Gorgeous George In Arizona

Gorgeous George was a mainstay in Arizona throughout the 1950s, for the location was a convenient drive from his California base and likewise a stopover point when driving between Los Angeles and Texas. He appeared numerous times at the Phoenix Madison Square Garden and Tucson Garden as well as other arenas.

"I wrestled Gorgeous George three times," Tito Montez often told people. "He was drunk all three times."

George's drinking was legendary, as were some of his antics outside the ring. A tale exists within wrestling of how he stopped to pick up a six pack of eber to go at a bar outside globe, while heading to Phoenix and some drunk cowboys, not recognizing him,. made fun of him. George turned around, beat the hell out of all three, took hsi beer and drove off.

There's another tale of how promoter Rod Fenton talked The Gorgeous One into having his leg numbed before a match so he could go out and wrestle. George took the shots, wrestled and badly injured himself without even feeling it. The next day when the Novocaine or whatever the hell it was they gave him wore off and the pain was excruciating, he called Fenton and yelled every profanity known to man at him over the phone. 

George usually worked in single matches, but occasionally teamed with traveling companion Howard Cantonwine and others during his long Arizona run. Some of the people he faced included Phil Melby, Don Arnold, The Garibaldis  and Fred Blassie.

Win, lose or draw, George was always a hit with the people. Drunk ro sober,t he audience ate up every move he made. The robes, the dyed hair and the "Georgie Pins" or bobby pins he passed out at matches were all a work of pure genius that made him a pioneer in the wrestling game.

One of the oddest and silliest things he ever pulled was to have a supposed oxygen tank with Fresh California Air written on it,  brought to ringside, that he would take a whiff of when the supposedly rancid smell of Phoenix got to him.

He should see what California air around the Los Angeles/Hollywood area is like now!

George died young from a heart attack, more likely than not egged on by his Bohemian lifestyle. He burned the candle in the middle as well as both ends and the bill came due for him. It was a sad end to the man who revolutionized pro wrestling and helped put it back on the map after a period of dullness. He lived hard, fought hard and died hard, but that might well have been the way he would have wanted it.

His antics worked though and no one can deny that. Decades after his death, he remains a recognized icon in wrestling.

And it got him "put over" here too, didn't it!