Remembering The York Foundation in WCW

Posted on March 20, 2019 by bdamage1

Brian Damage

It all started after a lunch meeting with WCW announcer Tony Schiavone at the CNN Center in Atlanta, Georgia. Turner make up artist, Terri Boatright, grew up a wrestling fan. She was doing make up for the likes of CNN news anchors and guests when she caught the eye of WCW booker Ole Anderson. Anderson came up with a gimmick he thought would be perfect for Boatright. Anderson arranged a meeting between Terri and Schiavone to talk things over.

After Schiavone pitched Ole’s idea, Terri became interested in pursuing a career in professional wrestling. She agreed to go along with the gimmick as long as she could still keep her make up gig, just in case the wrestling thing didn’t pan out. Everybody agreed, and Terri Boatright began her new career. The gimmick was that of a computer analyst named ‘Alexandra York’ a name that Terri came up with herself.

Alexandra York would manage Mike Rotundo who would receive a gimmick change into Michael Wallstreet. His gimmick was based on the popular character Gordon Gekko in the Michael Douglas movie ‘Wallstreet.’ Michael Wallstreet would use York’s computer knowledge to help him win matches based on data and statistics. The gimmick was in full swing until Rotundo quit WCW over “creative differences.” Rotundo would soon join the WWF as IRS aka Irwin R. Shyster. That left Alexandra York without anybody to manage.

WCW loved the gimmick, however and decided to build a faction around her known as the York Foundation. Her first new charge was a man that Terri Boatright personally suggested to fill the role that Mike Rotundo left. It was her friend, Terry Taylor who changed his name to Terrance Taylor and was called, “The Computerized Man of the 90’s.” Alexandra York would once again use her computer to analyze match ups and successfully predict victories for Taylor.

The York Foundation looked to expand, so they tried to recruit a young Dustin Rhodes to join. Dustin turned down the offer and that began a long feud between Rhodes and the York Foundation. It was also where Dustin and Terri met and began a whirlwind relationship behind the scenes…but more on that a little later. New members to the Foundation were added when the long time babyface hero of the NWA era…Tommy ‘Wildfire’ Rich joined their ranks and became known as Thomas Rich.

The York Foundation also added one of the biggest faces from one of the company’s most successful tag teams The Rock N Roll Express’ Ricky Morton. Morton, who was wrestling as a singles wrestler because his partner Robert Gibson was injured began being courted by the foundation. When pressed to make a decision by York, Robert Gibson appeared to say he was back healthy and ready to reform the R N R Express. That is when Morton turned on his partner and join the Foundation. He too, would change his name to Richard Morton.

The trio in the York Foundation went on to win the WCW six Man tag team titles and kept them until they were retired by WCW. As the York Foundation was gaining momentum as a faction, Terri and Dustin’s romance was blossoming backstage. The young couple’s relationship was something that Dustin’s father…’The American Dream’ Dusty Rhodes did not approve of. Dusty felt that Terri was a whore and a gold digger out for money. The strain of Dusty’s disapproval forced Dustin and Terri to briefly split.

They would eventually get back together, but Dusty was unrelenting in his dislike of Terri. According to Terri, Dusty would make her life behind the scenes a living hell. The York Foundation would become nothing more than enhancement talent and job to other stars. That combined with working long hours first as a make up artist and then working matches…led Terri to quit WCW. Thus, the York Foundation was quickly dissolved and became a distant memory.