WWE Hall of Famer George 'The Animal' Steele dead at 79

Published Mar. 15, 2017 3:09 p.m. ET

Barry Werner

George "The Animal" Steele, a WWE Hall of Famer and one of the great characters in pro wrestling, has died at age 79, WWE reported on Friday.

Steele died in hospice care on Thursday night. He had been battling illnesses since 2015.

One of the great heels in the sport, Steele was known for his green tongue and his love for dining on turnbuckles.

Per WWE.com:

Steele was one of the wildest and most unpredictable Superstars in sports-entertainment history. Yet, despite his green tongue, hairy torso and insatiable appetite for turnbuckle pads, "The Animal" was a very well-educated man. Prior to breaking into sports-entertainment, Steele received his Master’s Degree from Central Michigan University and became a high school teacher and wrestling coach in the Detroit area.

It was during his teaching stint that he began moonlighting in sports-entertainment, working in the Detroit-area promotions. Steele’s first WWE appearances took place in 1967, when he began a heated rivalry with WWE Champion Bruno Sammartino. For nearly 20 years, Steele was a reviled villain, managed by the likes of fellow WWE Hall of Famers The Grand Wizard, "Classy" Freddie Blassie, Capt. Lou Albano and Mr. Fuji. His classic main events against Sammartino, Pedro Morales and Bob Backlund saw him come close to winning the WWE Championship on many occasions.