Bill died in 1983 from Hodgkins Disease in Kansas City, Missouri. He was 36. He is remembered as a star athlete at Oak Park River Frorest High School in football and wrestling.
The "Sheikh" was bigger than life back then, and you either hated him or loved him. I loved him for what he was as a generous caring person. Even though it took him an extra year to graduate, he was an original member of the class of 1964 and was an amazingly strong athlete at 6'3" and 260 lbs. that had very unique skills that would have taken him probably far, if Hodgkins disease hadn't robbed him of his strength when he was at the U. of Illinois-Champaign. He was on a football scholarship after being an AllState tackle with the class of 1965. When he was wrestling in the Heavyweight division, he would put a white towel over his head, like a turban, and the OPRF fans would chant "Sheikh" "Sheikh" "Sheikh"...It was a predecessor to the current WWWF.
John E. Smith
The "Sheikh" was bigger than life back then, and you either hated him or loved him. I loved him for what he was as a generous caring person. Even though it took him an extra year to graduate, he was an original member of the class of 1964 and was an amazingly strong athlete at 6'3" and 260 lbs. that had very unique skills that would have taken him probably far, if Hodgkins disease hadn't robbed him of his strength when he was at the U. of Illinois-Champaign. He was on a football scholarship after being an AllState tackle with the class of 1965. When he was wrestling in the Heavyweight division, he would put a white towel over his head, like a turban, and the OPRF fans would chant "Sheikh" "Sheikh" "Sheikh"...It was a predecessor to the current WWWF.