Posted on 04/28/2002 10:11:50 AM PDT by EveningStar
Wrestling legend Lou Thesz dies after heart operation
This story was published in Sports on Monday, April 29, 2002.
By Keith Schildroth
Special To The Post-Dispatch
Lou Thesz, considered by many professional wrestling experts as the last true pure wrestler and perhaps the greatest wrestler ever, died at his home in Winter Garden, Fla., on Sunday (April 28, 2002) from complications of open-heart surgery.
Thesz, a native St. Louisan, was 86. Funeral services are pending.
Born Aloysius Martin Lou Thesz on April 24, 1916, he was raised in St. Louis near Cleveland High. His father, Martin Thesz, was a middleweight amateur wrestling champion in Hungary.
Martin Thesz trained his son early in life, and Lou Thesz took up the sport seriously at 14. Despite his youth, Thesz was an immediate success. Working with trainers George Tragos and Ad Santel, Thesz increased his knowledge and skill and turned pro at 16, working his first match in East St. Louis.
Thesz took his career to the top when he started a long relationship with former champion Ed "Strangler" Lewis near the end of Lewis' career. With an impressive background, Thesz became the top "hooker" in wrestling. Hooks are painful, potentially crippling moves that date back to the origins of pro wrestling, and only a few wrestlers have the skill and knowledge to use them.
He won his first title, at 21, in 1937 when he defeated Everett Marshall here for the Midwest Wrestling Association world crown. Thesz later captured the American Wrestling Association world title in 1938 and the National Wrestling Association world title in 1938.
"He had it all," said eight-time world champion Harley Race. "He was one of the greatest if not the greatest in professional wrestling. He could do so many things inside the ring and he always was in perfect condition."
Thesz often wrestled four or five nights a week during the early years and always stayed in shape. Almost until his death, Thesz worked out with weights. He moved around the ring with speed and quickness.
"I think he was a genetic freak," Race said. "He did a lot to keep himself in shape. Lou reminded me a lot of a big cat or panther in the ring, the way he would move around with considerable ease."
Race said Thesz had several favorite moves to use on opponents. Usually, Thesz would begin his attack with a wrist lock.
"He could move you around or throw you in any direction with that wrist lock," Race said. "You knew Lou was in control during the match. He had so much talent and he was a true wrestler."
Thesz held the NWA title a record six times and numerous titles during his career. From 1937 until he lost the NWA title in 1966 to Gene Kiniski at Kiel Auditorium, Thesz dominated the sport.
One of his more memorable bouts here was against Pat O'Connor in 1963 at Kiel.
"They went for an hour without kicking and punching," said former St. Louis Wrestling Club promoter and TV commentator Larry Matysik. "Thesz won and could have gone another hour. It was a true wrestling match. When Thesz grabbed you, it was over."
Thesz, who wrestled in more than 6,000 matches, worked for various promoters all over the world after he lost the title, but his interests turned to training potential wrestlers and refereeing here and in Japan.
"In Japan he was God and here he was the Babe Ruth of wrestling," Matysik said. "He had an aura about him when he walked into the ring. He was the real deal."
Thesz had a long relationship with several groups in Japan. He was in Japan recently, consulting wrestlers and promoters.
His final match was in 1990 in Japan at 74 against champion Masa Chono.
Thesz was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in February and into the International Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1999.
He was also the former president of the Cauliflower Alley Club and was involved in several charity organizations. Thesz helped develop a scholarship for amateur wrestlers with the club.
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This was way back when. It was when wrestling first came on TV in the early 50s. I think the show was then called Wrestling From Hollywood. The Guy's name was Moto, the Great Moto. Before each match he would go through a Sumo ritual of throwing salt in various directions and whatever.
I see Cowboy Carlson died. I had an acquaintance who had won a wrestling scholorship at the University of Iowa under the great Coach McCusky and was to head to the olympics. He went to St. Louis to a gym where Cowboy Carlson trained out of curiosity. Once having got there he thought he's try his luck with Carlson. He said Carlson tied him up in knots so fast he didn't have a chance.
I see Yukon Eric died by suicide. I remember when he was one of the most powerful men in wrestling with what were then his incredible 19 1/2 inch arms. He used to bend steel around them in demonstration.
When I peaked out my arms were 18 1/2 inches and a 50++ inch chest. Ready to wear tailers didn't even bother to measure me. They just shook their heads and said there is no way we can come close to fitting you.
Chief Wahoo McDaniel also just died also but he was more from the 1960's era.
Our business lost two legends over the past few days with the passing of Wahoo McDaniel and Lou Thesz. Both these deaths evoke many personal memories for me of both men. Wahoo was an Oklahoma legend for the football Sooners which automatically made him a hero in my eyes. He was wild, passionate and very physical in the ring and out. He loved golf and was damn good even though he lost a ton of money to some of golf's greatest players of which he was unusually proud. He could tell colorful stories from a variety of his unique life experiences. He would talk about "back in the day" with the likes of Mickey Mantle, Lee Trevino and Joe Namath. His seemingly endless tales would take one from an undefeated college football team, to the renegade American Football League, to the golf course, an occasional tavern, to an Indian Strap match with a who's who in our business. It's a damn shame a book on this colorful, yet very proud Native American, has never been written. Too bad the chief never told his story.
I remember last seeing Wahoo in Charlotte a few moths back at one of our TV events. He was moving a little slower and had gained a couple of pounds. He was still dyeing his hair as black as night. But Wahoo looked tired as his health issues had really started to get the better of him. However, his eyes lit up when we talked about the National Championship our Sooners had won a year earlier. He smiled. He looked like the chief again and that's how I choose to remember Ed "Wahoo" McDaniel. God bless you, Chief.
To many of us "old timers" Lou Thesz is regarded as one of the most influential and significant figures in the history of this business. I have many personal memories of Lou, who won his first World Title in 1937 and went on to win several more championships recognized by the old NWA through an unbelievable four decades. Lou was as "old school" as "old school" could be. He was fiercely proud of his career and how the business was presented in his era. Lou was not a fan of today's product, however, I do know he admired Kurt Angle and felt Kurt could be special. Lou and I would cross paths every few years and we always talked about my early career with the late LeRoy McGuirk, an ex-amateur and NWA Jr. Heavyweight Champion who Lou respected. Lou too was a great storyteller with a magnificent memory for a gentleman his age. One of my most vivid memories of Lou Thesz occurred at a Cauliflower Alley banquet I attended in New Jersey a few years ago. I was there to speak on behalf of two of my heroes, Danny Hodge and the late Gordon Solie. When I introduced Gordon I was informed he could not speak on that night due to his throat condition. Gordon would die a while later of throat cancer. So I spoke for Gordon. It was easy. I knew better than most how Gordon felt about his career in our crazy business. I was blessed to be able to share his pure passion for broadcasting wrestling. After the event concluded, I went to say my good-byes and had my last beverage with "The Dean". We left the bar and ran into Lou in the hotel lobby. Lou provided us with his impression of today's product which was not a surprise but what he said next certainly was. He told Gordon and me that if he were able to come back like he was in his prime and wrestle again, he would want Gordon Solie and yours truly to call the match. I was overwhelmed and did not feel worthy to be considered for such an honor. "The Dean" could certainly handle this one solo.
I thanked Lou and shook his hand and then I hugged a frail Gordon Solie goodbye. As I walked away my eyes filled with tears as I began to realize I may never see either of those two giants of our business every again. When I turned to look back toward the lobby, before leaving the hotel, there they stood, Lou still talking with his hand on Gordon's shoulder. And they were smiling. That's how I will always remember Lou Thesz: regally holding court, dapperly attired, tanned, with a smile on his face. Goodbye, Lou, and thanks again.
My wife says that his house in Banning[?] was painted pink - fences and all.
My wife knew Liberace, too. Should I be concerned after 32 years?
I lived in San Pedro, near Torrance. Torrance, by the way, is still a pretty nice place, but it really has grown, you wouldn't recognize it.
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