16 Wrestlers Who Died In 2017
13. George 'The Animal' Steele (16 February)
William James Myers, better known as the green-tongued, soft-toy cuddling George 'The Animal' Steele, died in February at the age of 79 due to kidney failure. He'd been ill for some time.
Steele cut an intimidating figure in the ring, a glowering tank of a man and entirely hirsute except for his bald pate. Before entering the squared circle, he actually worked as a teacher, having earned a BSc and latterly a master's degree in Michigan, only stepping between the ropes as a means to massage his income.
He took to it well, and was soon scouted to the WWWF by long-time champ Bruno Sammartino, whom he feuded with across New York throughout the seventies. It was during this time that he perfected his 'wildman' gimmick, chewing copious Clorets breath mints before performing to give him his distinctive green tongue and scarcely communicating intelligibly during interviews.
Steele's entertaining persona saw him boom in popularity, and by 1985 it was time for him to turn face. A year on, he entered the most memorable feud of his career opposite 'Macho Man' Randy Savage, kicked off by the 'Animal's apparent obsession with Savage's belle Miss. Elizabeth. The two contested at WrestleMania II, but the high-point of their programme - and arguably Steele's career - came a year later in front of 78,000 fans at the Pontiac Silverdome, when 'the Animal' directly interfered in Savage's legendary match against Ricky Steamboat, costing him the victory.
Steele retired a year later after being diagnosed with Crohn's disease, but continued making occasional appearances in wrestling, including brief stint as part of The Oddities in 1998. In his post in-ring career, he surprisingly turned his hand to the silver screen, memorably starring in Tim Burton's Ed Wood as Swedish grappler Tor Johnson - a man he was regularly confused for throughout his early career.