Abe Coleman

Infobox Wrestler
name = Abe Coleman


caption = Abe Coleman at his 100th birthday party on September 18 2005.
names=Abe Coleman
Hebrew Hercules
Jewish Tarzan
birth_date = birth date|1905|9|20|mf=y
birth_place = Żychlin, Poland
death_date = death date|2007|3|28|mf=y (aged 101)
death_place = Queens, New York, U.S.
billed = Los Angeles, California
debut= 1928
retired= 1958
height= 5 ft 3 in
weight= 220 lb
bicep= 18 in
neck= 18.5 in Abe Coleman, born Abbe Kelmer, (September 20 1905 – March 28 2007) was a Polish-American professional wrestler who was, at the time of his death, believed to be the oldest member of his profession in the world. His wife, June Miller, who he married in 1939, died in 1987. Coleman says he landed in Miller's lap after being thrown from the ring in Madison Square Garden.

Coleman was born in Żychlin, Poland, and moved to the United States in 1923, by way of Winnipeg, Canada. Coleman had 15 older brothers and sisters, some of whom perished in the Holocaust [ [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F60A14F935540C718CDDAD0894DF404482# Abe Coleman, 101, Wrestler Known as Hebrew Hercules - New York Times ] ] . His father sold coal in Poland.

Coleman's first match took place in 1928 in Brooklyn at Ridgewood Grove, when local promoter Rudy Miller offered Coleman $25 to wrestle after seeing him work out in a Brooklyn gym.

Coleman's notability comes from claims that he invented the dropkick. He claimed the move was inspired by kangaroos he saw on a tour of Australia in 1930.

Coleman's nicknames included Hebrew Hercules and Jewish Tarzan. A Jewish man, he wrestled at a time when there were few Jewish athletes, and he endured fair amounts of anti-semitism. But was greatly praised within his own community, "The Jewish Daily Bulletin" hailed him in 1934 as a "past master of the art of grunts, groans and grimaces".

Although never a Champion, but rather a middlecard standby, he still wrestled in over 2,000 matches. One of the most notable took place in the 1930s against Jim Londos, this match was said to be in front of 60,000 spectators in a Mexico City bullring. In another match, he raised Man Mountain Dean (all 210 kilograms of him) over his head and 'slammed' him, in turn breaking through the mat and onto the auditorium floor.

Coleman retired from wrestling in 1958, after which he served as a wrestling judge, and inspected license plates for the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles. Outside of wrestling, Coleman's interests included poker and horse racing.

Still feisty in his old age, Coleman is said to have responded to his nephews call to wrestle him on his 100th birthday with, "Get my tights and Jock-strap". Coleman told the story of how he fought off two muggers while he was in his 80's to anyone who would listen.

Coleman died on March 28 2007 in a nursing home in Queens, New York of kidney failure. [cite news|title = Oldest pro wrestler passes away today|publisher = Wrestling Observer|date = 2007-03-28|url=http://www.wrestlingobserver.com/wo/news/headlines/default.asp?aID=19072|accessdate = 2007-12-10]

In wrestling

*Finishing and signature moves
**"Dropkick" – Innovated
**Flying tackle
**Airplane spin
**Mule kick
**Kangaroo Kick

External links

* [http://www.friendsofmicronesia.com/archives/001121.html Small bio from friendsofmicronesia.com]
* [http://www.solie.org/newsletter/svwn600.html Archived Gordon Solie newsletter featuring article on Abe Coleman's 90th birthday]
* [http://www.zwire.com/site/index.cfm?newsid=13931873 Queens Chronicle article on Abe Coleman's 99th birthday]
* [http://www.zwire.com/site/index.cfm?newsid=15257932 Queens Chronicle article on Abe Coleman's 100th birthday]

References

* http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/2007/03/28/3860797.html

Persondata
NAME=Coleman, Abe
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=Kelmer, Abe (birth)
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Polish-American professional wrestler
DATE OF BIRTH=September 20 1905
PLACE OF BIRTH=Żychlin, Poland
DATE OF DEATH=March 28 2007
PLACE OF DEATH=Queens, New York