SPECIALIST: List of Deceased Wrestlers for 2003
By Thomas M. Gallipoli, PWTorch.com Obituary Specialist

Deceased Wrestlers for 2003
PWTorch.com Exclusive
By Thomas M. Gallipoli, PWTorch.com Obituary Specialist

"Welcome to my funeral parlor." -Paul Bearer

Hiya, everyone. I'm back with the 2003 Obituary List. 

As with the 2003 edition, I will list the information by Wrestler's Name, Real Name, Date of Death, Cause, Age and a brief snapshot of his/her career. I will also provide any Main-Stream Media links to the wrestlers if applicable. As a mild surprise, 2003 actually had more links than 2004 did. Again, please note that much of, if not most, of this information may be culled from "non-official sources" like blogs and websites but I have tried to insure the information was accurate. It is still my goal to make this section as up-to-date and accurate as possible for Wade and visitors so please feel free to email me at tomphoenix@optonline.net with any questions, comments, updates, links, corrections, or anything else you like.  I'll give you a shout-out and thanks for any updates or corrections. I hope to update this section at least once per week with one entire year per update so the next one will cover 2002.

I'd like to thank my wife, parents, and sister for their ongoing patience and love. And now, onto the roll call:

Chicago Mauler, Don Vitelli, ?? 4, 2003, Diabetic Complications, ??

-Not much else known about this wrestler but am including for sake of completion

Steve Logan, Steven Logan, ??? ??, 2003, Alzheimer's, age 80

-Not much else is known about this longtime British wrestler except that he held the British Heavy Middleweight Championship

Naoto Morishita([PRIDE] DSE President), January 9, 2003, Suicide, age 42

-Japanese promoter of PRIDE wrestling promotion
MSM Link:
Morishita article

Les Kellet, Les Kellet, January 9, 2003, Natural Causes, age 86

-Not much else is known about this longtime British wrestler except that he held the British Light Heavyweight Championship and feuded with 1950s flamboyant wrestler Ricki Starr

The Original Sheik, Ed Farhat, January 18, 2003, Natural Causes, age 80

-Uncle of wrestler Sabu and trainer of Rob Van Dam, WWE Hall of Famer, innovator of hardcore wrestling before ECW and FMW, owned and promoted successful territory in Detroit area, starred in 1970s wrestling documentary, "I Like to Hurt People", NWA (twelve time-Detroit/Chicago-United States Champion, three-time Toronto-United States Champion, two-time Americas Champion, Hawaii Heavyweight Champion, United National Heavyweight Champion, Texas Heavyweight Champion, Chicago-Midwest Heavyweight Champion, Chicago-Junior Heavyweight Champion, Chicago- Midwest Tag Team Champion, Central States-United States Champion), two-time ICW United States Champion, three-time IWA International Heavyweight Champion, FMW
World Martial Arts Champion
MSM Link;
Sheik article

Don "Ox" Anderson, Donald Anderson, January 18, 2003, Unknown, age 71

-Not much else about this longtime wrestler except that he held the (National NWA Vancouver-Pacific Coast Tag Team Championship

Curt Hennig [photo by Wade Keller (c) PWTorch]

"Mr. Perfect" Curt Hennig, Curt Hennig, February 10, 2003, Acute Cocaine Intoxication, age 44

-Son of Larry "The Axe" Hennig, trained by Verne Gagne, WWE Hall of Famer, wrestled for WWE, WCW, AWA, NWA, TNA, most famous for Mr. Perfect character in WWE, career hampered by back injury insured by Lloyd's of London, member of the nWo, NWA three-time NWA Pacific Northwest Champion, two-time Intercontinental Champion, AWA (Tag Team Champion, World Heavyweight Champion), MEWF Heavyweight Champion, WCW (Tag Team Champion, United States Champion), two-time i-Generation Wrestling, FOW Heavyweight Champion, WWC Universal Heavyweight Champion, SOW Heavyweight Champion
MSM Links:
Hennig article1
Hennig article2

"Fireball Kid" Michiaki Yoshimura, Michiaki Yoshimura, February 15, 2003, Lung Failure, age 76

-Longtime Japanese wrestler, All Japan Pro Wrestling (ten-time All Asian Tag Team Champion, International Tag Team Champion), Japan-Japanese Junior Heavyweight Champion
MSM Link:
Michiaki article

"The Sicilian" Tony Altomare, Anthony C. Altomare, February 20, 2003, Heart Attack, age 74

-Longtime wrestler, tag-team partner of Captain Louis Albano as the Sicilians, WWWF United States Tag Team Champion, NWA Midwest Tag Team Champion

Hiromichi "Kodo" Fuyuki, Hiromichi Fuyuki, March 19, 2003, Cancer, age 42

-Japanese wrestler, six-time WAR Six Man Tag Team Champion, WEW (five-time Six Man Tag Team Champion, three-time Single Champion, three-time Tag Team Champion), FMW (three-time World Street Fight Six Man Tag Team Champion, two-time World Brass Knuckles Tag Team Champion Independent World Heavyweight Champion, World Brass Knuckles Champion), three-time AJPW All Asia Tag Team Champion

Sailor Art Thomas, Arthur Thomas March 20, 2003, Cancer, age 79

-Longtime African-American wrestler, had impressive physique, two-time Toronto-International Tag Team Champion, two-time Texas-Texas Heavyweight Champion, WWA Heavyweight Champion, NWA Detroit Tag Team Champion
MSM Link:
Art Thomas article

"Bruiser" Brian Cox, Brian Cox, March 23, 2003, Heart Attack, age 33

-Indie wrestler trained by Matt Borne (original Doink the Clown), CWUSA
Television Champion, Portland Wrestling (eight-time Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Champion, Pacific Northwest Tag Team Champion)

Ray Mendoza, Jose Díaz, April 17, 2003, Natural Causes, age 73

-Longtime Mexican wrestler, trained by Ray Carrasco, NWA (six-time World Light Heavyweight Champion, World Middleweight Champion, three-time Americas Tag Team Champion, United National Heavyweight Champion, three-time UWA World Light Heavyweight Champion, Mexico-National Light Heavyweight Champion
MSM Link:
Ray Mendoza article



Babs Wingo, April 21, 2003, Unknown, age ??

-Longtime lady African American wrestler, I could find no further details

Jackie Nichols, Samuel W Nichals, April 22, 2003, Natural Causes, age 92

-Longtime wrestler, NWA (World Light Heavyweight Champion, Georgia Tag Team Champion), PCW Junior Heavyweight Champion, MWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion, New England-New England Welterweight Champion, New England-Light Heavyweight Champion, New England-Heavyweight Champion

Kurt Von Poppenheim, Jack Von Poppenheim ,,May 1, 2003, Unknown, age 89

-Longtime wrestler, legally changed name to Kurt Von Poppenheim, NWA (nine-time Pacific Northwest Tag Team Champion, four-time Pacific Coast Junior Heavyweight Champion, Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Champion, Vancouver-Pacific Coast Heavyweight Champion
MSM Link:
Kurt Poppenheim article

Miss Elizabeth, Elizabeth Hulette, May 1, 2003, Acute Toxicity, age 42

-Gained notoriety as Miss Elizabeth, manager of the Macho Man Randy Savage, whom she was married to at the time, "married" Savage at SummerSlam PPV, was part of nWo, was living with WCW star Lex Luger when she died
MSM Link:
Miss Elizabeth article

Duane Allen, May 7, 2003, Unknown, age 65

-I could find nothing else on this wrestler

"Masked Marvel" Buddy Stewart, Stuart McCullum, May 25, 2003, Diabetes, age 73

-Longtime Canadian wrestler who wrestled under a mask, not much else is known

"Classy" Freddie Blassie, Fred Kenneth Blassman, June 2, 2003, Natural Causes, age 85

-Longtime legendary heel wrestler and manager, made famous the phrase "pencil-necked geek", starred in indie film "My Dinner With Blassie" with Andy Kaufman, World War II veteran and was Naval Boxing and Wrestling champion, WWE Hall of Famer, did not achieve main event status until he was in his fifties, NWA (fourteen(!)-time Southern Heavyweight Champion, four-time Americas Heavyweight Champion, two-time Georgia Tag Team Champion, two-time Georgia International Tag Team Champion, two-time Los Angeles Brass Knuckles Champion, two-time International Television Tag Team Champion, Georgia Heavyweight Champion, Americas Tag Team Champion, Hawaii North American Heavyweight Champion, Southern Junior Heavyweight Champion, Beat The Champ Television Champion), WWA (four-time WWA World Heavyweight Champion, two-time Tag Team Champion)
MSM Link:
Freddie Blassie article

Zane Bresloff(Wrestling Promoter), Zane Bresloff, June 20, 2003, Complications From Car Accident, age 57

-WWE event promoter who jumped to WCW and helped break many of WWE's exclusive contracts throughout the country, responsible for many of WCW's biggest gates
MSM Link:
Zane Bresloff article

Core, Lee H Estabrook, June 25, 2003, Suicide, age 29

-Indie wrestler, TSW (Cruiserweight Champion, Mayhem Champion), WOHW (two-time Light Heavyweight Champion, four-time Tag Team Champion),  SPW (Tap Out Champion, Tag Team Champion), EWA Hardcore Champion

Darlene "Jersey" Brown (Wrestling Promoter), July 5, 2003, Suicide, age ??

-I could find out nothing else on this promoter

Jack Curran(Wrestling Announcer), July 9, 2003, Natural Causes, age 71

-Announced for Grand Prix Wrestling, I found nothing else
"Bullwhip" Danny Johnson, Daniel Johnson, July 20, 2003, Cirrhosis of the liver, age 49

-Canadian wrestler, NWA (Los Angeles Tag Team Champion, Beat the Champ Television Champion), CWA Heavyweight Champion

Mickey Gold, July 25, 2003, Natural Causes, age 84

-I could find out nothing else on this longtime wrestler

Tug Wilson, July 27, 2003, Natural Causes, age 91

-I found nothing else on this longtime wrestler

Giant Ochiai, Takayuki Okada, August 8, 2003, Brain Hemorrhage, age 30

-Japanese wrestler, trained by Kenzo Suzuki, four-time Judo All Japan Industrial High School Judo League Champion
MSM Link:
Giant chiai article

Marva Scott, Marva Wingo, August 15, 2003, Unknown, age ??

-Lady African-American wrestler, finishing move was the Cartwheel, Ohio-Ohio Women's Champion

The Great Antonio, Antonio Barichievich, September 7, 2003, Heart Attack, age 77

-Canadian wrestler, born in Yugoslavia, was local celebrity due to odd behavior like wearing opera cape while bare-chested in public, performed feats of strength like pulling city buses, in Guinness Book of World Records
MSM Link:
No weblink but covered in Canadian Gazette article on September 09, 2003

Pitbull #2, Anthony Durante, September 25, 2003, Drug Overdose, age 36

-Member of ECW's tag team Pitbulls, trained by Larry Sharpe, ECW (Television Champion, Tag Team Champion), two-timeNWA United States Tag Team Champion,
GWA Tag Team Champion, HRCW Tag Team Champion, JAPW Heavyweight Champion, MEWF Heavyweight Champion, two-time CWA Tag Team Champion
MSM Link:
Pitbull article

Boris Volkoff, Francis Edward Zela, October 15, 2003, Heart Disease, age 76

-Longtime wrester, born in Illinois, World War II veteran, played stereotypical evil Russian character, WWA Tag Team Champion, NWA (Chicago-Tag Team Champion, Detroit) Tag Team Champion

Stu Hart, Stewart Edward Hart, October 16, 2003, Diabetes & Pneumonia, age 88

-Longtime Canadian wrestler, patriarch of the famous Hart Family, World War II veteran, trained many famous names in the business such as Chris Benoit, Chris Jericho, Brian Pillman, Lance Storm, the British Bulldogs, and the Hart Brothers Owen and Bret, trained by Toots Mondt, was NWA promoter in Canada, two-time NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Champion, Stampede Wrestling Owner
MSM Link:
Stu Hart article

Road Warrior Hawk, Michael Hegstrand, October 19, 2003, Heart Attack, age 46

-One half of the most dominant tag team in the 1980s and had massive influence on the Tag Team Genre in wrestling, trained by Eddie Sharkey and managed by "Precious" Paul Ellering, also known as the Legion of Doom, NWA (three-time National Tag Team Champion, Six Man Tag Team Champion, World Tag Team Champion), AWA World Tag Team Champion, two-time WWE World Tag Team Champion,
three-time i-Generation Tag Team Champion, IPW Hardcore Tag Team Champion, two-time NJPW IWGP Tag Team Champion, CWA Heavyweight Champion, MTW Tag Team Champion, MAW Tag Team Champion, MEWF Tag Team Champion, AJPW International Tag Team Champion
MSM Links:
No web link but covered in article in St. Petersburg Times, FL on October 21, 2003
Road Warrior Hawk article

"Pretty Boy" Floyd Creachman, Floyd Creatchman, October 25, 2003, Crohn's Disease, age 46

-Canadian manager, trained by his father, Eddie Creachman
MSM Link:
Floyd Creachman article

Mitsu Hirai, Mitsuaki Hirai, October 28, 2003, Heart Attack, age 60

-Japanese wrestler, tag team partner of Tojo Yamomoto, NWA (Tennessee&Alabama-Tag Team Champion, Mid America-Southern Tag Team Champion)

Crash Holly, Michael Lockwood, November 6, 2003, Suicide via Overdose, age 32

-ECW (as Erin O'Grady), WWE, and TNA (Mad Mikey) wrestler, trained by Mae Young, fictional "cousin" of Hardcore Holly, participated in comedic hardcore situations, WWE (European Champion, twenty-two (!) Hardcore Champion, Tag Team Champion, Light Heavyweight Champion), APW Junior Heavyweight Champion, PPW (Young Guns Champion, Tag Team Champion), IWA Junior Heavyweight Champion, MEWF Cruiserweight Champion, SPW Tag Team Champion
MSM Link:
Crash Holly article

"Gentleman" Ed Sharpe, Salvador Baragiola Sr., November 18, 2003, Cancer, age 83

-Longtime wrestler from New York, NWA Amarillo-International Tag Team Champion

Dick Hutton, Richard Hutton, November 24, 2003, Natural Causes, age 80

-Longtime wrestler, trained by Ed "Strangler" Lewis, considered a shoot wrestler, handpicked as Lou Thesz's successor to win NWA World title, tag team partner of Dory Funk Sr., NWA( World Heavyweight Champion, North American Tag Team Champion, Canadian Open Tag Team Champion, Hawaii Heavyweight Champion, Texas Tag Team Champion), Ohio-Ohio Heavyweight Champion

Joey Rossi, Joseph Rositano, November 29, 2003, Lung Cancer, age 51

- Son of Len Rossi who trained him, NWA (three-time MidAmerica Tag Team Champion, Six Man Tag Team Champion, Tennessee Tag Team Champion)

Moondog Spot, Larry Booker, November 29, 2003, Heart Attack during match, age 51

-Member of the Moondog wrestling stable, teamed with Wayne Ferris (the Honky Tonk Man) WWWF Tag Team Champion, NWA (three-time Mid America Heavyweight Champion, Mid America Tag Team Champion, Alabama Heavyweight Champion), AWA Southern Tag Team Champion, WWC (Tag Team Champion, North American Tag Team Champion), thirteen (13!)-time USWA Tag Team Champion, PPW Tag Team Champion
MSM Link:
Moondog article

The Wall, Jerry Tuite, December 6, 2003, Heart Attack, age 36

-WCW and TNA (as Malice) wrestler, trained by Larry Sharpe and Bam Bam Bigelow who got him his WCW job, died in Japan wrestling for All Japan as Gigantes, NWA (NWA Wisconsin Tag Team Champion, Jersey Hardcore Champion), PCW Heavyweight Champion, AAW Heavyweight Champion

"Tigre Canadiense" Mike Anthony, Michael Anthony Lozansky, December 19, 2003, Dies in Sleep, age 35

-Canadian wrestler, often teamed with Jeff Gaylord, W*ING International New Generation Junior Heavyweight Champion, two-time USWA Tag Team Champion,
IWA Junior Heavyweight Champion, three-time NWA Texas Tag Team Champion(3)

"Fabulous" Danny Fargo, Audie Hager, December 26, 2003, age 44

-Indie wrestler, two-time SCW Southwest Tag Team Champion(2), MWA (five-time Heavyweight Champion, three-time Tag Team Champion)
MSM Link:
Danny Fargo article

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