Real name: Wladek Kowalski

From Windsor. One of the all-time great heels. Big and strong -- 
somewhere around 6'6". Master of the knee drop and claw hold. 
Probably best known for accidentally ripping off part of Yukon Eric's 
ear with a kneedrop in a 1952 match in Montreal (Kowalski was already 
known as "Killer" before this match). Very successful in Montreal, 
and a headliner everywhere he went. 

Often wrestled under a mask in the 70s, even under his own name. 
Retired from full-time wrestling in 1977. Has run a small promotion 
and wrestling school in Massachusetts since then. Appeared in the WWF 
all-star old-timer's battle royal in November 1987 (won by Lou 
Thesz). 

A 6-time world champion in Australia and 7-time International champ 
in Montreal. Never held the NWA title, but did wrestle as champion on 
some shows in Texas for promoter Morris Sigel in 1962. Kowalski had 
defeated the champ, Buddy Rogers, in Montreal when Rogers suffered a 
broken ankle and couldn't continue after the first fall. Sigel used 
this match to promote Kowalski as the NWA champion

"Leading contenders for the box office leadership in 1950 were Verne 
Gagne and Wladek Kowalski, the Michigan killer. Kowalski, 24, has 
hung up an amazing string of victories during the year and the 275 
pounder is drawing enormous crowds, recently smashing all attendance 
records in Texas. He claims to have that temper of his under control 
and he is on good behavior, seeking another shot at Lou Thesz's 
title. But Lou, ten years older than the killer, doesn't seem anxious 
for the bout." (From WRESTLING, July 1951) 

"He is a devout Catholic, attends mass regularly, is as gentle as a 
lamb outside the ring and a holy terror inside it. Definitely the 
roughest hombre in the game." (From WRESTLING, September 1951) 

"Kowalski has been coming along like a house afire in the past two 
years. He is now 26 years old and just coming into his prime. Two 
years ago he was a strong aggressive boy, but today he is the number 
one challenger for Thesz' crown. He has earned his way up the ladder 
by defeating the top men in the wrestling game. He holds wins over 
Yukon Eric in one of the roughest matches ever witnessed. The mighty 
Atlas found his super human strength of no avail when he ran into the 
knee drop and body smash combination the way Kowalski administers 
it." (From Seattle program, July 29, 1954) 

Titles Held:
NWA Texas champion, 1950 
NWA Texas tag champion (by himself), 1950 
NWA Pacific Coast tag champion, 1951 
NWA Central States champion, 1951 
7-time Montreal International champion, 1952-62 
NWA Pacific Coast champion (San Francisco), 1958 
Pacific Coast tag champion (Vancouver), 1961, 62 
WWWF U.S. tag champion, with Gorilla Monsoon, 1963 
6-time IWA World champion (Australia), 1964-67 
U.S. champion (Hawaii), 1965 
4-time IWA World tag champion (Australia), 1967-71 
NWA Americas champion (Los Angeles), 1972 
Grand Prix champion (Montreal), 1972 
NWA Southern champion (Florida), 1975 
WWWF World tag champion, as the Executioners, with John Studd, 1976 

If you have any more pictures of him please e-mail me at 
Dokstarr@aol.com