Wrestler Mad Dog Vachon dead at 84 in Omaha

Vachon, known for his generosity to younger pro wrestlers, died in his sleep in his Omaha home yesterday.
     He wrestled for Canada in the 1948 Olympics and was the first competitor to talk directly to television cameras.
     Vachon's greatest stunt happened after he retired, following some 13,000 matches.
     He was watching a pro match at the Civic Auditorium in 1996 when wrestler "Diesel" charged into the audience, ripped off Vachon's artificial leg, and returned to the ring to beat an opponent with it.
     Vachon denied to World-Herald columnist Michael Kelly that he had anything to do with the 1996 exploit.
     Kelly didn't believe him, so he called up another Omaha wrestler, Jim "Baron Von" Raschke (who now lives in Minnesota), who told Kelly that, yes, the scenario was totally Vachon's idea.
     Vachon lost his leg after being hit by a car.