TODAY IN PRO WRESTLING HISTORY… OCT 6th: Saying Goodbye to Gorilla

DATELINE: OCT 6, 1999 – WILLINGBORO TOWNSHIP, NJ


Gorilla_Monsoon_Full

Robert ‘Gino’ Marella, who would go on to worldwide fame as Gorilla Monsoon, dies of heart failure brought on by complications from diabetes. He was 62 years old.

The legendary wrestler, announcer and executive was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 1994. His spot backstage has forever been memorialized as ‘The Gorilla Position’, and is (of course) the inspiration behind the name of our website.

After his passing, his former broadcast partner and longtime friend Bobby Heenan would remember him on that night’s episode of Monday Nitro. In a rare serious, onscreen moment, The Brain struggled through this short, but heart-wrenching tribute:


YouTube: Tadd061185


Want More? Choose another story!

Visit ProWrestlingStories.com - Your daily source of wrestling history and nostalgia!
Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Related Articles