Jim Wright

Jim Wright was a mainstay in Arizona for many years, where he was hated as a heel with a brawling style similar to say, Dick Murdoch on the more modern scene. From the 1950s into the early 1960s, he was seen regularly in Phoenix, Tucson, Yuma and other stops along the circuit, though he was by no means limited to the southwest, As a journeyman of the most respected category, he wrestled all over the USA.

Wright became bets known for the wy he died rather than how he lived. In August of 1963, he took part in a tag team match in Phoenix at their Madison square Garden. After tagging out, he leaned against the ropes in mid-match, grabbed his chest and fell, hitting his head on the hard arena floor as well.

He evidently suffered a massive heart attack which killed him on the spot.

The head blow would have most likely proven fatal also.

Former wrestler, Monte Ladue, who was the referee for the match, would still be trying to tell reporters more than a decade later that Wright died from an elbow smash to the throat, to try to give the wrestling world more credibility and point tot he fact a man was killed right here in Phoenix in the midst of a contest.

Don Arnold, who had been involved in the fatal tag team bout, later would say Wright had not looked right in the locker room and was pale, almost gray in the face. He noted people should have been wotted something was up, but the ill-fated wrestler kept insisting he was fine when he clearly was not.

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