Remembering S.D. Jones
Conrad Efraim, better known as S.D. “Special Delivery” Jones to wrestling fans in the Northeast in the ’70s and ’80s, died yesterday at 63 after suffering a stroke, according to pwinsider.com.
I grew up watching Jones, who – along with Johnny Rodz and Jose Estrada – was one of the top WWWF and WWF enhancement performers (or preliminary wrestlers, as they were called back in the day).
Despite a less than sterling won-loss record, Jones was popular with fans because he usually got in a lot of offense against the top heels before putting them over, and he projected a happy-go-lucky personality. At house shows, Jones would almost always win when he was matched up against a fellow preliminary wrestler.
I remember Jones getting a minor push around 1981, as he returned to the WWF after being off television for a while and started accumulating victories. Eventually, however, he was back in his old position of jobber to the stars. At one point, he and Tony Atlas (whom Jones inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame two years ago) formed a team and unsuccessfully challenged for the tag team titles.
Until last March, Jones had the dubious distinction of suffering the quickest loss at WrestleMania. He was beaten by King Kong Bundy at WrestleMania I in 1985 in what was officially announced as nine seconds (but it was actually more like 20-some). The record was broken when Kane defeated Chavo Guerrero in eight seconds (legit) at WrestleMania XXIV.
My condolences go out to Jones’ family.
Comments
SD was 1 of my favorites that never really won too often. I remmeber he sometimes teamed with Tony Atlas, Haystacks Calhoun, Tony Garea and several others. My prayers go out to his family and friends. Thanks for memories SD.
Posted by: Dave | October 27, 2008 4:35 PM
R.I.P. "Special Delivery", as you did your job and you did it well !.
Posted by: Mr. Eli | October 27, 2008 5:52 PM
I remember in the 70's, SD would wrestle Stan "the man" Stasiak, who's finisher was the "Heart Punch", where he would put his opponents arm above their head and deliver the punch. Well, SD would gain momentum towards the end of the match by putting Stasiak's arm above his head and head butting him vs the "punch". Then SD would do the job and put Stasiak over.
Posted by: Matt | October 27, 2008 5:54 PM
Loved those colorful "preliminary wrestlers from two decades ago such as Barry Horowitz, who, with a name such as that, should have been billed as "The Wrestling Dentist." And whatever happened to the mayor of Parts Unknown, Moondog Spot?
"j" is for "jobber"!
Posted by: Austin | October 27, 2008 6:09 PM
When I think back to my childhood watching WWWF it seems S.D. Jones was always part of it . I too remember the small push he got and how awkward it seemed to be at the time . Even though S.D. was a "jobber" , I have as many memories of him as I do of Bruno, Superstar, Pedro Morales , etc .
Many things that happen in "todays" wrestling I forget the next day . But things that happened in my childhood I seem to never forget . That includes watching Special Delivery Jones .
Thanks Kevin.
Posted by: the artist formerly known as jack in hebron | October 27, 2008 6:25 PM
I met S.D. Jones at an indy card in Brooklyn, NY. He was a gentleman and truely loved wrestling fans. I was hoping to see him at WM 25 in some sort of capacity. May he rest in peace!
Posted by: Angelo Russo | October 27, 2008 7:34 PM
I remember him only as a preliminary wrestler. Now that you mention it, a childhood schoolmate said that Jones had won matches. I was skeptical at the time, but I wasn't watching wrestling in 1981.
Posted by: Christopher | October 27, 2008 8:53 PM
I saw SD at a house show in the old Sports Aroma. It's still old and it still has an aroma although smoking has been banned for years. Jones got on the mike and said that tonight SD stood not for "Special Delivery", but "San Diego". He met Hercules (Hernandez) in the curtain jerker and, yes, he DID win, although it was by reverse decision when Hercules refused to stop beating him down.
RIP, SD.
Posted by: Marko50 | October 28, 2008 3:32 AM
What an entertaining worker. I always enjoyed his matches.
Plus, for you trivia fans he was Andre's tag team partner in the infamous "raping of dignity" match.
Posted by: Brian Crabtree | October 28, 2008 8:26 AM
I used to root for SD Jones to win his matches against the "big guys" all the time. He was a very likable ring performer who apparently was very good at his job!
His impression on me was very positive despite his lack of victories in the ring.
The outcomes in wrestling are all pre-determined anyway so I tend to not place as much value on wins in pro wrestling. The outcomes are whatever the bosses want them to be for whatever reason they chose.
So I recall SD quite fondly relative to his win/loss record because he was a likeable guy who apparently did his job well.
Would like to see him in the WWE "Hall Of Fame" if he is not already. He was a staple of WWWF back in his day!
Posted by: AMC | October 28, 2008 1:15 PM
I think I remember that Jones's gimmick was his hard head. A controlling opponent would slam his head into the turnbuckle, but Jones would bounce right back up and glare. Again, slam; again, up and glare. Then, Jones would prevail, briefly.
Or was this someone else?
Posted by: drifty | October 28, 2008 1:57 PM
As a wrestling fan growing up, i always would watch superstars of wrestling and primetime for S.D. Jones. Although i stopped being a wrestling fan, i always would search on the net for anything regarding him. Just to see what he was up to. Needless to say, when i heard of him inducting Tony Atlas into the hall of fame, i couldn't wait. I don't know what it was, but to me, his charisma captured my attention.
Best wishes to his family, friends, and true "Special Delivery" fans.
Posted by: Justin | October 28, 2008 2:51 PM
S.D., the Baltimore Civic Center and watching wrestling with my dad...those were the good old days.
S.D. could really sell, as kids my brother and I would always imitate how he would always blink his eyes alot when catching a beatdown.
Posted by: Rob the barber | October 29, 2008 6:56 PM
"S.D." JONES WAS A VERY SPECIAL GENTLEMAN / WRESTLER. HE GAVE MANY OF US ALOT OF ENJOYMENT ESPECIALLY WITH HIS "SIG" MOVE THE HEADBUTT. "OLD SCHOOL" FANS SHOULD REMEMBER THAT HE WAS A TAG-TEAM PARTNER OF BOBO BRAZIL & THAT BOBO WAS A HEADBUTT MASTER & TAUGHT IT TO SD JONES.
Posted by: ROB P. | November 7, 2008 5:05 PM