Yukon Eric

His birth name was Eric Holmback, but his stage name was Yukon Eric, and if you were a wrestling fan who lived in Ontario, Canada in the 50’s and 60s, you knew him. His strongman persona, an incredible 66 inch chest shown off to advantage with opened plaid wool shirts, and notoriety for whipping opponents into ropes to make them bounce back into his chest made him a crowd favorite.  The first ever televised wrestling match in Canada in 1952 was a rematch between Yukon Eric and Wladeck Kowalski, a wrestler who had botched a knee drop and severed part of Yukon’s ear in an earlier bout. Kowalski cemented his reputation as a heel by laughing at Yukon’s bandaged head while visiting him in the hospital (prompting him to rename himself Killer Kowalski  (wrestlers, right?). 

Yukon Eric: Boxer owner.

 

 

One thought on “Yukon Eric”

  1. Yukon Eric was one of my child hero’s he alwats impressed me as someone I would like to be but i only wheighed 129 or so I ;knew I would ever accomplish that fame has always veen a sadness in my life now at age 78 I still remember him as a great hero even in his death he showed great courage

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