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Alejandro Cruz (wrestler)
Encyclopedia
Alejandro Cruz Ortiz was a Mexican
Luchador
(professional wrestler), known worldwide as Black Shadow. Cruz's mask vs. mask match against El Santo in 1953 is generally considered one of the most important matches in the history of Lucha Libre. Cruz often teamed with Blue Demon
, working as a tag team
called "Los Hermanos Shadow" (the Shadow Brothers), even though the two were not related. He was nicknamed El Hombre de Goma, translated as The Elastic Man, due to his elasticity and flexibility in the ring.
in a losing effort. Initially he was billed as "Jungla" Cruz, named after a popular character from the funny papers but he did not like the name the promoters had forced on him. After making his debut Cruz realized that he needed to perform regularly in order to improve, thus he decided to move to Monterrey
which at the time was one of the main cities for wrestling in Mexico. In Monterrey he befriended another young wrestler trying to break into the business, Blue Demon
. The two struck up a friendship and soon after began teaming together on a regular basis. After working under his real name for a while, Cruz decided that he needed a different image. Cruz came up with the ring persona "Black Shadow" and a black mask with white trim around the eye, mouth and nose openings. The new image was a hit and masked duo of Blue Demon and Black Shadow became known as "Los Hermanos Shadow" (Spanish
for "the shadow brothers") despite not being related. Los Hermanos Shadow quickly became very popular and were at one point the main "Technico
" (good guy) team. In the mid 1950s Los Hermanos Shadow began a decade long rivalry with the top Rudo
(villain) team of El Santo and Gory Guerrero
, known as "La Pareja Atómica". After selling out arenas all around Mexico for their tag team matches El Santo and Black Shadow started to work singles matches against each other.
to the modern day. Subsequently Santo clashed with Blue Demon but it was the match against Black Shadow that stands out as one of the defining matches in Lucha Libre history. The match was one of the main reasons wrestling promoter Salvador Lutteroth
started to build Arena Mexico as so many people had been unable to get tickets for the show. The match was so popular that it caused El Santo to turn tecnico and was the starting point of a wrestling and movie career that made El Santo Mexico's most beloved wrestler.
While some wrestlers lose popularity after unmasking, Black Shadow thrived after losing his mask. His innovative, high-flying style that incorporated moves off the top rope was something not many wrestlers used at the time and ensured that he worked in the main event throughout the 1950s and 1960s. In 1981 Cruz was unable to get his wrestling license renewed due to ailing health, forcing him to retire after almost 40 years in the business. After his retirement Cruz withdrew from the spotlight, rarely talking about his career. In 2001 Black Shadow was inducted in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame
for his contributions to professional wrestling.
.
.
The Official Facebook professional wrestling hall of fame (January 2011)
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
Luchador
Lucha libre
Lucha libre is a term used in Mexico, and other Spanish-speaking countries, for a form of professional wrestling that has developed within those countries...
(professional wrestler), known worldwide as Black Shadow. Cruz's mask vs. mask match against El Santo in 1953 is generally considered one of the most important matches in the history of Lucha Libre. Cruz often teamed with Blue Demon
Blue Demon
Alejandro Muñoz Moreno , better known as Blue Demon , was a Mexican luchador Enmascarado who was widely considered to be one of the greatest Mexican wrestlers of his time...
, working as a tag team
Tag team
Tag team professional wrestling is a variation in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. A tag team may comprise two wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of established teams who wrestle regularly as a unit and have a team name...
called "Los Hermanos Shadow" (the Shadow Brothers), even though the two were not related. He was nicknamed El Hombre de Goma, translated as The Elastic Man, due to his elasticity and flexibility in the ring.
Biography
Cruz's original ambition was to be a musician but because he lacked the talent to earn a living from it he turned to professional wrestling. He had been a lifelong fan, and began training for a professional wrestling career in 1941.Professional wrestling career
Cruz made his professional debut on June 21, 1942, against Rito RomeroRito Romero
Rito Romero Loza was a successful luchador who wrestled in Mexico and in the NWA territories of Texas and Los Angeles. He appeared in several films in his native country along with a number of other luchadors...
in a losing effort. Initially he was billed as "Jungla" Cruz, named after a popular character from the funny papers but he did not like the name the promoters had forced on him. After making his debut Cruz realized that he needed to perform regularly in order to improve, thus he decided to move to Monterrey
Monterrey
Monterrey , is the capital city of the northeastern state of Nuevo León in the country of Mexico. The city is anchor to the third-largest metropolitan area in Mexico and is ranked as the ninth-largest city in the nation. Monterrey serves as a commercial center in the north of the country and is the...
which at the time was one of the main cities for wrestling in Mexico. In Monterrey he befriended another young wrestler trying to break into the business, Blue Demon
Blue Demon
Alejandro Muñoz Moreno , better known as Blue Demon , was a Mexican luchador Enmascarado who was widely considered to be one of the greatest Mexican wrestlers of his time...
. The two struck up a friendship and soon after began teaming together on a regular basis. After working under his real name for a while, Cruz decided that he needed a different image. Cruz came up with the ring persona "Black Shadow" and a black mask with white trim around the eye, mouth and nose openings. The new image was a hit and masked duo of Blue Demon and Black Shadow became known as "Los Hermanos Shadow" (Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
for "the shadow brothers") despite not being related. Los Hermanos Shadow quickly became very popular and were at one point the main "Technico
Face (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a babyface or face or in simple words, a fan favorite is a character who is portrayed as a heroic relative to the heel wrestlers, who are analogous to villains...
" (good guy) team. In the mid 1950s Los Hermanos Shadow began a decade long rivalry with the top Rudo
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
(villain) team of El Santo and Gory Guerrero
Gory Guerrero
Salvador Guerrero Quesada , better known as Gory Guerrero, was one of the premier Hispanic professional wrestlers in the early days of Lucha Libre when most wrestlers were imported from outside of Mexico. He wrestled primarily in Empresa Mexicana de la Lucha Libre between the 1940s and 1960s...
, known as "La Pareja Atómica". After selling out arenas all around Mexico for their tag team matches El Santo and Black Shadow started to work singles matches against each other.
Losing the mask
The rivalry between Black Shadow and El Santo culminated in a Luchas de Apuestas, or mask vs. mask match, on November 7, 1952. The 70 minute match that is still heralded today as one of the most famous in Latin American history. It helped popularize the concept with mask matches still the biggest draws in Lucha LibreLucha libre
Lucha libre is a term used in Mexico, and other Spanish-speaking countries, for a form of professional wrestling that has developed within those countries...
to the modern day. Subsequently Santo clashed with Blue Demon but it was the match against Black Shadow that stands out as one of the defining matches in Lucha Libre history. The match was one of the main reasons wrestling promoter Salvador Lutteroth
Salvador Lutteroth
Salvador Lutteroth was a Mexican professional wrestling promoter of the mid-twentieth century. Lutteroth's promotion, Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre , has been the dominant Mexican promotion since its founding in 1933, until Lutteroth left the company in the 1950s...
started to build Arena Mexico as so many people had been unable to get tickets for the show. The match was so popular that it caused El Santo to turn tecnico and was the starting point of a wrestling and movie career that made El Santo Mexico's most beloved wrestler.
While some wrestlers lose popularity after unmasking, Black Shadow thrived after losing his mask. His innovative, high-flying style that incorporated moves off the top rope was something not many wrestlers used at the time and ensured that he worked in the main event throughout the 1950s and 1960s. In 1981 Cruz was unable to get his wrestling license renewed due to ailing health, forcing him to retire after almost 40 years in the business. After his retirement Cruz withdrew from the spotlight, rarely talking about his career. In 2001 Black Shadow was inducted in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame
Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame
The Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame is a professional wrestling hall of fame that recognizes people who make significant contributions to the sport. It was founded in 1996 by Dave Meltzer, editor of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame is not...
for his contributions to professional wrestling.
Filmography
Cruz also appeared in numerous Mexican wrestling films with Santo, mostly as "Black Shadow" though in two (Blue Demon en Noche de muerte and Santo y Blue Demon contra los monstruos) he played a clone or evil duplicate of Blue DemonBlue Demon
Alejandro Muñoz Moreno , better known as Blue Demon , was a Mexican luchador Enmascarado who was widely considered to be one of the greatest Mexican wrestlers of his time...
.
Death
Alejandro Cruz died on March 8, 2007, age 82, in Mexico City after suffering from pneumoniaPneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
.
Championships and accomplishments
- Empressa Mexicana de Lucha LibreConsejo Mundial de Lucha LibreConsejo Mundial de Lucha Libre is a Lucha Libre-style professional wrestling promotion based in Mexico City while running cards in Guadalajara, Puebla and elsewhere in central and southern Mexico...
- Mexican National Lightweight ChampionshipMexican National Lightweight ChampionshipThe Mexican National Lightweight Championship is a Mexican professional wrestling singles championship created and sanctioned by Comisión de Box y Lucha Libre Mexico D.F....
(1 time) - Mexican National Tag Team ChampionshipMexican National Tag Team ChampionshipThe Mexican National Tag Team Championship is a national Mexican professional wrestling championship controlled by the "Comisión de Box y Lucha Libre Mexico D.F." and contested for by Tag teams only...
(1 time) - with Blue DemonBlue DemonAlejandro Muñoz Moreno , better known as Blue Demon , was a Mexican luchador Enmascarado who was widely considered to be one of the greatest Mexican wrestlers of his time...
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of FameWrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of FameThe Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame is a professional wrestling hall of fame that recognizes people who make significant contributions to the sport. It was founded in 1996 by Dave Meltzer, editor of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame is not...
(Class of 2001)
The Official Facebook professional wrestling hall of fame (January 2011)
| Wager | Winner | Loser | Location | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hair | Black Shadow | El Gladiador | Mexico City, Mexico Mexico City Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole... |
Unknown | |
| Hair | Dorrel Dixon Dory Dixon Dorrel "Dory" Dixon is a retired Jamaican professional wrestler who worked for the majority of his career in Mexico, where he eventually became a Mexican citizen... |
Black Shadow | Mexico City, Mexico Mexico City Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole... |
Unknown | |
| Mask | El Santo Santo Rodolfo Guzmán Huerta , more widely known as El Santo , was a Mexican Luchador enmascarado , film actor, and folk icon.... |
Black Shadow | Mexico City, Mexico Mexico City Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole... |
||
| Hair | Black Shadow | Tony Borne | Mexico City, Mexico Mexico City Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole... |
||
| Hair | Black Shadow | Jorge Allende | Guatemala Guatemala Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast... |
||
| Hair | René Guajardo | Black Shadow | Mexico City, Mexico Mexico City Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole... |
||
| Hair | Black Shadow | Espanto II | Monterrey Monterrey Monterrey , is the capital city of the northeastern state of Nuevo León in the country of Mexico. The city is anchor to the third-largest metropolitan area in Mexico and is ranked as the ninth-largest city in the nation. Monterrey serves as a commercial center in the north of the country and is the... , Nuevo León Nuevo León Nuevo León It is located in Northeastern Mexico. It is bordered by the states of Tamaulipas to the north and east, San Luis Potosí to the south, and Coahuila to the west. To the north, Nuevo León has a 15 kilometer stretch of the U.S.-Mexico border adjacent to the U.S... |
||
| Hair | Black Shadow | Bobby Nichols | Mexico City, Mexico Mexico City Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole... |
||
| Hair | El Ángel Exterminador | Black Shadow | Mexico City, Mexico Mexico City Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole... |
||
| Hairs | Black Shadow and Ray Mendoza Ray Mendoza José Díaz Velazquez was a Mexican Luchador, or professional wrestler, better known under his ring name Ray Mendoza. Diaz had great success in the National Wrestling Alliance, where he was a five time World Light Heavyweight Champion, as well as the first Mexican to hold the championship... |
Los Hippies (Renato Torres and El Vikingo) |
Mexico City, Mexico Mexico City Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole... |
||
| Hair | Black Shadow | Dorrel Dixon | Mexico City, Mexico Mexico City Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole... |
External links
- Profile at Online World Of Wrestling