10 Things You Didn't Know About George "The Animal" Steele
4. He First Retired In 1988
Ultimately, Steele's tenure with "Mine" wouldn't last long. Later in 1988, he was diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disorder Crohn's Disease and forced to step away from the ring. The disease had a major effect on Steele's life, though in 1998, he was diagnosed as in remission.
In 2002, he underwent surgery to remove his colon in order to prevent any recurrences.
Of course, 1988 wouldn't be the end of the road for Steele in terms of pro wrestling. Many modern-day fans remember him best for his WWE run during the Attitude Era, when he was a part of popular undercard stable The Oddities.
Along with Kurrgan, Giant Silva, Golga, and Luna Vachon, he would regularly show up on Raw, and while age prevented him from doing much, he could still bite open a turnbuckle as well as ever. Even after The Oddities' run ended, Steele would make occasional cameos on WWE TV.