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'{{refimprove|date=November 2015}} {{Infobox professional wrestler | name = Bobby Shane | image_size = | caption = | alt = | birth_name = Robert Lee Schoenberger | names = Bobby Shane<br />Bobby Schoen<br />The Challenger | height = 5 ft 9 in<ref name=OWOW/> | weight = 224 lb<ref name=OWOW/> | birth_date = {{birth date|1945|8|25}}<ref name=OWOW/> | birth_place = [[St. Louis]], Missouri<ref name=OWOW/> | death_date = {{death date and age|1975|2|20|1945|8|25}}<ref name=OWOW/> | death_place = [[Tampa]], Florida<ref name=OWOW/> | billed = | trainer = [[Wild Bill Longson]] | debut = 1963 |image=Bobby Shane - Inside Wrestling - December 1972 p.37 (cropped).jpg}} '''Robert Lee Schoenberger''' (August 25, 1945 – February 20, 1975),<ref name=OWOW>{{cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/bios/b/bobby-shane/|title=Bobby Shane Profile|accessdate=2015-11-14|publisher=Online World of Wrestling}}</ref> better known as '''Bobby Shane''', who also wrestled as '''Bobby Schoen''' and as '''The Challenger''', was an American professional [[wrestler]] known for his time in NWA Florida in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He was a well-known "[[heel (professional wrestling)|heel]]" in the [[National Wrestling Alliance]] and considered a future wrestling star at the time of his death.<ref name="Guzzo">{{cite news |author=Guzzo, Paul |date=February 1, 2015 |title=Wrestlers recall plane crash off Tampa that changed their careers |url=http://www.tbo.com/news/wrestlers-recall-plane-crash-off-tampa-that-changed-their-careers-20150201/ |newspaper=[[The Tampa Tribune]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180624174617/http://www.tbo.com/news/wrestlers-recall-plane-crash-off-tampa-that-changed-their-careers-20150201/ |archive-date=June 24, 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref> ==Professional wrestling career== The son of St. Louis referee Gus Schoenberger, he started his career in the [[American Wrestling Association]] in Minnesota. Eventually winning titles in the Mid-west and Hawaii. By 1968 he went to Georgia where he became popular. In 1970, he was the masked Challenger teaming up with The Professional (Doug Gilbert) winning the [[NWA Georgia Tag Team Championship|NWA Georgia Tag Teams titles]] in a tournament. Later that year he defeated [[Nick Bockwinkel]] for the [[NWA Georgia Television Championship]]. In 1971 he moved to the NWA's [[Championship Wrestling from Florida|Florida territory]] where he became a big name. He won the [[NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship (Florida version)|Florida Southern Heavyweight Championship]] from George Gaiser, as well as the [[NWA Florida Television Championship]] winning it two times from [[Bob Roop]] and [[Tim Woods]] in 1972. Shane won the [[NWA Florida Tag Team Championship]] with Chris Markoff, [[Bearcat Wright]] and Gorgeous George, Jr. from 1972–1974. [[Jack Brisco]] would have a feud with Shane during his time in Florida. He became known as the "King of Wrestling". In 1974 he went to [[World Championship Wrestling (Australia)|World Championship Wrestling]] in Australia and feuded with [[Mario Milano]]. == Death == On February 20, 1975, Shane was accompanied by [[Gary Hart (wrestler)|Gary Hart]], [[Austin Idol]] and Buddy Colt, who was piloting the [[Cessna 182]], when they took off from [[Opa Locka Airport]], located in Miami to [[Peter O. Knight Airport]], located in Tampa. The aircraft crashed into the [[Tampa Bay]] following a stall after Colt attempted a [[go-around]].<ref>{{Cite web|title = What Ever Happened To . . . Buddy Colt?|url = http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2000-10-06/entertainment/0010060063_1_buddy-colt-championship-wrestling-mike-mccord|website = tribunedigital-orlandosentinel|accessdate = 2015-11-15}}</ref> Amidst the crash, the [[Tampa Police Department]] retrieved the aircraft from the water where they found Shane's body and announced that Shane had died from drowning. It is believed his foot was caught in the wreckage of the aircraft. Shane died at 29 years old and the other wrestlers survived with minor and critical injuries.<ref name="Guzzo" /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kayfabememories.com/Regions/cwf/cwf9-2.htm |title=CWF #9 Page #2 |author=Siege, Mike |date=2004 |website=KayfabeMemories.com }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title = Manager|url = http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20080318/PC20/303189939|website = Post and Courier|accessdate = 2015-11-15}}</ref> Hart was thrown from the plane and had suffered serious injuries (broken arm, wrist, knee, back, sternum, collarbone and vertebrae; right eye knocked loose; a partially severed nose; head trauma). Despite this, he managed to locate McCord and swim him to shore, then swim back and rescue Colt. However, swimming out a third time, Hart was unable to find Shane; reportedly he was plagued by the memory and for decades wondered whether he had done everything he could. ==Championships and accomplishments== *'''[[American Wrestling Association]]''' **[[AWA Midwest Heavyweight Championship]] ([[AWA Midwest Heavyweight Championship#Title history|1 time]]) **[[Nebraska Heavyweight Championship]] ([[Nebraska Heavyweight Championship#Title history|1 time]])<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/ne/ne-h.html |title=Nebraska Heavyweight Title |year=2003 |publisher=Puroresu Dojo |work=Wrestling-Titles.com}}</ref> *'''[[Cauliflower Alley Club]]''' **Posthumous Award (2006)<ref name="Cauliflower2006">{{cite web|last=Oliver|first=Greg|title=Race & Hennig go over at Cauliflower Alley Club Banquet|url=http://slamwrestling.net/index.php/2006/06/11/race-hennig-go-over-at-cauliflower-alley-club-banquet/|work=Slam Wrestling|date=June 11, 2006|accessdate=September 27, 2020}}</ref> *'''[[Heart of America Sports Attractions#Heart of America Sports Attractions forms|Central States Wrestling]]''' **[[NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Central States version)]] (1 time)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/centralstates/nwa/cs-us-h.html |title=NWA United States Heavyweight Title (Central States) |year=2003 |publisher=Puroresu Dojo |work=Wrestling-Titles.com}}</ref> **NWA Iowa Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Ron Etchison<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/ia/ia-t.html |title=Iowa Tag Team Title |year=2003 |publisher=Puroresu Dojo |work=Wrestling-Titles.com}}</ref> *'''[[Championship Wrestling from Florida]]''' **[[NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship (Florida version)|NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship ''(Florida version)'']] ([[NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship (Florida version)#Title history|1 time]])<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/fl/nwa/fl-south-h.html |title=NWA Southern Heavyweight Title (Florida) |year=2003 |publisher=Puroresu Dojo |work=Wrestling-Titles.com}}</ref> **[[NWA Florida Television Championship]] ([[NWA Florida Television Championship#Title history|2 times]])<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/fl/fl-tv.html |title=NWA Florida Television Title |year=2003 |publisher=Puroresu Dojo |work=Wrestling-Titles.com}}</ref> **[[NWA Florida Tag Team Championship]] ([[NWA Florida Tag Team Championship#Title history|3 times]]) - with [[Bearcat Wright]], [[Chris Markoff]] and Gorgeous George, Jr.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/fl/fl-t.html |title=Florida Tag Team Title |year=2003 |publisher=Puroresu Dojo |work=Wrestling-Titles.com}}</ref> *'''[[Georgia Championship Wrestling]]''' **[[NWA Georgia Heavyweight Championship]] ([[NWA Georgia Heavyweight Championship#Title history|1 time]])<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/ga/ga-h.html |title=NWA Georgia Heavyweight Title |year=2003 |publisher=Puroresu Dojo |work=Wrestling-Titles.com}}</ref> **NWA Georgia Television Championship (1 time)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/ga/nwa/ga-tv.html |title=NWA Georgia Television Title |year=2003 |publisher=Puroresu Dojo |work=Wrestling-Titles.com}}</ref> **City of Mobile Heavyweight Championship (1 time)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/al/gc/mobile-h.htm |title=City of Mobile Heavyweight Title |year=2003 |publisher=Puroresu Dojo |work=Wrestling-Titles.com}}</ref> **[[NWA Georgia Tag Team Championship]] ([[NWA Georgia Heavyweight Championship#Title history|2 times]]) – with Gorgeous George, Jr.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/ga/ga-t.html |title=NWA Georgia Tag Team Title |year=2003 |publisher=Puroresu Dojo |work=Wrestling-Titles.com}}</ref> **[[NWA Macon Tag Team Championship]] ([[NWA Macon Tag Team Championship#Title history|1 time]]) – with Gorgeous George, Jr.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/ga/nwa/macon-t.html |title=NWA Macon Tag Team Title (Georgia) |year=2003 |publisher=Puroresu Dojo |work=Wrestling-Titles.com}}</ref> *'''[[Continental Championship Wrestling|Gulf Coast Championship Wrestling]]''' **[[NWA Alabama Heavyweight Championship]] (1 time)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/al/al-h.html |title=NWA Alabama Heavyweight Title |year=2003 |publisher=Puroresu Dojo |work=Wrestling-Titles.com}}</ref> *'''[[National Wrestling Alliance|NWA Mid-Pacific Promotions]]''' **[[NWA Hawaii Tag Team Championship]] ([[NWA Hawaii Tag Team Championship#Title history|1 time]]) - with [[Nick Bockwinkel]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/hi/hi-t.html |title=NWA Hawaii Tag Team Title |year=2003 |publisher=Puroresu Dojo |work=Wrestling-Titles.com}}</ref> *'''Superstar Championship Wrestling''' **SCW Western States Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Ricky Gibson<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/wa/scw/scw-ws-t.html |title=SCW Western States Tag Team Title (Washington) |year=2003 |publisher=Puroresu Dojo |work=Wrestling-Titles.com}}</ref> *'''[[World Championship Wrestling (Australia)]]''' **[[NWA Austra-Asian Tag Team Championship]] – with [[George Barnes (wrestler)|The Original Mr. Wrestling]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/australia/wcw/aa-t.html |title=NWA Austra-Asian Tag Team Title (Australia) |year=2003 |publisher=Puroresu Dojo |work=Wrestling-Titles.com}}</ref> ==See also== * [[List of premature professional wrestling deaths]] ==References== {{reflist|30em}} ==External links== *[http://www.angelfire.com/wrestling3/bobbyshanetribute/bobby_shane_bio.htm Bobby Shane – In Memory of a Legend] *{{Find a Grave|7409569}} *[http://www.cagematch.net/?id=2&nr=3129 Bobby Shane at Cagematch.net] {{DEFAULTSORT:Shane, Bobby}} [[Category:1945 births]] [[Category:1975 deaths]] [[Category:Accidental deaths in Florida]] [[Category:American male professional wrestlers]] [[Category:Professional wrestlers from Missouri]] [[Category:Sportspeople from St. Louis]] [[Category:Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in the United States]] [[Category:Deaths by drowning]]'