Angelo Mosca was a legend on the football field North of the border and in the professional wrestling ring.
The five-time Grey Cup champion and Canadian Football died Saturday after long battle with Alzheimer’s.
Per his wife, Helen:
It is with great sadness that the family of Angelo Mosca announce his passing . . . after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer’s. Angelo was a loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather as well as friend to so many.”
Mosca was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s shortly after his 78th birthday in 2015.
Sportsnet.ca offered a look into his colorful and sometimes controversial career.
A five-time all-star, Mosca appeared in nine Grey Cup games but gained national notoriety for his vicious hit on Fleming in the ’63 contest. Fleming took the ball on a pitchout and was running to his right. He had been tackled just inside the sidelines and was lying on his stomach when Mosca came flying over top the Lions’ player. Fleming took a minute before rolling over and appearing visibly stunned. No penalty was called on the play but many _ including then Lions quarterback Kapp – felt Mosca’s hit was not only late but dirty.
With Fleming no longer able to play, Hamilton went on to win the Grey Cup 21-10 and further enhance Mosca’s reputation as the CFL’s meanest player, something he later promoted during his pro wrestling days as bad boy “King Kong” Mosca.
Kapp never shook Mosca’s hand following the ’63 Grey Cup. But he and the Lions gained some revenge by downing Mosca and the Ticats 34-24 in the ’64 title game at Toronto’s Exhibition Stadium for the B.C. club’s first-ever CFL championship.
Years later, there was an incident between Mosca and Kapp that went viral.
And a couple of his memorable moments as a wrestler: