Booker T Discusses Virgil’s Legacy In Wrestling

On the latest episode of the Hall of Fame podcast, Booker T talked about the recent passing of former WWE/WCW star Virgil. You can check out some highlights below:

On Virgil’s passing: “Virgil was a good dude, man. Virgal was so — he was so different, though man, he was so different. He got in this business back in the 80s, the mid-80s. Started with Ted DiBiase doing the bodyguard thing. It’s such an iconic gimmick that he played for so many years. I was like, ‘Man, I wish I was Virgil, man. I wish I was Virgil.’ Because Virgil didn’t have to do nothing, all he had to do was just stand there. Every now and then back in the WWF, he would have a match for Ted DiBiase or whatnot. And then he started actually wrestling for a minute.

“And then, of course, coming to WCW. That’s where I got a chance to meet Virgil. I didn’t know him before he came to WCW. But he was always a good dude, man. He always — thing is, you just didn’t know. It’s just like all the stuff that came out on Virgil as of late. [He] said that he had a couple of strokes, said he was diagnosed with dementia. I think he did say he had colon cancer as well. But the thing is, with all of that stuff being said, you didn’t know if any of it was true. [laughs] That’s the way Virgil rolled. You just did not know if any of it was true. Because I would always still see Virgil every time I went to a Comic Con a convention or something. I would always see him, would always have words, have some small talk and whatnot. Boom, and we’d be on our way. But it was definitely shocking for me to wake up and um see [he had passed].”

On Virgil’s legacy in wrestling: “Virgil definitely made a huge mark in the wrestling business. He was an iconic character that millions and millions of people remember just from being that guy with Ted DiBiase. But I think when Ted and Virgil broke up, it was kind of like a real breakup. Because Ted never really did anything with Virgil, Virgil never did anything with Ted after that. So I think maybe, I don’t know. Maybe Virgil felt like he was the black sheep of the family, the outcast, the guy on the outside looking in. The guy that didn’t get all the praise after everything went down and the gimmick was over with. Life goes on, that’s just part of the business, of course.

“But I don’t know; Virgil was that guy that was always off to himself. Even when I would go to conventions, Virgil would have his table. He would be there, and it seemed like it would be isolated. And he would be just there doing his thing. So nah, man. But he has cut his contributions to the business is not something that can be overlooked or anything like that. Even though he wasn’t a guy that was gonna go out there and give you a five-star match or anything like that, Virgil’s impact on the business for me as a young black person getting into the business. Like I say, Virgil got in in like ’85. I didn’t get it into 1992. I went to wrestling school in ’90, but Virgil had already got his feet wet. So I was a young person looking at wrestling. And I saw Virgil, and I said, ‘Man, maybe there is a chance for me to make it on big-time television.’ So I give a Virigl big, big props, man. He always was a guy that I looked at and said, ‘Man.’ He always looked good. You know, he always was in shape. The bow tie, he always looked jacked. So Virgil was definitely an inspiration for me when I was trying to get into this business.”

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit the Hall of Fame with an h/t to 411mania.com for the transcription.