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Post by hellkat on Aug 30, 2008 11:47:28 GMT -5
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Post by vitoscarfone on Aug 30, 2008 12:49:51 GMT -5
A true legend,one of the best conditioned big men ever,and a unbelievable heel,and also by all accounts a hell of a nice guy.My condolences to His family and friends.
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Post by Super Machine on Aug 31, 2008 20:11:19 GMT -5
Frankie Kazarian remembers his mentor Walter Kowalski
I was just woken up by a phone call that I have been dreading. My good friend Steve King just called and informed me that our dear friend and trainer Walter "Killer" Kowlaski has passed away. Anyone who knows me knows that I have always attributed Walter with all of my success in pro wrestling. He took in a 20 year old kid who had traveled 3,000 miles from southern California, and embraced him like a son. He was kind enough to pass on his extensive, and unique knowledge of this business to me. From day one, Walter became my trainer, and my friend. He guided me through every step of pro wrestling, but more importantly, taught me how to be a genuine, good person, and to treat others with respect, dignity and class. I owe so much to Walter, that I could never put it all in words. The time we spent together is and always will be some of the most precious memories I have, and I will keep it in a special place in my heart. So much of the best things that have happened to me are a direct result of his mentoring. The people I have met, the relationships I have made, and my success in and out of the ring are a direct result of him. Walter loved angels. We had many conversations about them on our regular trips to church that we both enjoyed on Sundays. To me, and anyone who knew him, Walter was an angel. He was a gentleman, friend, and honestly one of the best people to come into my life. Walter, I love you and I could never sing your praise enough. You set me on a path in this business, and in life, that has been in one word, a dream. Rest in the kingdom of heaven my dear friend, as you are now amongst the angels that you loved. Your student, friend, and brother in Christ, Frankie
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Post by Super Machine on Aug 31, 2008 20:24:28 GMT -5
An AP story on the death of Killer Kowalski has been carried in newspapers all over the country, as well as on all the key sports web sites and news channels, and was even a lead top of the hour news story today on the CBS radio network. I'd say of the guys from the 50s and 60s, I think because of his wrestling school and his name, he'd have ranked behind only Bruno Sammartino, Moolah (because she was on TV so long), and maybe Fred Blassie and Gorilla Monsoon (more because of the name and his later role as an announcer) as the most famous of them all on a national basis. Realistically, Buddy Rogers, Lou Thesz and Gorgeous George were somewhat forgotten about and Verne Gagne's legacy remained strong mostly in the Midwest. It was heavily covered in Japan because Kowalski was the first famous opponent of Giant Baba in 1963 when Baba got his major singles push, as well as being one of the last major opponents of Rikidozan. The story going around, including Japan, is at msn.foxsports.com/boxing/story/8506176/Wrestling-pioneer-Kowalski-dies-at-81 A better story from the Boston Globe is at www.boston.com/bostonglobe/obituaries/articles/2008/08/31/The New York Times bio is at www.nytimes.com/2008/09/01/sports/01kowalski.htmlCourtesy of the Wrestlingobserver.
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