Hornbaker, Tim. The Last Real World Champion: The Legacy of “Nature Boy” Ric Flair. Toronto: ECW Press, 2023. Pp. 392. $29.95 CAD paperback and e-book. Reviewed by ?ukasz Muniowski Ric Flair has been involved in wrestling for over 50 years. Following...
Hornbaker, Tim. The Last Real World Champion: The Legacy of “Nature Boy” Ric Flair. Toronto: ECW Press, 2023. Pp. 392. $29.95 CAD paperback and e-book.
Reviewed by ?ukasz Muniowski
Ric Flair has been involved in wrestling for over 50 years. Following his recent appearance on AEW Rampage, it seems that, as long as his body allows, he will continue to appear on wrestling shows. That longevity alone could make for a fascinating book, an the example of one individual’s life tracing the changes in the wrestling industry. Or, maybe even paralleling changes beyond sport and across society, as Abraham Riesman did in her Vince McMahon biography Ringmaster, which placed the unlikely and unprecedented career of the wrestling magnate in the context of Trump-era politics. Ric Flair’s life story also allows Tim Hornbaker to explore changes in America and how they influenced the hero of his book in The Last Real World Champion: The Legacy of “Nature Boy” Ric Flair.
ECW Press, 2023.In the 1950s, the adoption rate in the United States grew beyond comparison. Among the couples who would take part in the boom were Richard and Kathleen Fliehr, residing in Detroit. Under questionable circumstances, a boy born in Memphis was transported to them by the Tennessee Children’s Home Society. They named him Richard Morgan Fliehr. He grew up to be a well-liked, athletic young man who excelled at various aspects of life––excluding academics. He had to repeat his junior year of high school, which must have been a blow for his parents, a well-regarded gynecologist and a journalist. Young Ric did not care much for school, he was interested first in American football and later in professional wrestling.
Handsome, muscular and charismatic, he seemed custom-made for the world of sports entertainment. Instead of becoming a typical good guy, Flair embraced the role of a “heel”–– the purposely pompous and arrogant wrestling character––and eventually earned the distinction of being “The Dirtiest Player in the Game.” During the 1970s and the 1980s, wrestlers were supposed to “live their gimmicks,” which meant behaving outside the ring the same way they did inside of it. Taking on the “Nature Boy” persona, Flair acted as a big shot, riding in limousines, drinking a lot and picking up women. However, when it came time to perform, he was always reliable, which earned him the respect of his peers.
His exploits became part of his legacy, which brings me to the only issue I have with Hornbaker’s account of Flair’s life and career. The issue stems from Hornbaker’s approach to the subject of his book. “People today understand that the illusion created in professional wrestling wasn’t actually an illusion at all when it came to Flair,” writes Hornbaker. He describes Flair’s bouts as if they were actual sports contests, emphasizing their results, which in the world of wrestling often are secondary (pg. 310). With such focus on contests, he often skims over events which contributed to Flair’s status, for better or worse. The infamous “Plane Ride from Hell” is briefly described, similarly to the WWE 2K14 promotional event. Both events shed light on Flair’s dualistic nature. He is not only the selfless, universally beloved icon, but also somebody with substance abuse issues who has violated the rights and personal space of others.
What Hornbaker’s book is lacking in anecdotes; it is composed of facts, constructing a comprehensive narrative from newspaper clippings and court documents. The book is particularly informative when it comes to Flair’s financial situation, knowledge of which helps to understand why he continues to return to wrestling even at 74 years old. While his love for the business shines through whenever he speaks about professional wrestling, it would be too simple to ascribe his returns to wrestling to pure passion. Being a high roller took its toll on various aspects of Flair’s life, but the fact that he lived to tell the story is an achievement in itself. Flair’s autobiography, To Be the Man, was his version of events. What he left out, Hornbaker includes in his book in true chronicler fashion.
?ukasz Muniowski recieved his Ph.D. in American Literature from the University of Warsaw. He is the author of Three-Pointer! A 40-Year NBA History (McFarland, 2020), Narrating the NBA: Representations of Leading Players after the Michael Jordan Era (Lexington, 2021),and The Sixth Man: A History of the NBA Off the Bench (McFarland, 2021).