RIP Gene Kiniski
Apr 16, 2010 7:31:21 GMT -5
Post by franko on Apr 16, 2010 7:31:21 GMT -5
Legendary pro wrestler Gene Kiniski, whoproclaimedhimself "Canada's greatest athlete" during a career that spanned five decades, has died. He was 81.
As wrestling's No. 1 bad guy or villain, the 6-foot-5, 275-pound Kiniski was a top draw as the man everyone loved to hate during the glory days of the sport in Vancouver in the 1960s.
On July 30, 1962, more than 14,000 fans turned out at Vancouver's Empire Stadium to see Kiniski challenge world champion Buddy Rogers for the world title.
On that night, the fans cheered the Canadian-born Kiniski against the American hero Rogers, who successfully defended his title.
Born in Edmonton, Kiniski was a football player in high school, then at the University of Arizona on a scholarship. He played for the Edmonton Eskimos in the Canadian Football League in 1952 and 1953. But he soon learned he could make more money on the pro wrestling circuit, so he switched occupations and quickly found that self-promotion was the way to stardom.
He became the archrival of Canadian wrestling hero Whipper Billy Watson and regularly battled the likes of Killer Kowalski, Hard-Boiled Haggerty, Sweet Daddy Siki, Bearcat Wright, Don Leo Jonathan and Haystack Calhoun. ah, the remembrances . . . [and yes, I guess that does make me old]
"He was hissed and booed up the ladder until he became the villain's villain of Canadian wrestling," Jack Moore wrote in The Province on the eve of his world-title fight with Rogers.
"I'm not too proud to promote myself," Kiniski told Moore. "And I'm also willing to advertise the sport of wrestling any time I get the chance."
Kiniski went on to become the world champion, defeating Lou Thesz for the National Wrestling Alliance heavyweight title at Kiel Auditorium in St. Louis. on Jan. 7, 1966.
He remained world champion from 1966 to 1969 and wrestled as many as 250 times a year, packing Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, the Forum in Montreal, Madison Square Garden in New York and arenas in Japan. His last pro bout was in 1992.
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As wrestling's No. 1 bad guy or villain, the 6-foot-5, 275-pound Kiniski was a top draw as the man everyone loved to hate during the glory days of the sport in Vancouver in the 1960s.
On July 30, 1962, more than 14,000 fans turned out at Vancouver's Empire Stadium to see Kiniski challenge world champion Buddy Rogers for the world title.
On that night, the fans cheered the Canadian-born Kiniski against the American hero Rogers, who successfully defended his title.
Born in Edmonton, Kiniski was a football player in high school, then at the University of Arizona on a scholarship. He played for the Edmonton Eskimos in the Canadian Football League in 1952 and 1953. But he soon learned he could make more money on the pro wrestling circuit, so he switched occupations and quickly found that self-promotion was the way to stardom.
He became the archrival of Canadian wrestling hero Whipper Billy Watson and regularly battled the likes of Killer Kowalski, Hard-Boiled Haggerty, Sweet Daddy Siki, Bearcat Wright, Don Leo Jonathan and Haystack Calhoun. ah, the remembrances . . . [and yes, I guess that does make me old]
"He was hissed and booed up the ladder until he became the villain's villain of Canadian wrestling," Jack Moore wrote in The Province on the eve of his world-title fight with Rogers.
"I'm not too proud to promote myself," Kiniski told Moore. "And I'm also willing to advertise the sport of wrestling any time I get the chance."
Kiniski went on to become the world champion, defeating Lou Thesz for the National Wrestling Alliance heavyweight title at Kiel Auditorium in St. Louis. on Jan. 7, 1966.
He remained world champion from 1966 to 1969 and wrestled as many as 250 times a year, packing Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, the Forum in Montreal, Madison Square Garden in New York and arenas in Japan. His last pro bout was in 1992.
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