Sargeant Slaughter Former AWA and WWF Heavyweight Champion-May 26th, 2012

Growing up in the 80's, I started watching professional wrestling as it started to become more mainstream.  As the WWF grew in popularity, other wrestling leagues starting getting tv time, and this is when I first heard the name Sargeant Slaughter.  He first appeared in the WWF, but moved to the AWA and became a huge name in the wrestling business, even branching out into a GI Joe character on their cartoon series!  He soon claimed the AWA Heavyweight Champion defeating Larry Zbyszko.  He continued to wrestle with the AWA until 1990, when he then jumped back to the WWF and after years of being a good guy, became a heel and defeated The Ultimate Warrior at The Royal Rumble to claim the Heavyweight title.  During this time, he was forced to wear a bullet proof vest due to death threats made by fans.  He later lost the title to Hulk Hogan at Wrestlemania 7, and then once again became a good guy helping Hacksaw Jim Duggan in a match and he's remained a good guy ever since.  He served for a time as the WWF Raw Commissioner and currently is a goodwill ambassador for the now WWE.


I had the opportunity to meet The Sarge at a Lake Elsinore Storm baseball game.  He made an appearance to celebrate Memorial Day and to throw out the first pitch.  When I met him, I asked him not about wrestling, but baseball.  Who would a former WWF, AWA Champion love as a ballplayer?  "Mickey Mantle" said the former champ.  He talked about "growing up listening to baseball games on his transistor radio and the Yankees were the only team he could get on radio, so he became a Mickey Mantle fan."  He then took pictures with my kids and myself and of course, I asked to be put in his finishing hold for the picture.

Love the Sarge!