Happy Birthday to those who have passed on and to those great wrestlers still with us:
In Memoriam:
Red Bastien 1931
Big Bad John 1943
Ken Timbs 1951
Happy Birthday:
Angel Acevedo\The Cuban Assassin (81)
Alyse Ashton (40)
Zoey Stark (33)
RIP Memorial: We stop & remember those who have passed on this day and gave themselves to the business for us, the fans. We salute you and thank you.
Shirley Strimple 1-27-1990 at the age of 61
Andre The Giant 1-27-1993 at the age of 46
Hard Boiled Haggerty 1-27-2004 at the age of 78
Gloria Barattini 1-27-2014 at the age of 84
Larry Winters 1-27-2015 at the age of 58
Carlos Rocha 1-27-2020 at the age of 93
The Life and Career of Hard Boiled Haggerty
Don Stansauk, better known to the world as Hard Boiled Haggerty, was a multifaceted figure whose life spanned professional sports, entertainment, and military service. Born on April 2, 1925, in Los Angeles, California, Haggerty’s journey from a young athlete to a wrestling icon and Hollywood character actor exemplifies the grit and versatility of mid-20th-century American entertainers. His career in professional wrestling during the 1950s and 1960s made him a household name among fans, while his later forays into acting showcased his imposing presence on screen. Haggerty passed away on January 27, 2004, at the age of 78, leaving behind a legacy of championships, memorable roles, and contributions to the wrestling community.
Haggerty’s early years were rooted in Southern California, where he developed a passion for athletics that would define much of his life. He attended Pasadena City College before transferring to the University of Denver, where he honed his skills in football and became an avid wrestling fan. However, his education was interrupted by World War II. At a young age, Haggerty enlisted in the United States Navy and served in the Pacific Theater aboard the battleship USS New Jersey, experiencing the rigors of wartime duty that instilled in him a disciplined resilience.
After the war, Haggerty returned to his athletic pursuits. In 1950, he was drafted in the 18th round by the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL), where he played as a defensive tackle for one season. He was then traded to the Green Bay Packers, appearing in 15 games over two seasons and recording two fumble recoveries. Standing at 6 feet 1 inch and weighing around 285 pounds, Haggerty’s physical prowess made him a formidable presence on the gridiron, but his football career was short-lived, paving the way for his entry into professional wrestling.
Haggerty’s transition to wrestling began in 1952 during the NFL off-season, when he debuted under his real name in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Trained by Danny Loos in Denver, he quickly moved to Chicago, where promoter Karl Pojello rechristened him Don Sparrow. His big break came in Minneapolis under promoter Wally Karbo, who dubbed him “Hard Boiled Haggerty”—a name that evoked his tough, no-nonsense persona. As a heel wrestler, Haggerty cultivated an arrogant, bank-executive-like demeanor that contrasted with his rough in-ring style, drawing boos from crowds and establishing him as one of the era’s quintessential antagonists, alongside figures like Johnny Valentine and Buddy Rogers.
Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Haggerty competed across numerous territories, including Georgia, Texas, St. Louis, California, Ohio, New York, Maryland, Chicago, and Hawaii. He was particularly prominent in the American Wrestling Association (AWA), where he became a multi-time world tag team champion. His tag team partnerships were legendary: he won the AWA World Tag Team Championship three times—once with Lenny Montana (who was later replaced by Gene Kiniski after an injury), once with Kiniski, and once with Bob Geigel. Other notable titles included the NWA World Tag Team Championship (San Francisco version) with Ray Eckert in 1950, the NWA Pacific Coast Tag Team Championship (San Francisco) twice with Tom Rice, the NWA Texas Tag Team Championship with Stu Gibson in 1955, and the NWA Canadian Open Tag Team Championship with Dick Hutton in 1956.
Pictured: Gene Kiniski and Hard Boiled Haggerty
Haggerty also captured singles gold, such as the IWA World Heavyweight Championship in Montreal by defeating Killer Kowalski in 1956 (though he lost it back shortly after), the AWA United States Heavyweight Championship from Kiniski, the NWA Hawaii Heavyweight Championship from Neff Maivia in 1964, and the NWA “Beat the Champ” Television Championship. In Hawaii, he won the NWA Hawaii Tag Team Championship twice and the NWA Hawaii United States Championship in 1965. His feuds were intense, challenging stars like Whipper Billy Watson in Toronto, Yvon Robert in Montreal, and in Calgary against Adrien Baillargeon, George and Sandy Scott, Fritz von Erich, and others. At his peak, Haggerty earned up to $60,000 annually, a substantial sum for the time, and was hailed by AWA promoter Verne Gagne as “really good for wrestling” for his ability to energize crowds. He retired from the ring in 1972 after a 20-year career.
Retiring from wrestling in the late 1960s, Haggerty leveraged his intimidating physique—bald head, mustache, and hulking frame—to break into acting. His film debut came in 1968 with an uncredited role as “Ape” in P.J., but he gained notice in 1969’s Paint Your Wagon, sharing scenes with Clint Eastwood and Lee Marvin.
Over the next two decades, he appeared in over 30 films, often typecast as thugs, gangsters, or villains. Standout roles included the menacing wrestler “Billy Kiss” in The Big Brawl (1980), where he squared off against Jackie Chan; Brandi in Foxy Brown (1974); a pool shark in Earthquake (1974); Mickey Navarro in The Four Deuces (1975); Bulow in Walking Tall: Final Chapter (1977); Captain Nemo in The One and Only (1978); a jailor in Deathsport (1978); Barkhas Guillory in Micki & Maude (1984); Tank in Hollywood Vice Squad (1986); Sgt. Smith in Rad (1986); and Awful Abdul in Million Dollar Mystery (1987). He also had a small part in Dirty Harry (1971) and The Muppet Movie (1979).
On television, Haggerty guest-starred in numerous shows, including Adam-12 (1971), Kung Fu, Get Smart, Starsky and Hutch, Columbo, Baretta, Happy Days, The Bob Newhart Show, The Love Boat, The Incredible Hulk (as Gregor Potemkin in two episodes), The Fall Guy, Crazy Like a Fox, Fantasy Island, and Mr. Belvedere. His wrestling background informed many of these roles, and as CAC president Red Bastein noted, Haggerty “kicked the door down” in Hollywood, becoming a respected figure in the industry.
Haggerty was married and had two children, residing in Pacific Palisades and later Malibu, California. He was a longtime member of the Cauliflower Alley Club (CAC), a benevolent organization for wrestling veterans, where he was honored with the Iron Mike Mazurki Award in 1993 and another accolade in 1992. Known for his humor and charisma, he once quipped upon receiving the award, “We will have to call me ‘Soft Boiled’ after tonight,” as he teared up. At a 2001 CAC reunion, he emphasized the value of memories, calling attendees “rich” in shared experiences. Tragedy struck on June 20, 2003, when Haggerty suffered a severe car accident in Los Angeles, resulting in a broken neck and other injuries. Despite rehabilitation, complications from the accident, including a stroke, led to his death on January 27, 2004, in Malibu. He was buried at Forest Lawn - Hollywood Hills Cemetery, with a funeral attended by family and wrestling peers.
60 Year Wrestling Television Flashback
1-27-1966 (Thursday evening): Live Wrestling From Washington D.C. was broadcast on Live Television, WTTG-TV Channel 5 from the Capitol Arena produced by the Capitol Wrestling Corporation with commentator Ray Morgan
Arnold Skaaland & Antonio Pugliese defeated Angelo Savoldi & Tony Altimore in 2 out of 3 falls
The Beast (John Yachetti) defeated Pete Sanchez
Ronnie Etchison vs Smasher Sloan went to a time limit draw
One Thing I Learned About Andre The Giant
He enjoyed ribbing his friends by physically moving their parked cars while they were out drinking, often sliding them into narrow alleys or turning them to face the opposite direction.
Thank You for Reading
I’m Tony Richards, Pro Wrestling Historian, Author and Storyteller. I share pro wrestling historical items in each issue of the Time Tunnel Pro Wrestling History Newsletter. Thanks for reading! If you enjoy my information on select events, matches and insights, please share it with folks you think might like to be a subscriber!
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