Joe Blanchard won the Big 7 conference wrestling tournament for Kansas State in 1950 before making his professional wrestling debut in 1953 in Calgary for Stampede Wrestling. He teamed with Lord James Blears to hold the Hawaiian Tag Team title throughout 1958 and 1959. Blanchard held the NWA Texas championship in 1963 and 1964, as well as the World Class Texas title in 1966. In 1978, he founded Southwest Championship Wrestling in San Antonio, where he retired from active competition after a 25-year career. Joe Blanchard is the father of Tully Blanchard, who was a member of the Four Horsemen. Blanchard died on March 22, 2012.