If you were growing up watching wrestling in the 80's & 90's, this will hurt.
The Road Warriors, Hawk & Animal (Michael Hegstrand & Joseph Laurinaitis), burst on the scene in the NWA's Mid-Atlantic (Georgia) territory in the early 80's. Animal arrived first, originally known simply as The Road Warrior, before Hawk joined him and manager Paul Ellering. At first, they were part of a stable known as the Legion of Doom, which also included at various times, Jake "The Snake" Roberts, King Kong Bundy, The Spoiler (Don Jardine), and others, before Ellering and/or Georgia Championship matchmakers trimmed it down to just Ellering and the Warriors. The Legion of Doom name was derived from the 1978 Challenge of The Super Friends series, and an all-star collection of villains assembled on the show.
Billed as the Legion of Doom, Hawk & Animal jumped to the then-World Wrestling Federation in 1990, and would have three tours of duty with what is now WWE, the last coming in 2003, before Hegstrand's passing. As noted, Laurinaitis would return, winning one last tag title with Jon Heidenreich in 2005, then a short-lived solo run in 2006-7. The Road Warriors were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2011.
Today, it has been reported that Laurinaitis has passed away at 60. Cause unknown as of press time. His son, James, was an All-American linebacker at Ohio State before being drafted by the then-St. Louis Rams in 2009.
Let's step back in time, to see the Road Warriors in their prime, albeit in a early evening squash on TBS' World Championship Wrestling:
In all probability, WWE will post a tribute graphic as early as tonight. Rest in peace, Animal.
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