PAGE OF FAME: Stan Stasiak

Stan Stasiak

Stasiak as WWWF champion

Stan "The Man" Stasiak
Real name: George Stipich
Master of the heart punch. WWWF champion for a week and a half in December 1973, bridging the long reigns of Pedro Morales and Bruno Sammartino. Also recognized as world champion in Australia in 1970. Born in Quebec but in his prime was billed from Buzzard Creek, Oregon -- and he did end up moving to Oregon.
Tall, with a grizzled tough-guy look. Made his wrestling debut in Quebec in 1958. Early in his career, had the nickname "Crusher" and used a bearhug as a finisher.

Mostly a heel, but wrestled as a fan favourite in Toronto in the mid-1970s (where he had been a heel in the early 60s). In Toronto, Stasiak had NWA title shots against Jack Brisco (1975) and Terry Funk (1976), a WWWF title match against Superstar Graham (1977), and an AWA title shot against Nick Bockwinkel (1978), as well as memorable feuds against The Sheik and Johnny Valentine.
Stasiak moved to Toronto in 1984 and worked for several years as a security guard at the Toronto Simpsons/Hudson's Bay store before moving back to the west coast in 1994. He died in 1997 at age 60.
Stasiak's son Shawn Stasiak has been a pro wrestler since 1996.
The name "Stan Stasiak" was taken from a successful wrestler from the 20s and 30s -- who died from blood poisoning, contracted during a match.
"Stan Stasiak, husky Canadian heavyweight, who is a protege of Yvon Robert, gave up a big league hockey career to seek his fame and fortune in wrestling. Now campaigning in the East, scribes and commentators are calling Stasiak the "Arvida Assassin." Arvida is a commonwealth of Quebec, Canada." (From THE RING WRESTLING, July 1963)

Prominent Titles:

6-time NWA Pacific Northwest champion, 1965-71, 79
8-time NWA Pacific Northwest tag champion, 1965-69, 79-82
Stampede North American champion, 1968
IWA World champion (Australia), 1970
NWA Texas champion, 1972
WWWF champion, 1973
Texas tag champion (World Class), with Killer Brooks, 1980
Brass Knucks champion (World Class), 1980