Gus Sonnenberg Gustave Adolph Sonnenberg ( March 6 , 1898 – September 9 , 1944 ) was an American football player and professional wrestler of German descent and World Heavyweight Champion . As a wrestler , he was National Wrestling Association world heavyweight champion . He played in the National Football League from 1923 until 1930 , for the Buffalo All - Americans , Columbus Tigers , Detroit Panthers , and Providence Steam Roller , where he was a member of the 1928 NFL championship team . Football . Born in Ewan , Michigan , Sonnenberg grew up on a farm in Green Garden , Michigan . He played football at Marquette High School from 1912 to 1915 , playing on Marquette ' s Upper Peninsula championship team in 1915 when the team went 6 - 0 , outscoring opponents 211 to 7 . He went on to Dartmouth College in 1916 , dropping out after his first year , but returning for a second year in 1919 before transferring to the University of Detroit Mercy , where he graduated . In 1923 , at age 25 , Sonnenberg turned professional , playing in the NFL for the Buffalo All Americans ( one game ) and the Columbus Tigers . In 1924 , he helped the Pottsville Maroons win the Anthracite League Championship in 1924 . He played two seasons for the Detroit Panthers ( 1925 , 1926 ) and then joined the Providence Steam Roller in 1927 and played on the NFL championship team there in 1928 . Professional wrestling . While playing in Providence , Sonnenberg was trained in professional wrestling and made his mat debut on January 24 , 1928 , at the at the Arcadia Ballroom in Providence , defeating Ivan Ludlow . Despite being just 5 ' 7 " and 200 pounds and having no background in wrestling , Sonnenberg quickly became a sensation in professional wrestling , changing the style of the sport with his signature move , the " flying tackle . " He became a main event wrestler for Boston - based promoter Paul Bowser and unsuccessfully challenged world heavyweight champion Ed " Strangler " Lewis on June 30 , 1928 at Boston Arena . After returning to the Steam Roller for their championship season , Sonnenberg again wrestled Lewis for the world title on January 4 , 1929 and won the championship . Sonnenberg held the title for nearly two years before losing it to Ed Don George on December 10 , 1930 in Los Angeles . Sonnenberg and Jim Londos were the two largest draws in pro wrestling in 1929 - 1930 . In October 1929 , Sonnenberg was attacked on the streets of Los Angeles by part - time wrestler Pete Ladjimi in an attempt to expose the reigning world champion as weak . Ladjimi was associated with Londos , Sonnenberg ' s rival . Sonnenberg was again recognized as world champion in the Boston area in 1939 , after defeating and unmasking The Shadow ( Marvin Westenberg ) to become the American Wrestling Association champion . He only held the title for 13 days before dropping it to Steve " Crusher " Casey in Boston on March 29 , 1939 . He continued to wrestle until joining the Navy in 1942 . Personal life . In July 1932 , Sonnenberg was involved in a fatal car accident in Lawrence , Massachusetts when the car he was driving hit the car of policeman Richard Morrissey , who was killed . Sonnenberg was charged with drunk driving and was acquitted in March 1933 . Days after his acquittal , Sonnenberg married actress Judith Allen . Four months later , in July 1933 , Sonnenberg was reported to have suffered a heart attack in Los Angeles . Allen announced her intention to file for divorce while Sonnenberg was recovering in the hospital . She was said to have been seen on a date with Gary Cooper . The divorce was finalized in September . He was later married to Mildred Micelli , who left him . In 1942 , during World War II , Sonnenberg joined the Navy . He was serving there when he died of leukemia at the Naval Hospital in Bethesda , Maryland on September 12 , 1944 at age 46 .