Wrestlers
Who Died Before Turning 40
(ED. NOTE: The following comes from the website
erected by the people who
brought you "The Ultimate Professional Wrestling Book of
Lists," $15,
including shipping & handling, from DragonKing Press, P.O. Box
781,
Haleyville AL 35565. Also available: The DragonKing Update Report
Newsletter, regularly updating lists in the book. Go to
www.angelfire.com/al/dragonking for further details.)
By Karl E. Stern
It's alarming and sobering. Professnal wrestling almost certainly
has the
highest pre-forty death rate of any professional sport. The
problems and
situations that have lead to such a high mortality rate are many.
Frequent
travel over long distances increase the risk for automobile wrecks
and plane
crashes. No off season leads to cumulative injuries. Cumulative
injuries
sometimes lead to dependence on medication and prescription pain
relievers,
and so on. Neither professional football, nor professional
basketball can
touch to pre-forty mortality rate of wrestling. While deaths
inside the
boxing ring far out number deaths inside the wrestling ring, the
death rate
for wrestlers in general seems to be much higher (there is no hard
data on
the subject.) Here is a list of all the pre-forty year of age
deaths of
professional wrestlers we could verify, I'm sure there are more,
especially
considering the proliferation of tiny independent groups that have
little
news coverage. Also listed is their cause of death, as best as
could be
determined. They are listed in alphabetical order.
Key: Ring Name: (Real Name if known: Age).
Adonis, Adrian: (Keith Franke: Age of 34): Veteran of the NWA,
AWA, and WWF
was killed on July 4, 1988 in a car accident in Canada (see
"Curse of the
Forth of July list.). Adonis had left the WWF several months
earlier and had
been competing in the AWA.
Baker, Eddie: (Eddie Baker: Age of 36): Southern journeyman
wrestler dies on
May 14, 1937 in Corinth, MS, following a match with Ray Welch (of
the Welch-
Fuller wrestling family). Baker is believed to have suffered a
heart attack.
Barr, Art: (Art Barr: Age of 28): Dies while wrestling in Mexico
as The
American Love Machine. Was gaining a lot of attention before his
unexpected
death. The exact cause of death was never officially determined,
though some
drugs were found in his system, though they were not initially
thought to be
the cause. He died in his sleep on November 23, 1994.
Beale, Jimmy: (Age 25?): South African wrestler who died in the
dressing
room following a match in South Africa of unknown causes on August
1, 1993.
Brown, Leroy: (Ronald Daniels: Age of 38): Former tag team partner
of Ray
Candy, known as the Zambuie Express Elijah Akeem. Brown wrestled
through out
the south. Died of a heart attack on September 6, 1988 in a
Georgia
hospital. Ironically his tag team partner Ray Candy, known as
Zambuie
Express Kareem Mohammed, died in a Georgia hospital of a heart
attack at the
age of 43 on May 23, 1994.
Clarey, Dennis: (Vincent Lizdennis: Age of 31): Unknown cause of
death on
January 30, 1955.
Columbo, Rocky: (John Columbo: Age of 35): Unknown cause of death
on March
6, 1964.
Demetroff, Dimitri: (Dimitri Demetroff: Age of 37): Dies on May 9,
1932 of
blood poisoning.
Doyal, "Lucha" Larry: (Age of 37): Unknown cause of
death on June 21, 1998.
Note: This is the wrestler who I couldn't identify in the book as
Le Femme
Nikita Koloff, which was just one of his identities since he was a
long time
southern California wrestler.
Drake, "Catalina" George: (Age of 39): Unknown cause of
death on December
28, 1967.
Erik the Red: (Eric Hansen: Age of 34): Is killed on November 18,
1978 while
changing a car tire near Miami, FL when he was struck and killed
by another
car.
Gantner, Ed "The Bull": (Edward Gantner: Age of 31):
Former football star
turned wrestler with the NWA Florida Championship Wrestling
promotion. Held
the NWA Florida title in early 1987. Commits suicide on December
31, 1990
following a lengthy battle with kidney disease.
Gilbert, Eddie: (Thomas Edward Gilbert, III.: Age of 33) A major
star in
virtually every territory and major independent in the late 1980's
and early
1990's. Had brief, but memorable, stints in the WWF and pre-WCW
NWA as well.
The present version of the NWA still honors him every year with a
memorial
show. Was either a booker or wrestler, or both for Continental
Wrestling
Federation, USWA, ECW, Global Wrestling Federation, Smoky Mountain
Wrestling, Bill Watt's UWF and World Wrestling Council. Major star
in
Memphis area. Held numerous region titles, as well as the NWA
United States
tag team title. Died of an apparent heart attack while working for
WWC in
Puerto Rico. Was married at one time to Missy Hyatt and later to
Debra
"Madusa" Miceli. Died February 18, 1995.
Gotch, Frank: (Frank Gotch: Age of 39) Early 20th century world
heavyweight
champion. Arch rival of George Hackenschmidt. Some consider him
the greatest
pure wrestler of all time, despite a reputation as a rule breaker.
Died of
either uremic poisoning or syphilis, depending on what source you
believe,
on December 16, 1917. It should be noted that some news paper
accounts list
him as 41 at the time of his death.
Hady, Jim: (Age of 38): Unknown cause of death on January 12,
1968.
Hart, Owen: (Age of 34): Former WWF Intercontinental and World tag
team
title holder and member of the legendary Stu Hart family, was
killed in a
horrific fall during the WWF Over the Edge PPV on May 23, 1999.
While
attempting to enter the ring as "The Blue Blazer" while
being lowered into
the ring from the arena ceiling, the cable holding him became
detaching
which sent him into a seventy-foot plus fall, after which he
struck the
turnbuckle and was killed instantly.
Hasegawa, Satoshi: (Age of 22): Wrestler for the Pancrase
organization of
Japan. Died on March 1, 1999 after falling three stories off an
apartment
building in a freak accident.
Hernandez, Gino: (Charles Wolfe: Age of 29): Stand out star in the
Texas
based World Class Championship Wrestling organization. Many pegged
him as a
future big star. Team frequently with Chris Adams, then later
feuded with
him. Died of a cocaine overdose on February 4, 1986.
Hester, Frank: (Frank Hester: Age of 37): Is killed on July 26,
1976, along
with Sam Bass and Pepe Lopez, in a car accident near Dickson, TN.
Idol, Lance: (Steve Schumann: Age of 32): A journeyman independent
wrestler
who competed under such names as Lance Idol, Ray Evans, Steve
Winters, Star
Rider, and Steve Austin (not "Stone Cold"). Idol often
reportedly bragged of
his drug use, though he appeared to have a serious heart
condition, which is
eventually what got him on October 21, 1991.
Irwin, Scott: (Age of 35): The brother of "Wild" Bill
Irwin, with whom he
formed the AWA tag team combo of "The Long Riders".
Scott had also wrestled
for a number of years, most notably in the NWA as The Super
Destroyer. Irwin
died of a brain tumor on September 5, 1987.
Kado, Emiko: (Age of 23): A wrestler for the Japanese women's
group Arsion.
Kado was teaming with Michiko Omukai against the team of Mariko
Yoshida &
Mikiko Futagami on a small show at Fukuoka Acros Hall in Fukuoka,
Japan when
she struck her head hard on the mat. After she was pinned, her
fellow
wrestlers were unable to revive her. She was rushed to the
hospital
following the March 31, 1999 show and died on April 9, 1999. She
remained in
a coma the entire time.
Kasavubu: (Jimmy Banks: Age of 26): Unknown cause of death on July
27, 1982.
Koma, Maseo: (Hideo Koma: Age of 36): Cause of death unknown on
March 21,
1975.
Lopez, Pepe: (Rubin Rodriguez: Age of 39): A southern journeyman
wrestler
who was killed in a car accident near Dickson, TN on July 26,
1976, which
also killed Sam Bass and Frank Hester.
Lovett, Yuel: (Alex Lovett: Age of 25): Florida independent
wrestler who
died of apparent cardiac arrest while eating at a steak house
while on a
tour of Peru with Steve Keirn. Lovett died on July 31, 1999.
Lynam, Joe: (Joe Lynam: Age of 31): Killed in a plane crash in
Oregon on
September 25, 1948.
Mansfield, Randy: (Randy Toslinski: Age of 23): Cause of death
unknown in
April 1998.
Mariko, Plum: (Mariko Umeda: Age of 29) Died of what is believed
to be a
culmination of ring injuries which resulted in a brain abscess.
The young
Mariko had suffered several concussions previously, but had
continued to
wrestle. Following a match on August 15, 1997 where she teamed
with Commando
Boirshoi against Mayumi Ozaki & Rieko Amano, Mariko passed out
and died a
few hours later on August 16, 1997.
Martello, Rick: (Age of 38): Cause of death unknown on January 3,
1997.
Martin, Bull (Murray Grondin: Age of 34): Following a match in St.
John's,
Newfoundland, Martin suffered a heart attack and died on July 31,
1979.
Mayne, "Moondog" Lonnie (Ronald Mayne: Age of 33): Cause
of death unknown on
August 13, 1978.
McGraw, Rick: (Rick McGraw: Age of 31): Former southern journeyman
wrestler
during the early 1980's who ended up with the WWF around 1984
working
underneath as a jobber. Had one famous match in the WWF with Roddy
Piper
shortly before his death of a heart attack on November 1, 1985.
Former
friend Steve Travis (Steve Musulin) blamed the heart attack on
drugs.
McGuire, Billy: (Billy McCreary: Age of 32): Cause of death
unknown on July
14, 1979.
Medina, Alex: (Age of 32): Cause of death unknown on April 20,
1973.
Munn, Wayne "Big": (Wayne Munn: Age of 35): World
heavyweight champion in
1925 dies on January 9, 1931.
Murphy, Skull: (John Murphy: Age of 39): Cause of death unknown on
March 23,
1970.)
Nuhammed, Hassen "The Terrible Turk": (Hassen Nuhammed:
Age of 38): Early
20th century wrestler who was killed on January 28, 1929 in a car
accident
near Phoenix, AZ.
O'Mahoney, Danno: (Daniel A. Mahoney: Age of 37): Cause of death
unknown on
November 4, 1950.
Oklahoma Kid: (Elmer Gearlds: Age of 29): Cause of death unknown
in 1968.
Oski, Jerry: (Jerry Arotski: Age of 32): Cause of death unknown in
December
1995.
Oro: (Age of 21): His death is believed to have been from a brain
aneurysm
on October 26, 1993. Oro was a dynamic high flier, ahead of his
time in
Mexico where high fling was already an art. Oro collapsed
following a chop
to the chest during a six man tag team match in Mexico City where
he was
teaming with La Fiera & Brazo de Plata against Dr. Wagner, Jr.
& Kaho I &
Jaque Mate.
Papineau, Louis: (Age of 36): Dies following a match with Gino
Brito in
Garden City, MI on March 7, 1964.
Peterson, D.J.: (Dave Peterson: Age of 33): Former co-holder of
the AWA
World tag team championship was killed in a truck accident on May
25, 1993.
Pillman, Brian: (Brian Pillman: Age of 35) Headliner for both WCW
and WWF
who died of a heart attack in Bloomington, MN on October 5, 1997.
Pillman,
who had begun his career in Calgary and later moved up the ladder
in WCW
from being a mid-card lightweight champion and tag team wrestler
to being a
member of the Four Horsemen was wrestling for the WWF at the time
as an
associate member of the Hart Foundation. Pillman had suffered a
serious car
accident about a year earlier and initial belief that pain killers
mixed
with alcohol, or a cocaine overdose caused the death proved false
as none of
the above appeared in any significant amount in his system and no
illegal
drugs or alcohol were in his system. Pillman was born on May 22,
1962.
Renegade: (Richard C. Williams: Age of 33): Committed suicide in
front of
his girlfriend in February 1999 in Marietta, GA. Allegedly
despondent over
not being used by World Championship Wrestling (WCW) where he had
been a
past television champion under an Ultimate Warrior rip off
gimmick. Renegade
was allegedly facing financial and personal problems and
confronted his
girlfriend and shot himself with a .38 caliber handgun. Renegade
was born
October 16, 1965.
Rikidozan: (Mitsuharu Momota: Age of 39): Killed in a gangland
style
stabbing in Japan on December 15, 1963.
Romano, Mike: (age of 36). Cause of death unknown in June 1936.
Rutten, Jackie: (Age of 23). Cause of death unknown on June 19,
1982.
Sangre India: (Age of 23): Died after missing a tope in Mexico
City and
breaking his back on December 25, 1979.
Sawyer, Buzz: (Bruce Woyan: Age of 32): Stand out star in Texas,
Louisiana,
Florida, and Georgia. Had a famous feud in the NWA with Tommy
Rich, and was
later part of Gary Hart's stable with the The Great Muta that
feuded with
the Four Horsemen. Top star in World Class Championship Wrestling
and a
former UWF TV champion. Brother of Brett Wayne Sawyer dies a drug
related
death on February 7, 1992.
Seleem, Iben: (Charles Halvey: Age of 27): Dies on February 17,
1939 in a
car accident near Hot Springs, NM.
Shamrock, Shane: (Brian Hauser: Age of 23) Maryland independent
wrestler was
shot by police during a domestic altercation on August 17, 1998.
Shane, Bobby: (Bob Schoenberger: Age of 29): Is killed when the
plane that
he, Buddy Colt, Mike McCord (Austin Idol), and Gary Hart are
flying in
crashes. All others survive. Shane is killed on February 20, 1975.
Sleaze, Big E. (Jeremy Sumpter: Age of 22) Maryland independent
wrestler
died from a self inflicted gun shot wound to the head.
Speer, Frank: (Frank Speer: Age of 32): Dies on June 10, 1938 from
pneumonia
in Atlanta, GA.
Spicolli, Louie: (Louis Mucciolo: Age of 27) Wrestled for the WWF,
AAA, ECW,
and WCW. Was wrestling for WCW at the time of his death on
February 15, 1998
from an apparent overdose of prescription pain killers mixed with
alcohol.
He was laid to rest in San Pedro, CA at Mary Star of the Sea
Catholic
Church.
Sugai, Don: (Don Sugai: Age of 39): Killed in a car accident on
October 14,
1952 in Ontario, Canada.
Superior, Neil "The Power": (Neil Caricofe: Age of 33):
Died following a
confrontation with police in Ocean City, Maryland on August 23,
1996.
Superior was nude and causing a disturbance when police arrived
and became
involved in a confrontation with Superior, who died a few hours
later. At
the time this book was published, his family was still involved in
litigation with the Ocean City Police department.
Sweetan, Freddie: (Fred Sweetan: Age of 36): Dies in an accident
at his home
on July 26, 1974.
Taylor, Chris: (Christopher Taylor: Age of 29): Olympic super
heavyweight
wrestling bronze medalist who wrestled for the AWA dies following
a lengthy
illness on June 30, 1979.
Torres, Alberto: (Age of 37). Cause of death unknown on June 17,
1971,
Von Erich, Chris: (Chris Barton Adkisson: Age of 21): The youngest
of the
Von Erich brothers commits suicide with a self inflicted gunshot
wound on
September 12, 1991.
Von Erich, David: (David Adkisson: Age of 25): Dies on February
10, 1984,
allegedly of acute enteritis, although rumors and stories have
persisted for
years that his death was drug related. Von Erich died in his hotel
room in
Tokyo, Japan while on tour.
Von Erich, Kerry: (Kerry Adkisson: Age of 33): The longest living
of the Von
Erich brothers, with the exception of the still living Kevin. The
most
nationally successful of the family, having won the NWA World
heavyweight
title in 1984 from Ric Flair, and later held the WWF
Intercontinental title.
Had a severe motorcycle accident in 1986 which lead to the
amputation of his
foot, though he wrestled for years afterward with a prosthesis,
keeping the
amputation a secret. Developed a serious drug problem after the
accident
which lead to several arrest and eventually being put on
probation. Kerry
was then arrested for prescription forgery while on probation and
was
looking, quite possibly, at serious jail time. Instead he shot
himself in
the chest with a .44 magnum on February 18, 1993.
Von Erich, Mike: (Michael Adkisson: Age of 23): Member of the
infamous Von
Erich family of Texas wrestling. Suffered a near fatal bout of
toxic shock
syndrome in 1986, but pushed himself, or was pushed by his father,
to return
to the ring. Never fully recovered from the illness and on April
12, 1987,
committed suicide with an overdose of Placidyl.
Wright, Tex: (Age of 28): Dies following a match on March 11, 1934
with
Harry "Ali Baba" Ekizian in Greeley, CO.
Youngblood, Jay: (Steve Romero: Age of 30): Former multi-time NWA
World tag
team title holder with Rick Steamboat, dies in New Zealand after
rupturing
his spleen and suffering a heart attack on September 1, 1985.
