25 Facts About Ivan Putski

1.

Ivan Putski was given the nicknames "The Polish Hammer" and "Polish Power".

2.

Ivan Putski had a famous feud with Superstar Billy Graham over the WWF Championship, which led to many pose-downs, arm wrestling bouts, and long matches between the two.

3.

Ivan Putski was the first Polish wrestler to perform in the WWF.

4.

Ivan Putski was born in Krakow in Poland and migrated to the United States at a young age.

5.

Ivan Putski won the NWA Texas Tag Team Championship with Jose Lothario twice in 1973.

6.

Ivan Putski was routinely the feature act at the Sportatorium, a wrestling-only arena in an industrial section near Downtown Dallas.

7.

Ivan Putski's act consisted of being a happy-go-lucky, often aloof buffoon, who would "miraculously" pin his opponent.

8.

Ivan Putski was often introduced as a former concentration camp survivor, only adding to his sympathetic appeal to audiences of all ages.

9.

Ivan Putski debuted in the World Wide Wrestling Federation in 1974.

10.

On June 25,1976 at Showdown at Shea, Ivan Putski defeated Baron Mikel Scicluna.

11.

On October 22,1979, Ivan Putski teamed with a young rookie Tito Santana to defeat Johnny and Jerry Valiant to win the WWF World Tag Team Championship.

12.

Ivan Putski worked in the renamed World Wrestling Federation in the 1980s, primarily feuding with Roddy Piper and Sgt.

13.

Ivan Putski soon returned to the independent circuit, making occasional appearances in the WWF as a jobber to the stars.

14.

Ivan Putski began to slow down his career in the 1980s.

15.

Ivan Putski won his last tag team championship in May 1981, teaming with Wahoo McDaniel to defeat Dory Funk, Jr.

16.

Ivan Putski made an appearance for International World Class Championship Wrestling teaming with his son, Scott to defeat the Masked Iraqis.

17.

In 1995, Ivan Putski was inducted into the WWF Hall of Fame class of 1995 by his son, Scott.

18.

Ivan Putski won several matches in the company, and he was billed as a tough guy.

19.

Ivan Putski wrestled his last match for NWA New Jersey as he defeated King Kong Bundy by disqualification on February 27,1999.

20.

Ivan Putski occasionally made appearances in the ring during the years.

21.

In 2010, Ivan Putski appeared in a reunion event called "LegendsMania" and he was interviewed.

22.

Ivan Putski participated in the 1978 World's Strongest Man competition, finishing eighth in a field of ten competitors.

23.

Ivan Putski's son, Scott Ivan Putski, is a professional wrestler, having previously worked at World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling.

24.

From 2000 to 2007, Putski worked as head security guard at Jack C Hays High School in Buda, Texas.

25.

On January 8,2012, Ivan Putski was inducted into the Cloverleaf Radio Hall of Fame, Class of 2012.