Scott Bowden presents Kentucky Fried Rasslin

Thomas Edward Gilbert Jr. Aug. 14, 1961 – Feb. 18, 1995

It was 15 years ago that I received the phone call that Eddie Gilbert passed away. Hard to believe it’s been that long.

I recently asked longtime Memphis promoter Jerry Jarrett about Eddie and what his legacy might have been had he lived.

“Eddie was a second-generation wrestler, so I’d known him since he was literally a baby,” Jarrett said. “And he grew up a fan, and eventually he would write out cards when he was 12 years old when riding to Louisville or Nashville with his dad [Tommy Gilbert] and hand me his cards and say, ‘I don’t mean that you should do this, but I want you to tell me if it’s crazy.’ And so this kid has this passion for the business, not only in the ring but outside it. He also said to me, ‘I’m not very big. But do you think I could be a wrestler?’ I told him, ‘I think you could…I’m not very big, either.’ But I warned him that ‘You’re going to have to be better than the average.’ And of course, he turned out to be far better than the average. If Eddie hadn’t died, where would he be? There’s a very good chance that he’d booking for somebody and be very successful. He was really smart…he really studied the business. He knew this program, that program…who wrestled who and when.”

For more on Eddie Gilbert, click here.