Reggie "The Crusher" Lisowski passes away

Reggie "The Crusher" Lisowski passes away
Oct. 25, 2005

The world of sports-entertainment suffered a major loss Saturday when Reggie “The Crusher” Lisowski passed away at the age of 79.

Most fans knew Reggie Lisowski simply as The Crusher. He got his start in Chicago, but is probably best known for his time in the American Wrestling Association. In the AWA he was paired up with Dick The Bruiser, forming one of the most formidable tag teams in sports-entertainment history.


The Crusher held the AWA Heavyweight Championship on three separate occasions and the AWA Tag Team Championship an amazing eight times with the likes of Dick The Bruiser, Verne Gagne, Billy Robinson and Baron Von Raschke. The Crusher won his first AWA Heavyweight Championship when he defeated Verne Gagne in July 1963 and won it again from his rival November. Whether it was in the tag team ranks or singles competition, The Crusher was always at odds with the Vachons. He defeated Mad Dog Vachon in August 1965 for his final AWA Heavyweight Championship.


In addition to countless battles with the Vachons, The Crusher and Dick The Bruiser also traded the AWA Tag Team Championship back and forth with the likes of Larry Hennig & WWE Hall of Famer Harley Race, as well as AWA legends Nick Bockwinkle & Ray Stevens.


The Crusher retired from full-time action in the early 1980s, but he still continued wrestling until the late 1980s, completing a career that spanned four decades. The Crusher made several appearances in WWE during the 1980s and even teamed up with Hulk Hogan. The Crusher and one-time rival Mad Dog Vachon also appeared at the May In Your House pay-per-view event in 1998 and were honored for their achievements in the ring. Jerry “The King” Lawler belittled the legendary wrestlers, but The Crusher got the last laugh as he forced The King to retreat.