Losses

I have been very devastated in the past two weeks with the loss of three more great names in the wrestling business. I had worked alongside two of them and become a good pal to each.

Benny McGuire was only 54 when he was called to his maker's ring. He and his twin brother, Billy, packed in many a crowd to various arenas around the world. Who could ever forget the sight of the two of them riding those mini-bikes to the ring and across the United States on a goodwill tour?

He will truly be missed as not only a great competitor but a gracious human as well. Benny never had an unkind word to say about anyone and treated the boys as part of their family, no matter who or where you were from.

Jack Wilson was another man that I knew briefly in the Tennessee territory run by Nick Gulas. He wrestled as Kurt Von Brauner and had a wrestling brother named Karl. They were managed by Gentleman Saul, a man almost as vociferous as I was. Jack was from the south side of Milwaukee and was returned there after his demise two weeks ago. Crusher Lisowski and Verne Gagne both had very nice words to say about Jack in an article in the Milwaukee Journal. They spoke of a big man that could handle himself in the ring very well.

"Johnny 'Red Shoes' Dugan was one of the greatest referees I have ever had the opportunity to work with," said The Intelligent Sensational Masked Destroyer in a recent interview about Dugan's passing. I can add to that statement, as I was in Los Angeles for a brief time, and he treated me with the utmost of respect and admiration. He was a man that put his heart into the business and called everything as he saw it.

These fine people that have passed into a better life have made mine a better one by their friendship. The wrestling world gets smaller as each member passes, but the light that they each shined under never goes out. It is remembered by the smile and strong handshakes we gave each other as we left the buildings.

We never said goodbye---just the words, "Until next time, FRIEND!"

Percival A. Friend, Retired
The Epitome of Wrestling Managers