When Professional Wrestlers Had Cauliflower Ears: The Life and Times of Ron "The Golden Gladiator" Hill (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781453843208)

Ron "The Golden Gladiator" Hill saw his first wrestling match at the age of 12 in his home town in Massachusetts. He trained for five years and got his big break at the age of 17 to enter the ring for his first match. His naturally athletic style led him to become the first "Cowboy" of professional wrestling. From his days as a deliverer of coal to a live action stuntman to a private investigator he was always a wrestler first. He learned the art from the old-timers and earned two cauliflower ears, busted knees and a bent nose along the way. He took on all-comers at fairs and events around the northeast and was never defeated in a real match. He was crowned the World's Light Heavyweight Champion in 1962 and even created his own system of self-defense still taught today. Ron taught many future stars in the business of professional wrestling. He may not have always conceeded to the foolishness of the business but he truly always wanted to see a day when real professional wrestling would return to the fans. No matter what anyone thought of him, Ron was always a wrestler first in his mind.