"The Book Of Austin"
Reproduced without permision, from StoneCold.com
In 1989, Steve Austin was living in Texas and working on the loading docks unloading trucks. His football scholarship at North Texas State University had run out, and this was his only way of making some cash. During that time, he would often go to the Sportatorium in Dallas to watch the Von Erichs wrestle. Steve had always been a fan of the sport, having watched Paul Boesch’s Houston Wrestling on television while growing up. After work one day, Steve saw an ad for a wrestling school run by Chris Adams. He decided to take a shot at it, and five months later (in 1990), he had his first professional wrestling match for World Class Championship Wrestling. During his tenure in WCCW, Austin and Adams engaged in a bitter feud – with the student eventually toppling his teacher.
In 1991, "Stunning" Steve Austin debuted in World Championship Wrestling. Austin spent the next five years in the promotion. As a singles competitor, the Texan captured the organization’s Television Championship from Bobby Eaton on June 3, 1991, and went on to hold that title until April 27, 1992. Austin regained the title on May 23 from Barry Windham, and held it until September 2 when he lost it to Windham.
The following year, Austin won the WCW United States Championship, defeating Dustin Rhodes on December 27, 1993. He held the belt for eight months, finally losing it on August 24, 1994, to Ricky Steamboat. He went on to hold the U.S. Championship for a second time later that year.
Perhaps the highlight of Austin’s WCW tenure was his partnership with "Flyin" Brian Pillman. Vocal, tough and exciting, the "Hollywood Blonds" were truly a team ahead of their time. On March 2, 1993, the Blonds defeated Shane Douglas and Ricky Steamboat to become World Tag Team Champions.
The Blonds quickly became the most recognizable tandem in the promotion. But after they lost their title belts on August 18, 1993, the powers-that-be at WCW decided that Austin wouldn’t get over without a gimmick. According to the front office, a wrestler in black boots and black trunks wasn’t marketable.
During a tour of Japan in late 1994, the tough Texan tore his tricep and subsequently underwent surgery to repair it. While in rehab, the WCW hierarchy decided to fire him. But instead of bringing Steve into the front office to do it face to face, they took the cowardly way out and fired him over the phone. According to Austin, WCW treated him like a "complete jackass," and he was hell-bent on making them pay!
After a brief run in ECW, Steve Austin signed a deal with the World Wrestling Federation in late 1995. Instead of letting the superstar "tear-ass" through the ranks, he was given the moniker of the "Ring Master" and was issued a mouthpiece in the form of Ted DiBiase. The Texan knew he was trapped and planned a swift escape.