{{Short description|American professional wrestler (1948–2017)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}} {{Infobox professional wrestler | name = Ron Bass | birthname = Ronald Heard | names = Ron Bass | image = Ron Bass NWA Southern Heavyweight Champion.png | caption = Bass as the NWA Southern Heavyweight Champion, {{circa|1983}} | height = 6 ft 4 in<ref name=Encyclopedia>{{cite book|title=WWE Encyclopedia|last1=Shields|first1=Brian|last2=Sullivan|first2=Kevin|page=[https://archive.org/details/wweencyclopediad0000shie/page/229 229]|publisher=Dorling Kindersley|year=2009|isbn=978-0-7566-4190-0|title-link=WWE Encyclopedia}}</ref><ref name=death/> | weight = 289 lb<ref name=Encyclopedia/> | birth_date = {{birth date|1948|12|21}}<ref name="OWW">{{cite web|title=Ron Bass profile|work=Online World of Wrestling |url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/bios/r/ron-bass/|access-date=2017-03-09}}</ref> | birth_place = Harrisburg, Arkansas, U.S.<ref name="OWW"/> | death_date = {{death date and age|2017|3|7|1948|12|21}}<ref name=death>{{cite web|url=http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/2017/03/07/22708999.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170308022348/http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/2017/03/07/22708999.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 8, 2017|title='Outlaw' Ron Bass dead at 68|publisher=SLAM! Wrestling|access-date=March 7, 2017|date=March 7, 2017|author=Oliver, Greg}}</ref> | death_place = Tampa, Florida, U.S. | billed = Pampa, Texas<br>Houston, Texas (WWF) | trainer = | debut = 1971<ref name=death/> | retired = 2013 | alma_mater = Arkansas State University }} '''Ronald Heard''' (December 21, 1948 – March 7, 2017) was an American professional wrestler, best known under the ring name '''"Outlaw" Ron Bass'''. His gimmick was a Texan cowboy who entered rings to the sound of a bullwhip.<ref name=now>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/superstars/wherearetheynow/ronbass|title=Catching up with The Outlaw|author=Brett Hoffman|publisher=World Wrestling Entertainment|access-date=2008-03-12|date=January 29, 2007}}</ref>
==Professional wrestling career==
===National Wrestling Alliance (1971–1987)=== Heard started wrestling as Ron Bass in 1971 in the Gulf Coast territory.<ref name=death/> Throughout the 1970s, he performed primarily in National Wrestling Alliance territories.<ref name="thebiglead">{{Cite news |url=http://thebiglead.com/2017/03/08/pro-wrestlers-pay-tribute-to-the-outlaw-ron-bass/ |title=Pro Wrestlers Pay Tribute to "The Outlaw" Ron Bass |last=Glasspiegel |first=Ryan |access-date=9 March 2017 |work=The Big Lead |date=8 March 2017}}</ref> He was known as "Cowboy" Ron Bass,<ref name="wfla">{{Cite news |url=http://wfla.com/2017/03/07/former-professional-wrestler-cowboy-ron-bass-dies-at-tampa-general-hospital/ |title=Former professional wrestler 'Cowboy' Ron Bass dies at TGH |access-date=9 March 2017 |work=WFLA.com |date=7 March 2017}}</ref> Sam Oliver Bass, and "Outlaw" Ron Bass, depending on which territory he was working at the time.<ref name="comicbook">{{Cite news |url=http://comicbook.com/wwe/2017/03/08/former-wwe-star-outlaw-ron-bass-passes-away-at-age-68/ |title=Former WWE Star "Outlaw" Ron Bass Passes Away |last=Gnetz |first=Brandon |access-date=9 March 2017 |work=ComicBook |date=7 March 2017}}</ref>
In the early 1980s, he wrestled in Championship Wrestling from Florida and Jim Crockett Promotions, frequently teaming with Black Bart as The Long Riders in both promotions.<ref name=death/> He also teamed and feuded with Barry Windham in Florida. As a face he would feud with Angelo Mosca and Kendo Nagasaki. Bass would later turn heel after turning on Dusty Rhodes during a match where Bass was a special referee in a match against Harley Race, costing Rhodes the NWA title. Bass' feud with Barry Windham (over a saddle given to Bass by Dusty Rhodes) led to Windham losing a "loser-leaves-town" match to Bass and coming back to wrestle as the masked "Dirty Yellow Dog. "<ref name="cagesideseats">{{Cite news |url=http://www.cagesideseats.com/wwe/2017/3/8/14850938/outlaw-ron-bass-passes-away-68-wwe-nwa-veteran |title='The Outlaw' Ron Bass passes away at 68 |access-date=9 March 2017 |work=Cageside Seats |date=8 March 2017}}</ref>
===World Wrestling Federation (1987–1989)=== In 1987, Bass (using the "Outlaw" name) went to the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), where he voiced challenges to the likes of WWF Champion Hulk Hogan and Brutus Beefcake. A feud between Bass and Blackjack Mulligan appeared to be in the works over which one was the toughest wrestler to come out of Texas, but Mulligan abruptly left the WWF before any matches could take place between the two. Bass would then settle into a role in the midcard position, wrestling against Hillbilly Jim, Lanny Poffo and Sam Houston.<ref name=death/> Later on he was part of the five-man team captained by The Honky Tonk Man at the inaugural Survivor Series pay-per-view on Thanksgiving Day, 1987.<ref name="thescore">{{Cite news |url=https://www.thescore.com/news/1249094-former-wwe-star-the-outlaw-ron-bass-dies-at-68 |title=Former WWE star 'The Outlaw' Ron Bass dies at 68 |last=Holroyd |first= Caitlyn |access-date=9 March 2017 |publisher=theScore.com |date=8 March 2017}}</ref> He also participated in the very first Royal Rumble<ref name="thescore" /> and the 20-man battle royal at WrestleMania IV.<ref name="Fiction. A Nostalgic Guide to Growing up with the WWF">{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iGaRBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA90 |title=Fiction. A Nostalgic Guide to Growing up with the WWF |last=Undelson |first=Ben |publisher=Lulu.com |year=2013 |isbn=9781304101907 |page=90}}</ref><ref name="tuko">{{Cite news |url=https://www.tuko.co.ke/233152-wwe-wrestler-dies-burst-appendix.html |title=WWE wrestler DIES from burst appendix |access-date=9 March 2017 |work=Tuko.ce.ke |date=8 March 2017}}</ref> He was eliminated at the latter event by the Junkyard Dog; a feud between the two began in the months after WrestleMania after Bass choked and dragged the Dog with his bullwhip, "Miss Betsy," in a sneak attack on ''Wrestling Challenge''.<ref name="411mania">{{Cite news |url=https://411mania.com/wrestling/outlaw-ron-bass-passes-away/ |title=UPDATED: WWE Issues Statement on "Outlaw" Ron Bass' Passing |last=Thomas |first=Jeremy |access-date=9 March 2017 |work=411 Mania |date=8 March 2017}}</ref> He also joined Gorilla Monsoon at the broadcast table one week on ''Wrestling Challenge'' to cover for Bobby "The Brain" Heenan, who was recovering from his storyline injury from Ken Patera.
At the 1988 King of the Ring tournament, Bass qualified for the final after beating a young Shawn Michaels but was paid by Ted DiBiase to fake an injury.<ref>Ted DiBiase: The Million Dollar Man, p.162, Ted DiBiase with Tom Caiazzo, Pocket Books, New York, NY, 2008, {{ISBN|978-1-4165-5890-3}}</ref> Bass began a feud with Beefcake in August 1988, gouging Beefcake's head open with his spurs ("Bret" and "Bart") on an episode of ''Superstars of Wrestling''; the attack caused Beefcake to miss his scheduled Intercontinental championship match against the Honky Tonk Man at the first SummerSlam event on August 29.<ref>{{cite web|title=World Wrestling Entertainment Substitutions|work=Softwolves|url=http://www.softwolves.pp.se/wrestling/wwf/substitutions|access-date=2008-01-28}}</ref> Bass and Honky co-captained a five-man contingent against a team captained by Beefcake and the Ultimate Warrior at the second Survivor Series in November. Bass and teammate Greg Valentine were eliminated by Warrior in succession in the final minute of the match.<ref>{{cite web|title=Survivor Series 1988|work=Pro Wrestling History|url=http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wwf/survivor.html#88|access-date=2008-01-28}}</ref> On the January 7, 1989 ''Saturday Night's Main Event XIX'', Bass lost to Beefcake via sleeperhold in a hair vs. hair match.<ref name=now/><ref>{{cite web|title=Saturday Night's Main Event #19|work=Pro Wrestling History|url=http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wwf/snme.html#19|access-date=2008-01-28}}</ref> He competed in the 1989 Royal Rumble (sans hair).<ref name="OWW"/> After Bass' feud with Beefcake, he was used mainly as a preliminary wrestler and left the WWF in March.<ref name="411mania"/>
===Retirement=== Bass wrestled in the independents before retiring in 1991 due to the injuries sustained over his career.<ref name=now/>
In 2005, he returned to wrestling making an appearance at WrestleReunion on January 29 and teamed with Larry Zbyszko to defeat Barry Windham and Mike Rotunda.<ref>{{cite web|title=WrestleReunion Wrestling Card: January 29, 2005|work=Online World of Wrestling|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/other/wrestlereunion-tampa.html|access-date=2008-01-28}}</ref> He continued to work in the independents until retiring for good in 2013.
Bass starred in the film ''Silent Times'' directed by Geoff Blanchette and Christopher Annino,<ref>{{Citation|last=Annino|first=Christopher|title=Silent Times|date=2019-01-29|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6058070/|others=Geoff Blanchette, Saschia Johnson, Olga Kurkulina|access-date=2018-06-07}}</ref> which was released in 2018. Bass plays a 1920s professional football coach named Coach Joseph Arcarese.<ref name=death/>
==Personal life and death== After retiring, Heard returned to Tampa, Florida, where he golfed, became religious, and earned a bachelor's degree from Arkansas State University.<ref name=death/><ref name=now/> Subsequently, he worked in sales in Florida's construction market.<ref name=now/> He also became an Amway salesman in the Tampa area. He had one son, named Joe, who debuted as a professional wrestler in September 2019, competing under the ring name Ron Bass Jr.<ref name=now/>
In July 2016, Heard was named part of a class action lawsuit filed against WWE which alleged that wrestlers incurred traumatic brain injuries during their tenure and that the company concealed the risks of injury. The suit was litigated by attorney Konstantine Kyros, who has been involved in a number of other lawsuits against WWE, primarily after the chronic traumatic encephalopathy investigation into Chris Benoit and other wrestlers.<ref>{{cite web|title=WWE sued in wrestler class action lawsuit featuring Jimmy 'Superfly' Snuka, Paul 'Mr Wonderful' Orndorff|url=http://www.foxsports.com.au/what-the-fox/wwe-sued-in-wrestler-class-action-lawsuit-featuring-jimmy-superfly-snuka-paul-mr-wonderful-orndorff/news-story/079fbd7db16f9cd71b7b569672baa4a5|work=FoxSports.com|date=July 18, 2015|access-date=July 20, 2016|publisher=Fox Entertainment Group (21st Century Fox)}}</ref> Following his death in March 2017, Kyros' law firm received a postmortem report in December 2018 from the Heard family stating he had suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy, which has become common among professional wrestlers. Over a year after his death, US District Judge Vanessa Lynne Bryant dismissed the lawsuit in September 2018.<ref>{{cite web|title=Piledriver: WWE uses 'Hell in a Cell' as springboard to future shows|url=https://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/sports/2018/09/22/wwe-uses-hell-cell-springboard-future-shows/1394073002/|work=Montgomery Advertiser|last=Robinson|first=Byron|date=September 22, 2018|access-date=May 17, 2019}}</ref>
In March 2017, Heard was hospitalized due to a burst appendix.<ref name=death/> He died on March 7, 2017, at the age of 68 due to complications following surgery.<ref>[http://wfla.com/2017/03/07/former-professional-wrestler-cowboy-ron-bass-dies-at-tampa-general-hospital "Former professional wrestler ‘Cowboy’ Ron Bass dies at Tampa General Hospital"], by WFLA Web Staff</ref><ref name=death/>
==Championships and accomplishments== [[File:Ron Bass holding Championships, 1985 (cropped).png|Bass as the NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Champion and NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Champion, {{circa|1985}}|thumb]]
*'''All Japan Pro Wrestling''' **NWA International Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Stan Hansen<ref name=inttag>{{cite web|title=NWA International Tag Team Title|work=Wrestling Titles|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/japan/alljapan/int-t.html|access-date=2008-01-28}}</ref> *'''Central States Wrestling''' **NWA Central States World Tag Team Championship (2 times) - with Dutch Mantell<ref name=cst>{{cite web|title=NWA World Tag Team Title (Central States)|work=Wrestling Titles|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/centralstates/nwa/cs-nwa-t.html|access-date=2008-01-29}}</ref> *'''Championship Wrestling from Florida''' **NWA Florida Bahamian Championship (1 time)<ref name=bah>{{cite web|title=NWA Bahamas Heavyweight Title|work=Wrestling Titles|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/fl/nwa/bahamas-h.html|access-date=2008-01-28}}</ref> **NWA Florida Global Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Barry Windham<ref name=globtag>{{cite web|title=NWA Global Tag Team Title|work=Wrestling Titles|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/fl/nwa/global-t.html|access-date=2008-01-29}}</ref> **NWA Florida Heavyweight Championship (2 times)<ref name=flhw>{{cite web|title=Florida Heavyweight Title|work=Wrestling Titles|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/fl/fl-h.html|access-date=2008-01-28}}</ref> **NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship ''(Florida version)'' (2 times)<ref name=flshw>{{cite web|title=NWA Southern Heavyweight Title (Florida)|work=Wrestling Titles|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/fl/nwa/fl-south-h.html|access-date=2008-01-29}}</ref> **NWA United States Tag Team Championship ''(Florida version)'' (4 times) - with Black Bart (3), and One Man Gang (1)<ref name=flustag>{{cite web|title=NWA United States Tag Team Title (Florida)|work=Wrestling Titles|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/fl/nwa/fl-us-t.html|access-date=2008-01-29}}</ref> *'''Georgia Championship Wrestling''' **NWA National Heavyweight Championship (1 time)<ref name=nwanat>{{cite web|title=NWA National Heavyweight Title|work=Wrestling Titles|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/nwa/others/nat-h.html|access-date=2008-01-28}}</ref> *'''Gulf Coast Championship Wrestling - Southeastern Championship Wrestling''' **NWA Gulf Coast Heavyweight Championship (1 time)<ref name=gchw>{{cite web|title=NWA Gulf Coast Heavyweight Title|work=Wrestling Titles|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/al/gc/gc-h.html|access-date=2008-01-29}}</ref> **NWA Gulf Coast Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Don Bass (1) and Dutch Bass (1)<ref name=gctag>{{cite web|title=Gulf Coast Tag Team Title|work=Wrestling Titles|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/al/gc/gc-t.html|access-date=2008-01-28}}</ref> **NWA Southeastern Heavyweight Championship ''(Northern Division)'' (1 time)<ref name=sehw>{{cite web|title=NWA Southeastern Heavyweight Title|work=Wrestling Titles|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/al/secw/se-h.html|access-date=2008-01-28}}</ref> **NWA Southeastern Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Randy Rose<ref name=setag>{{cite web|title=NWA Southeastern Tag Team Title|work=Wrestling Titles|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/al/secw/se-t.html|access-date=2008-01-28}}</ref> **NWA Tennessee Tag Team Championship (2 times) - with Don Bass<ref name=tntag>{{cite web|title=NWA Tennessee Tag Team Title|work=Wrestling Titles|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/tn/nwa/tn-t.html|access-date=2008-01-28}}</ref> *'''Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling / Jim Crockett Promotions''' **NWA Brass Knuckles Championship ''(Mid-Atlantic version)'' (1 time)<ref name=brass>{{cite web|title=Bass Knuckles Title (Mid-Atlantic)|work=Wrestling Titles|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/midatlantic/nwa/ma-bk.html|access-date=2008-01-29}}</ref><ref name=Jan17F4W>{{cite web | url=https://www.f4wonline.com/other-wrestling/daily-pro-wrestling-history-0117-vader-wins-iwgp-heavyweight-title-301956 | title=Pro wrestling history (01/17): Vader wins IWGP heavyweight title | date=January 17, 2019 | access-date=January 18, 2019 | work=Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online | first=Brian | last=Hoops}}</ref> **NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship (1 time)<ref name=midatlhw>{{cite web|title=NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Title|work=Wrestling Titles|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/midatlantic/ma-h.html|access-date=2008-01-29}}</ref> **NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Black Bart<ref name=midatlt>{{cite web|title=NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Title|work=Wrestling Titles|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/midatlantic/ma-t.html|access-date=2008-01-29}}</ref> **NWA Television Championship (1 time)<ref name=nwatv>{{cite web|title=NWA Television Title|work=Wrestling Titles|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/canada/on/nwa/on-nwa-tv.html|access-date=2008-01-29}}</ref> *'''NWA Hollywood Wrestling''' **NWA Americas Tag Team Championship (3 times) - with Dr. Hiro Ota (1), Moondog Lonnie Mayne (1), and Roddy Piper (1)<ref name=nwaam>{{cite web|title=NWA Americas Tag Team Title|work=Wrestling Titles|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/ca/la/hw/ams-t.html|access-date=2008-01-28}}</ref> *'''NWA Mid-America / Continental Wrestling Association''' **AWA Southern Heavyweight Championship (2 times)<ref name=awashw>{{cite web|title=NWA/AWA Southern Heavyweight Title|work=Wrestling Titles|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/tn/cwa/awa-s-h.html|access-date=2008-01-28}}</ref> **AWA Southern Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Stan Lane<ref name=awastag>{{cite book | first1=Royal |last1=Duncan |first2=Gary |last2=Will | title=Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present |location=Waterloo, Ontario |orig-year=2000.|chapter= (Memphis, Nashville) Tennessee: Southern Tag Team Title [Roy Welsch & Nick Gulas, Jerry Jarrett from 1977] | pages= 185–189| publisher=Archeus Communications |year=2006 | isbn=0-9698161-5-4}}</ref><ref name=SouthernTagWeb>{{cite web | url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/tn/cwa/awa-s-t.html | title=Southern Tag Team Title | work=Wrestling-Titles | access-date=January 19, 2020}}</ref> **NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Championship (1 time)<ref name=midam>{{cite web|title=NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Title|work=Wrestling Titles|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/tn/nwa/midam-h.html|access-date=2008-01-28}}</ref> **NWA United States Tag Team Championship (''Mid-America version'') (1 time) – with Don Bass<ref name=USTagMA>{{cite book | author=Royal Duncan and Gary Will | title=Wrestling Title Histories | publisher=Archeus Communications | chapter= Tennessee: U.S. Tag Team Title | pages= 194 | year= 2000 | isbn=0-9698161-5-4}}</ref><ref name=USTagMAWeb>{{cite web | url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/tn/nwa/tn-us-t.html | title=NWA United States Tag Team Title (Mid-America) | publisher=wrestling-titles.com | access-date=April 23, 2015}}</ref> *'''NWA Tri-State''' **NWA Arkansas Heavyweight Championship (1 time)<ref name=ak>{{cite web|title=NWA Arkansas Heavyweight Title|work=Wrestling Titles|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/ar/ar-h.html|access-date=2008-01-28}}</ref> *'''Pacific Northwest Wrestling''' **NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship (1 time)<ref name=pnwhw>{{cite web|title=NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Title|work=Wrestling Titles|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/pnw/nwa/pnw-h.html|access-date=2008-01-28}}</ref> **NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship (2 times) - with John Anson (1) and Moondog Mayne (1)<ref name=pnwtag>{{cite web|title=NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Title|work=Wrestling Titles|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/pnw/nwa/pnw-t.html|access-date=2008-01-28}}</ref> *'''''Pro Wrestling Illustrated''''' **PWI ranked him # '''294''' of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003.<ref>{{cite web|title=Pro Wrestling Illustrated's Top 500 Wrestlers of the PWI Years|work=Wrestling Information Archive|url=http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/pwi/pwi500yr.htm|access-date=2008-01-28|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707054220/http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/pwi/pwi500yr.htm|archive-date=2011-07-07}}</ref> *'''''Ring Around The Northwest Newsletter''''' **Wrestler of the Year (1977)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kayfabememories.com/Regions/pnw/pnw16.htm |title=Regional Territories: PNW #16 |author=Rodgers, Mike |date=2004 |website=KayfabeMemories.com }}</ref> *Other Titles **Fort Myers Heavyweight Championship ( 2 times )
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
==External links== {{commons}} * [http://www.wwe.com/superstars/wherearetheynow/ronbass Ron Bass biography at WWE's Where are they Now? page] * {{Professional wrestling profiles}}
{{Navboxes| |list1= {{NWA Mid-America championship}} {{NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship}} {{NWA National Heavyweight Championship}} {{NWA World Tag Team Champions (Central States version)}} {{WCW World Television Championship}} }}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bass, Ron}} Category:1948 births Category:2017 deaths Category:20th-century male professional wrestlers Category:20th-century American professional wrestlers Category:American male professional wrestlers Category:Arkansas State University alumni Category:Deaths from appendicitis Category:Heenan Family members Category:NWA Americas Tag Team Champions Category:NWA National Heavyweight Champions Category:NWA Florida Global Tag Team Champions Category:NWA Florida Heavyweight Champions Category:NWA Florida Bahamian Champions Category:NWA Southern Heavyweight Champions (Florida version) Category:NWA United States Tag Team Champions (Florida version) Category:NWA/WCW World Television Champions Category:NWA International Tag Team Champions Category:NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Champions Category:People from Harrisburg, Arkansas Category:People from Pampa, Texas Category:Professional wrestlers from Arkansas Category:Professional wrestlers with chronic traumatic encephalopathy Category:Deaths from surgical complications