Professional wrestling manager Oliver Humperdink dies aged 62
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
US professional wrestling manager Oliver Humperdink has died at the age of 62. Humperdink, whose real name was John Sutton died overnight at a hospice in Minneapolis. Humperdink was diagnosed with bladder cancer earlier in the year and died after complications with pneumonia. During his career he worked within several wrestling companies including World Wrestling Federation, World Championship Wrestling, and Florida Championship Wrestling.
Humperdink's career spanned over three decades during which he managed wrestlers such as Greg Valentine, Bam Bam Bigalow, and The New Wild Samoans. He started his career within wrestling doing jobs such as ring security and ushering the wrestlers to the entrance. After establishing a relationship with some of the wrestlers he became the manager of The Hollywood Blonds tag team during the 1960's.
After working in several other wrestling promotions he joined the World Wrestling Federation in the 1980's where became the manager of Bam Bam Bigalow. During a 2007 interview to Slam! Wrestling after Bigalow's death he said "I had a good time with Bam Bam. We were so busy. We were doing two shows on Saturday and two on Sunday, coast to coast." After he left the WWF he joined World Championship Wrestling but retired soon after.
Tributes have been paid to Humperdink, wrestling manager Paul Bearer tweeted "Legendary Pro Wrestling Manager, and my friend Oliver Humperdink passed away during the night. May his soul rest in the arms of our Lord."
Sources
- "Sir Oliver Humperdink dead at 62" — Slam! Canoe, March 20, 2011
- Ben Kerin. "WWF Legend Sir Oliver Humperdink Passes Away" — Wrestling News Source, March 20, 2011
- "Pro wrestling manager Sir Oliver Humperdink dead at age 62" — Prowrestling.net, March 20, 2011