Henry Marcus was a promoter extraordinaire who dabbled in everything from the Royal Canadian Ballet to the Ice Capades. But pro wrestling was his bread and butter. It's what endeared him to mat fans throughout the state for half a century.
He's performed in front of thousands and traveled around the world, but it was his rural Berkeley County roots that helped prepare Burrhead Jones for a career in professional wrestling nearly 40 years ago.
As the former governor of Minnesota browsed through a local pipe shop looking for a humidor, a customer gave him a double glance before uttering, "You look a lot like Jesse Ventura." Ventura smiled wryly, winked and retorted, "A lot of people tell me that."
It was the most bizarre feeling when Lou died - I mean when he actually stopped breathing. This was not supposed to happen. He was Lou Thesz, he was invincible, immortal, and he was only 86. He had promised to live to be 100.
Professional wrestling lost one of its greatest champions and most beloved goodwill ambassadors when Lou Thesz passed away of complications from open heart surgery at the age of 86 on April 28, 2002.
