Mike McGuirk
| Mike McGuirk | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Michael Kathleen McGuirk |
| Born |
March 16, 1955 Tulsa, Oklahoma |
| Spouse(s) | B. Brian Blair (divorced) |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Mike McGuirk |
| Trained by | LeRoy McGuirk |
| Debut | 1987 |
Michael Kathleen McGuirk (born March 16, 1955) is an American professional wrestling personality, best known as a ring announcer for the World Wrestling Federation from 1987 through 1994. She is the daughter of Leroy McGuirk.
Professional wrestling career
Mike McGuirk grew up in the wrestling business. Her father Leroy McGuirk ran wrestling promotions in the midwest up to the early to mid-1980s. After the WWF's expansion from a territory to a national promotion (and her father had left the business), Mike would provide the WWF with wrestling rings whenever they ran shows in her area. Mike later promoted herself as a product to Vince McMahon, stating that she needed to make a living. This was in the days when women in wrestling were either wrestlers themselves before the advent of "Divas", or valets for male stars (e.g. Miss Elizabeth 'managing' her real life husband "Macho Man" Randy Savage). She started out as a timekeeper for the WWF when she was asked to do ring announcing and commentary for the company.
McGuirk's WWF debut was in April 1987 on WWF Wrestling Challenge. From her debut, she was the object of ridicule from heel commentator Bobby Heenan (though backstage they in fact got on well with each other).[1] McGuirk also did commentary, often with Bruce Prichard (better known as "Brother Love"), and "The Duke of Dorchester" Pete Doherty. McGuirk was known for her famous glittery tuxedo's she wore while announcing as well as her strong vocals.
She performed color commentary on the Best of the WWF Volume 15, and did commentary on the WWF TV show All-American Wrestling.[1]
When not ring announcing or commentating, McGuirk's job was producing promos back stage. She explained in an interview that Vince McMahon wouldn't let people just sit around back stage, he would always find something for them to do while being paid.[2]
McGuirk left the WWF in 1993, reported by Penthouse magazine to be because she refused sexual advances made upon her by Vince McMahon, around the same time Boni Blackstone was hired as an interviewer. McGuirk later refuted this rumor, stating that she had simply refused an offer to pose for Penthouse. She left because she did not want to move her family to Connecticut and did not want to do the WWF's travel schedule which would have taken her away from her school age son for long periods. In an interview she stated that if not for the travel schedule she would still be with the WWE as McMahon had told that "If I did what I was supposed to do, I would be there forever". Read more at http://www.wrestlinginc.com/wi/news/2014/0213/570221/ex-ring-announcer-mike-mcguirk-recalls-her-time-in-wwe/#ZbLe4JQeD8MqbrEM.99.[3](registration required)
In October 2004, she appeared at Wrestling Reunion II in New Jersey and also repeated her performance for an Indianapolis Indiana show. In May 2010, she made an appearance at the Legends of the Ring convention.
Personal life
She was once married to Brian Blair of The Killer Bees. They went to Hawaii for their honeymoon in 1979 while Brian worked for the Ed Francis promotion. When they returned, they helped LeRoy and Dorothy run the Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Missouri territories. During her WWF days, she was often the travel companion of Sherri Martel.
She works as a real estate agent in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
References
- 1 2 Shields, Brian and Kevin Sullivan (2009). WWE Encyclopedia. DK/BradyGAMES. p. 208. ISBN 978-0-7566-4190-0.
- ↑ Mike McGuirk recalls her time with WWF
- ↑ http://highspots.tv/where-are-they-now-with-mike-mcguirk-wwf-departure-her-son/