Published on July 21st, 2008 ∙ by Carol ∙
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Thanks to my friend Gary for the heads up!
By Harry Burkett
“I’m sure Randy will be thrilled to hear the news, but, speaking as someone who has seen this kid train from the very beginning, I’m not surprised at all that he’s ranked number one,” Bob Orton Jr. gave a hearty laugh on the other end of the phone. “I’ve been around this business for a long time, and I’ve seen a lot of great wrestlers, but I’ve never seen anyone work out as hard or dedicate himself to the sport quite like Randy.”
The proud papa let out another belly laugh. “All I’ve got to say is that it must be in the genes!”
With all due respect to Bob Orton Jr., it should be noted that even if the “PWI 500” were around during his prime, he never would have come close to the number-one spot now held by son Randy. “Yeah, yeah, I know all about the ‘500.’ You’re right, I don’t think I was quite in Randy’s league.”
Bob, the 1973 Rookie of the Year, probably would have made it to the top 50 during the late-’70s and into the 1980s. His all-time high was number 130 back in 1991, when the list made its debut in the pages of PRO WRESTLING ILLUSTRATED. By that point, Orton was in the twilight of his career, competing on the independent circuit.
Since then, the elder Orton has settled into life away from the wrestling business, content to watch Randy’s progress and enjoy his status as the family patriarch. “We all feel very fortunate that my father, Randy’s grandfather, was able to see him win a world title and become a big star,” said Orton. “He was very proud of Randy’s achievements.”
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