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Crusher, RIP

By Paul Beston on 11.2.05 @ 10:53AM

Well, to take a brief moment out from the Senate hijacking story, I’d like to note the passing of  Reggie “the Crusher” Lisowski, who died at 79 on October 22. His passing transports me back to my Illinois boyhood, when he and his tag team partner, Dick the Bruiser, plied their trade on Channel 44, usually following White Sox games announced by a boozy Harry Caray. That was before the days when Harry became avuncular as the Cubs’ announcer. Back then, Harry had an edge to him, just like the White Sox. Just like the 1970s.

Anyway, the Crusher was famous for his “bolo” punch, which I imagine he stole from Kid Gavilan, but never mind. As the Washington Post obit relates:

He had "thousands" of stitches in his head, countless concussions and a damaged eardrum. When he broke his right shoulder, he came home from a match, went to a pillar in the basement and yanked it back into place. He also had two hip replacements, a knee replacement and multiple heart bypass surgeries.

Yet he was so strong that he could bend a tire in half, which is harder than it sounds.

It sounds pretty hard, actually. I don’t think we’ll see Lisowski lying in honor in the Capitol Rotunda, but the man did pack a wallop.

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