Da Crusher!!!!!

This week’s column is dedicated to one of the real pioneers in the wrestling business, Reggie Lisowski, who passed away Saturday.

Reggie Lisowski began his pro wrestling career in 1949 at the Paris Ballroom. According to legend, he wrestled for several years by night while working stints as a bricklayer and factory worker by day. The matches he fought during those years eventually caught the eye of promoter Fred Kohler, who snatched Lisowski up, aired some of his bouts on the Dumont TV network, and sent him on the road. It was just the beginning of a long and illustrious career that would see Lisowski become one of America's premier wrestlers and box office draws.

The Crusher established himself as a great singles wrestler, and he teamed with his wrestling "cousin," Dick "The Bruiser" Afflis. They became the most successful and sought-after team in AWA history. Matched against headliners like the Kalmikoff Brothers, "Pretty Boy" Larry Hennig and "Handsome" Harley Race, they became household names in every city they wrestled in. They preferred their hard-hitting barroom-brawling style, even though the fans cheered them, and the duo packed arenas with standing room only signs throughout.

The Crusher unofficially retired in July of 1981 after supposedly suffering nerve damage in his right arm during in a match with 450-pound Jerry Blackwell.

I remember going to Milwaukee television in the mid-60's and wrestling against him. I saw Reggie at the 2000 Cauliflower Alley Club reunion and reminded him that those were the worst three minutes in my entire career. He laughed and said, "You got a lesson in Lisowski's school of hard hitting, bone breaking, career ending battles fought between those ropes." We both laughed and continued a great visit that I still remember and will for many years to come.

The Journal Sentinel wrote the following column about Reggie.

Lisowski, who played fullback for South Milwaukee High School, learned to wrestle while in the Army in Germany during World War II, old newspaper stories about him say.

The Crusher came back from the war and played semi-pro football, his son said.

Then one night, Lisowski, went to a carnival in town. There, someone had set up a ring and was urging people to step up. If you could beat the guy in the ring, you would get a $1.

"Well, he stepped into the ring and beat him, and he got a buck," David Lisowski said. "He did this for a couple of days and beat everybody. That's how he got interested in wrestling."

From there, he learned that some wrestlers worked out at the Eagles Club, so he joined. Eventually, he hooked up with a Chicago promoter, who got Lisowski matches at a small armory in Chicago, where the wrestler earned $5 a night.

In Chicago, Lisowski drew the attention of a promoter who booked wrestlers from all over the nation. That promoter, according the news reports, put Lisowski on national television and took him on the road. At one point, according to a 1952 news article, Lisowski drew 8,000 people to a bout in Buffalo, N.Y.

Lisowski and his family lived for a time in Canada and in Texas while he pursued wrestling full time, David Lisowski said. Eventually, they returned to the Midwest and Wisconsin, where the cigar-chomping, beer-drinking Crusher quickly became the people's favorite.

Though he began his career as a bad guy, people took to the barrel-chested wrestler. "He never really changed his style. He was a villain, but for some reason people started liking him more.”

In 1985, a reporter asked The Crusher why he was so popular in Milwaukee. "I think the working people identify with me, because years ago I worked when I wrestled, too. I worked in a packing house. I worked at Ladish, Drop Forge, Cudahy Packing House. I was a bricklayer. But finally, I got away from punching the clock," he said.

The flamboyant American Wrestling Association brawler became known as "the wrestler who made Milwaukee famous."

Some of the ads promoting wrestling might have helped, too. DeFalco remembers one in which The Crusher had a barrel of beer on his shoulder and said he was going to kick "The Weasel's" butt all over Milwaukee and then "we'll have a party, take all the dollies down Wisconsin Avenue and go dancing." The Crusher was referring to Bobby "The Brain" Heenan.

In another commercial, The Crusher bent a tire in half. "Not many people can do that," David Lisowski said.

Lisowski also participated in what people said was the first cage match ever, in which The Crusher took on Maurice "Mad Dog" Vachon. At one point, Vachon was kicking The Crusher, and "some woman was climbing the cage to save The Crusher.”

David Lisowski said his dad won the battle - Mad Dog ended up in the hospital, but The Crusher was a mess, too. "He came out really beat up. His head was cut up. He had a busted eardrum. The whole right side of his body was bruised. But the next day, he went to Green Bay and wrestled".

In 1985, The Crusher, still a favorite son, battled seven others for a different title - best amateur conductor of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. Billed as the "Battle of the Batons," The Crusher took third.

Although flamboyant, The Crusher took professional wrestling seriously.

Reggie Lisowski

Of South Milwaukee. Born To Eternal Life Sat., Oct. 22 2005 at the age of 79 years. Beloved husband of 55 years to the late Faye L. (Nee Radomski) Lisowski. Loving father of Larry (Linda), Dawn and David (Caryn) Lisowski, Sherri (Alan) Brozoski and the late Gary Lisowski. Proud grandfather of Lisa Doty, Ryan Lisowski, Matthew Ventimiglia, Samira, Jake, Shereen, Daniel and Ann Lisowski and Christopher Pecnik. Loving great-grandfather of Savanna Doty. Further survived by nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Mass of Christian Burial Fri., Oct. 28 at 11:00AM at Divine Mercy Catholic Church, 1304 Manitoba Ave. So. Milwaukee Rev. Edward Lisowski and Rev. Alan Jurkus Con-celebrating. Interment Holy Sepulcher Cemetery. Visitation at the funeral home Thurs., Oct. 27, 4-8PM and Fri., Oct. 28, 9:30-10:30AM at the funeral home chapel. The Lisowski family would like to thank the entire staff of the Bradford Terrace for their dedicated and compassionate care of Reggie. Special thank you to Gail, Nicole, Jackie, Sue and Rosie for their extra commitment of Dad's care.

MOLTHEN-BELL & SONS
700 Milwaukee Ave.
South Milwaukee, WI 414-762-015.

To the Lisowski Family I send my deepest of sympathy. I hope that God will give your family the strength to endure this great loss. Reggie was a good friend to a lot of people in our profession. In his retirement he was still very sought after as a celebrity.

Rest in Peace, my friend.

Percival A. Friend, Retired
The Epitome of Wrestling Managers
2004 CAC Honoree