The Grand Wizard Death – Heart Attack 1926-1983 (age 57) Irwin “Ernie” Roth, best known to wrestling fans as The Grand Wizard, died on October 12, 1983 from a heart attack. Roth worked Detroit territories in the 60s, managing under the moniker of “Abdullah Farouk”. He played a middle eastern who loved to taunt the U.S. crowds – essentially creating the blueprint for “evil foreign” heel managers. Wizard was a heat magnet, and wrestling historians often cite him as one of the best managers of all time. The Grand Wizard joins WWWF Roth joined the WWWF in the 70s when it was under ownership of Vince Sr. He took on clientele including the late Mr. Fuji, who would go on to become a legendary heel manager in his own right. Throughout his career, Wizard managed a long list of talent, including Killer Kowalski, The Sheik, Sgt. Slaughter, Kamala, Ox Baker, Cowboy Bob
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