Arnold Skaaland

January 21, 1925

Arnold Skaaland was a renowned American professional wrestler and manager. After serving in World War II, he began his wrestling career in 1946 and became known as the "Golden Boy" for his agility and cleverness in the ring. He joined the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) in 1963, and in 1967, he won the WWWF United States Tag Team Championship. In 1978, Skaaland retired from active wrestling and transitioned to managing, guiding stars like Bruno Sammartino and Bob Backlund to win the WWF World Heavyweight Championship. He was recognized as Manager of the Year in 1978 and 1979. Skaaland was also a shareholder in the WWWF and worked as an agent for André the Giant. In 1994, he was inducted into the WWF Hall of Fame. Skaaland passed away on March 13, 2007, at the age of 82, and was buried at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in New York.