Big Jim Wright was a mainstay in Arizona for many years, feuding with the likes of Don Arnold, Phil Melby, Tito Montez, the Torres brothers and more. He was known for a spectacular airplane spin to end his matches and was always in the main events.
In 1963, Wright died from a heart attack in the midst of a tag team match at the Phoenix Madison Square Garden. After being double teamed by Don Arnold and Chuck Karbo, he took several elbows to the throat before staggering into his corner to tag out. While leaning on the ropes, he suddenly grabbed his chest and fell from the ring apron, hitting his head on the hard arena floor as he fell.
Monty Ladue, who was refereeing the match, maintained for years Wright had died via an elbow to the throat and not the fatal heart attack that really took him, in order to put some spin with doubters about wrestling being "fake" into play.
The problem was Wright stayed way past his prime and was in nod condition to still be wrestling at the pace he tried.
He should have known when to get out.
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ReplyDeleteThis is incorrect. His tag team partner (not mentioned) was Pancho Pico, but his opponents were Sugi Yamamoto & Hans Steiner. The date was July 26, 1963.
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