Johnny Valentine Death – Heart Failure
Johnny Valentine was a tough-as-nails territory-era megastar who inadvertently saved Ric Flair’s career.
1928-2001 (Age 72)
“Handsome” Johnny Valentine, a double-tough wrestler who epitomized the methodical style of the territory era and who inadvertently sacrificed his career for that of “Nature Boy” Ric Flair. Johnny Valentine would prove his toughness every night in the ring but it would be the last 25 years of his life where he proved just what toughness really is.
A Methodical Worker
John Wisniski was born on September 22, 1928, in the state of Washington. Standing 6’4”, he had the size and attitude to become a successful wrestler. Wisniski began working in the late 40s, an ideal time as “The Golden Age of Professional Wrestling” was right around the corner.
During the 1950s wrestling was everywhere on television and so was Valentine. Soon, Valentine was working with the industry’s best including Buddy Rogers, Jerry Graham, the Fabulous Kangaroos, and other top stars.
Johnny Valentine was known for working a slow style that took fans time to get accustomed too. As the story goes, whenever Valentine entered a new territory, he would take several minutes to execute any significant moves, leading to fans’ impatience. Valentine worked at his own pace and over time, trained the fans to patiently watch his matches unfold, often over the course of an hour.
Father and Son or is it Brother and Brother?
While he never held a world singles championship, Johnny Valentine won many regional championships and competed against the biggest names in the industry both in North America and Japan. Valentine competed with superstars such as Lou Thesz, Bruno Sammartino, Antonino Rocca, the Crusher, and Pat O’Connor.
When Johnny’s son Greg Valentine began competing, the two were identified as brothers so that Johnny’s age wasn’t apparent. Johnny Valentine was able to pull this off with fans being none the wiser.
The Bloody Bruiser
Johnny Valentine was known for working stiff (as well as playing often-cruel practical jokes on his fellow wrestlers), delivering hard-hitting chops and forearm smashes to his opponents. Valentine expected the same from his opponents as he cultivated a realistic look in the ring.
Whether he worked as a babyface or heel, Valentine had many bloody battles. Johnny had unforgettable wars against The Sheik, Bobo Brazil, and Wahoo McDaniel. Wherever Valentine and his sparring partners, it meant plenty of green for promoters. It also meant plenty of red for the wrestlers, who bled buckets in their various matches.
A Twist of Fate
On October 4, 1975, Johnny Valentine was involved in an airplane accident involving himself and fellow wrestlers Ric Flair, Bob Bruggers, Tim “Mr. Wrestling” Woods as well as David Crockett, the brother to promoter Jim Crockett Jr.
Wrestling lore has it that Flair was anxious about sitting in the front seat and nagged Valentine until Johnny agreed to switch places. The plane crashed, injuring everyone aboard but no one as badly as Valentine, who was partially paralyzed from the injuries he sustained.
The move likely saved Flair’s career because while Flair suffered a broken back, he eventually returned to the ring. While no one will ever know what would have happened if Flair had sat in the front, Valentine reportedly never held a grudge.
Tough Until the End
Despite the premature end to his career, Johnny Valentine never sought sympathy. He continued to tough things out until the end. For the next 25 years, the man often considered as the toughest in the ring proved his toughness outside it, enduring constant pain.
In 2000, he suffered a freak accident when he fell off his porch, breaking his back and twisting his colon. Hospitalized, Valentine fought for his life with his wife Sharon recalling “The doctors did say if it was any other man he’d have been dead a long time ago. All I can say is he is tough.”
The Death of Johnny Valentine
Johnny Valentine endured until his heart finally gave out. A report from SLAM! Wrestling detailed Johnny’s last day:
Sunday evening John had developed a temperature that escalated really high,” explained Sharon Valentine’s sister Brenda. “(The hospital) called us up early in the morning and told us he was having problems breathing. They were going to move him to the critical care unit. Then they called us a little while later and said his heart had stopped. They were trying to work on him for 45 minutes but they couldn’t do anything.”
Johnny Valentine passed away on April 24, 2001, in River Oaks, Texas. He was 72 and survived by his wife Sharon and son Greg. Johnny Valentine was cremated, and his ashes were given to his wife.
A Victim of Neglect?
While Valentine never complained, many saw the wrestling industry’s neglect of him to be shameful. SLAM! Wrestling’s John Molinaro summed it up best in 2001 after Valentine died:
Wrestling’s 25-year neglect of Johnny Valentine is an indictment of the wrestling industry and further underscores a sobering reality: wrestling is a cold-blooded and morally sterile business.
Did you get to see Johnny Valentine wrestle? What do you think of his life story? Let us know in the comments below.
Other pro wrestlers who died in 2001 include Bertha Faye, Chris Adams, and Terry Gordy.
