Dead Wrestlers

Dead Wrestlers List

The dark side of Wrestling

Roderick George Toombs image courtsey: wikipedia.org

I think its appropriate to remember the lone wrestler who spoke for the wrestling community and was subsequently fired for doing so. Roddy Piper - "Rowdy" . The HBO's Real Sports with Bryant Gumble covered a story about the death rate among wrestlers. and That segment featured Vince McMahon mocking the interviewer and slapping the notes from his hands.

Stinging Shock

In June 2003, WWE decided to stop using Piper (who was working without a contract at the time) after a controversial interview with HBO's Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel in which Piper discussed the darker side of the wrestling business. On his 2006 DVD, Piper claimed that HBO took parts of his interviews out of context to make wrestling look worse. - Source Wikipedia

Although wrestling is fake and should be viewed strictly as an entertainer one thing thats not so entertaining about wrestling is the death rate among wrestlers which is alarmingly high.


Wrestling Obituaries

Comprehensive list of deceased professional wrestlers.

Name, Age, Date and Cause of Death

• Frank Gotch 40 December 16, 1917 Uremic Poisoning
• The Terrible Turk ?? July 4, 1898 Drowning
• Wayne Munn 35 January 9, 1931 Kidney Problems
• William Muldoon 88 June 3, 1933 Dies At Home
• Farmer Burns 75 February 9, 1937 Unknown
• Gus Sonnenberg 46 September 12, 1944 Tuberculosis
• Bull Montana ?? January 24, 1950 Dies at Home
• Danno O'Mahoney 37 November 4, 1950 Auto Accident
• Maurice Tillet 51 August 4, 1954 Heart Disease
• Jess McMahon 72 November 22, 1954 Unknown
• Rikidozan 38 December 15, 1963 Stabbed
• Gorgeous George 48 December 26, 1963 Heart Attack
• Ed "Strangler" Lewis 76 August 7, 1966 Dies at Home
• Sandor Szabo 60 October 16, 1966 Heart Attack
• Primo Carnera 51 June 29, 1967 Cirrhosis of Liver
• Stanislaus Zbyszko 88 September 22, 1967 Dies at Home
• George Hackenschmidt 90 February 19, 1968 Dies at Home
• Wladek Zbyszko ?? June 10, 1968 Unknown
• Mike DiBiase 45 July 2, 1969 Dies in Ring
• Skull Murphy 39 March 23, 1970 Heart Attack
• Hercules Cortez 39 July 23, 1971 Auto Accident
• Dory Funk Sr. 54 June 3, 1973 Dies at Home
• Bobby Shane 29 February 20, 1975 Auto Accident
• Jim Lindos 78 August 19, 1975 Heart Attack
• Pepe Lopez 39 July 27, 1976 Auto Accident
• Antonio Rocca 49 March 15, 1977 Unknown
• Chris Taylor 29 June 30, 1979 Prolonged Illness
• Billy McGuire ?? July 14, 1979 Heart Attack
• Peter Maivia 47 June 13, 1982 Cancer
• Frank Tunney ?? May 20, 1983 Heart Attack
• The Grand Wizard 54 October 12, 1983 Heart Attack
• El Santo 67 February 5, 1984 Heart Attack
• David Von Erich 25 February 10, 1984 Acute Enteritis
• Vince McMahon Sr. 69 May 17, 1984 Cancer
• George Zaharias 76 May 22, 1984 Dies at Home
• Argentina Apollo 46 August 2, 1984 Heart Attack
• Eddie Graham 55 January 21, 1985 Suicide
• Jay Youngblood 30 September 1, 1985 Heart Attack
• Rick McGraw 30 November 1, 1985 Heart Attack
• Tarzan Tyler ?? December 20, 1985 Auto Accident
• Gino Hernandez 29 February 4, 1986 Cocaine Overdose
• Warren Bockwinkle 74 March 24, 1986 Alzheimer's Disease
• El Solitario 40 April 6, 1986 Heart Attack
• Mike Von Erich 23 April 12, 1987 Suicide
• Malcolm "King Kong" Kirk ?? August 24, 1987 Heart Attack
• Adrian Adonis 34 July 4, 1988 Auto Accident
• Pat Kelly ?? July 4, 1988 Auto Accident
• The Canadian Wildman ?? July 4, 1988 Auto Accident
• Bruiser Brody 42 July 17, 1988 Stabbed
• Leroy Brown 38 September 6, 1988 Heart Attack
• Leroy McGuirk 78 September 9, 1988 Dies at Home
• Mildred Burke 73 February 18, 1989 Stroke
• Paul Boesch 76 March 7, 1989 Dies at Home
• Happy Humphery ?? March 14, 1989 Heart Attack
• Eduardo Perez 61 September 7, 1989 Dies at Home
• Haystacks Calhoun 55 December 7, 1989 Diabetes
• Bronko Nagurski 81 January 7, 1990 Dies at Nursing Home
• Whipper Billy Watson 74 February 4, 1990 Dies at Home
• Gory Guerrero 69 April 18, 1990 Unknown
• Pat O'Connor 65 August 16, 1990 Cancer
• Ed "The Bull" Gatner 31 December 31, 1990 Suicide
• Duke Keomuka 70 June 30, 1991 Heart Failure
• Vivian Vachon 40 August 25, 1991 Auto Accident
• Chris Von Erich 21 September 12, 1991 Suicide
• Gene Anderson 58 October 31, 1991 Heart Attack
• Dick the Bruiser 62 November 10, 1991 Internal Bleeding
• Wilbur Snyder 62 December 25, 1991 Heart Failure
• Buzz Sawyer 32 February 7, 1992 Dies At Apartment
• Tojo Yamamoto 65 February 19, 1992 Suicide
• Jimmy Lennon Sr. 79 April 20, 1992 Heart Failure
• Buddy Rogers 71 June 26, 1992 Stroke
• Uncle Elmer 54 June 30, 1992 Diabetes
• Danny McShain ?? July 14, 1992 Unknown
• Roy Heffernan 67 September 24, 1992 Heart Attack
• Andre The Giant 46 January 27, 1993 Heart Attack
• Kerry Von Erich 33 February 18, 1993 Suicide
• Dino Bravo 44 March 11, 1993 Drive-By Shooting
• Wally Karbo 77 March 25, 1993 Heart Attack
• D.J. Peterson 33 May 25, 1993 Unknown
• Don Kent 61 June 14, 1993 Leukemia
• Brazo de Oro ?? October 26, 1993 Brain Aneurysm
• Rufus R. Jones 60 November 13, 1993 Heart Attack
• Larry Cameron 41 December 13, 1993 Heart Attack
• Eddie Creatchman 66 March 9, 1994 Heart Attack
• Ray Candy 43 May 23, 1994 Heart Attack
• George "Crybaby" Cannon 62 July 1, 1994 Cancer
• Joey Marella 30 July 4, 1994 Auto Accident
• Boris Malenko 61 September 1, 1994 Cancer
• Art Barr 28 November 23, 1994 Drug-Related Cause
• Jerry Blackwell 45 January 22, 1995 Pneumonia
• Eddie Gilbert 33 February 18, 1995 Heart Attack
• Big John Studd 46 March 20, 1995 Hodgkin's Disease
• Ilio DiPaolo Auto 68 May 10, 1995 Auto Accident
• Killer Karl Krupp 62 October 24, 1995 Heart Attack
• Little Beaver 61 December 4, 1995 Emphysema
• Ray Stevens 60 May 3, 1996 Heart Attack
• Dick Murdoch 49 June 15, 1996 Heart Attack
• The Missouri Mauler 45 July 19, 1996 Heart Attack
• Herb Abrams 41 July 23, 1996 Drug Overdose
• Neil Superior 33 August 23, 1996 Heart Attack
• Sapphire 61 September 10, 1996 Heart Attack
• Dr. Jerry Graham 58 January 24, 1997 Stroke
• Bulldog Bob Brown 58 February 6, 1997 Heart Attack
• Dr. Bill Miller 69 March 24, 1997 Heart Attack
• Stan Stasiak 60 June 12, 1997 Heart Failure
• Larry O'Day 53 June 30, 1997 Liver Cancer
• Plum Mariko 29 August 16, 1997 Brain Aneurysm
• Jeep Swenson 40 August 19, 1997 Heart Attack
• Dale Lewis 62 August 30, 1997 Leukemia
• Fritz Von Erich 68 September 10, 1997 Cancer
• Dick "Bulldog" Brower 63 September 16, 1997 Diabetes
• Brian Pillman 35 October 5, 1997 Arteriosclerotic Heart Disease
• Big E Sleaze 22 October 26, 1997 Suicide





• Stanley Blackburn 80 November 20, 1997 Unknown
• Bobo Brazil 74 January 20, 1998 Heart Problems
• Louie Spiccoli 27 February 15, 1998 Carisopridol Overdose
• Junkyard Dog 45 June 1, 1998 Auto Accident
• The Spoiler 56 June 20, 1998 Heart Failure
• Shane Shamrock 23 August 17, 1998 Shot by Police
• Terry Garvin 60 August 17, 1998 Cancer
• Giant Haystacks 55 November 30, 1998 Stomach Cancer
• Brady Boone 40 December 15, 1998 Auto Accident
• Sam Mushnick 93 December 31, 1998 Internal Bleeding
• Shohei "Baba" Giant 61 January 31, 1999 Bowel Cancer
• The Renegade 23 February 23, 1999 Suicide
• Kurt Von Hess 65 March 13, 1999 Heart Attack
• Rick Rude 41 April 20, 1999 Heart Attack
• Owen Hart :-( 33 May 23, 1999 Accidental Fall
• The Sarge Donnie York Sr. 50 May 25, 1999 Complications of Diabetes
• Jackie Sato 41 August 9, 1999 Stomach Cancer
• Mark Curtis 38 September 8, 1999 Stomach Cancer
• Gorilla Monsoon 62 October 6, 1999 Heart Illness
• Tony Rumble 43 November 13, 1999 Heart Attack
• Hiro Matsuda 62 November 27, 1999 Cancer
• Gary Albright 34 January 7, 2000 Heart Attack
• Al Costello 80 January 22, 2000 Pneumonia
• Bobby Duncum Jr. 34 January 24, 2000 Drug Overdose
• Liz Chase 45 February 29, 2000 Died During Surgery
• Masakazu Fukada 27 April 19, 2000 Bleeding of the Brain
• Tom Renesto (Assassin #1) 72 April 25, 2000 Heart Failure
• Tomomi "Jumbo" Tsuruta 49 May 16, 2000 Internal Bleeding
• Gordon Solie 71 July 27, 2000 Cancer
• Tony Parisi 58 August 18, 2000 Heart Attack
• Chris Duffy 36 August 25, 2000 Seizure
• Toru Tanaka 70 August 22, 2000 Natural Causes
• "Klondike" Bill Soloweyko 68 October 3, 2000 Bulbar Palsy
• Leo Nomellini 76 October 17, 2000 Stroke
• "Yokozuna" Rodney Anoia 34 October 22, 2000 Heart Attack
• The Blue Demon 78 December 16, 2000 Heart Attack
• Benny McGuire 54 March 26, 2001 Heart Attack
• "Red Shoes" Dugan ?? March 26, 2001 Parkinson's Disease
• Johnny Valentine 73 April 24, 2001 Natural Causes
• Terry Gordy 40 July 16, 2001 Heart Attack
• Rhonda Singh (Bertha Faye) 40 July 27, 2001 Unknown
• Dennis Coraluzzo 48 July 29, 2001 Stroke
• Chris Adams 46 October 7, 2001 Shot to Death
• Chief Dave Foxx 44 October 28, 2001 Heart Attack
• Helen Hart 77 November 4, 2001 Organ Failure
• Russ Haas 27 December 15, 2001 Heart Failure
• "Maniac" Mike Davis 46 December 25, 2001 Heart Attack
• Mighty Igor 60's January 7, 2002 Heart Failure
• Nelson Royal 70 February 2, 2002 Heart Attack
• Swede Hanson 68 February 20, 2002 Alzheimer's Disease
• Wahoo McDaniel 63 April 18, 2002 Stroke
• Lou Thesz 86 April 28, 2002 Natural Causes
• Randy "Pee Wee" Anderson 41 May 7, 2002 Natural Causes
• Erich Kulas (Mass Transit) 22 May 14, 2002 Unknown
• Alex "Big Dick Dudley" Rizzo 34 May 16, 2002 Unknown
• Shoichi Arai (FMW President) 36 May 16, 2002 Suicide
• "British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith 39 May 17, 2002 Heart Attack
• Ted Petty (Rocco Rock) 49 September 21, 2002 Heart Attack
• Edward "Moose" Cholak 72 October 31, 2002 Natural Causes
• Billy Joe Travis ?? November 22, 2002 Heart Attack
• Jeff Peterson 22 November 29, 2002 Cancer
• "Mr. Wrestling" Tim Woods ?? November 30, 2002 Heart Attack
• "The Original Sheik" Ed Farahat ?? January 18, 2003 Natural Causes
• Curt Hennig 44 February 10, 2003 Drug Overdose
• Tony Altomare 74 February 20, 2003 Heart Attack
• Hiromichi "Kodo" Fuyuki 42 March 19, 2003 Cancer
• Sailor Art Thomas 79 March 20, 2003 Cancer
• Ray Mendoza 73 April 17, 2003 Natural Causes
• Miss Elizabeth (Elizabeth Heulette) 42 May 1, 2003 Drug Overdose
• "Classie" Freddie Blassie 85 June 2, 2003 Natural Causes
• Giant Ochiai 30 July 8, 2003 Brain Injury
• Anthony "Pitbull #2" Durante 36 September 26, 2003 Drug Overdose
• Stu Hart 88 October 16, 2003 Pneumonia
• Road Warrior Hawk (Mike Hegstrand) 46 October 19, 2003 Heart Attack
• Mike "Crash Holly" Lockwood 32 November 6, 2003 Asphyxiation
• Richard "Dick" Hutton 80 November 24, 2003 Natural Causes
• Moondog Spot (Larry Lathman) 51 November 29, 2003 Heart Attack
• Jerry "The Wall/Malice" Tuite 36 December 5, 2003 Heart Attack
• Jack Tunney (Former WWE President) 68 January 24, 2004 Natural Causes
• Don (Hard Boiled) Haggerty 78 January 28, 2004 Natural Causes
• Hercules Hernandez 45 March 6. 2004 Heart Attack
• Pepper Gomez 77 May 6, 2004 Kidney failure
• Billy Redwood 28 July 3, 2004 Auto Accident
• Pat "Bomber" Roach 67 July 17, 2004 Cancer
• Ken Timbs 53 August 1, 2004 Heart Failure
• Dr. Wagner Sr. 68 September 12, 2004 Heart Attack
• Jim Barnett (Promoter) 80 September 17, 2004 Cancer and Pneumonia
• Ray "Big Boss Man" Traylor 42 September 22, 2004 Heart Attack
• Marianna Komlos 35 October 4, 2004 Breast Cancer
• Dandy Jack Donovan 76 November 27, 2004 Construction Site Accident
• "Pistol" Pez Whatley 54 January 18, 2005 Heart Failure
• Chris Candido 33 April 28, 2005 Blood Clot after Surgery
• Ron Trongaurd (AWA Announcer) 72 June 17, 2005 Liver Cancer
• Shinya Hashimoto 40 July 11, 2005 Brain Anresum
• Lord Alfred Hayes 77 July 21, 2005 Stroke
• Chris Tolos 75 August 13, 2005 Natural Causes
• Chri$ Ca$h (Christopher Bauman Jr.) 23 August 18, 2005 Motorcycle Accident
• Ed "Sailor" White (Moondog King) 56 August 25, 2005 Unknown
• The Crusher (Reggie Lisowski) 79 October 22, 2005 Natural Causes
• Eddie Guerrero :( 38 November 13, 2005 Heart Failure
• Chad Floyd (Chazz Rocco) 37 December 10, 2005 Heart Failure
• El Texano (Juan Aguilar) 47 January 15, 2006 Respiratory Failure
• Ricky Romero 74 January 16, 2006 Complications of Diabetes
• Victor Mar (Black Cat) 51 January 28, 2006 Heart Attack
• Emory Hale ?? January 29, 2006 Complications of Kidney Failure
• Mike "Johnny Grunge" Durham 39 February 16, 2006 Complications from sleep apnea
• Victor Quinones (Owner of IWA Puerto Rico) 46 April 2, 2006 Natural Causes
• Sammy "Steamboat" Mokuahi 71 May 4, 2006 Complications from both Alzheimer's and Diabetes
• Apache Bull Ramos 71 May 27, 2006 Complications of Shoulder Infection and Diabetes
• John "Earthquake" Tenta 42 June 7, 2006 Bladder Cancer
• "Crazy" Luke Graham 70 June 24, 2006 Heart Failure
• Marlon Kalkai (Tiger Khan) Mid-30's June 28, 2006 Unknown
• Bob Orton Sr. 76 July 14, 2006 Heart Attack
• Karl Von Stroheim 78 August 8, 2006 Heart Attack
• Antonio Peña (Mexican Promoter) 57 October 6, 2006 Heart Attack
• Jumping Joey Maggs 37 October 15, 2006 Unknown
• Kintaro Oki (Kim Ill) 77 October 26, 2006 Natural Causes
• Daniel Garcia (Huracan Ramirez) 80 November 1, 2006 Natural Causes
• Sputnik Monroe 77 November 2, 2006 Natural Causes
• Dennis "Tiger" Conway, Sr. 74 November 13, 2006 Massive Stroke
• Don Jardine (The Original Spoiler) 66 December 16, 2006 Complications of Heart Attack and Leukemia
• Scott "Bam Bam" Bigelow 45 January 19, 2007 Drug Overdose
• Mike Awesome 42 February 17, 2007 Suicide
• Bad News (Brown) Allen Coage 63 March 6, 2007 Heart Attack
• Alejandro Cruz (Black Shadow) 82 March 8, 2007 Pneumonia
• Ernie "The Cat" Ladd 68 March 10, 2007 Cancer
• Arnold Skaaland 82 March 13, 2007 Natural Causes
• Angel Azteca 43 March 18, 2007 Unknown
• Abe Coleman 101 March 28, 2007 Natural Causes
• Mephisto Lephanto 31 May 4, 2007 Sudden Heart Attack in the Ring
• Sonny Myers 83 May 5, 2007 Natural Causes
• Sandy Barr 69 June 2, 2007 Heart Attack
• Sensational Sherri Martel 49 June 15, 2007 Unknown
• Shane "Biff Wellington" Bower 42 June 23, 2007 Heart Attack
• Nancy Daus (Woman from WCW) 42 June 23, 2007 Strangulation
• Chris Benoit 40 June 25, 2007 Suicide
• Brian "Crush" Adams (43)--August 13, 2007--Natural Causes
• The Missing Link (Dewey Robertson) (68)--August 16, 2007--Died from cancer
• Fabulous Moolah (Lillian Ellison) (84)--November 3, 2007--Natural Causes
  
  

(Sources include: Pro Wrestling Illustrated Almanac, Obsessed with Wrestling.com, & Wrestling Information Archive)


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