WWE Hall of Famer George “The Animal” Steele has passed away at the age of 79.
Wrestling agent Eric Simms noted on Facebook on Thursday that Steele had entered hospice care and that it wasn’t looking good for him. WWE Hall of Famer Bob Backlund also noted on Facebook earlier this week that Steele was not at home when he called, and that Steele’s wife informed Backlund that he may not be coming back home this time, indicating that he was under hospice care. Steele reportedly passed away late Thursday night.
“The Animal” spent years scaring the hell out of generations of fans, and then became one of the most beloved characters of the 1980’s after turning baby face on a 1985 edition of Saturday Night’s Main Event. Steele will be remembered as a headliner in Madison Square Garden against the likes of several World Champions, including Bruno Sammartino, Pedro Morales, and Bob Backlund. Whether you followed him in Detroit, Pittsburgh, or the WWF, the Animal was always a major presense for whichever territory he was a part of before he settled down to work as a road agent for the WWF in 1988 and well into the 1990’s.
We here at Crazy Max send our condolences to the friends, family, and fans of Jim Myers (George “The Animal” Steele).
