The July 24 death of wrestler Hulk Hogan surprised my son Jamie, as it probably did millions of other fans. Yes, my Jamie has been a wrestling viewer since 1985, thanks to his Uncle Ron, who died 80 days before.
My father, the late Lee Jr. Moody, was also a viewer of wrestling matches in our younger days, but I never would have suspected Jamie would become an enthusiast.
We were running errands when Jamie heard the news from my boss, Gaylen Blosser, who knew Jamie like a famous wrestler.
Ever since that news, Jamie has been memorializing his life by watching old wrestling matches and playing music.
For Jamie liking this type of thing, he sure didn’t want to wrestle, but just enjoyed the fans going nuts and the music that played and him and how the other wrestlers acted. My cousin, Rick, nicknamed Jamie “the Gentle Giant,” which is true.
That’s okay, I guess. The boy has a heart of gold, so that’s all that matters.
Over the years, he has collected wrestling action figures, including Hulk, and magazines galore. He loves to read.
Jamie did get to see the Hulk in action twice, once in 1991 when he battled with Sgt. Slaughter the Hara Arena and once again, when he was pitted against Yokozuna at the Nutter Center on June 13, 1993.
I also have a connection with the Hulk. I had my right kidney removed on his birthday, Aug. 11, 2000. Jamie is the one who figured that out. Did I tell you he is very good with dates as well?
Jamie offers this: Here are my top 10 memories of Hulk Hogan:
10. After losing the WWE title to the Ultimate Warrior. He hugged Warrior and gave him the belt at Wrestlemania 6.
9. Hulk trained Hillbilly Jim during the early years of Hulkamania.
8. He defeated Sgt. Slaughter at Wrestlemania 7 to win the title for the third time.
7. After the Hart Foundation and the Honky Tonk Man ganged up on Randy Savage, Elizabeth (his wife and manager) ran for help and got Hulk to help
6. Hulk teamed with Demolition and Jake the Snake Roberts in the 1989 Survivor Series.
5. After the Rockers were humiliated by Mr. Fuji and Powers of Fame, Hulk rescued them.
4. He joined WCW in 1994 and defeated World Champion Rick Flair to win the world title, then two years later, everything changed because he joined the NWO with Scott Hall and Kevin Nash.
3. Defeated Macho Man Randy Savage and he regained the title in 1989.
2. He helped the young one-legged Zach Gowen after Roddy Piper attacked Gowen’s fake leg, but it could have been done by accident.
1. Hulk body-slammed, leg-dropped and pinned the legendary, then defeated, the late Andre the Giant to retain the world title at Wrestlemania 3.
Thanks, Hulk, for everything you did in wrestling and as Hulkamaniac. We are all going to miss you. Wrestling will never be the same.
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It’s been one of those weeks for learning of the deaths people we know and love. Among those passing this past week were my sister Bev’s wonderful mother-in-law Phyllis Brumbaugh, a classmate of ours, Ralph Whittaker, and Mary Beisner, whom I truly enjoyed talking to when checking out at Eikenberry’s IGA. Jamie and I also extend our condolences to the families and friends of: Leroy Billenstein, Natalie Siegrist, Barbara Siegrist, Madonna Darland and Shirley Bowers Weimer,
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Please pray for Chuck Cruze, Vicki Wilker Gibson, John Gibson, Roan Brubaker, Vic Bothast, Bill Thomas, Tom Brewer, Todd Anderson, Dawn Dilworth, Carol Schuh, Sunni Jones, Eddie Anjos, Gloria Hodge, Ralph Byrd, Jeff Brocious, Norma Kretschmar, Beth Davis, Terry Overbay, Michelle Young, Terry “T.A.” Anthony, Jason Kelch, Corinna Alexander, Katie Cothran, Lynne Bruner Hinshaw, Tom Everhart, Donn Thornhill, Carissa Rodriguez, Kevin Christman, Ivan Christian, Roger Fleckenstein, Bob Jackson, Penny Hopkins, Sherry Lawrence, Jerry Gower, Barbara Alexander, Kierra Reichert, Evelyn Manning, Becky Shultz, Kevin Schlechty, Darla Printz Whittaker, Roan Brubaker, Sandy Partin, Sandy Gunckle, Tonya Kelly, Jody Christman, Robert Christman, Mike Hopkins, Bob Christian, Linda Johnston, Terri Hunt, Patricia Maier, Ken Wombold, Dan Lockhart, Delores Beisner, Jodi Gilpin Snyder, Charlie Bulcher, Charlyee Severance, Justin Fritz, DeWayne Yohey, Katrina Hoening, Kara Didier, Carl Francis, Craig “Cheese” Thompson, Bridget Brown, Don DeBord, Otis Stewart, Slug Midlam, Bob Peters, Judy Collins, Linda Gasper, Carol Hemmerich, Roberta Hall, Kelly Kelch, Mike Mayse, Nikole Baldridge, Mark Lovejoy, Judy York, Connie Stachler, Randy Heck, Ronnie Norton, Gary Eichler, David Pretzman, Clinton Randall, Bruce Kaiser, Amanda Mote, Doug Whittington, Neal Gray, Randy Garrison, Kathy Gragorace, Donna Bixler, Cathy Melling and all others who are suffering from other life-altering illnesses.
Happy birthday:
July 29 to Mark Bixler, Jeremie Hittle, Brad Shook and Kay Pequignot-McCracken.
July 30 to Dennis Riffle, John Scott Burkett, Toby Winner, Arnold Norton, Martha Everman and Ron Clack.
July 31 to Dee Howell and Lindsey Foster.
Aug. 1 to Jeff Riffell, twins Ron and Rick Bickel, twins Sharon and Karon Strait, Terry Longfellow, Leon Sprowl, Jason Menchhofer, Fred Matix and Irene Rosenbeck Siler.
Aug. 2 to Ron Crist, Diane Birt, Gloria Hodge, Melinda Bryson, Frantz, Adam Cothran, Denney Heck, Mike Williams, Mitch Eiting, April Paris Staver, Allison Dynes, Payton Brubaker and Kathy Hiestand.
Aug. 3 to Sharon Miller, Scott Walters, Judy Striegel Brandenburg, David Bryant, Nicole Arnett-Rice and Dorothy Tomlinson Miller.
Aug. 4 to Jerry Barga, Adrien Lore, Cody Thwaits, Norma Ellison Highley and David Loewer.
Happy anniversary to Harold and Holly Riffell on Aug. 1 and Duane and Kelly Sanning on Aug. 4.
Think about it: “Success is not final; failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts. ”–Winston Churchill
