CBS News reports that Wrestling legend and WWE Hall of Fame member George “the Animal” Steele has died, the WWE confirmed via Twitter. “WWE is saddened to learn that WWE Hall of Famer George ‘the Animal’ Steele has passed away,” the organization tweeted, along with a photo of Steele in his wrestling prime. He also had his colon removed in 2002. He was born William James Myers in 1937 and started out as a professional football player.
STAMFORD, Conn. (AP) — WWE Hall of Fame member George “The Animal” Steele, whose given name was Jim Myers, has died at age 79.
WWE announced Friday the death of Steele, who was living in Florida. The Detroit native had tweeted and blogged in recent months about his declining health. He dealt with the digestive disorder Crohn’s disease for several years.
Sporting a bald head, hairy back and green tongue, Steele was famous for his signature move of sinking his teeth into the turnbuckle pads around the ring. At a Boston Red Sox game in 2012, he pretended to take a bite from the baseball before throwing out a ceremonial first pitch.
Steele was once a Detroit-area high school teacher and coach who received a master’s degree from Central Michigan.
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