Tommy Young
| Tommy Young | |
|---|---|
 Young in 2011 | |
| Birth name | Thomas Machlay |
| Born | July 9, 1947 |
| Residence | Charlotte, North Carolina |
| Spouse(s) | Pam Machlay |
| Children | 6 |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Tommy Young |
| Trained by | Lou Thesz |
| Debut | 1971 |
Thomas Machlay (born July 9, 1947), known as Tommy Young, is a professional wrestling referee and retired professional wrestler best known for his time in the National Wrestling Alliance and Jim Crockett Promotions.
Career
Tommy Young started out as a wrestler in 1971 for Ed Farhat in Michigan and later as a referee in Pedro Martinez`s NWF. In 1975 he worked for the National Wrestling Alliance and Jim Crockett Promotions as a referee. By the 1980s, Tommy was the Senior Referee for Jim Crockett Promotions and refereed most of the NWA World Heavyweight Championship matches. He had a style of sliding while starting the three count that made it look like he was giving his all to be in the right place at the right time to give a timely count on the pin. He often used facial expressions to show his pain if he was knocked down or his frustration over the villains cheating.
Tommy severely injured his back in 1989 but eventually returned. He appeared briefly in 1998 in the World Wrestling Federation as part of the "NWA" storyline.
Tommy attends wrestling reunion shows and is still active in refereeing, including special matches such as the Rock and Roll Express vs. Midnight Express matches.
Personal life
Tommy has been married to his wife Pam for over forty years. They have six children and two grandchildren.
Accomplishments
- Tommy was named Referee of the Year in 1981, 1982, 1983, 1985 and 1986.