He was among the first New Zealanders to travel to the US and, like his fellow countrymen Pat O'Connor and Abe Jacobs, became a major star with the National Wrestling Alliance during the Television-era.

Hrstich is credited, along with Bobby Graham and "Killer" Buddy Austin, as the trainer of 8-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion Harley Race.

One of his most memorable bouts was against "The Zebra Kid" George Bollas and promoter Al Karasick speculated to the press that Hrstich would become a great drawing card.

While competing in the United States, Hrstich was billed as Dick or Ray Gordon,[7] so as to make his name more easy for announcers to pronounce, and kept the ringname for the remainder of his career.

[3] In the fall of that year, in the American Wrestling Association, he faced such opponents as Jack Terry, Billy Goelz, Aldo Bogni, Don McClarty and Frank Townsend in the Minneapolis – Saint Paul area.

Other teams included Rip Hawk & Rock Hunter, Thor Hagen & Sonny Myers, Bob Geigel & Otto Von Krupp, Bill Cole & Chick Garibaldi, and Jerry Gordett & Joe Hamilton.

[7] During his time in central Missouri, he along with Bobby Graham and "Killer" Buddy Austin helped train Harley Race, a future 8-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion, while the young rookie was starting his career working for St. Joseph wrestling promoter Gust Karras.

[2][9][10][11][12][13][14] Hrstich then headed south where he worked for Texas promoter Pat O’Dowdy in Odessa wrestling Ed Sharpe and Dick Hutton at the Floyd Gwin Auditorium in early 1960.

[15] In the Dallas-Fort Worth area, for promoters Morris Siegel and Ed McLemore, he also faced Paul "Butcher" Vachon,[16] Marquis de Paree, Duke Keomuka, and Joe Pizza during October–November 1960.

[22] He also wrestled Steve Stanlee, Stan Stasiak and Jean Baillargeon during the next two months as well as facing his one-time tag team partner, Tommy O’Toole, beating him in both of their two encounters.

[22] Hrstich moved on to Georgia Championship Wrestling, then run by promoters Don McIntyre and Steve Manderson, where he and several other NWA stars including Lou Thesz, Eddie Graham, and The Mighty Hercules appeared for the next three months.

[32][33] On 25 April 1964, Hrstich appeared at the Southside Armory in Indianapolis for Dick the Bruiser and Wilbur Snyder's first official World Wrestling Association show.

[36] Hrstich briefly returned to St. Louis where, on 7 January 1966, he and “Cowboy” Bob Ellis were beaten by Fritz Von Erich in a handicap match at the Kiel Auditorium[42] before moving on to Tri-State Wrestling.

He fared better in the singles division with victories over Boris Managoff and Chuck Karbo[43] and also made appearances for NWA Western States in Texas.