| WINNER
(TIE)---BLACKJACK MULLIGAN
This category was nip and tuck in the voting the entire
time, and amazingly ended in a flat out tie between buddies
Blackjack Mulligan and Ric Flair! Both of these wrestlers
clearly had strong cases to win in this category, so perhaps
a co-winner was really the best result.
Mulligan dominated all of the Mid-Atlantic area’s good
guys during his strong run as United States Champion. That
along with his loud and boastful interviews made him the
consummate "bad guy." Add to this that he injured
fan favorites Roberto Soto, Burrhead Jones and Paul Jones
during the year of 1976; it is easy to see why Blackjack
earned so many votes in this category. Resorting to a
technicality to take the U.S. belt away from Paul Jones at
the end of the year didn’t endear Mulligan to the fans
much either.
Yes, Blackjack Mulligan clearly earned his co-champion
distinction as the Gateway’s Most Hated, and Best Heel, of
1976!
WINNER (TIE)---RIC FLAIR
In 1976, about all you had to do was be an enemy of Wahoo
McDaniel and you would be on the Most Hated list of the
majority of Mid-Atlantic fans! And there can be no doubt
that Ric Flair was Wahoo’s worst enemy in 1976. Injuring
Wahoo and putting him out of wrestling for two periods of
time during 1976, in and of itself was likely enough to earn
Ric his portion of this award.
The Nature Boy was developing a style in 1976 that would
set the standard for "bad guys" for years to come.
His cool, smooth and arrogant style was generating
tremendous heat for Jim Crockett Promotions, the likes of
which had never been seen before.
In 1976, Ric Flair was not only talking the talk, he was
walking the walk as well. Whether the fans liked it or not,
the "Nature Boy" had truly arrived in all his
magnificence. Ric is no doubt a worthy co-champion with
Blackjack Mulligan for the Gateway’s Most Hated, and Best
Heel, of 1976!
RUNNER’S-UP---GENE AND OLE ANDERSON
The Anderson’s never went out of their way to cater to
the fans, and 1976 was typical in that regard. Ole would
often say that the fans were jealous of Gene and he because
the Anderson’s were so good at what they did. A fan even
stabbed Ole in the spring of 1976, showing that the level of
discontent with the Anderson’s was running even higher
than normal in 1976.
OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES
None.
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