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Chris Tolos

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Chris Tolos
BornDecember 5, 1929
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada[1]
DiedAugust 13, 2005(2005-08-13) (aged 75)
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada[1]
Cause of deathCancer
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Chris Tolos[1]
Billed height6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Billed weight220 lb (100 kg)
Debut1951[1]
Retired1980

Chris Tolos (December 5, 1929 – August 13, 2005) was a Canadian professional wrestler.[1]

Early life

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Chris was the oldest of the three children born on December 5, 1929, to Greek parents, Nicolaos and Evangelia (Evangeline) Tolos, in Hamilton, Ontario where he and his brother John played football, hockey, lacrosse and track, and learned to wrestle. Chris got into professional wrestling via Wee Willie Davis and made his debut in Buffalo around 1951.[1]

Wrestling career

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Chris debuted as a heel at first, losing preliminary bouts to such performers as Johnny Barend, Sandor Kovacs and Don Beitelman (Curtis), all of whom he would fight many times over the years.[1]

He soon formed a team with his brother John. They held numerous tag titles, including the WWWF U.S. tag titles in 1963, the NWA World tag titles in Florida in 1964 and in Detroit that same year, the World and Canadian tag titles in Vancouver in 1967 and the Pacific Coast tag belts in California in 1953.[1]

In 1972, Chris went to Los Angeles and teamed with John as babyfaces, against Black Gordman and Goliath, one of his few stints as a babyface.[1]

In the late 1960s he feuded with Iron Mike Dibiase in Omaha, and was a contender for the NWA World title.[1]

Death

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Chris Tolos died of cancer on Friday, August 13, 2005.[1] His brother and tag team partner John died in May 2009.[2]

Championships and accomplishments

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Oliver, Greg (August 13, 2005). "Chris Tolos Dies Of Cancer". Slam Wrestling. Archived from the original on February 2, 2023. Retrieved March 27, 2008.
  2. ^ Noland, Claire (June 1, 2019). "John Tolos dies at 78; notorious wrestling villain known as the Golden Greek". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on December 4, 2021. Retrieved June 2, 2009.
  3. ^ "NWA Canadian Tag Team Title (Vancouver)". Wrestling Titles. Retrieved February 25, 2008.
  4. ^ "World Tag Team Title (Vancouver)". Wrestling Titles. Retrieved February 25, 2008.
  5. ^ "World Wide Wrestling Association (1963)". Wrestling-Titles. Retrieved February 3, 2024.