posted August 08, 2000 04:05 PM            

Aspiring wrestler dies in fall at tavern

Stand-in for event at Sussex bar lands neck-first on mat

By Lisa Sink and Mike Johnson
of the Journal Sentinel staff
Last Updated: Aug. 7, 2000

Quote

"There's so many of these little groups. They're not professionals; they don't have professionals training them. (They) are just mimicking what they see on TV, and all of a sudden they are going to get hurt." -- Carmine DeSpirito, owner of Mid American Wrestling

Waukesha - A Milwaukee man who aspired to be a professional wrestler got his first shot in the ring as a stand-in for another grappler and then died when a poorly executed flip sent him crashing neck-first into the mat.

Tony Nash, 30, of Milwaukee died Saturday night after the match at a Sussex sports bar.

The event was staged by Wisconsin All-Star Wrestling, one of several such groups to have sprung up in response to the national craze created by the World Wrestling Federation and its "Smackdown" broadcasts.

When another wrestler backed out of his match Saturday, Wisconsin All-Star Wrestling owners asked Nash if he would fill in, said Waukesha County Sheriff's Lt. Karen Ruff.

"They thought he was ready, and he thought he was ready, so he agreed," she said.

Nash "was supposed to either tuck his head or land on his shoulder, and for some reason he didn't do that," Ruffsaid.

"He didn't fall properly. We don't know why."

Nash, a parking checker for the Milwaukee Police Department, had been in training for about four months with Wisconsin All-Star Wrestling, a group that holds matches at taverns.

His opponent, whom authorities would not identify, had known Nash for about a year, Ruff said.

"They were friends, so he's very broken up about it," she said.

Nash was 6 feet 3 inches and weighed more than 300 pounds. His opponent, 23, was 2 inches taller but weighed about 240 pounds.

Authorities said the death appeared to be an accident, but they are investigating what training the wrestlers received, as well as how the maneuver was performed Saturday night.

District Attorney Paul Bucher said: "I want to know as much as I can about the company, what the wrestlers were told, what they signed, what precautions were taken."

But Bucher said that the death appeared to be a "tragic accident."

A spectator caught the match on videotape, which authorities are reviewing.

According to sheriff's reports:

About 40 bar patrons were watching the match about 8:24 p.m. Saturday at Sussex Place Sports Bar & Grill when Nash put the other wrestler into a headlock.

In a staged move, the other wrestler lifted Nash into the air for a maneuver called a "back supplex."

As the other wrestler fell backward with Nash, "something went wrong and Mr. Nash ends up landing" on his head and neck, instead of his shoulders as choreographed, Ruff said.

Nash was knocked out and never regained consciousness.

A nurse who accompanies the wrestling group for its performances provided aid as emergency personnel were summoned, officials said.

Nash was pronounced dead at Community Memorial Hospital of Menomonee Falls.

Ruff said the Wisconsin All-Star Wrestling owners - Clarence White and Trevor Lange - told authorities they teach amateur wrestlers how to perform holds, moves and falls.

The medical examiner's office was to conduct an autopsy, but the exact cause of death had not been determined as of late Monday.

Ron Stortz, who runs Sussex Place with his wife, Pauline, called the death "one of those tragic things that happen."

"He was a new guy. It was his first match, I was told. He made a wrong move," said Stortz, who wasn't at the bar Saturday night.

He said the bar had held three or four such wrestling events.

The matches are held at the tavern's indoor sand volleyball courts, where wrestling organizers set up a ring.

"They are a really great bunch of guys," Stortz said of the wrestling organizers and the wrestlers. "Everybody has a great time. People enjoy them."

After Saturday night's tragedy, Stortz said it likely would be some time before the bar held another wrestling match.

Nash's relatives were stunned by his death.

"All we can say at this point is that he was very interested in wrestling. He was involved in it as a hobby, but we didn't know he was doing actual tournaments," said his aunt, Diana Wright.

His mother, Bannette Nash, learned only a week ago that Nash was involved in some sort of wrestling practices, Wright said.

"He kept it a secret from his mom," Wright said. "He knew she didn't care for the wrestling thing at all."

Nash has a 2-year-old son, Tony Jr., and was engaged.

"He was a very outgoing person. He loved sports. He was a Christian. He loved going to church," Wright said. "He loved to help out. . . . He had so much going for himself."

Wisconsin All-Star Wrestling officials could not be reached for comment Monday.

Carmine DeSpirito, owner of Mid American Wrestling in Milwaukee, said there were an increasing number of "backyard wrestlers" and semiprofessional groups popping up in the Milwaukee area.

"There's so many of these little groups," the wrestling promoter said. "They're not professionals; they don't have professionals training them. (They) are just mimicking what they see on TV, and all of a sudden they are going to get hurt."

He recommended that would-be wrestlers receive at least six months of formal training before they enter the ring.

The maneuver that Nash was performing is a "very basic move. You see it all the time," said DeSpirito, who acknowledged using wild gimmicks like matches in rings surrounded by barbed-wire and others in which wrestlers break fluorescent lights on each other's heads.

"My guys are all thoroughly trained," he said. "There is a science to it, believe it or not. As preposterous as it sounds, there's a way to do it and you're not going to get hurt."

Gary Davis, spokesman for WWF, said the interest among would-be wrestlers had been spurred by the wild popularity of pro wrestling, as demonstrated by the 22.5 million viewers who watch WWF programming each week.

But he warned people not to try to imitate pro moves in their backyard. "Our athletes are well-trained," he said. "They have worked long and hard to perform these exceptional feats of athleticism without injury."

But even the highly trained WWF wrestlers can be injured, or worse. Last year, WWF wrestler Owen Hart plunged about 80 feet to his death at the Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Mo.

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".45acp"

posted August 08, 2000 04:30 PM            

Sure it is dangerous, but so is walking across the street. Football is very dangerous, yet we let our youngen's play the game in leagues such as pop warner from the time they are 6 years old.

If there is no risk involved it is not worth doing.

chesty

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SEMPER FI
Chestys Homeworld

posted August 08, 2000 04:47 PM            

And nothing is off topic here. It's a chat area.

posted August 09, 2000 09:30 AM            

quote:

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"And nothing is off topic here. It's a chat area."

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Thanks for the education but your off-base. This thread originally started on another board and was moved here after the fact. In other words, my comment was inserted prior to the move. Peace.

Later,

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".45acp"

posted August 09, 2000 11:39 AM            

Later,

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".45acp"