SLAM! Sports - Wrestling - "Mr. America" Stanlee a showboating pioneer  Click on link to read rest of article.

Thanks to Mike Informer for article

There was a time in wrestling when having a fabulous physique, expensive ring jackets and long, blond hair made one stand out. And no one stood out more than "Mr. America" Gene Stanlee.

Stanlee, who died Friday, September 23 in Los Angeles, at the age of 86, was one of the original blond main eventers. While never the greatest of the workers, he knew how to fire up a crowd, whether as a heel or a babyface. It was his battles with Antonio Rocca in the early 1950s that revived pro wrestling in New York's Madison Square Garden after a long absence from the historic venue.

He was born Eugene Stanlee Zygowicz on January 1, 1917 in the Avondale area of Chicago to poor Polish parents Victoria and Paul Zygowicz. Gene was among the younger of his 14 siblings -- eight brothers and six sisters.

At the age of five, he fell down the stairs and was paralyzed. Though given his last rites at his bedside, Gene fought back to regain his health, inspired in part by seeing a strongman at a church. When he turned eight years old, he was able to start wrestling and competing against other boys. To build his physique, Gene would collect iron from the railyard and fashion a homemade gym. Soon, young Gene was competing in bodybuilding competitions -- and winning. By his own count, he claimed to have 165 bodybuilding trophies and 50 gold medals.

Was not able to obtain funeral arrangements or cause of death.