In the windswept Texas Panhandle, long before pyrotechnics and televised cage matches, the seeds of wrestling greatness were planted on the gridiron. 

A new book by West Texas State alumnus Bill Neeley and his grandson Justin Neeley tells the story of eight future WWE Hall of Famers whose path to the squared circle began with football cleats and a no-nonsense coach. 

“Touchdowns and Turnbuckles: Championship Athletes from West Texas State” recounts how eight former WT football players — including Terry Funk, Dory Funk Jr., Stan Hansen, Dusty Rhodes, Ted DiBiase, Tully Blanchard, Tito Santana and Barry Windham — went on to earn induction into the WWE Hall of Fame.

But the book also dives deeper into WT’s broader wrestling legacy, spotlighting others like Bruiser Brody, Bobby Duncum, Kelly Kiniski and Manny Fernandez. Though they never made it to Stamford, the symbolic home of WWE and its Hall of Fame, they became legends in their own right — feared brawlers, regional stars, and pioneers who left their mark on the sport.

“This is one of the most unusual pipelines in all of sports history,” Bill Neeley said. “Eight Hall of Famers, all tied to this one little place most people wouldn’t think of as a launching pad.” 

A coach who trained warriors 

At the heart of that story is Joe Kerbel, the former Oklahoma lineman and World War II Marine who transformed WT football — and the lives of the men who played for him. 

Before arriving in Canyon, Kerbel had hoped to lead his alma mater — the University of Oklahoma. 

“He was mad he didn’t get the OU job,” Neeley said. “He thought he was going to get it. But when he didn’t, and he ended up at WT, he made it his mission to win. That was fuel for him.” 

“Kerbel treated us like Marines in basic training,” Dory Funk Jr. says in the book. “That mentality never really left us — we took it into the ring.” 

“He was a team builder off the charts,” Neeley said. “His guys had to act as one. He believed that was the only way to survive — on the field or in war.” 

Kerbel also integrated WT’s football program in 1961 — a groundbreaking move in the still-segregated town of Canyon. He recognized a Black student had already enrolled and didn’t hesitate to bring in Black players like Pete Pedro, who scored six touchdowns against UTEP and was featured in Sports Illustrated. Future NFL stars like Duane Thomas, Mercury Morris, Jesse Powell and Jerry Logan followed. 

“His passion above all was to win,” Neeley said. “He didn’t care what you looked like. He cared whether you were tough.” 

From football to fame 

Terry and Dory Funk weren’t just standout football players — they were also the sons of promoter Dory Funk Sr., who ran the Amarillo wrestling territory. And they were always scouting. 

“They were like extra recruiters,” Neeley said. “They saw raw talent on the field and thought, ‘That guy could wrestle.’ And they were usually right.” 

As word spread, WT became more than just a football destination. It became a dual path to professional sports — one on the field, the other in the ring. 

“Some of these guys came to Canyon thinking, ‘If I don’t make it in football, I’ve still got a shot at pro wrestling,’” Neeley said. “That’s how strong the Funk name was. It was like a second chance already built in.” 

That network pulled in names like Stan Hansen and Bruiser Brody — both known for punishing, physical styles that reflected their days on the line at WT. 

“The Amarillo territory was like a pebble dropped in a pond,” Neeley said. “The ripples reached across wrestling — from Japan to Madison Square Garden.” 

Brody, whose real name was Frank Goodish, even worked as a sportswriter for the San Antonio Express-News before wrestling. He was also expelled from WT after a prank involving railcars — but never gave up the names of his teammates. 

“He wouldn’t rat them out,” Neeley said. “He was a wild man, but he had a moral code.” 

The WT 8: Gridiron to wrestling glory as WWE Hall of FamersTerry Funk – WT lineman; NWA champion and wrestling innovator Dory Funk Jr. – WT standout; NWA world champion and trainer Stan Hansen – WT offensive lineman; legendary in Japan Dusty Rhodes (Virgil Runnels Jr.) – WT lineman; the American Dream Ted DiBiase – Played under Gene Mayfield; became the Million Dollar Man Tully Blanchard – WT quarterback; one of the Four Horsemen Tito Santana (Merced Solis) – Played under Mayfield; went on to WWF stardom Barry Windham – Briefly attended WT; became a world tag team champion and Horseman The American Dream, denied and redeemed 

One of the most fascinating stories is that of Dusty Rhodes, born Virgil Runnels Jr., who played football at WT after growing up in Austin. A lineman with big personality and big dreams, Runnels showed toughness on the field — and unmatched charisma off it. 

While working at a gas station in Amarillo owned by Terry Funk’s father-in-law, Runnels once told Terry, “Man, I’d love to have a car like yours someday.” When he expressed interest in wrestling, the Funks initially turned him down. They doubted whether he could cut a strong promo because of his lisp. 

But that perception didn’t last. 

Rhodes eventually broke into the business and quickly rose to become one of the most iconic professional wrestlers in history. Known as the American Dream, he blended blue-collar authenticity with poetic charisma, delivering legendary promos that resonated with everyday fans. 

“He studied poetry. He listened to gospel preachers. He had rhythm,” Neeley said. “Dusty created a character who spoke for working people — and they believed him.” 

In time, the Funks recognized his talent. Terry would go on to wrestle alongside Rhodes — and against him — in multiple promotions, cementing a lasting partnership and friendship that began in Canyon. 

Bonds built in Canyon 

The book goes beyond the ring to explore the deeply personal connections among these men. Kelly Kiniski lost his mother to suicide his first semester. Tully Blanchard lost his teenage brother in a car crash. Bruiser Brody was stabbed to death in a locker room in Puerto Rico. 

“They carried a lot of pain,” Neeley said. “But they stayed bonded.” 

When Terry Funk died in 2023, Neeley attended the funeral in Canyon and recalled the crowd. 

“There were guys there who didn’t look like wrestling fans,” he said. “One old man had on a Terry Funk shirt. I asked where he got it. He said, ‘Terry gave it to me.’ That tells you who Terry was.” 

The book also recounts lighter memories, including the time Funk’s daughters painted Kiniski’s fingernails pink while he slept on their couch. He woke up and had to sprint to a football team meeting — polish still drying. 

“They were wild, but they had a sense of family. You didn’t forget that,” Neeley said. 

A changing landscape 

By the mid-1980s, the wrestling territories that had once thrived in places like Amarillo were giving way to national promotions like the WWE. Around the same time, West Texas State was undergoing a transition of its own. 

After decades competing at the top level of college football, the school became a Division I-A program in the late 1970s. Not long after, it dropped to NCAA Division II — a shift that marked the end of its big-time athletic era. 

Without the prominence of Division I football, and with the Funk family’s influence fading as wrestling consolidated nationally, the once-thriving gridiron-to-ring pipeline quietly disappeared. 

More than muscle 

Neeley, a longtime educator, was also struck by how many of these athletes took their academics seriously. Most majored in communications or physical education, knowing it could serve them in or out of the ring. 

“A lot of them majored in communications because they knew they’d need to speak well if they ever wanted to cut promos or run their own territory,” Neeley said. 

“Even Bruiser Brody was a serious student. He loved his journalism classes,” he added. 

Kerbel didn’t let players slack in the classroom. David Sims, an honor student and former player, tutored teammates in biology and geology — and later contributed photos and insight for the book. 

“Kerbel even paid Sims to tutor his teammates,” Neeley said. “That was your job if you were smart — not pumping gas.” 

Neeley said WT’s influence wasn’t limited to athletics — it also shaped him as a writer. 

“We had people like Loula Grace Erdman teaching us,” he said. “She was a nationally known novelist, but she never talked about herself. She just taught — with humility and purpose.” 

Erdman, who authored more than 20 novels and taught English and creative writing at WT, became a quiet but steady force in Neeley’s academic life. Her encouragement stuck with him, even as his writing career took decades to unfold. 

“My writing didn’t really blossom until I was 50,” he said. “But what I learned from Miss Erdman — about craft, about humility — never left me.” 

He later invited her to speak at a gathering of English teachers in Midland. 

“She told me once, ‘My work is just a small light in the firmament of American letters,’” Neeley said. “But to me, she was the North Star.” 

A story built on grit 

The book, which took 11 months to write, blends biography and storytelling. Though it’s his fifth published work, Neeley said this one was the easiest — and the most meaningful. 

“It was a labor of love,” he said. “I saw some of them play. I followed their journeys. And I taught at Boys Ranch, where Dory Funk once worked. It all came full circle.” 

The story also touches on the wrestlers’ philanthropic efforts. Dory Funk spent years mentoring troubled youth at Boys Ranch. Others supported places like the Maverick Club in Amarillo — raising money through matches and giving back to the community that shaped them. 

Though there’s no official deal, a producer has expressed interest in adapting the story as a series. 

“She said it had the bones of something special,” Neeley said. “And I believe her.” 

“Because this isn’t just about football. Or wrestling. It’s about pride. Pain. Loyalty,” he said. “It’s about the kind of grit that only comes from the Texas Panhandle — and the stories that refuse to be forgotten.”  

To order the book, go to https://west7.com/p/bk_neeley_tdtb/index.html . While the electronic version of the book is available now online, pre-orders are open for the paperback version, expected to be released in fall 2025.