Donn Lewin
Encyclopedia
Donn Lewin was an American
professional wrestler
. He became involved with wrestling after serving in the United States Marine Corps
during World War II. He has also worked as a breeder of tropical fish.
, where he attended Lafayette High School
. He left school at age 15 to join the marines and serve in World War II. He fought at Iwo Jima
, Guadalcanal
, and Guam
, and left the marines after attaining the rank of admiral's orderly. During his time in the service, he earned three Purple Heart
s for wounds suffered in battle. After leaving the marines, Lewin became interested in bodybuilding
, and he placed second in a Mr. Niagra Frontier Contest.
, a promoter. George introduced him to Jim Henry
, who trained Lewin. At the beginning of his wrestling career, Lewin competed in Buffalo, New York
and across the border in Ontario
, as well as Capitol Wrestling. While competing for Capitol Wrestling in Maryland
, he teamed with his real-life brother Mark Lewin
to win the American Tag Team Championship. Lewin also competed in California, Ohio, and Georgia. In Georgia, he teamed with his brother Mark again to win the Georgia version of the NWA International Tag Team Championship.
In 1969, a promoter asked Lewin to begin wearing a mask and competing as The Executioner. He used the identity while competing in several promotions. During that time period, Lewin also helped train Greg Valentine
as a professional wrestler.
In addition to wrestling, Lewin also worked as a fish breeder for several years. Eventually, he decided to retire from wrestling and focus on his second career, which had grown to include not only pet fish, but also piranha
s and alligator
s.
and Ted
also became professional wrestlers. He also has a sister named Sallee. Sallee began dating professional wrestler Danny McShain
shortly after McShain broke Lewin's nose; the couple was later married and were together until McShain's death in 1992. Due to wrestling, he required more than 30 operation throughout his life, inclduing several hip replacement
s.
Lewin died on December 18, 2010, at the age of 84 in Hawaii
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional wrestler
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
. He became involved with wrestling after serving in the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
during World War II. He has also worked as a breeder of tropical fish.
Early life
Lewin was born in 1926 and grew up in Buffalo, New YorkBuffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, where he attended Lafayette High School
Lafayette High School (Buffalo)
Lafayette High School is the oldest public school in Buffalo that remains in its original building; a stone, brick and terra-cotta structure in the French Renaissance Revival style, by architects August Esenwein and James A. Johnson. Although classes began off-site during construction of the...
. He left school at age 15 to join the marines and serve in World War II. He fought at Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima, officially , is an island of the Japanese Volcano Islands chain, which lie south of the Ogasawara Islands and together with them form the Ogasawara Archipelago. The island is located south of mainland Tokyo and administered as part of Ogasawara, one of eight villages of Tokyo...
, Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal is a tropical island in the South-Western Pacific. The largest island in the Solomons, it was discovered by the Spanish expedition of Alvaro de Mendaña in 1568...
, and Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
, and left the marines after attaining the rank of admiral's orderly. During his time in the service, he earned three Purple Heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
s for wounds suffered in battle. After leaving the marines, Lewin became interested in bodybuilding
Bodybuilding
Bodybuilding is a form of body modification involving intensive muscle hypertrophy. An individual who engages in this activity is referred to as a bodybuilder. In competitive and professional bodybuilding, bodybuilders display their physiques to a panel of judges, who assign points based on their...
, and he placed second in a Mr. Niagra Frontier Contest.
Career
His placement in the bodybuilding contest brought him to the attention of Ed Don GeorgeEd Don George
Edward Nicholas "Ed Don" George was an American professional wrestler and wrestling promoter.-Career:George was born in North Java, New York. He wrestled for both St. Bonaventure University and for the University of Michigan...
, a promoter. George introduced him to Jim Henry
Jim Henry
Jim Henry may refer to:*Jim Henry , one of the leaders of the Mason Henry Gang in California in the American Civil War 1864-1865*Jim Henry , former Major League Baseball player*Jim Henry , former American Olympic diver...
, who trained Lewin. At the beginning of his wrestling career, Lewin competed in Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
and across the border in Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, as well as Capitol Wrestling. While competing for Capitol Wrestling in Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, he teamed with his real-life brother Mark Lewin
Mark Lewin
-Career:Mark Lewin broke into wrestling in the early '50s and had great early success in a matinee-idol babyface tag team with Don Curtis, headlining in major territories like New York and Chicago. The team's brief heel turn was a shock to its many fans...
to win the American Tag Team Championship. Lewin also competed in California, Ohio, and Georgia. In Georgia, he teamed with his brother Mark again to win the Georgia version of the NWA International Tag Team Championship.
In 1969, a promoter asked Lewin to begin wearing a mask and competing as The Executioner. He used the identity while competing in several promotions. During that time period, Lewin also helped train Greg Valentine
Greg Valentine
John Wisniski, Jr. is an American professional wrestler, better known as Greg "The Hammer" Valentine. He is the son of wrestler Johnny Valentine.-Training:...
as a professional wrestler.
In addition to wrestling, Lewin also worked as a fish breeder for several years. Eventually, he decided to retire from wrestling and focus on his second career, which had grown to include not only pet fish, but also piranha
Piranha
A piranha or piraña is a member of family Characidae in order Characiformes, an omnivorous freshwater fish that inhabits South American rivers. In Venezuela, they are called caribes...
s and alligator
Alligator
An alligator is a crocodilian in the genus Alligator of the family Alligatoridae. There are two extant alligator species: the American alligator and the Chinese alligator ....
s.
Personal life and death
Lewin's brothers MarkMark Lewin
-Career:Mark Lewin broke into wrestling in the early '50s and had great early success in a matinee-idol babyface tag team with Don Curtis, headlining in major territories like New York and Chicago. The team's brief heel turn was a shock to its many fans...
and Ted
Ted lewin
Ted Lewin is an author/illustrator of children's books. Lewin and his wife Betsy Reilly drew on their travels to exotic places such as the Amazon River, Botswana, Egypt, Lapland, the Sahara Desert, and India when collaborating on their many books...
also became professional wrestlers. He also has a sister named Sallee. Sallee began dating professional wrestler Danny McShain
Danny McShain
Danny McShain was an American professional wrestler who competed in the Southern United States from the 1930s to the 1960s.-Early life:...
shortly after McShain broke Lewin's nose; the couple was later married and were together until McShain's death in 1992. Due to wrestling, he required more than 30 operation throughout his life, inclduing several hip replacement
Hip replacement
Hip replacement is a surgical procedure in which the hip joint is replaced by a prosthetic implant. Hip replacement surgery can be performed as a total replacement or a hemi replacement. Such joint replacement orthopaedic surgery generally is conducted to relieve arthritis pain or fix severe...
s.
Lewin died on December 18, 2010, at the age of 84 in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
.
Championships and accomplishments
- Capitol Wrestling
- American Tag Team Championship (2 times) - with Mark Lewin
- National Wrestling AllianceNational Wrestling AllianceThe National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
- NWA International Tag Team Championship (Georgia version) (1 time) - with Mark Lewin
External links
- http://caulifloweralleyclub.blogspot.com/2006/11/cac-member-donn-lewin.htmlLewin's discussion of the Clint EastwoodClint EastwoodClinton "Clint" Eastwood, Jr. is an American film actor, director, producer, composer and politician. Eastwood first came to prominence as a supporting cast member in the TV series Rawhide...
movie Flags of Our FathersFlags of Our Fathers (film)is a 2006 American war film directed, co-produced and scored by Clint Eastwood and written by William Broyles, Jr. and Paul Haggis. It is based on the book of the same name written by James Bradley and Ron Powers about the Battle of Iwo Jima, the five Marines and one Navy Corpsman who were involved...
] - Profile at Online World of Wrestling