169:, the chief reason being Don Owen's reputation as the best payoff promoter in the wrestling business. Owen was known for dealing fairly with all his wrestlers, paying them exactly what he promised and never trying to stiff them, a mentality not shared with the vast majority of his fellow promoters. Because of this, every major star in the 1960s and 1970s wished to wrestle in the Northwest. Among those who wrestled and/or got their start under Don Owen's management are
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Finally, in July 1992, facing increasing health problems from age, overwhelming competition from WWF and WCW, and unrelenting problems from an overzealous Oregon State
Athletic Commission, as well as the bankruptcy of his main television sponsor, Don Owen was forced to shut down PNW's operations. He
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and drinks to the audience. Early on, Don and Elton even stepped into the ring on occasion to box or wrestle. In time, Don moved more and more into the promoting side, eventually taking over completely after his father died in 1951. His career as a promoter spanned over 60 years throughout the
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which eventually became the
Portland Sports Arena and the new home of PNW. The company held strong throughout the 1970s despite competition from 'outlaw promotions', and in 1976, Dutch Savage bought into Don Owen Sports and began promoting PNW cards in the state of
286:. The Portland Sports Arena was sold to a local church. Owen then lived out a quiet retirement until his death in 2002. Owen was the youngest of the original founding members of the NWA and the last surviving original member after the death of
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247:) continued as a weekly program until the show ended production in December 1991, possibly setting a record as the longest-lasting wrestling show in the history of American television.
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274:(WWF). However, McMahon had accomplished this by successfully driving the old wrestling "territories" like PNW out of existence. That same decade, the formation of
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Don Owen making ring introductions at the
Portland Sports Arena in February 1983.
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In 1952, Don Owen negotiated a deal with pioneering
Portland TV station
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In 1968 Owen left the
Portland Armory venue and bought and renovated a
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117:. For several decades, he owned and operated the highly successful
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to become the very first wrestling show seen on TV in the city.
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479:"Tom Zenk in Pacific North West: An interview with Barry Owen"
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sold the entire company, minus the Sports Arena, to promoter
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Owen was married with three sons, Mike, Marc and Barry.
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614:Pacific Coast Junior Heavyweight Championship
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639:NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship
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411:"Remembering the great Portland territory"
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386:"Owen legacy strong in Pacific Northwest"
107:(March 16, 1912 – August 1, 2002) was an
344:List of professional wrestling promoters
16:American professional wrestling promoter
624:Pacific Coast Middleweight Championship
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161:Under management of Don Owen Sports,
154:. Owen was a founding member of the
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629:NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship
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384:Molinaro, John (1999-09-23).
322:Wrestling Observer Newsletter
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551:"Dutch Remembers Don Owen"
302:Awards and accomplishments
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557:2007-12-15 at the
535:. 14 January 2022.
459:"Kayfabe Memories"
438:"Kayfabe Memories"
364:"Kayfabe Memories"
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675:Roddy Piper
219:Jimmy Snuka
207:Shag Thomas
195:Roddy Piper
179:Curt Hennig
175:Dizzy Hogan
690:Categories
670:Sandy Barr
518:2008-01-14
489:2007-11-15
464:2007-05-07
444:2007-05-07
420:2022-04-06
395:2022-04-06
370:2007-11-15
350:References
284:Sandy Barr
257:Washington
203:Omar Atlas
150:heyday of
290:in 1998.
665:Don Owen
555:Archived
338:See also
137:Born in
115:promoter
109:American
105:Don Owen
82:Don Owen
22:Don Owen
264:revival
147:popcorn
95:Retired
143:boxing
133:Career
90:1930s
87:Debut
235:KPTV
98:1992
55:Died
39:Born
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