Wrestler: 'Nature Boy' Nate Harris

Wrestler Name: 'Nature Boy' Nate Harris
Real Name: Nathan Harley Elsner
Birthday: September 26, 1950
Death Date: February 27, 1984 (car accident near Wilmot, AR)
Hometown: Jackson, MS
Marital Status: Married
Alignment: Face
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 268
Theme Music: "Hotblooded" by Foreigner
Wrestling Debut: November 19, 1973 (Tulsa)
MVW Debut: April 06, 1978
Debut Opp: Jason James
Last Match: February 25, 1984
Last Opp: Dominic Donovan
PriDistrict: Delta
Style: Technician
Finishing Move: Naturally (over-the-shoulder backbreaker)
Notable Feuds: Black Wolf
Image: Buddy Landell

His Story:

Nathan was born to Edward and Mariah Elsner on September 26, 1950, in Biloxi, MS. Edward was an Air Force Master Sergeant stationed as a Basic Training instructor at Keesler Air Force Base when his children were born. Nathan's younger brother Edward (Boss Crump) is six years younger. Edward retired from the Air Force in 1958. The family moved to Edward's hometown of Tulsa, OK.

He went to Nathan Hale High School and wrestled for the high school and won the Oklahoma State Wrestling title at the 152-pound weight class as a junior and the 171-pound weight class as a senior. As a sophomore, he and his basketball star girlfriend, Selena Adams, caused quite the stir when they announced their pregnancy as the reason she could not compete in the Oklahoma State basketball tournament in 1967. A baby girl, Betty ('Hot' Heidi Harris), was born on October 22, 1967. Nathan and Selena were married March 2, 1968. Upon graduation in 1969, he had scholarship offers from both Oklahoma State and Iowa State.

Nathan decided to go to Iowa State for college. Nathan graduated from Iowa State with a Bachelor of Science in Advertising in 1973. During his college career, Nathan came in second two years in a row in the Big Ten Conference tournament. He competed in the NCAA Collegiate Wrestling tournament in 1970 and 1972.

Nathan began working for NWA Tri-State just before graduation. Knowing his wrestling background, Leroy McGuirk gave him a chance to wrestle in the ring. Nathan's first match was against North American Heavyweight champion Tank Morgan as the masked Dr. X on November 19, 1973. He wrestled a decent match, but Morgan proved the better. Nathan wrestled for four years in the Tulsa area before McGuirk released him from his contract. He would wrestle a few times as Dr. X when Dick Beyer was unavailable to wrestle in Tulsa. He also wrestled as Nathan Harley. In March 1978, when the MVW was beginning to take off in Mississippi, McGuirk released Nathan from his contract.

He came to his brother-in-law's fledgling promotion after its first month with a new gimmick. Given Nathan's love of the outdoors, Arnold gave him the moniker “Nature Boy.” Nathan's wrestling career and his life was cut short on February 27, 1984, when his car was struck by a drunk driver near Wilmot, AR while returning home to Greeneville from Baton Rouge after that night's wrestling card.

Nathan was survived by his wife, his brother, and three children—Betty, Wendell and Jacob (Snake). On the anniversary of his death, Arnold began an annual memorial card that went until 2008 when the MVW folded.