Real name Dale Hey. Started wrestling the year I was born, 1965. Worked as “Dale Valentine”, billed as a brother of the legendary Johnny Valentine. Later began working as Buddy Roberts, teamed with Jerry Brown as “The Hollywood Blonds” for several years as a top tag team. In the late 70s, Cowboy Bill Watts added Roberts to a tag team known as The Fabulous Freebirds (Michael Hayes and Terry Gordy).
Watts didn’t care for Hayes as a wrestler, but liked his charisma. He added Roberts to the group to give the two youngsters a seasoned veteran to anchor the team. Someone on another website referred to Roberts as “the straw that stirred the Freebird drink”. I could not say it better. Roberts was a fantastic worker. He was a master of the wrestling game, even though his character was portrayed as the weak link of the team. He could sell, and take the pinfall to protect Gordy, and keep the heat on Hayes, who could remain just out of reach week after week.
If there’s a Valhalla, the main event tonight is The Freebirds (Gordy & Roberts) vs The Von Erichs (David & Kerry).
BONG