Ticats legend Angelo Mosca has died
Legendary former Hamilton Tiger-Cat Angelo Mosca has died at age 84 after a public battle with Alzheimer's disease.
It is with great sadness that the family of Angelo Mosca announce his passing," his wife Helen Mosca posted on Facebook Saturday just after 12 p.m.
Angelo was a loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather as well as friend to so many," she stated.
The iconic athlete was a Hall-of-Famer in football and also had a famed wrestling career.
Many times when I was introduced to someone the first question asked was, Did you play with Angelo Mosca?'" tweeted fellow football Hall-of-Famer and former Ticat teammate Frank Cosentino.
Break my heart," tweeted former WWF wrestler The Iron Sheik, Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri. One of the toughest man I ever fight. You were my brother."
Mosca was diagnosed with Alzheimer's less than two weeks after his 78th birthday in 2015 and went public about it within days.
Tributes poured in on social media Saturday for the five-time Grey Cup champion who played in the CFL from 1958 to 1972.
One of the greatest Ticats of all time and arguably the most feared CFL'er of all time," tweeted Matt Nichol, Hamilton's director of the performance care team.
In a game filled with huge characters, there was nobody with a personality bigger than Ang," tweeted Toronto Argonauts' communication manager Mike Hogan. The CFL has lost a big part of its history."
The Italian-American was lured to Canada by Hamilton head coach Jim Trimble in 1958 after distinguishing himself at the University of Notre Dame. He chose the CFL over the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles.
He played in nine grey cups, winning four with the Ticats and one during a two-year stint in Ottawa from 1960 to 1961. He also played briefly for the Montreal Alouettes.
The vast majority of his career was with the Ticats where he became the face of Hamilton football. He was with the team in 1958 to 1959 and from 1962 to 1972.
During that time he was named an Eastern all-star at defensive tackle five times and all-Canadian twice.
A notorious hit on BC Lions' running back Willie Fleming in the 1963 Grey Cup made him the most feared defensive linemen in the CFL.
Hamilton has lost a legend," tweeted the Hamilton Bengals Jr. B lacrosse team. He was the fire, competitiveness, and toughness that every team in this city brings."
Hamilton music legend Tom Wilson tweeted: A giant that made our city more interesting, taught us to take chances and helped define us as supreme rounders, champions and poets. Thank You."
Mosca was inducted into the CFL Hall of Fame in 1987.
His No. 68 jersey was retired in 2015 and sits on a flagpole in the southeast corner of Tim Hortons Field.
He was made a team ambassador after Bob Young became the owner of the team in 2004.
Angelo was always quick with a smile, a laugh and a great story," tweeted Ticats special teams co-ordinator Jeff Reinebold. He would often come to practice and our young players were drawn to the legend that was Ang."
Mosca launched his wrestling career in 1959 and was known as King Kong. He was involved with the sport until the early 1990s.
I was a kid who didn't know him as a football star, but rather, as King Kong" the pro wrestler," tweeted Adam Proteau, reporter for The Hockey News. He was legitimately scary and always gave his all in front of the crowd. A Canadian legend."
Mosca's wife asked for privacy at this time" and said more details will be shared when arrangements have been made.
May we remember him for the enthusiasm, grit and challenge that he brought to wrestling and football," tweeted Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger.
#HamOnt loved Angelo dearly," tweeted NDP leader and Hamilton Centre MPP Andrea Horwath. We will all miss him."
Joanna Frketich is a Hamilton-based reporter covering health for The Spectator. Reach her via email: jfrketich@thespec.com