The Hydden View: Remembering Jimmy Del Ray

The definition of a gigolo is a man who is paid or supported by an older woman, to be there escort or for intercourse, in short selling their body for money. A wrestler, someone who travels the world over, risk their body and life nightly for a pay check to entertain us, in short selling there body for money. This leads me to the life and career of the late “Gigolo” Jimmy Del Ray.

Jimmy’s real name was David Ferrier born in November of 1962. Most of us remember him for time with Tom Pritchard as the Heavenly Bodies in WWE, but his time in WWE was only just a small piece of a 12 year career. Del Ray started his career in Florida, but it was a career that would take him all over the United States. He got his first taste of championship gold as a tag team wrestler in Florida Championship Wrestling, which is fitting because tag teams would go on to define his career. Del Ray would hold tag team gold for a total of six times in four different promotions. Five of his six tag team championships were held with his good friend Tom Prichard., who he got to reconcile with before his passing.

Del Ray will never be remembered for winning multiple World Titles, he will never be the guy that kids pretend to be in the back yard. Del Ray was more than that; he was a constant professional that gave his all in the ring. Watch a Heavenly Bodies match, he didn’t botch moves, he didn’t blame others for mistakes. Del Ray believed in his craft and treated the business in a way we all could respect. This column isn’t going to be long it will be short and with heart much like Del Rays career.

I encourage all of you to watch a Heavenly Bodies match with your kids; show them the man that was the “Gigolo”. I know the proper thing to say is for Jimmy Del Ray to rest in peace. I feel Jimmy would still be active in wrestling today if it had not been for injury. I feel a piece of his heart belongs to wrestling and us fans, so Jimmy I hope when you get to the Main Event in heaven, you “wrestle in peace”.