Lou Thesz

Lou Thesz is widely regarded as the greatest professional wrestler of the twentieth century. A six-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion who held the title for a combined total of more than a decade, Thesz was the last of the great "hookers" — wrestlers who could legitimately submit any opponent who challenged them to a real match.

Thesz trained under several of the great catch wrestlers of his era, including connections to the Val Childs lineage, and he carried the tradition of legitimate grappling into the modern professional wrestling era. He was known for his ability to "call a match" — to work cooperatively with an opponent while maintaining the ability to end the contest at any moment.

His autobiography, "Hooker," remains one of the most important documents in the history of professional wrestling, offering an insider's account of the catch wrestling tradition and the men who preserved it.