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| March 3, 1955
Reprinted from the Savannah Morning News Title: Looks Deceive, Particularly Where Wrestler Is Concerned Author: Marcus Holland Savannah – Wrestlers aren't what they look like. Maybe you think the brutes who do the grunting and groaning in the ring are all villains. One at least isn't this way outside the ring. The Swedish Angel, despite wearing the title of the ugliest wrestler in the world, is a colorful, 6-2, 250 pounds of strength and interesting personality. The Angel, who wrestled here at the Little Arena Tuesday night, was born in Lulea, Sweden, a small town in the northern part of the country near the North Pole. He lived at his birthplace until he came to the United States 21 years ago. The Angel said Sweden has two basic sports, skiing and soccer football. "I have always been a lover of sports," he said. "I've done a lot of skiing in the wintertime and played soccer football in the summer." In January, 1934, he arrived in Seattle, Washington, and began working to become a wrestler. It was not until 1935 that he had his first pro match. Prior to this, he had wrestled in amateur bouts. In over 20 years in the game he has been in over 3,000 matches. The Angel said he has wrestled from coast to coast and border to border. Last year he wrestled in Newfoundland, Canada. When asked how old he was, The Angel said, "I'm as old as Jack Benny, 39. "Wrestling is all I have ever done since I came to this country. I love it, and will wrestle until I drop dead," he said, speaking of future plans. He has met all the world's top wrestlers but believes the best he ever met was Ed (Strangler) Lewis, now manager of the world's champ, Lou Thesz. "I've met all the champs in title matches and in my book beat some of them but never held a title," he said. The Angel has anywhere from two to three matches a week, depending on traveling. Some of his busiest weeks would find him wrestling in Detroit on Monday, New York on Tuesday and San Francisco on Wednesday. The Angel has suffered injuries at the hands of many wrestlers, but unlike other matmen has not been hurt by fans. In the ring he has received a broken arm, broken shoulder, broken leg and all his teeth knocked out. In a match in San Francisco, Bobby Bruns knocked his teeth out and he swallowed half of them, he contends. He has no favorite hold. "If you get him in the ring position with any hold he is going to give up," he says. Among his many opponents was the famous French Angel. "I beat the French Angel in seven minutes in Buffalo, New York," he reported. The French Angel died several months ago. In giving helpful hints to young wrestlers The Angel said if you are already in the game work hard and give it everything you have because it is a long, tough road. He said wrestling every night is the best way to keep in shape and to climb to the top. His last bit of advice for young wrestlers was, "Always remember if you can' t beat the man he is going to make all the money while you take the consolation prizes, so in that case you must beat him." |