Pete Sanchez was a professional wrestler who made a significant impact on the sport during his career. He competed in various promotions, leaving a lasting legacy.
Early Career
Sanchez made his professional wrestling debut in 1958 in New York City for Capitol Wrestling Corporation. In 1970, Sanchez worked in other territories in the States and Canada as Gino Caruso.
World Wide Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Federation (WWWF/WWF)
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s Sanchez continued working for World Wide Wrestling Federation which changed its name to the World Wrestling Federation in 1979.
American Wrestling Association (AWA) and Later Career
Sanchez worked for the American Wrestling Association from 1985 to its closure in 1990. He wrestled his last match in 1995 in an independent promotion in Wisconsin.
Death
On July 27, 2024, Bill Apter and Davey O'Hannon announced that Pete Sanchez had died that same day following a battle with cancer.
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RIP Pete Sanchez, longtime WWWF favorite
Thomas Rice: A Different Wrestler with a Similar Era
Thomas Rice was born on February 19, 1914, in Bozeman, MT and after a move to California, attended Visalia Union High School. He graduated at the height of the Great Depression, and was forced to postpone college to find work. Four years later he attended USF on a football scholarship, playing for the Dons as a defensive tackle and was captain of both the football and rugby teams his senior year. As a senior, he earned the Boyle Loyalty Award and was chosen All-Pacific Coast Tackle. After graduation in 1939, he served in World War II for the United States Coast Guard. After the war, he entered professional wrestling.
Rice wrestled all over the world and played the bad guy in the days of wrestling when matches between a “good guy” and “bad guy” players were popular. Following his wrestling career, he became an insurance executive and a community activist while working tirelessly to raise funds for USF. Rice swam every day in the San Francisco Bay, and at the age of 67 was still strong enough to swim the Bay towing the 120-ton Blue and Gold Fleet’s Oski, loaded with USF alumni, for 200 yards as part of his fund-raising efforts.
Achievements of Another Wrestler
Four-year wrestler with the Golden Eagles; two-time NCAA Division III All-American (1979 and 1980); NCAA Division III National runner-up as a senior (1980); helped lead team to 1980 NCAA Division III national team championship; also was a member of 1977 NCAA Division III national championship team and was part of squad that finished seventh in his sophomore year (1978) and second when he was a junior (1979) before winning again in 1980; two-time New York State Champion (1979 and 1980); SUNYAC Champion in 1980; team was 36-10 in dual meets in his four years and won three SUNYAC titles and finished second in other year.
Junior World Greco-Roman Team; Empire State Games Freestyle Champion (1980); Empire State Games Greco-Roman Champion (1979, 1980, 1981).
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