George "The Animal" Steele had been successful in pro wrestling since the 1960s, but it was during the final year of his active wrestling career that he took part in a storyline that has always been remembered by fans as silly and ridiculous. Steele began to come to the ring with a stuffed animal that he nicknamed "Mine." Steele was coming off a long storyline with Randy Savage where he was secretly (or not so secretly) in love with Elizabeth and wanting to defend her from the poor treatment that Savage was known for giving to his lovely manager. As 1988 began, with Savage turning into a good guy during his push towards his first world championship victory at WrestleMania IV, Steele needed a new direction. That new direction turned to be coming to the ring with an ugly blue stuffed animal. Steele wrestled off and on throughout 1988, and by the end of the year his health (Crohn's Disease) had deteriorated to the point that he was forced to retire from active competition.
