Emma’s Top Rope Pick: The Past #1

Emma’s Top Rope Pick:The Past #1

                Although it is nice to read articles about wrestlers you know a lot about. Sometimes it is fun to read about older wrestlers maybe people you have never heard of. So although I will try and stick to wrestler you all know. I will take some opportunities to share the stories of old wrestlers that maybe you have never even heard of or do not know much about them. So with that said I would like to present to you my top rope pick from the past  4/12/12 …………………………

El Santo

El Santo in Spanish means The Saint. However El Santo is the name of a famous luchador.He  is one of the most famous and iconic of all Mexican luchadores, and has been referred to as one of “the greatest legends in Mexican sports”.  El Santo’s real name is Rodolfo Guzmán Huerta. Growing up he practiced baseball and American football, and then became interested in wrestling. He first learned Ju-Jitsu, then classical wrestling. In 1942 the Silver masked luchador known as El Santo changed Lucha Libre. He debuted in an 8 man battle royal in Mexico City. He won. He quickly became the most popular luchador. One of Santo’s greatest matches was in 1952, when he fought a tag-team known as Los Hermanos Shadow. Santo beat and unmasked Black Shadow (member of Los Hermanos Shadow) in the ring. By the early 1980s El Santo slowed down his in ring activities leading up to his inevitable retirement. El Santo won his last match and retired as the hero he always portrayed in the ring.

Death

                El Santo was a guest on Contrapunto, a Mexican television program and, completely without warning, removed his mask just enough to expose his face, in effect bidding his fans goodbye. This is the only time he took his mask off in public. Santo died from a heart attack (during a stage show he was putting on) on February 5, 1984, at 9:40 p.m. As per his wishes, he was buried wearing his famous silver mask. His funeral is considered one of the biggest in Mexican history as fans and friends flocked to see.  After his death, a statue of El Santo was created in his home town of Tulancingo and other statues have been created since then.

Other

• He became a folk hero and a symbol of justice for the common man through his appearances in comic books and movies
• His wrestling career spanned nearly five decades
• Santo always remembered his defeat at Blue Demon’s hands
• In the early 1960s a female wrestler called La Novia del Santo (Spanish for “the Bride of El Santo”) worked the Mexican circuit. She is the only non-family member ever given the right to use the Santo name.
• Santo’s son Jorge wrestles under the name El Hijo del Santo.
• Recently one of El Santo’s 25 grandchildren made his professional debut. He goes by “El Nieto del Santo” (Spanish for “the Grandson of Santo”).

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