Dead Wrestler Society

[Syt]

While growing up in the 90s, I followed pro wrestling for a bit, esp. during the Monday Night Wars between WCW and WWF (a good friend of mine has kept that interest alive and runs with a few other guys a mini-promotion in Holstein).

Prompted by, I know not what, I checked how many of the stars have died in the meantime (the last major incident, I guess was Chris Benoit?) and found this list on about.com, pro wrestlers who have died before reaching age 65 sin 1985:

http://prowrestling.about.com/od/whatsrealwhatsfake/a/wrestlersdeaths.htm

Chris Von Erich (Von Erich Family Tree) - 21
Mike Von Erich - 23
Louie Spiccoli - 27
Art Barr - 28
Gino Hernandez - 29
Jay Youngblood - 30
Rick McGraw - 30
Joey Marella - 30
Ed Gatner - 31
Buzz Sawyer - 32
Crash Holly - 32
Kerry Von Erich - 33
D.J. Peterson - 33
Eddie Gilbert - 33
The Renegade - 33
Chris Candido - 33
Test - 33
Adrian Adonis - 34
Gary Albright - 34
Bobby Duncum Jr. - 34
Owen Hart - 34
Yokozuna - 34
Big Dick Dudley - 34
Brian Pillman - 35
Marianna Komlos - 35
Umaga - 36
Pitbull #2 - 36
The Wall/Malice - 36
Emory Hale - 36
Leroy Brown - 38
Mark Curtis - 38
Eddie Guerrero - 38
John Kronus - 38
Davey Boy Smith - 39
Johnny Grunge - 39
Vivian Vachon - 40
Jeep Swenson - 40
Brady Boone - 40
Terry Gordy - 40
Bertha Faye - 40
Billy Joe Travis - 40
Chris Benoit - 40
Larry Cameron - 41
Rick Rude - 41
Randy Anderson - 41
Bruiser Brody - 42
Miss Elizabeth - 42
Big Boss Man - 42
Earthquake - 42
Mike Awesome - 42
Biff Wellington - 42
Brian Adams (Crush) - 43
Ray Candy - 43
Nancy Benoit (Woman) - 43
Dino Bravo - 44
Curt Hennig - 44
Bam Bam Bigelow - 45
Jerry Blackwell - 45
Junkyard Dog - 45
Hercules - 45
Andre the Giant - 46
Big John Studd - 46
Chris Adams - 46
Mike Davis - 46
Hawk - 46
Mitsuharu Misawa - 46
Ludvig Borga - 47
Steve Dunn - 48
Cousin Junior - 48
Dick Murdoch - 49
Jumbo Tsuruta - 49
Rocco Rock - 49
Sherri Martel - 49
Steve Williams - 49
Moondog Spot - 51
Ken Timbs - 53
Uncle Elmer - 54
Pez Whatley - 54
The Angel of Death - 54
Eddie Graham - 55
Tarzan Tyler - 55
Haystacks Calhoun- 55
Giant Haystacks - 55
Buddy Rose - 56
The Spoiler - 56
Kurt Von Hess - 56
Moondog King - 56
Gene Anderson - 58
Dr. Jerry Graham - 58
Bulldog Brown - 58
Tony Parisi - 58
Rufus R. Jones - 60
Ray Stevens - 60
Stan Stasiak - 60
Terry Garvin - 60
Boris Malenko - 61
Little Beaver - 61
Sapphire - 61
Shohei Baba - 61
Dick the Bruiser - 62
Wilbur Snyder - 62
George Cannon - 62
Karl Krupp - 62
Dale Lewis - 62
Gorilla Monsoon - 62
Hiro Matsuda - 62
Bad News Brown - 63
Bulldog Brower - 63
SD Jones - 63
Wahoo McDaniel - 63

In bold the ones I watched/remember back (active or as commentators) in the day.

It's like looking at a tv series that was on ten, fifteen years ago and suddenly realize that a a third or so of the regular cast has died.

[Barrister]

Apparently heavy duty steroid use combined with large amounts of painkillers takes a toll on a body. 

[Caliga]

I didn't know Bam Bam Bigelow was dead

[The Brain]

Cui bono?

[Martinus]

Cui bono?

He's called Chaz now. Homophobe. 

[Jaron]

Yokozuna

[FunkMonk]

I didn't know Bam Bam Bigelow was dead

He was my favorite. 

[Sophie Scholl]

I think Test might have been more recent than Benoit.  A sad list to see, as I loved wrestling in the mid to late 90's.  I didn't realize Mike Awesome, The Wall, or Bam Bam had died.

[Syt]

I think Test might have been more recent than Benoit.  A sad list to see, as I loved wrestling in the mid to late 90's.  I didn't realize Mike Awesome, The Wall, or Bam Bam had died.

Actually, I think Tony Halme/Ludvig Borga is more recent. Shot himself dead in January. He was a member of Finnish parliament.

[Camerus]

I didn't know Earthquake had died.  I remember reading when his partner Tony Bravo died back in the day (shot gangland style, if I recall).

Speaking of depressing wrestler bios, did anyone ever see the Andre the Giant biography on A&E?  Now that was some sad stuff.

[Josquius]

I used to be wrestling crazy when I was a kid, I don't recognise many of these names though. I guess a lot of them are their real names not their wrestling names.

[Caliga]

I didn't know Bam Bam Bigelow was dead

He was my favorite. 

Actually my favorite wrestler of all time was Chris Benoit.   I even have a Chris Benoit T-shit somewhere.

PROVE.  ME.  WRONG.

[Brazen]

Ravishing Rick Rude's teh only one I remember from that lot, no idea he was dead.

I grew up with English wrestling, which at heavyweight was as theatrical as WCW and WWF but had characters like Big Daddy and Giant Haystacks.

[Grey Fox]

Eddie Guerrero is dead? BBG too?

How the mighty have fallen

[frunk]

Actually my favorite wrestler of all time was Chris Benoit.   I even have a Chris Benoit T-shit somewhere.

ewwwwwwwwwwww.  I'd be embarrassed too.