I read the news this morning that WWE has parted company with Sgt. Slaughter, and I have to say I felt a little kick in the gut. A little piece of my childhood has just been torn out.

When I first discovered wrestling, Bob Backlund held the title. I remember watching Backlund fight off Slaughter who was then managed by the Grand Wizard at a house show here in Baltimore. I remember preparing for the evening by making a sign that read “Gomer Pyle” (that was the crowd cheer that made the Sarge go ballistic back in the day).

My older brother would slap me in the Cobra Clutch on a regular basis, and we both imitated his promo style when wrestling around our living room.

Sgt. Slaughter was not just a heel in the WWF in the early 80’s…..he was THE heel. We couldn’t wait to see him get pinned, and we paid good money to see it happen. (I should say my Dad paid good money so that we could see it happen)

Then something changed. Slaughter came to symbolize the patriotism running rampant during the Reagan years, and began feuding with the Iron Sheik. Being the total WWF mark, I happily began cheering for Slaughter, chanted USA! USA! USA! whenever he made his way to the ring. Watching Slaughter defend America in the ring against the evil Iranian was a genuine highlight of the Hulkamania era for me. He was so popular with kids that he even became part of the “G.I. Joe” cartoon series and had his own action figure.

Slaughter left the WWF for a few years only to return once again, this time as an Iraqi sympathizer! Remember the heat he generated when he came to the ring accompanied by General Adnan? He even won the WWF title at the 1991 Royal Rumble. Of course this just set up the showdown with Hogan at Wrestlemania VII where he dropped the title. But the heat he generated was fantastic, and even though Hogan’s act was pretty stale by 91, I couldn’t wait to see Slaughter go down! (and of course I paid good money to see it..again)

Once again turning face Slaughter became the commissioner during the “Attitude” era. For me, like many wrestling fans, Slaughter was the personification of the “old” WWF, and helped cement the ideas of a changed federation when he became the target of DX. He came to symbolize the cartoon-like WWF and became a perfect foil for HBK, Triple H and Chyna to play off of.

From time to time Slaughter has appeared on WWE programming, usually in squash matches to help elevate talent. But I always got a thrill out of seeing him march to the ring in his camo and black ring rear, sunglasses, hat with his jaw jutting out. I was lucky enough to meet Slaughter at a house show in Frederick, Maryland a few years back, and was able to tell him a few of these things in person. He chuckled over the “Gomer Pyle” sign, and I was able to thank him in person for helping create in me a love of the sport. He seemed like a really great guy, and was very nice to my son, who is now at the age I was when I first discovered the WWF. Sgt. Slaughter is a class act, and I’m guessing the halls in Connecticut are a little darker today due to his absence. Slaughter may not go down as the greatest heel in WWE history, but in large part, because of Sgt. Slaughter, I’ve become a lifelong wrestling fan.