Original Four Horsemen member passes away at age 81 – shocking details revealed

Alan Rogowski, better known in the wrestling world as Ole Anderson, died at the age of 81. Rogowski had a long legacy in the wrestling industry, but he is best known as one of the members of the original Four Horsemen faction. Friends and family shared the news of Rogowski's passing on Monday.

Rogowski became one of the members of the “Anderson Family” and teamed with his brother Gene Anderson as The Minnesota Wrecking Crew in 1968 after Lars Anderson left the team. Rogowski and Anderson won numerous tag team titles, and Rogowski also held tag team titles with Lars Anderson as he occasionally returned to the team.

Rogowski would eventually form a new version of The Minnesota Wrecking Crew with Arn Anderson. The pair again became a dominant force before being paired with Ric Flair and Tully Blanchard, along with manager JJ Dillon, as The Four Horsemen in 1986.

The Horsemen became one of the most legendary groups in wrestling history, dominating Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling and eventually World Championship Wrestling.

Rogowski retired from wrestling in 1987, but would reform the group again, this time with Arn Anderson, Flair and Sting, in 1989. He would retire again shortly after, serving as the group's manager.

Rogowski would take on the role of head of the WCW booking committee in 1990, spearheading many famous angles while also pitching some infamous ideas like The Black Scorpion. Rogowski also voiced The Shockmaster, who tripped and fell while running through a wall in one of wrestling's most famous mistakes, a moment that completely sunk a character who was supposed to be a major player in WCW. Rogowski had long stints as WCW's creative head and was often an unpopular figure backstage.

Perhaps nothing speaks more to Rogowski's ability to get under the crowd's skin than the night of May 24, 1976. After leaving the ring following a failed attempt to regain the NWA Tag Team Titles while partnering with Gene Anderson, a fan, stabbed Rogowski in the arm and chest with a knife, forcing Rogowski to undergo surgery to repair severed tendons.

In true professional wrestling fashion, Rogowski would use a cast after surgery as a weapon, even using the cast to punch Wahoo McDaniel and cost McDaniel a Mid-Atlantic title match against Flair.