European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 2, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                July stars and stripes Page 11 regulate the ring latest death of a pro wrestler Sparks Call for Congress to act wrestlers dying Young riot part of script a surprising number of pro wrestlers die Chris Benoit was the taking his own life after killing his wife and son last notable professional wrestling deaths by year 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 92 93 94 of 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 by Paul Newberry the associated press Atlanta everything is the High flying the outlandish Story the Crackpot Char one thing int in the script the staggering number of pro wrestlers who die Chris Benoit was the Tak ing his own life at age 40 after kill ing his wife and son in a grisly Case that might be the blackest Eye yet for the pseudo sport Al ready ridiculed As a cult like out let for testosterone Ragin Young males to cheer on freakishly bulked up but the grimaced grappler known As the Canadian crippler was hardly alone in heading to an Early the very same weekend Benoit killed his the body of old tag team partner Biff Wellington real name Shayne Bower was found in his dead at a Cou ple of weeks former women Champion sensational Sherri Martel passed away at her Moth ers Home in she was Mike awesome Michael Lee Alfonso in real life was found hanged in his Florida Home in the apparent victim of a suicide at Bam Bam big Elow was 45 when a lethal cock Tail of cocaine and Benz Diaz an Antianxiety stopped his already ailing in and on it dozens and Doz ens of wrestlers meeting a similar Fate Over the past two some died with drugs flowing through their others tried to clean up but belatedly paid the Price for their Lon term abuse of co Caine and other illicit from my 17 years in the Busi i know probably 40 to 45 wrestlers who dropped dead be fore they were Lance a Semi retired wrestler who goes by Lance storm when Hes in the if s an astronomical Over the there Are been numerous proposals to put wrestling under some sort of Over be it at the state or Federal those ideas usually have i Quick draw Rick Mcgraw heart Adrian Adonis car the giant heart John Studd liver Hodgkins Hart ring stunt while being lowered from Guerrero heart Al Benoit i suicide after killing son fallen on deaf largely be cause the be it the old time regional promoters or we owner Vince the Guy who largely controls the sport dont want the government telling them How to run their Jim who parlayed pro football into a ring says he was blackballed when he began pushing for a wrestlers since he has written a Book about his experiences and kept up the push to rein in those who govern the although Wilsons Battle often has been a lonely he says Benoit death might reinvigorate the a Union could be a useful tool for cleaning up the it might Lead to a pension improved More stringent health and safety guidelines and a re vamped pay most top wrestlers get a guaranteed Sal but the bulk of their income is based on How often they com that leads some to feel they must get in the ring while often with the Aid of my longest run was 79 Days in a Row without a Day said Joe the wrestler known As Road Warrior its not As bad Treyve got Good Guys running the we need to take a look at it when things like this the Benoit Mur de suicide Are Guys Are still that Why Wilson is calling for Congress to hold hearings on the wrestling those other they Arent dropping like flies like they Are in the wrestling Wilson now is the time to push for legis lation Hes already spoken with Johnny Isakson who instructed his staff to begin Gath ering information on the Issue to determine if a hearing before the health committee might be War Isakson said his main concern is steroid in not going to Start speculating on Federal regulation of Wres he the Issue is Ana Bolic which Are a significant problem and Are known to cause significant steroids and other mus Cle building drugs Long have been an accepted part of the wrestling allowing the biggest names to pump up to ungodly pro steroids were found in Benoit though investigators Haven determined if they played any role in the brutal killings of his and their 7yearold