Wrestlers who began as referees or resigned from the ring and continued as referees were frequently under six feet tall. This size disparity exists solely to highlight the height, weight, and musculature of some of the larger wrestlers and to compensate for smaller stars. In fact, only a small percentage of wrestlers reach a height of over 6 feet. The average height of male American football players was found to be about 5 feet 11 inches in 1949-50. The average height of male basketball players was found to be about 6 feet 3 inches in 1988. So the average height of a professional wrestler would be around 6 feet 3 inches - 340 pounds. It is common for wrestlers to gain up to 40 pounds in their career; thus, most become quite large themselves. When they begin their careers, many new recruits are much shorter than this, so they need to grow. As for how long they can wrestle, almost everyone has their limits, and injuries eventually end any chance of continuing in the business. Some wrestlers may continue to work into their 30s due to there being no alternative employment available but this is extremely rare. In conclusion, refereeing is an important role in pro wrestling and plays a vital part in determining the outcome of the matches.