Posted on by bdamage1
Brian Damage
Grappling with Tragedy is a series of articles that deal with unfortunate, tragic incidents that have occurred throughout the history of professional wrestling. It is unlike the ‘Wrestling with Sin’ series that deals more with the seedier side of wrestling like arrests, murders and suicides. Grappling looks more at particular tragic incidents that have in some instances altered pro wrestling in some way.
Sol Slagel
Solomon Schlegel was born from German immigrants in Topeka, Kansas in 1908. Growing up, Schlegel would build up his body by working as a farm hand. Schlegel would eventually run off and join a traveling carnival where he was used as a contortionist. While living in the carnival lifestyle…Schlegel discovered professional wrestling which was an attraction on the shows they did.
Schlegel would learn from the carnies all about the wrestling business and become a wrestler himself. He wrestled under various names like Dutch Schlager, Elmer Estep, Elmer Slagel, Elmer the Great…but was most well known by Sol Slagel. Sol wrestled all over the country for various territories including, New York, Houston, Dallas, Pittsburgh and Louisiana. Slagel would become the Southern Heavyweight champion in 1938.
Sol Slagel stood at 5 ft 11 in tall and weighed approximately 260 pounds. His nickname in the wrestling business was the ‘Rubberband Man’ due to his years as a contortionist. Sol would often do a few moves before his matches to entertain the fans. Slagel’s career lasted for 11 years from 1931 until 1942. His career was cut short on the evening of February 22nd, 1942 while residing in the Dallas, Texas region.
Slagel was involved in a car crash at an intersection and was killed. Three other passengers were listed in critical condition. No word on if they survived their injuries. Sol Slagel was only 34 years of age at the time of his death.