Verne Gagne

Laverne ( " Verne " ) Clarence Gagne ( born May 10, 1923 in Corcoran, Minnesota ) is a former American professional wrestler, football player, wrestler, wrestling coaches and wrestling promoter. He was until 1991 the owner of the American Wrestling Association, one of the leading wrestling leagues, before times of World Wrestling Federation. He is both a member of the WWE Hall of Fame (2006), the WCW Hall of Fame (1993 ), Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame (2004) and Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (1996). His son Greg was also a wrestler.

Gagne grew up in Minnesota, where he attended Robbinsdale High School and there was already in the sports of American football, baseball and especially rings successfully. In 1943 he came to the University of Minnesota, where he played football continues. A year later he joined the Marines before he twice NCAA champion in wrestling was after his return, in 1947, brought by the Chicago Bears in the NFL in 1948 and eventually was a member of the Olympic team in freestyle wrestling.

Career

1949 Gagne then began in Texas with professional wrestling and was in the 1950s in various regions of the wrestling federation National Wrestling Alliance operates. Through its coming from the amateur wrestling superior technique, he was very popular with the fans and at the time was one of the best-paid wrestler in the business.

AWA

Opened in 1960 Gagne his own promotion, the American Wrestling Association. He was first her top star and got the highest title, the AWA World Heavyweight Title, which he should hold a total of ten times. One of these regencies lasted from 31 August 1968 to November 8, 1975, one of the longest in the wrestling business.

As a promoter put Gagne primarily based on technical wrestling, quite unlike its competitors, which built more on the show effect. Many well-known superstars of wrestling occurred in the AWA, such as Nick Bockwinkel, Jerry Lawler, Jesse Ventura and Hulk Hogan. Furthermore Gagne trained to date, over 90 wrestlers, including those known for their outstanding skills Ric Flair, Ricky Steamboat and Curt Hennig. In 1983, the AWA had to cope with a severe loss. The already popular Hulk Hogan joined the WWF and became the top star there. Since the show in wrestling in subsequent years has become increasingly important and Gagne but still relied on the "old school", the AWA had to close definitively in 1991. The WWF bought out the rights to all AWA records. 1996 acquired the former AWA employees Dale Gagne (no relation ) and Jonnie Stewart the rights to the promotion itself and opened them again under the name AWA Superstars of Wrestling. The rights to the logo and the records, however, remained with the WWE.

Life in retirement

Gagne is suffering from Alzheimer's disease and lives in a nursing home in Bloomington (Indiana).

On 26 January 2009 there was an incident when he came with his also suffering from Alzheimer's roommates Helmut R. Gutmann in dispute, was allegedly pushed in the course of Gutmann Gagne to the ground. Gutmann broke her hip and suffered severe head injuries. Shortly after his release from the hospital died Gutmann from complications of injuries allegedly inflicted on him Gagne. On 13 March 2009 Gagne was acquitted because he suffers from dementia.

Achievements

  • AWA World Heavyweight Title (10x)
  • AWA World Tag Team Championship ( 4 times )
  • IWA World Heavyweight Title
  • NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship ( 3 times )
  • NWA U.S. Title ( 2x)
  • NWA World Junior Heavyweight Title
  • NWA World Tag Team Championship

Others

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