Ever see a 76-year-old put a University of Minnesota professor in a sleeper hold, rendering him unconscious, and then wake him up with a thunderous slap to the face?

Didn’t think so.

But after Dr. Jim Larson’s Kinesiology class last Wednesday, legendary professional wrestler and Minnesota alumnus Vern Gagne demonstrated the technique he helped make famous and put Larson out cold.

“When I came to, boy was I out of it,” Larson said. “I didn’t know whether I was coming or going. That was quite the experience.”

Gagne, the only four-time Big Ten champion in Minnesota wrestling history, spoke to both of Larson’s classes last Wednesday about his professional wrestling career.

“I always wanted to be a professional wrestler,” Gagne said, reminiscing on his childhood.

“I used to listen to (Bronko Nagurski) on the radio with my grandfather on the farm. I was all cranked up about Nagurski.”

Gagne joined the wrestling team at Minnesota in 1943, after being recruited to the University to play football. He won a Big Ten championship in 1944, served two years in the Marine Corps and won titles in 1947, 48, and 49. He won national championships in 1948 at 191 pounds and in 1949 at heavyweight.

But even more impressive were Gagne’s stories of his professional career.

Gagne’s first professional wrestling match was against Abe “King Kong” Kashey, and was officiated by legendary boxer Jack Dempsey. Gagne learned quickly that professional wrestling and amateur wrestling were completely different animals.

“It’s a whole different sport,” Gagne said. “Submission holds are very hard. They really hurt too.”

Back then, wrestlers were their own promoters, and Gagne was known as a marketing wizard.

“I’m so interested in his ability to continually come up with new ways to market his product,” Larson said.

Wrestling was the first sport to use television as a promoting tool, with Gagne leading the way. In the early 1950’s, Gagne wrestled every Saturday night for the Dumont network in Chicago.

He quickly earned a massive following while bringing home huge paychecks thanks to the booming television industry.

“In 1952, I made $70,000 wrestling, and $110,000 the next year,” Gagne said. “At that time pro football players made seven to eight thousand dollars at the most.”

Gagne wrestled all over the globe because of the popularity he gained through television. He even drew an all-time record crowd of 19,300 to Madison Square Garden in February of 1953.

But Gagne’s promotional abilities weren’t only used on himself.

Gagne is partly responsible for the rise of both Andre the Giant and Hulk Hogan.

He was also the entrepreneur who first decided to hold an event on Christmas Day.

Gagne has helped the University of Minnesota as well. When the Gophers were looking for a new wrestling coach after the 1985-86 season, Gagne was on the search committee and recommended J Robinson.

Three Big Ten championships and two National championships later, Gagne again looks like a genius.

“J Robinson and his staff have done a tremendous job,” Gagne said. “I’m really proud of them.”

Robinson said he has a good relationship with Gagne, and has been fortunate to avoid his sleeper hold.

“No, he never put me in,” Robinson said. “He tried to and I said no thanks.”

Larson, however, wasn’t able to avoid Gagne’s grasp.

“Oh well,” said Larson. “I have a good story now. I can say Vern did the sleeper on me.”

Anthony Maggio welcomes comments at [email protected]