Grappling with Tragedy: Frankie the Macaw

Brian Damage

Grappling with Tragedy is a series of articles that deal with unfortunate, tragic incidents that have occurred throughout the history of professional wrestling. It is unlike the ‘Wrestling with Sin’ series that deals more with the seedier side of wrestling like arrests, murders and suicides. Grappling looks more at particular tragic incidents that have in some instances altered pro wrestling in some way.

Frankie the Macaw

The partnership between Koko B Ware and the macaw named Frankie began in 1986. Koko had been secretly flown up to New York City to meet with Vince McMahon and the WWF. Vince offered Koko a very lucrative deal that Koko simply couldn’t pass up. When McMahon asked if there was anything Koko wanted for his ‘Birdman’ gimmick, Koko took out a picture of a colorful macaw he took when he visited a pet store in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Koko suggested that he have a bird just like the one in the picture to add to his persona. Unfortunately, Koko couldn’t afford buying the macaw himself. Vince made sure that Koko was okay with being responsible for the bird and traveling with it from town to town. Koko agreed and Vince offered to buy the bird for his gimmick, with the understanding he would have to pay back the money he shelled out.

The macaw was named Frankie and initially, Koko said the bird was wild and continually bit and scratched him. It took a while for a trust to build between Frankie and Koko. Eventually, Koko said the bird was trained to know when it was “showtime” and go out and accompany Koko to the ring. Koko gave full credit to Frankie for the popularity and success he had as a wrestler in the WWF. Koko said, ‘Without Frankie, I was just a wrestler who stood 5 ft 7 and could sing and dance. Frankie added so much more.’

After Koko left the company in 1994, Koko kept Frankie and the duo would compete across the country for various independent shows and events. Frankie became like another child to Koko who kept the bird as a family pet for years after his wrestling career was pretty much done. In March of 2002, Koko and his family attended a church service. Frankie was left locked up in his cage. Koko said he did this, because Frankie would tear stuff up when he was left alone and out of his cage. While at church, Koko said the Deacon informed him to go home right away because it was on fire.

Koko said he immediately worried more about Frankie being locked in his cage during the fire, more than his other belongings. Koko ran to the back of the house where Frankie was located, only to find his neighbor on his knees in tears. Koko never met the neighbor before this day and he asked why was he crying. The neighbor said he tried to break in the back door, because he heard a child screaming “let me out! Let me out!,” but couldn’t because the fire was too intense. The neighbor thought Koko lost a child, but Koko knew he it was Frankie that perished in the fire. Koko said Frankie always squawked and said “Let Me Out” whenever he wanted to get out of his cage. 

A fireman placed the deceased macaw  in a brown paper bag and handed it to Koko, who said he refused to open the bag and look at his deceased friend of over 15 years. Koko said he buried Frankie in his backyard and was devastated for years after the tragic incident occurred. Eventually, Koko purchased another macaw very similar to his buddy and named him Frankie in tribute to his fallen friend.