Harley Race Stabbed Outside a Minneapolis Restaurant

by Mark Long

Harley Race - historyofwrestling.comHarley Race, a future NWA Heavyweight champion, was stabbed at 4:10 PM outside of a Minneapolis, Minnesota restaurant called The Chestnut Tree. Race, 22 years of and using the name “Handsome” Harley, interceded when a man slapped the woman that accompanied him. Race punched the man, Jack Larue,  one time, knocking him to the ground. Larue’s friend John Morton, then stabbed Race and was subsequently arrested. Race was hospitalized in fair condition.

Harley was scheduled to wrestle in a tag match that evening with Mad Dog Vachon against Dick the Bruiser and the Crusher but was replaced by Larry Hennig.