As a youngster in the 1950's I used to read all the American wrestling and boxing magazines. That's where I got to know Pepper Gomez. He featured prominently in all the magazines, as he was a superstar who used to throw his body around and was more acrobatic than most wrestlers. So I was saddened to learn of his passing in May.
The report from the American paper is as follows.
Legendary sports star and Alameda resident for decades; Joseph "Pepper" Gomez was taken off life support Wednesday night and passed away Thursday May 6.
One of the biggest name pro wrestlers worldwide, and a long-time local celebrity and Alameda resident, Pepper Gomez passed away at age 77.
Pepper was a huge pro wrestling star worldwide main eventing at the old Madison Square Garden, the top arenas in Japan, Hong Kong, Mexico City and Australia and was one of the first Latino athletes breaking the barrier and finally getting work in the U.S. rings.
"I had many friends in the wrestling business – Ray Stevens and Pat Patterson were great pals, my best friend Bobby Heenan and his wife, John and Chris Tolos, Morris Seigel and Paul Boesch, Walt Kowalski, Lou Thesz – what a great star and man he was, Al Costello, Pat O'Connor, and very proud of that kid (The Rock) who used to sit on my lap" Pepper said last year.
Pepper was a main event fixture and was often billed as U.S. Champion and world tag team champion. At various times in the 60's he additionally held other tag team titles with the likes of Pedro Morales as his partner. Pepper defeated some of the games greatest stars during wrestling's golden age including Ray Stevens, The Sharpe Brothers, Classy Freddie Blassie, John Tolos, Kenji Shibuya, Mitsu Arakawa, Stan "The Man" Staziak, and another local legend who would become W.W.E.'s main scriptwriter and the propelling promotional force behind Hayward born Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, San Francisco wrestling great Pat Patterson. Pepper and Rocky were world champions on several occasions here and friends for over 40 years. Pepper was U.S. Champ on many occasions.
Sad to report the passing of one of the greats, sadly he didn't come to New Zealand, but I do recall him in Australian rings.
