Wrestlers that went on to unexpected careers

[Henry197 1]

I had a sporting gear retail job during the summer back in the 90s, and met a lot of different people. And one of those people was a guy I remember from high school who used to play on our football team. He was not super tall, being around 5'8" so couldn't play in college, but what surprised me as we got to talking about the "old days" was that presently he was a professional artist, specifically (if I remember this correctly) one who dealt with permanent artistic works built from steel, aluminum, etc and displayed outside, not a surprising choice I guess since he had taken a metal shop class at the same time I was taking a wood shop class next door.

 

Any stories of *wrestlers* that now have careers you didn't expect them to go into?

[Matburn155 3]

I remember reading somewhere that Leonce Crump went on to become a preacher/Pastor at a church. Don't know how rare this is but found it interesting, as that is the same thing I ended up doing.

[JohnnyThompsonnum1 93]

Nate Parker of Oklahoma is acting out in Hollywood now. He's had a fairly successful career thus far.

[greenmt. 4]

Tom Cruise and Abe Lincoin did very well for themselves after they hung up thier shoes.

[silver-medal 669]

Some guy named Phil ....? wrestled for Cleveland State University and went on to have a terrific career as a singer in Vegas. Not Mansueto.

[Buckxell 142]

Didn't know that about Parker... What has he been in?

[Wire 23]

Didn't know that about Parker... What has he been in?

 

 

My Dad's little brother, Col. Donny Hall (2X Iowa HS Champ) .... went on to a very long and decorated career in the the Marines, and was laid to rest in Arlington this past summer. He was also the Team Captain for Iowa Teachers, when he wrestled for them in College.

 

Unexpected, as he was such a tiny little squirt of a guy. We all are ... Tough as nails, and smart as a whip. Ended up a Millionaire .... We suspected he was selling or brokering Arms ...

[JohnnyThompsonnum1 93]

Didn't know that about Parker... What has he been in?

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nate_Parker

 

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1676649/

[JerryCallo 41]

Dr Robert Huizenga - is somewhat of a "doctor to the stars" in Hollywood having been the team physician for the Oakland Raiders, as well as testifying at the OJ trial. He has was some kind of technical advisor to one of those reality TV shows - "Biggest Loser", maybe?

 

He was an AA at 177 from Michigan in the early 1970's and a proponent of the Wade Shalles funk style in HS in upstate NY. He definitely marched to a different drummer but was a heck of a wrestler.

[Tofurky 590]

Gbenga Akinnagbe - wrestled for Bucknell and then went on to play Chris Partlow for five season on The Wire.

 

Wasn't there a kid from Oklahoma who might have been an All-American his freshman year, then quit to pursue a career in music? His name is escaping, though I can see his face.

 

There was a guy who pitched for the St. Louis Cardinals (I think during their 2006 World Series run) who is/was a wrestling coach in Pennsylvania during the off-season.

[headache 124]

Gbenga Akinnagbe - wrestled for Bucknell and then went on to play Chris Partlow for five season on The Wire.

 

Wasn't there a kid from Oklahoma who might have been an All-American his freshman year, then quit to pursue a career in music? His name is escaping, though I can see his face.

 

There was a guy who pitched for the St. Louis Cardinals (I think during their 2006 World Series run) who is/was a wrestling coach in Pennsylvania during the off-season.

That was Jacob Newby. What happened to him?

[JohnnyThompsonnum1 93]

Gbenga Akinnagbe - wrestled for Bucknell and then went on to play Chris Partlow for five season on The Wire.

 

Wasn't there a kid from Oklahoma who might have been an All-American his freshman year, then quit to pursue a career in music? His name is escaping, though I can see his face.

 

There was a guy who pitched for the St. Louis Cardinals (I think during their 2006 World Series run) who is/was a wrestling coach in Pennsylvania during the off-season.

As for the kid who quit to pursue a music career, you're not thinking of McIntire are you? I can't think of his first name but there was a McIntire that pinned Zach Esposito in a tournament and then quit before his freshman season was even over. I don't know what became of him, but I think he was into orchestra and symphony type music. When you hear, "gave up wrestling for music" some automatically think that he quit school to join up with some buddies to play at the local bars while living in his parents basement. The reality of the situation to my understanding is that he studied music at Indiana, and put all of his energy and focus into that.

[headache 124]

Here's Newby's profile contained in College Wrestling News article entitled "Twenty Best High School Wrestler in the Last Twenty Years.". He was ranked 12th:

 

12. Jacob Newby (Oklahoma)

 

 

 

Slick and quick, Newby's only place in Fargo was at the top of the podium. Although he won Cadet Nationals after his freshman year, it was his big upset of defending champion Chad Renner in the finals of Junior Nationals after his junior year that really vaulted him to stardom. The following year, Newby not only repeated in dominating fashion as Junior Nationals champion at 154 pounds, but also won FILA Junior Nationals (20-and-under age group), defeating Marcus Mollica, who would go on to win NCAA's the following spring.

After finishing fourth in the NCAA's as a redshirt freshman, Newby gave up wrestling to pursue a music career.

[Tofurky 590]

Gbenga Akinnagbe - wrestled for Bucknell and then went on to play Chris Partlow for five season on The Wire.

 

Wasn't there a kid from Oklahoma who might have been an All-American his freshman year, then quit to pursue a career in music? His name is escaping, though I can see his face.

 

There was a guy who pitched for the St. Louis Cardinals (I think during their 2006 World Series run) who is/was a wrestling coach in Pennsylvania during the off-season.

As for the kid who quit to pursue a music career, you're not thinking of McIntire are you? I can't think of his first name but there was a McIntire that pinned Zach Esposito in a tournament and then quit before his freshman season was even over. I don't know what became of him, but I think he was into orchestra and symphony type music. When you hear, "gave up wrestling for music" some automatically think that he quit school to join up with some buddies to play at the local bars while living in his parents basement. The reality of the situation to my understanding is that he studied music at Indiana, and put all of his energy and focus into that.

 

 

I was referencing Newby, but I do remember hearing about this kid, too. I'd forgotten about him until you mentioned him here. Thanks, JT1.

[tightwaist 388]

An old HS rival of mine, who went on to a solid career at Duke is now a college professor...with a little twist.

 

http://www.ucdadvocate.com/news/uc-personality-jim-walsh-1.2108870

 

 

http://www.ucdadvocate.com/2.1897/walsh-teaches-history-with-heart-1.123208

[vsnej 190]

Anyone ever eat at Benihana's ?

 

Rocky Aoki

 

http://www.rockyhaoki.com/biography.html

[DF 181]

Motivational Speaker

[gutfirst 218]

Motivational Speaker

 

 

always funny, always.

[Garp 0]

Jim Voss wrestled for Auburn University and later became an astronaut.

[silver-medal 669]

Phil Sadalla--2x Vegas entertainer of the year. Wrestled for Cleveland State.

[BobPreusse 0]

silver-medal, heres back at u with another Cleveland guy makes good. Star of the Food Network, he also has a show on one of the 3 main networks, an afternoon national show, Iron Chef Michael Symon wrestled for St Eds.

[Werwa 1]

Eric Tannenbaum, 4XAA at Michigan is a physician.

[Cheap_Tilt 12]

[Medicine_Man 875]

[Medicine_Man 875]