Lance Von Erich

William Kevin Vaughan is a retired American professional wrestler, best known under the ring name Lance Von Erich.

Career

Wrestling as "Ricky Vaughan"

Vaughan started wrestling in the NWA's Pacific Northwest territory as Ricky Vaughan in 1984. He was one of the top babyface wrestlers there and feuded with Bobby Jaggers.

Wrestling as "Lance Von Erich"

In October 1985, when Mike Von Erich was unable to wrestle due to toxic shock syndrome, Vaughan went to World Class Championship Wrestling to take his place in the feud against the Fabulous Freebirds. He adopted the name Lance Von Erich and was billed as the son of Fritz Von Erich's "brother" Waldo. In reality, neither Vaughan nor Waldo were related to the Adkisson family.

On the DVD "The Triumphs and Tragedies of World Class Championship Wrestling," Kevin Von Erich said that he, as well as most of the family, was adamantly against bringing Vaughan in as another Von Erich, but Fritz was adamant, especially as Kevin and Kerry were wrestling two or three times a day in various places throughout the Texas territory. Also on the DVD, Gary Hart states he was approached by several wrestling fans who told him they knew Kevin Vaughan was not a legitimate Von Erich family member. He also added that it made the von Erichs look like liars to their fans, who normally saw them as good guys who could do no wrong. Michael Hayes referred to this as one of the worst moves ever made by Fritz.

Von Erich family

The Von Erich family is a professional wrestling family. Their actual birth names are "Adkisson", but every member of the family who goes into the wrestling business uses the ring name "Von Erich", after the family patriarch, Jack (Fritz Von Erich) Adkisson.

Although the family patriarch Fritz lived to the age of 68, five of his six sons preceded him in death (three by suicide). The firstborn son, Jack Jr., died at the age of six in 1959 from being electrocuted in a household accident. In 1984, David Von Erich died in Japan from acute enteritis of the upper intestine, although it is also speculated he died from a drug overdose. Michael, Chris, and Kerry all committed suicide in 1987, 1991, and 1993 respectively. Mike died after taking an overdose of Placidyl and alcoholic beverages. Chris shot himself in the head with a 9mm handgun at his parents' home in East Texas. Kerry shot himself in the chest behind his father's house on Shady Shores Road. Kevin is the last surviving son of Fritz Von Erich. The family matriarch Doris passed away October 23, 2015 in Hawaii.