usmjam/wrestling

Pro Wrestling Legend Killer Kowalski Dies
Posted Aug 31st 2008 11:35AM by Michael David Smith

Killer Kowalski, the professional wrestler who debuted in the 1940s, was a star in the 1950s and stayed involved in pro wrestling for the rest of his life, has died at the age of 81. Here's a look at Kowalski taking on "Mr. America" Gene Stanley at Madison Square Garden in 1953:
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Born Edward Walter Spulnik on October 13, 1926, in Windsor, Ontario, he assumed the name "Killer Kowalski" when he took up wrestling as a University of Detroit student in the 1940s, and he ended up legally changing his name in the 1960s. His recent activities in wrestling included training the WWE stars Triple H and Chyna.

From the page: "Kowalski, who was 81 when his heart gave out Saturday morning, was a wrestling legend in this town, routinely packing old Boston Garden with frantic fans who came to see him vanquish foes with a weapon he called the Claw Hold, which he performed on an opponent's abdomen.

The nickname was established one night in Montreal when Walter Kowalski, who was 6-foot-7, climbed to the top of the ropes and jumped upon Yukon Eric, a crowd favorite whose many years in the ring had left him with a cauliflowered ear.

Kowalski later insisted his intention was to slam his shinbone across Eric's chest, but the latter turned, exposing the damaged ear, and Kowalsk's leg ripped it off.

"It rolled around the ring like a little ball," Killer later recalled. "Eric headed for the dressing room with a towel wrapped around his head. The ref looked at me and said, "What should I do?" And I told him, "Raise my arm! I'm the only one left." "

That was the Killer Kowalski most fans loved to hate, the consummate bad guy. It was, however, an image very much at odds with the one that emerged in his retirement.......................................His wife said: "That nickname bothered me," she said, "because people wouldn't believe the kind of guy he was. A nurse told me I was born to be a caregiver, but you know what? Walter was an easy guy to care for because he was such an easy guy to love.""

After losing a highly entertaining match against Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania 24, the "Nature Boy" Ric Flair has decided to retire.

Ric Flair's retirement is an end of an era.

One of the greatest entertainers in the history of professional wrestling will no longer be around.

For his legendary contributions to the business, Ric Flair deserves all the respect in the world.

Someone said it best when they said that "Ric Flair is your favorite wrestler's favorite wrestler."---------------------------------------------------------------If anyone would like to share memories of the Nature Boy or any other Old School wrestler, join us in the SU group Pro Wrestling Classics

From the page: "January 29th, 2003
Testimony of Salvation (written for this website)
by Road Warrior Animal
My testimony begins about three years ago I was wrestling in Albuquerque, New Mexico and while I was there Nikita Koloff gave me his book, "Breaking the Chains." I took the book and went to throw it into my bag, and it literally stuck to my fingers: something was telling me to read his book. So I did right there in the locker room. I read his book and afterwards I thanked him for the book and told him I had not read a book since college except "Muscle and Fitness" or "USA Today" newspaper.

I know it was the first sign the Holy Spirit was trying to get through to me. Even Nikita told me the next night that I was different in a little way as every night I would grab the microphone and tell my opponent that I was going to kick their "a**." That night after reading the book I said kick your "butts." Why the sudden change? I do not know but it happened.

It doesn't stop there!

The next morning I am on my way home from the airport and Tatanka called me up out of the blue to tell me he was saved and he and his family are Christians now and wanted to share this with me. This was my 2nd sign. Coincidence? No way the Lord does not work that way.

That same day after talking to Tatanka I stopped at my gym, The gym to workout like I always do after a long road trip, I walk into the gym and get surrounded by five of the biggest guys I have ever seen, they all came up to me and said, "hey Animal, how are you? Hey brother, are you saved?" It was the Christian Power Team that does feats of strength. Sign #3: what are the chances of the Power Team being in my gym?

I said to them I do not know what is going on but something is definitely going on. They invited me to their event they had that night and I took my family. After seeing all the feats of strength and hearing the testimonies they did an alter call, I felt pulled by an unfamiliar force, a feeling that was unfamiliar to me, it was the Holy Spirit.

My son James grabs my hand and says, "come on daddy let's go" and I looked at my wife, and without hesitation we all went up, became born again, recited the sinners prayer, and became Christians, and from that day forward have been ever since. That was the most single best thing I have ever done in my life.

All the titles I have ever won which have been them all as a tag team does not compare to knowing you have a relationship with God and the Holy Spirit.

We went to AIM (Athletes International Ministries) Convention and that is where Hawk became Christian. I was witness to he and Shawn Michaels and Terry Taylor giving their hearts up to God also.

We as a family got baptized together right there in Phoenix, Arizona at the AIM Convention.

That's my story and I am sticking to it. It only makes us stronger in the wrestling world with the Holy Spirit on our side."

Man, they in this age of hyperbole, its one time when the word 'awesome' is correctly used. They came on the scene as sudden and as powerfully as a wrestling tsunami. Watching them on tv, you could just see that they carried almost evry opponent, just to make it look somewhat competitive. The one time I saw them live thier opponents included King Kong Bundy. The big guy was able to body splash one of the boys, but all he got for his troubles later was a body slam and more hurting. Awesome...
"Legion of Doom" - The Road Warriors

Animal (right) Real Name : Joe Laurinaitis
Birth : January 26, 1961 in Minneapolis, Minnesota
First Match in Japan : March, 1985

Hawk (left) Real Name : Michael Hegstrand
Birth : September 12, 1958 in Minneapolis, Minnesota
First Match in Japan : March, 1985
Death : October, 2003 in Florida

This tag team, also known as Legion of Doom, is one of
the greatest teams in the history of the sport.They were both trained
by Eddie Sharkey and managed by "Precious" Paul Ellering. This
is the only team ever to hold the world titles of the Big 3 (NWA, AWA,
and WWF) as well as the prestigeous NWA International title in Japan.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Testimony of Faith (by Animal)

Jimmy Snuka pinned Jeff Jarrett from Buffalo, NY in a Steel Cage Match on 10-Jan-00 Jeff Jarrett vs. "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka (Cage Match) with Chris
Benoit as the ref.

During the match, Benoit beats up on Jarrett frequently. Jarrett
then leaves the cage and gets his guitar. He brings the guitar into
the ring and then Zybysco & Orndorff beat up on Jarrett in the
cage. Snuka and Benoit hit the headbutt and splash from the top
of the cage. Snuka wins the match via pinfall.
Winner: "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka

Man, when Benoit & Snuka teamed up it was like having the old master and the younger student together. Almost as if, lets say in boxing, the younger Floyd Mayweather, Jr is teamed up with either sugar Ray Robinson or maybe Ray Leonard. It was said Benoit emulated the Dynamite Kid, but he was comparable to Snuka in many ways too.

Benoit was in so many ways similar to the old-time wrestlers, as Snuka had been. With that in common, as they both went up on the top of the cage and Benoit did his flying head-butt and then Snuka followed with the flying body splash, man, it was magic. It was as if a time-machine had united the old pro and the younger star who had picked up the torch and wrestled with similar grit and determination as the old-school greats.

The way Benoit & family went out is just so sickening. What a loss, an almost unbelievable human tragedy. But nowadays, we can unfortunatly believe it. Its like the whole world has just gone bizarro, man.

From the page: "A law enforcement official close to the investigation says pro wrestler Chris Benoit strangled his wife and smothered his son before hanging himself in his weight room.

Speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity, the official also says authorities are investigating whether steroids may have been a factor in the deaths.

The family was found dead Monday, and authorities were investigating the deaths as a murder-suicide. Investigators believe the 40-year-old Benoit killed his wife, Nancy, 47, and son, Daniel, 7, over the weekend, then himself on Monday.

�oeThe details, when they come out, are going to prove a little bizarre,” Fayette County District Attorney Scott Ballard told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution newspaper."

From the page:
"According to lead investigator Lt. Tommy Pope, of the Fayette County Sheriff's Department, in Fayetteville, Ga., the deaths of WWE Superstar Chris Benoit, wife Nancy and son Daniel were the result of a double murder-suicide, WWE.com has learned.

Benoit failed to appear both at Saturday's live event in Beaumont, Tx., and WWE's Vengeance: Night of Champions in Houston Sunday night, after informing WWE of a family emergency. Several curious text messages sent by Benoit early Sunday morning prompted concerned friends to alert Richard Hering, VP of Government Relations for WWE, Inc. Hering, in turn, spoke with Fayette County sheriffs Monday, and requested that they respond to the Benoit residence to check on him and his family.

Authorities representing the Sheriff's Department initially had a difficult time entering Benoit's new Fayetteville home Monday afternoon, which had been guarded by two large German Shepherds roaming freely around the property. Once authorities entered the residence, they quickly located the bodies of Benoit, Nancy and Daniel. WWE was notified of the discovery at approximately 4 p.m.

At 10 p.m. Monday night, Lt. Pope held a press conference in conjunction with Scott Ballard, the district attorney for Fayette County. The press conference officially ruled authorities' findings as a double murder-suicide from within the home.

WAGA, a FOX-owned and operated television station in Atlanta, reported that investigators believe Benoit killed his wife and 7-year-old son over the weekend, then himself on Monday.

The three bodies have been received by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation's crime lab, in Decatur, Ga., where autopsies will be performed Tuesday morning. Toxicology reports will not become available for at least two weeks.

WWE.com has further information relating to both the investigation and the cause of death, but the Fayette County Sheriff's Department has requested that WWE.com not release any additional details at this time."