Walter Palmer, 77, a Chicago professional wrestling champion whobattled Gorgeous George and the Mad Russian during wrestling's first"golden age" in the 1940s and '50s, died July 10 at his home inTucson, Ariz., following a severe stroke.
Born in Austria, Mr. Palmer came to Chicago when he was a yearold with his family and learned to wrestle while attending Crane HighSchool.
He went to college intending to become a doctor, but theDepression and pressure to support a young family changed thoseplans. He quit college and instead became one of the foremostprofessional wrestlers of his era, eventually developing histrademark, the "spinning toe hold."
During the 1930s, Mr. Palmer worked his way up the ranks,wrestling in small towns in the Midwest and Texas. Undefeated for asix-year period during the 1940s, he won the National WrestlingAlliance's Midwest heavyweight title in 1942.
"He was always known as a clean wrestler; he never wrestleddirty," said his granddaughter Kim Albeck.
His daughter Gail Palmer-Mildenburg remembers falling asleep onhis shoulders as he talked to fans. "He was well-liked andrespected," she said. "He was a very serious family man who kept usprotected."
Wrestling across the country as well as at the Chicago Stadium,the old Coliseum and the Rainbo Arena at Clark and Lawrence, Mr.Palmer held the championship belt until he broke a leg during a matchin 1947.
In 1948, he lost a bout to Gorgeous George before 11,000 peopleat the Chicago Amphitheater.
By the 1950s, Mr. Palmer was winding down his wrestling careerand focusing on his business, Aerial Maintenance, a firm thatperformed upkeep on water towers, steeples and smokestacks. Despitestiffness from years in the ring, he often climbed up and did thework himself.
A former resident of the Northwest Side, Des Plaines andLincolnwood, he retired in 1989 and moved to Arizona in 1991.
Other survivors include another daughter, Phyllis Palmer; abrother, Bill; a grandson, and four great-grandchildren.
Services will be from noon to 3 p.m. today at the ColonialFuneral Home, 8025 W. Golf Rd., Niles, followed by burial at AllSaints Cemetery, 700 N. River Rd., Des Plaines.
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