10 Fascinating WWE Royal Rumble 1998 Facts
6. Referee Jack Doan Was Hospitalized After An In-Match Incident
At baseball games, they tell the fans to watch out for flying objects - you never know when an errant foul ball or even a broken sliver of bat will come hurtling in your direction. The same warning should be issued for ringsiders at wrestling matches.
Referee Jack Doan was presiding outside the ring during the Rumble match when suddenly, 300-plus pound Phineas Godwinn was casting a mighty shadow over him. The diminutive referee was hit in the skull by Godwinn's outstretched leg as Phineas was being eliminated, and Doan was seriously injured as a result.
According to Meltzer, Doan had to be rushed out of the arena in an ambulance, having suffered an apparent head injury. The diagnosis ended up being a concussion, and thankfully nothing more serious.