Verne Gagne is often considered the grandfather of modern professional wrestling. Born in 1926 in Corcoran, he was an NCAA wrestling champion at the University of Minnesota in 1948-49.
In 1960, he established the American Wrestling Association in Minneapolis. The AWA came to be known as perhaps the nation's premier pro wrestling organization, and Gagne's speed, athleticism and flashy style established him as the AWA's favorite good guy.
The AWA went out of business in 1991, unable to compete with Vince McMahon's World Wrestling Federation (WWF), which had national aspirations.
Gagne has four children. His wife, Mary, died in 2002 after 56 years of marriage.
GRAYDON ROYCE
