▁was ▁the ▁child ▁of ▁far mers ▁and ▁was ▁the ▁fifth ▁of ▁twelve ▁children . ▁At ▁a ▁young ▁age , ▁Ale j andro ▁dropped ▁out ▁of ▁school ▁and ▁moved ▁to ▁Mon ter rey , ▁where ▁his ▁uncle ▁gave ▁him ▁a ▁job ▁working ▁on ▁the ▁National ▁Rail road . ▁His ▁co - work ers ▁gave ▁him ▁the ▁nick name ▁' Man ot as ', ▁referring ▁to ▁his ▁large , ▁powerful ▁hands . ▁ ▁Professional ▁wrest ling ▁career ▁ ▁A ▁chance ▁meeting ▁with ▁the ▁famous ▁Mexican ▁wrest ler ▁Rol ando ▁V era ▁pi qu ed ▁his ▁interest ▁in ▁L ucha ▁Lib re , ▁V era ▁even ▁offering ▁to ▁t utor ▁him ▁and ▁help ▁him ▁start ▁a ▁career . ▁He ▁began ▁wrest ling ▁without ▁a ▁mask ▁in ▁L are do , ▁Texas . ▁His ▁first ▁match ▁was ▁against ▁Ch ema ▁L ope z ▁on ▁March ▁ 1 2 , ▁ 1 9 4 8 . ▁A do pt ing ▁the ▁mask ▁and ▁persona ▁of ▁The ▁Blue ▁Dem on , ▁he ▁head ed ▁back ▁to ▁Mexico ▁to ▁start ▁a ▁full - time ▁in ▁ring ▁career . ▁His ▁first ▁appearance ▁as ▁The ▁Blue ▁Dem on ▁was ▁in ▁Mexico ▁City ▁in ▁September ▁ 1 9 4 8 , ▁where ▁he ▁fought ▁Ben ny ▁Arc illa . ▁Blue ▁Dem on ▁began ▁his ▁career ▁in ▁the ▁ring ▁as ▁a ▁r udo ▁( a ▁bad ▁gu y ). ▁ ▁From ▁there , ▁he ▁formed ▁a ▁tag ▁team ▁with ▁another ▁mask ed ▁l uch ador ▁named ▁The ▁Black ▁Sh adow , ▁and ▁the ▁two