
- JAPW Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Charlie Haas{{cite web|url=http://www.japw.net/new/lockerroom/tagteamchamp.htm|title=JAPW Tag Team Champion Title History|access-date=May 22, 2010|publisher=Jersey All Pro Wrestling|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080123120734/http://www.japw.net/new/lockerroom/tagteamchamp.htm|archive-date=January 23, 2008}}
- JAPW Hall of Fame (Class of 2007){{cite web|url=http://www.japw.net/main/superstars/halloffame.php|title=Jersey All Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: Class of 2007|access-date=May 22, 2010|publisher=Jersey All Pro Wrestling|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110910053842/http://www.japw.net/main/superstars/halloffame.php|archive-date=September 10, 2011}}
- Memphis Championship Wrestling
- MCW Southern Tag Team Championship (3 times) – with Charlie Haas
- Pennsylvania Championship Wrestling
- PCW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Charlie Haas
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- Ranked 130 of the Top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2001.{{cite web|url=http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/pwi/pwi50001.htm|title=Pro Wrestling Illustrated Top 500 – 2001|access-date=July 16, 2009|publisher=Wrestling Information Archive|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090319001304/http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/pwi/pwi50001.htm|archive-date=March 19, 2009}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/r/russ-haas.html Online World of Wrestling profile]
- [https://www.cagematch.net/?id=28&nr=420&name=The+Haas+Brothers Cagematch profile]
{{CZW World Tag Team Championship}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Haas, Russ}}
Category:20th-century male professional wrestlers
Category:20th-century American professional wrestlers
Category:American male professional wrestlers
Category:American male sport wrestlers
Category:Sportspeople from Edmond, Oklahoma
Category:Professional wrestlers from Oklahoma
Category:Seton Hall Pirates wrestlers