The Crusher

  • gregmerz
    Minnetonka & Remer, MN
    Posts: 133
    October 24, 2005 at 7:37 pm #1247798

    An icon from the early days of the AWA passed away over the weekend.

    He used to proclaim that his wife was the only woman for him because she “could carry not one but two kegs of beer up four flight of stairs to their apartment !”

    Crusher

    StaleMackrel
    Posts: 443
    October 24, 2005 at 8:31 pm #391675

    AWA wrestling and the Crusher were a lot of fun! My wife used to say, “how can you watch that stuff”? I told her that since Laurel and Hardy were not on t.v. I had to watch something to make me laugh! The Crusher was great! My favorite line that I heard was, “I have been training a lot for this match eating mash potato sandwhiches and drinking beer”. I think he was going to go at Von Rashke or somebody like that. He was a real character wrestler who obviously had a lot of fun doing what he did. Modern day wrestlers are about shock and gross!

    gary_wellman
    South Metro
    Posts: 6057
    October 24, 2005 at 8:54 pm #391684

    I remember racing home from Sunday morning mass, to catch the 10:30 show!!! AWA was awesome back then!!!!!!!! People today don’t know what “real wrestling” is!!!!!!!

    derek_johnston
    On the water- Minnesota
    Posts: 5022
    October 24, 2005 at 10:12 pm #391702

    Arh,, “I drank trenty tree beers last night with Wanda, now i’m ready to rip some heads off” “bring it on fatwell”

    carpking
    Janesville, WI.
    Posts: 859
    October 24, 2005 at 10:24 pm #391705

    Ahhh, back when wrestling was actually entertaining! The Crusher, Scrap Iron Cadaske, Baron Von Raschke, Ivan Putski. The good ol days. I even met the crusher once when I was wrestling a high school match at a Rockford IL.High School and the AWA had a show there that evening. The guy was as tough as they make em and to see him up close and shake his hand was as intimidating as anything I have ever witnessed.

    smithkeith
    Waterloo, Iowa
    Posts: 889
    October 24, 2005 at 10:29 pm #391708

    The Crusher and his cousin Mad Dog………didn’t get any better.

    2jranch
    Arcadia, WI
    Posts: 851
    October 25, 2005 at 12:56 am #391734

    How was “Dick The Bruiser” related to him……..wasn’t that his cousin? or was that a brother? Watched them all when we were kids……and it was a hoot.

    TBOMN11
    Circle Pines, MN
    Posts: 608
    October 25, 2005 at 1:14 am #391739

    “OK yous turkey necks line up..ain’t none of yous can carry da numbers a beers I drunk last night” What a character, brings back great memories..sad to think he is gone.

    skhartke
    Somerset, WI
    Posts: 1416
    October 25, 2005 at 1:43 am #391743

    Quote:

    I remember racing home from Sunday morning mass, to catch the 10:30 show!!! AWA was awesome back then!!!!!!!! People today don’t know what “real wrestling” is!!!!!!!


    Amen brother. Amen. The Crusher was always my favorite. I was very sad to hear about his passing.

    chris-tuckner
    Hastings/Isle MN
    Posts: 12318
    October 25, 2005 at 2:41 am #391753

    I can remember back to when it was on at 6:00 on Saturdays! Marty O’neil with the green Coke bottle glasses. Crusher, Bull Bullinski, Ken Patera, Mad Dog, and his brother Maurice the “Butcher”, Scrap Iron (Who always got beat!) Dr. X, Nick Bockwinkle, Vern “The Pill Pusher” Gagne as the Crusher used to call him! And remember, run right out and buy that Curtis Mathis TV!
    Those were the good old days!
    Back when wrestling was real!

    bill_cadwell
    Rochester, Minnesota
    Posts: 12607
    October 25, 2005 at 3:22 am #391770

    Yep AWA wrestling was great back then. They even had some guy on there who called himself ”The Body” and he went on to become the Gov. of some state I believe. The High Flyers, Cowboy Bob Orton, can’t forget Bobby ”the brain” Henen, Larry ”the Ax” Henning, Curt Henning, and Hulk Hogan was there for a bit. The Crusher was great. Everybody like him. He will be missed.
    Thanks, Bill

    jldii
    Posts: 2294
    October 25, 2005 at 4:12 am #391779

    You forgot the “Minnesota Wrecking Crew” Gene and Ole Anderson, Ivan Putzky, and every mans vilians…..The Iron Shiek, and Jerry Blackwell!!

    bigpike
    Posts: 6259
    October 25, 2005 at 10:20 am #391789

    Dick the Bruiser was his wrestling partner dont know if they are related….

    2jranch
    Arcadia, WI
    Posts: 851
    October 25, 2005 at 12:06 pm #391793

    Quote:

    Dick the Bruiser was his wrestling partner dont know if they are related….

    I guess I thought they claimed to be cousins or brothers……….maybe they weren’t related at all…but they did look alike,and provided a lot of entetainment.

    hof
    Rochester, MN
    Posts: 2443
    October 25, 2005 at 12:16 pm #391795

    The Crusher was one of my favorites! I think they always billed him and the Bruiser as cousins. Don’t remember ever hearing about him being related to Mad Dog.
    It seems like I heard at one time that they were going to make some of the old matches with these guys available to purchase on tape. Anyone know if that ever happened?

    Thanks,
    Mike

    eyejacker
    Hudson, Wisconsin
    Posts: 1890
    October 25, 2005 at 12:26 pm #391799

    Going back a little further, Gorgeous George and the French Angle also come to mind!

    mikem
    SE Minnesota
    Posts: 200
    October 25, 2005 at 12:58 pm #391805

    I got to see the Crusher & Mad Dog take on Bockwinkle & Stevens at the Mpls. Auditorium back in about 74

    gary_wellman
    South Metro
    Posts: 6057
    October 25, 2005 at 3:55 pm #391855

    Don’t forget the “Missing Link” or Jake “The MilkMan” Milleman!!!!!!

    The Baron used to live in Lakeville back in the 80s. He used to live down the street from my best buddy. One afternoon, my buddy got into no good trouble with another kid and they started a fist fight. The Baron came running out of his house and chewed both their up and down and even side-ways for fighting, lecturing them both at how wrong it was and how terrible a thing to do to each other!!!!!!!!

    TBOMN11
    Circle Pines, MN
    Posts: 608
    October 25, 2005 at 6:42 pm #391907

    Anybody remember Kenny “The Sodbuster” Jay?????? The fall guy. I don’t think he ever won a match…..AHHHHH the memories!!

    pool2fool
    Posts: 53
    October 26, 2005 at 10:40 am #392046

    that would have been the “very capable” Kenny J ! And who can forget Tiny Mills and the Krusher

    bighammer
    peru,il.
    Posts: 9
    October 27, 2005 at 11:31 pm #392547

    in reading about the crusher brought back many memories of him back in the days of the awa , going to moline il. to the wharton field house we use to get elevated ringside tickets for $3.00 and going to john odonnall baseball stadium back in the late 60;and 70;s what ever happened to the old awa?

    bill_cadwell
    Rochester, Minnesota
    Posts: 12607
    October 27, 2005 at 11:35 pm #392551

    what ever happened to the old awa?

    I was told the wrestlers went on strike and Vern Gagne wouldn’t pay them anymore so it fell apart.

    Thanks, Bill

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