in one of the last known legitimate contests in professional wrestling, where he wrestled Lee Wykoff. Lewis separated a clavicle during training but decided to go ahead with the contest. The match ended a draw. Post wrestling Lewis went into semi-retirement in 1935, but came out of retirement in 1942, at the age of 51, despite being legally blind. He retired from professional wrestling for good in 1948, at 57 years old. At the November 1949 NWA Convention in St. Louis, Lewis was named the ambassador of good will for the NWA. In later years, he became the manager of his good friend and reigning NWA World Heavyweight Champion, Lou Thesz. Lewis went blind from trachoma. He was destitute and relied on his wife and acquaintances to survive. He died in Oklahoma on August 8, 1966 at the age of 75. In 1999, Lewis was inducted into the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Hall of Fame. Today, a Wisconsin state historical marker commemorates his achievements in his hometown of Nekoosa on Prospect Avenue. In 2002, Lewis was voted in by professional wrestlers, historians and writers and inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in Amsterdam, New York. Championships and accomplishments American Wrestling Association (Boston) AWA World Heavyweight Championship (2 times) Championship Wrestling from Florida NWA Florida Heavyweight Championship (1 time) George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame Class of 1999 International Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame Class of 2021 Midwest Wrestling Association (Kansas City) MWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time) Midwest Wrestling Association (Ohio) MWA World Heavyweight Championship (Ohio version) (1 time) New York State Athletic Commission NYSAC World Heavyweight Championship (1 time) Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum Class of 2002 WWE WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2016) Wrestling Observer Newsletter Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 1996) Other titles World Heavyweight Championship (Michigan/Illinois version) (1 time) World Heavyweight Wrestling Championship (4 times) The musical The Music Man mentions the exciting contest between Strangler Lewis and Frank Gotch References External links 1891 births 1966 deaths American catch wrestlers American male professional wrestlers American people of German descent People associated with physical culture Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum Professional wrestlers from Wisconsin Professional wrestling trainers People from Nekoosa, Wisconsin WWE Hall of Fame Legacy inductees 20th-century professional wrestlers NWA Florida Heavyweight Champions