# Wrestling pioneer Kowalski dead at 81



## kwflatbed (Dec 29, 2004)

_Associated Press - August 30, 2008 3:04 PM ET _

EVERETT, Mass. (AP) - Pro wrestling pioneer Walter "Killer" Kowalski has died from the affects of a massive heart attack. He was 81.
Kowalski died at Whidden Hospital in Everett early Saturday, 12 days after his family decided to take him off life support. Kowalski had been in critical condition in the hospital since his heart attack on Aug. 8.
His death was confirmed by a funeral director at Weir Funeral Home in Malden and on Kowalski's Web site.
The 6-foot-7, 285 pound Kowalski earned his nickname in 1954 after brutally dropping opponent Yukon Eric during a match in Montreal. He later became famous for various moves, including a stomach vice grip called the "Killer Clutch."
After retiring, Kowalski opened a wrestling school in Malden.
He leaves his wife, Theresa. A memorial service is scheduled at Weir Funeral Home on Wednesday.

http://www.wwlp.com/Global/story.asp?S=8926563


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## 7costanza (Aug 29, 2006)

I had no idea he was from around here..See how much longer they live when they dont do thousands of dollars in roids a month.


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## Guest (Aug 30, 2008)

Another piece of my childhood gone.....I had the pleasure of meeting Killer out of character a couple of times, and his nickname couldn't be further from the truth; a true gentleman who always made time for fans.


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## 7costanza (Aug 29, 2006)

I think he was a little before my time, not much though. I rmember meeting Bob Backlund and Roddy Piper both very nice guys. I was bummed when Andre The Giant passed, to me he was the greatest. Others that I really enjoyed Sgt Slaughter, Iron Sheik, Jimmy Superfly Snooka..man there were so many.


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## Guest (Aug 31, 2008)

7costanza said:


> I think he was a little before my time, not much though. I rmember meeting Bob Backlund and Roddy Piper both very nice guys. I was bummed when Andre The Giant passed, to me he was the greatest. Others that I really enjoyed Sgt Slaughter, Iron Sheik, Jimmy Superfly Snooka..man there were so many.


Killer may have still been wrestling when I was a kid, but if so I don't remember it. He was a manager/trainer who would occasionally jump into the fray for his wrestler when I saw him on TV.

The names of my youth were Pedro Morales, Bruno Sammartino, Chief Jay Strongbow, Mil Mascaras, Dusty Rhodes, Harley Race, Nick Bockwinkel, Larry Zybysko, Andre the Giant, Haystacks Calhoun, Professor Toru Tanaka & Mister Fuji.....the list goes on.


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## 7costanza (Aug 29, 2006)

I remember alot of those and so many others...Hulk Hogan was one of my favorites at the time....the match when Andre let him beat him and passed the torch to him...but the last 5-7 yrs of him and his family have completely ruined it...I just went on a website to refresh my memory.. and half of them are dead...Heres some you will remember that are dead.
The Von Erichs
Bam Bam Biggolo
Earthquake
Eddie Guerrero
Moondog
Road Warrior Hawk
Miss Elizabeth
Curt Henig
Davey Boy Smith
Owen Hart
Rick Rude
Junk yard Dog
Big Jon Studd...I cant even believe them all....STEROIDS...gottta be


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## Guest (Aug 31, 2008)

Wow....I knew some of them were dead, but not all of them; Bam Bam Bigelow, Davey Boy Smith & Junk Yard Dog, I had no idea.


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## FAPD (Sep 30, 2007)

kwflatbed said:


> _Associated Press - August 30, 2008 3:04 PM ET _
> 
> EVERETT, Mass. (AP) - Pro wrestling pioneer Walter "Killer" Kowalski has died from the affects of a massive heart attack. He was 81.
> He leaves his wife, Theresa, and a *nephew "Killer Carl" Kowalski, A selectman from Whitman Mass, and Senior Vice president and hater of Police at Massasoit Community College.* A memorial service is scheduled at Weir Funeral Home on Wednesday.
> ...


Jeezus!
It's a small world ain't it? Who would've guessed?


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## Guest (Aug 31, 2008)

FAPD said:


> Jeezus!
> It's a small world ain't it? Who would've guessed?


Poor taste, dude. He wasn't responsible for how his nephew has acted.


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## 7costanza (Aug 29, 2006)

That was REAL...I thought it was some sort of joke between the 2 of you or someone here that works for that Dept....They actually printed that...confused...


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## Guest (Aug 31, 2008)

7costanza said:


> That was REAL...I thought it was some sort of joke between the 2 of you or someone here that works for that Dept....They actually printed that...confused...


Ummm....no, they didn't;

_Associated Press - August 30, 2008 3:04 PM ET _

EVERETT, Mass. (AP) - Pro wrestling pioneer Walter "Killer" Kowalski has died from the affects of a massive heart attack. He was 81.

Kowalski died at Whidden Hospital in Everett early Saturday, 12 days after his family decided to take him off life support. Kowalski had been in critical condition in the hospital since his heart attack on Aug. 8.

His death was confirmed by a funeral director at Weir Funeral Home in Malden and on Kowalski's Web site.

The 6-foot-7, 285 pound Kowalski earned his nickname in 1954 after brutally dropping opponent Yukon Eric during a match in Montreal. He later became famous for various moves, including a stomach vice grip called the "Killer Clutch."

After retiring, Kowalski opened a wrestling school in Malden.

He leaves his wife, Theresa. A memorial service is scheduled at Weir Funeral Home on Wednesday.


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## 7costanza (Aug 29, 2006)

Ok...well I wouldnt make fun of the dead...so sorry....like I said I thought it was some sort of inside joke...


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## Guest (Aug 31, 2008)

7costanza said:


> Ok...well I wouldnt make fun of the dead...so sorry....like I said I thought it was some sort of inside joke...


I was commenting on FAPD's addition to the obituary; very poor taste IMO.


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## Nuke_TRT (Feb 10, 2008)

+1


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## 7costanza (Aug 29, 2006)

What are you chiming in on Nukie.....go do something...


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## mpd61 (Aug 7, 2002)

7costanza said:


> Ok...well I wouldnt make fun of the dead...so sorry....like I said I thought it was some sort of inside joke...


Oh jeez, I'm one of the few who probably gets it...He wasn't making fun of the dead, he was poking at the Massasoit guy! I don't think he's very popular with the Whitman P.D. either.


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## cmagryan (Dec 15, 2004)

Delta784 said:


> The names of my youth were Pedro Morales, Bruno Sammartino, Chief Jay Strongbow, Mil Mascaras, Dusty Rhodes, Harley Race, Nick Bockwinkel, Larry Zybysko, Andre the Giant, Haystacks Calhoun, Professor Toru Tanaka & Mister Fuji.....the list goes on.


- Memories of many Saturday mornings spent wrestling with my siblings. Good times...


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## Guest (Aug 31, 2008)

cmagryan said:


> - Memories of many Saturday mornings spent wrestling with my siblings. Good times...


For awhile, the ER at Quincy City Hospital had reserved parking for my parents until they figured out how my brother and I were getting those catastrophic injuries every Saturday afternoon.


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## copcar65 (Aug 16, 2004)

About 15 years ago Killer "came out of retirement" at my Dept's Union fundraiser. At around 65 years old he wrestled George the Animal Steele (or Nicolai Volkov - can't remember which one) and won!!!! We thought about filing and elder abuse report on Steele but opted not to. Killer was a great man and he loved nothing more than to sign autographs for the kids. (and a few of us adults!!).


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## Guest (Sep 1, 2008)

copcar65 said:


> Killer was a great man and he loved nothing more than to sign autographs for the kids. (and a few of us adults!!).


I remember reading somewhere that Killer and his wife were unable to have children, which is one reason he really took a liking to kids.


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## 7costanza (Aug 29, 2006)

George The Animal ...he was awesome..didnt he use to bite the turnbuckles and rip them apart...

 Here he is


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## pahapoika (Nov 5, 2006)

_*George The Animal ...he was awesome..didnt he use to bite the turnbuckles and rip them apart...*_

and his tongue was always blue for some reason 

too bad about killer. haystacks , the chief , all allot of fun to watch.

bam bam and the undertaker are dead ? and Miss Elizabeth ? :-(

remember one match were Miss Elizabeth acted a a distraction to the Animal and the other guy blind sided him


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## Mass (Jan 21, 2006)

pahapoika said:


> _*George The Animal ...he was awesome..didnt he use to bite the turnbuckles and rip them apart...*_
> 
> and his tongue was always blue for some reason
> 
> ...


I think the undertaker is still with us?


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## TopCop24 (Jul 11, 2005)

K.Lavoie said:


> I think the undertaker is still with us?


Undertaker is still with us and still wrestling i believe. George the Animals tongue was green not blue come on guys


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## 7costanza (Aug 29, 2006)

Yeah I dont think anyone ever wrote the Undertaker was dead, but google wrestlers that have died....you would be amazed...a whos who of old and new favorites..maybe Vince McMann took out insurance policies on all of them and killed them, he seems like a slimy dirtbag.


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## Nuke_TRT (Feb 10, 2008)

I remember Vince McManns just as a commentator at ringside.


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## 7costanza (Aug 29, 2006)

The original was the first owner...his son took over the business...hes worth a billion dollars but seems like hed sell his mother for a sold out arena match...


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