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Rodolfo Guzmán Huerta (El Santo)’s 99th Birthday |
Today we’re celebrating what would have been the 99th birthday of the man credited with popularizing wrestling in Mexico, the one and only Rodolfo Guzmán Huerta. More commonly known as “El Santo” (The Saint), this legendary, silver-masked luchador wrestled for nearly five decades and is remembered as one of the greatest sports figures in Mexican history. Through his appearance in film and as the subject of many comic books, he became a cultural icon, representing justice and the fight against evil.
Legend has it that El Santo never removed his silver mask even at home and had a special mask for eating. He went to great lengths to protect his identity, particularly when traveling. He finally removed his mask to reveal his identity on the Mexican talk show, Contrapunto. A week after his unmasking, El Santo died on February 5, 1984. His funeral was one of the biggest in Mexican history, attended by family, friends, and his many fans. Shortly thereafter, a statue of El Santo was erected in his hometown of Tulancingo.
Per his wishes, El Santo was buried wearing his iconic silver mask.
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