Chief Jay Strongbow: Highlighting Strongbow's Career Following Untimely Passing

The passing of professional wrestling legend Chief Jay Strongbow on Tuesday at the age of 83 will put a much-deserved spotlight on one of the most underrated careers and personas in the history of the business. 

Joseph Scarpa (Strongbow's real name) is best known for his time in the World Wrestling Federation from 1979 to 1983. He was a four-time tag team champion with three different partners.

Dave Meltzer of WrestlingObserver.com wrote that Strongbow headlined the smaller shows that WWE would run during his time there:

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He got his biggest career break while already in his 40s as a Native American babyface in the WWWF, and would headline tons of small town and mid-sized market shows in both singles and tags against the top heels of the era. 

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While the Chief Jay Strongbow gimmick is what he will be remembered for, that was hardly the only accomplishment in his long, illustrious career. 

Strongbow was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 1994 and the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2009. He was a big star in the NWA and Mid-South wrestling long before he went to WWWF/WWE. 

Wrestling fans today live in such a big bubble that anything happening outside of WWE is almost unheard of. That is not to say there aren't great promotions out there right now, like Ring of Honor, but that is a very niche audience. 

During Strongbow's era, with territories and smaller-scale venues, it took a lot of work to make your presence known. Not only did he succeed in making himself a star, but he thrived in ways that most wrestlers dream of. 

In light of his passing, we are going to hear a lot more about Strongbow's legacy and influence on the sport to which he gave over 40 years of his life. 

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