Warren Cromartie, Professional Wrestler.

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A former baseball player becomes a pro wrestler:

Cromartie is big hit as the 'Samurai Man' (http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007706190383)


SAITAMA, Japan -- Warren Cromartie's professional wrestling debut was a hit.

The former Montreal Expos outfielder took Tiger Jeet Singh down with a home run chop, pinned him to the mat and celebrated with his trademark cheer of "Banzai!"

Cromartie, who became a fan favorite in Japan when he played for the Yomiuri Giants, teamed with Japan's Ryoji Sai on Sunday to take on Singh and An Joenosuke in an event called Hustle Aid.

Wearing a baseball uniform that had "Samurai Man" written on the front and his old No. 49 on the back, Cromartie strode into the ring carrying a baseball bat.
The 63-year-old Singh was brandishing his trademark sword but Cromartie wasn't intimidated.

"I wasn't afraid," the 53-year-old Cromartie said. "I've stood at the plate in front of 50,000 people so I know how to handle pressure."
Cromartie, 53, played in the major leagues for 10 seasons, nine with the Montreal Expos before going to Japan. He returned in 1991 and hit .313 in 69 games for Kansas City.
Well, there's a second career plan!

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Karl Gotch: Worshipped or despised? (http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/2007/07/30/4381219.html)

Wrestling great Karl Gotch is dead at 82. He trained many others in professional and catch wrestling.

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Suspended Tennessee Titans cornerback Adam 'Pacman' Jones to debut on wrestling show (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-titans-pacman&prov=ap&type=lgns)


Suspended Tennessee Titans (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/ten/;_ylt=Ata4tGneTRmhNrx8Wh7kNogdsLYF) cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones is ready to step into the wrestling ring.

He signed a contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling and will make his in-ring debut on Thursday, the company said Monday. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Jones' first appearance will be for its iMPACT! show on Spike TV, and he'll appear in a pay-per-view show on Sunday. TNA films at Universal Studios in Orlando, Fla.


"I am a big fan of wrestling, so I wanted to give it a try," Jones said in a statement. "I respect wrestling and I'm not coming in like it's just a show. I want to prove that I am the greatest team-sport athlete."


Jones' NFL contract prohibits non-football activities that could cause injury. Jones' agent said last week that they had talked with the Titans about Jones' plans with TNA.


TNA spokesman Steven Godfrey said officials could not comment on whether Jones actually will wrestle.


"But he will be involved in a story line," Godfrey said.

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Mexican Serial Killer Sentenced (http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hlu4pO6s8x7Hm4PmvztJUTSTzOFQD8VOL4GO2)




A former female wrestler who terrorized Mexico City as the "Little Old Lady Killer" was sentenced to 759 years in jail on Monday for killing 16 elderly women.

Juana Barraza, 50, admitted to killing four women over the age of 70 out of anger toward her elderly mother.


She said she did not kill the others and did not agree with Monday's sentence, but prosecutors say her fingerprints matched those in the 12 other cases.


The series of murders created a wave of fear among elderly women in Mexico City and lurid speculation in the press. The killer's robust physique originally led police to round up scores of transvestites for questioning, angering gay rights activists.


Barraza was captured in 2006 leaving the house of Ana Maria Reyes, 82, who had been strangled with a stethoscope.


As a professional wrestler in earlier years, she was known by her stage name as "The Silent Lady."