Wrestler Walter “Killer” Kowalski Dies (Photos)

Posted on August 31, 2008

Wrestling legend, Walter “Killer” Kowalski died Saturday, after suffering a heart attack at 81 years of age.

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“Killer” Kowalski died at Whidden Hospital in Everett, just almost two weeks after his family took him off life support. Kowalski had been in serious condition after suffering a heart attack on August 8th, according to his wife, Theresa Kowalski.

Kowalski was a well known wrestler that began his career in 1947 and retired in 1977. He then founded a pro-wrestling school in Boston that turned out 1980s bad guy Big John Studd and Triple H.

This huge guy was 6′7″ and about 275 pounds, and surprisingly a vegetarian. Kowalski is well known for tearing a dude’s ear off in a wrestling match, but it was by accident!

Kowalski remained a bachelor until the age of 79, when he married Theresa.

Kowalski later became famous for various moves, including a stomach vice grip called the Killer Clutch. He retired in 1977, a year after he and Big John Studd captured the WWF Tag Team Championship as The Executioners.

Although not a huge wrestling fan myself, “Killer” Kowalski was known as one of the greats right up there with Fritz Von Erich. For those of you that don’t remember Fritz, he had his boys “The Von Erich’s” all into wrestling. Sadly all his sons died tragically, with one remaining son, Kevin, that was actually a neighbor of mine in Shady Shores, Texas.

Condolences to Walter Killer Kowalski’s friends and family!

Images/News: PR