Wrestling legend Verne Gagne investigated in death of man, 97

pioneer press ^ | 2-19-09 | staff

[WOBBLY BOB]

Minnesota wrestling legend Verne Gagne is under investigation in the death of a fellow resident at a Bloomington care facility, a local television station is reporting. Police said Gagne, 82, threw his roommate, Helmut R. Gutmann, 97, to the floor on Jan. 26, breaking his leg and injuring his head, according to KMSP-TV. Gutmann was treated for his injuries, but was later rehospitalized, the station said. He died Saturday.

[Explodo]

That’s BAron Von Rashke...

[WOBBLY BOB]

it sure is...”and that is all the people need to know”.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

I always get the Baron and the Claw mixed up. maybe they were the same guy at different eras...

[Explodo]

The only reason I know this kind of stuff is one of my older buddies knew the Baron Personaly...He even has a big picture of the him and the Baron with the Baron about to give him the claw...

[Eric in the Ozarks]

I remember there was a Gagne Real Estate company in the south metro when we lived there. Was this Verne or someone else ?

[WOBBLY BOB]

possibly his son, Greg. also a former wrestler.

[WOBBLY BOB]

same ,same. Baron administered THE CLAW.

[GreatOne]

What is it with Minnesota and wrestling?

Vern Gagne was one of the first people to train people how to become wrestlers, then used his camps as a farm system for his organization, the AWA. The Road Warriors and Jesse Ventura are also Minnesotans.

Wrestling used to be regionalized up until McMahon took over the WWE (nee WWF), and Vern ran the Midwest/Northern circuit. The Southern circuit was also very popular. For a good history of professional wrestling, here is the Wiki page for the AWA.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

My all time favorite was Riki Dozan, a Korean who wrestled in Japan in the late 1950s/early 1960s. He was murdered by Japanese mobsters.

[dfwgator]

same ,same. Baron administered THE CLAW.

I thought it was Jim Carey in Liar, Liar.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Ah yes...
the "foreign object."

[LiveFreeOrDie2001]

...and “The Crusher”!

[Last Dakotan]

ping

[Joe Boucher]

Too funny,
Great job.

[OneVike]

Here Come The 'Judge"!

I remember The Crusher and the Bruiser going against the hated Soviet brothers, I forgot their names, but I was a big fan back in the day. Verne was my hereo, along with Red Bastine, and I also remember Cortez who died in a car crash. How about Dr X, he eventually went nice and had a big following.

Ahh, the days.

I sold popcorn and sodas around the Duluth Arena during the matches just so I could see them

[mak5]

Reggie “Crusher” Lisowski, who was a bad guy in our area, but funny as all get out.

I remember going backstage and you would see George Steele puffing on his Marlboros, conversing with people, until they told him it was time to go out for his match, when he would become “The Animal”, the incoherent monster heel.

[LiveFreeOrDie2001]

Remember “Pollllll-inski” the truck driver...?

[A knight without armor]

I'd stay up so late to watch wrestling with Verne Gagne. I also loved the Crusher and then the masked man appeared.

[OneVike]

Yeah, boy did he have a gut. I remember Nick Bockwinkle hurting him so bad they had to remove him on a stretcher. I think he actually had an internal injury that left him laying on the mat for almost an hour before they removed him.

Bockwinkle went on to take the title from Gange, then he turned nice guy. I was in the service by that time and quit watching wrestling.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Duluth is my old stomping ground. Never lived there but was up north from the TC every couple of weeks for my job.