Wrestling World Pays Honor to Walter “Killer” Kowalski

By: Chris Sullivan

            On Sunday afternoon, October 26 the eyes of the wrestling world will be focused in on Malden, MA.  October 26 will be a day that will be the wrestlers from all over the world will join up to pay their respect to the late great Walter “Killer” Kowalski.  The Killer Kowalski Memorial Show will take place at the Irish American Club in Malden, MA. 

            The wrestlers from Superstar Pro Wrestling will be teaming up with some of the top wrestling names to raise funds for the Walter Kowalski Fund.  The Walter Kowalski Fund was set up by former trainee and friend of Mr. Kowalski, Richard Byrnes.  The fund is set up to help Walter widow, Theresa, pay of the medical bills that have been coming in through out the summer that started when Walter had to move into a nursing homing.  During his stay in the nursing home the wrestling icon had a massive heart attack on August 8.  Doctors believed that Walter would not survive the night, but he fought for three weeks.  Walter “Killer” Kowalski passed away on August 30.  The only person that can get into the Walter Kowalski Memorial Fund is Theresa Kowalski.

            Walter Kowalski was born on October 13, 1926 in Windsor, Ontario.  Kowalski started wrestling in 1947 in the St. Louis area.  He retired from wrestling in 1977, after nearly three decades and over 6000 matches.  During his over 30 year career, Kowalski won titles in the AWA, NWA, IWA, and WWWF.  Walter Kowalski is known world wide as Killer Kowalski.  He got the name “Killer” in 1954.  Kowalski was facing Yukon Eric in Montreal.  During the match Kowalski hung Yukon Eric upside-down in the corner and nailed Eric with a flying knee drop that severed Eric’s ear.

            After retiring from wrestling Walter Kowalski opened a professional wrestling school just outside of Boston.  A number of the greatest wrestlers came from Kowalski’s Wrestling School.  Some of his trainees include multi-time WWE Champion Triple H, the only female to hold the WWE Interconital Title Chyna, multi-time Tag team Champion in WCW and ECW Perry Saturn, multi-time ECW Tag Team Champion John Kronus, Big John Studd, multi-time ECW Champion Raven and many others.

            In 1978, when Walter Kowalski had his school at the Salem, MA YMCA Richard Byrnes started to train.  “The school was real small” Byrnes explained.  “Only enough room outside the ring to bump on one side”.  Richard Byrnes first match was with Killer Kowalski.  “It went 28 minutes to a double disqualification.  It (wrestling Kowalski) got me ready for any of the top heels in the business because of the way he worked.”       The friendship that Byrnes and Kowalski carried on for years and went onto a business relationship.  “When I opened my Karate school, I called Walter to have him train wrestlers at my school”. 

            For many years Killer Kowalski made special appearances on Richard Byrnes’ Superstar Pro Wrestling events and Byrnes is now doing a special event honoring a great man.  Sunday afternoon, October 26 the Irish American Club in Malden will be rocking with many of wrestling legends, today’s greats, and tomorrow’s stars.  One of the most important things about this show is that all money will be donated to the Walter Kowalski Fund.  All the wrestlers have donated their time, the ring was donated, and the building was donated.  “We could have got a larger building, but they come with large price tags.  The Irish American Club donated their hall and we would rather get a large donation for Mrs. Kowalski than have a huge hall” Richard Byrnes explains why the building that hold over 500 people is a better fit than a larger gym.  “Also, Walter spent a large amount of time at the Club watching his boys wrestle.  So it is special place.”  Door open for this special event around 1pm and bell time is at 2pm.  Tickets are on sale at all FYR locations.

            Appearing on Sunday afternoon, October 26 will be some of wrestling’s biggest names.  Two former WWE superstars, two WWE Legends, two NWA icons, and a current TNA star are set for action in Malden.

            The leader and mouth piece of the Four Horsemen James J. Dillon will come to Malden on October 26.  James J. Dillon managed the legendary Four Horsemen in the NWA for many years.  Dillon helped elevate wrestlers such as Ric Flair, Tully Blanchard, Arn Anderson, Barry Windham, and others.  After returning from the wrestling business Dillon became active with the Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame, something that Walter Kowalski was also had a key role in.  Throughout the years they became close friends and J.J. Dillon wants to pay his respect to Kowalski by appearing on his memorial event. 

            Another NWA Icon set to appear is Ox Baker.  Ox Baker spends a long time feuding with Kowalski.  During there matches Baker and Kowalski earned each others respect.  Then they later would go onto team up with each other and left havoc behind them.

            Former WWE Hardcore Champion and competitor from the first Tough Enough Chris Nowinski will once again return to a place where he wrestled in front of Walter, Malden, MA.  Chris Nowinski was training at the Kowalski Wrestling School before he starred in WWE/MTV’s Tough Enough.  After the contest was won by Maven, Nowinski return to Kowalski’s School to better his skills until he was signed to a WWE contract.  During his time in WWE, Nowinski feuded with Al Snow, Maven, Scott Steiner, and the Undertaker.  In the summer of 2003, Chris Nowinski was forced to leave the wrestling ring after suffering from post concussion syndrome.  Since 2003, Nowinski has been a main part of WWE’s Smackdown Your Vote which was set up to help get younger people signed up to vote.  In October of 2006, Chris Nowinski released a book about head injuries in sports.

            Former WWE Tag Team Champion and WWE Hall of Famer Nikolia Volkoff will be at the Irish American Club to honor Kowalski.  Volkoff won the WWE Tag Team titles from Mike Rotunda and Barry Windham with his partner the Iron Sheik at the very first Wrestlemania.  Another WWE Hall of Famer and former WWE Tag Team Champion Tito Santana will be in action.  Santana wrestled at the first 9 Wrestlemania’s.  During his stay in the WWE “El Matador” won the WWE Intercontiel Title from Greg Valentine, feuded with Rick Martel, Shawn Micheals, and Macho Man Randy Savage.  After leaving the WWE ring Santana joined the Spanish Announce Team for several years.  Santana is still very active on the local wrestling scene.

            Current TNA superstar Frankie “Kaz” Kazarian will return to Boston on October 26, to perform for a man that took him in.  Kaz, as he is currently now as in TNA, lived in California but moved across America to Boston, just to train at Kowalski’s Wrestling School.  During Kazarian career he has competed all over the world and with TNA and WWE.  Frankie Kazarian started with TNA when during its early years.  He wrestled all the best they had.  In 2005, Kazarian signed a contact with the WWE.  Although is stay in the WWE was short he was able to wrestle many of the starts of Smackdown.  Kaz returned to TNA and became one of the top fan favorites, as well as top talents.  Since his TNA return he won the X-Division Title, wrestled Sting, Kurt Angle, Booker T, Christian Cage, Samoa Joe and headlined many TNA Pay-Per Views.  Frankie Kazarian still remembers how Kowalski took him in and wants to show Walter what he did for Kaz’s career.

            The main event will be a purest dreams match as former WWE Smackdown star Aaron “The Idol” Stevens faces “Hurricane” John Walters.  Both men wrestled all over the world and trained together at Kowalski’s Wrestling School.  John Walters took his wrestling stage name from Walter Kowalski.  This match will be unlike any that has been seen in a long time.  Also there will be an “Old-Time Battle Royal” which will feature many of Kowalski’s former students from years past.  Other wrestlers competing will be Boston Brawler Jerry Bowser, Jimmy Jact Cash, Mike Hollow, and Terry Allen.

            Besides the great action many wrestlers have donated many great items to be sold during the event.  Triple H, Honky Tonk Man, George Steele, and many one of a kind item to be sold with all money going to the Walter Kowalski Fund.  Also, items worn by Killer Kowalski will be sold like his old boots and mask.

            On Sunday after noon, October 26 the wrestling world will focus on Malden’s Irish American Club.  The wrestling world pays honor to a man that gave his life to a sport that he loved.  Walter “Killer” Kowalski will be honored is away that he would love.  The fans will be part of something special at the Irish American Club because the wrestlers are going to make it a special event.