Ed Gantner
| Ed Gantner | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
February 4, 1959 Orlando, Florida |
| Died | December 31, 1990 (aged 31) Orlando, Florida |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Ed Gantner |
| Billed height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
| Billed weight | 280 lb (130 kg) |
| Debut | 1985 |
| Retired | 1987 |
Ed "The Bull" Gantner (February 4, 1959 – December 31, 1990) was an American professional wrestler.
Edward J. Gantner, Jr. was born and raised in Orlando, Florida, to Edward and Mary Lou Gantner. The youngest of four children, Ed was the only son with three older sisters. By the time he was three years old, his father would throw him the football hard enough to knock him down, only to get back up and throw it back. His mother and sisters never recall Gantner having a knack for football. He was considered a "puny little runt," all the way through junior high school.
Gantner's life began to change when he was around twelve years old, when his parents separated. His father moved out of the house, while his mother went back to school. His mother and sisters worked to keep the family afloat. He found solace in weight lifting, pumping iron for hours alone in his room. He also found solace in surfing.
Ed Gantner's major football career started at Edgewater High School. Around his junior year, he started using steroids. Between his junior and senior years in high school, he gained 45 lbs. His newly found physique gained him confidence to point, where he talked incessantly about the weight he gained, how much he could lift, and the size of his biceps and neck.
After graduating from high school, he got a college scholarship to play football for the University of Tennessee, but after less than a year, he became depressed and homesick.
After returning home to Orlando, he took a hiatus, working as a bartender and a bouncer. In 1980, he returned to playing college football, this time for the University of Central Florida, as a starter. He was also had the honor of being the first man from the college to go professional. He played pro football in the United States Football League, where he played for the Tampa Bay Bandits for one year, and for the Jacksonville Bulls for two years.
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