Hans Mortier

Hans Mortier was the ring name of Jacob Jaap Grobbe, a Dutch professional wrestler and former bodybuilder, born on 28 January 1924 and died on 15 December 2010. Billed as The Great, he was best known for his run in the World Wide Wrestling Federation in the 1960s and his feud with champion Bruno Sammartino, which played out in Boston, Madison Square Garden and Philadelphia. He began wrestling in Tacoma in 1946 and also used the names Dutch Howlett, the Great Zorro and Lord Charles Montague while touring New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, France and Texas. He held the European championship at one point and won regional titles in Florida, Hawaii, Montreal and the Caribbean. He spoke several languages after wartime service and was inducted into the Dutch Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2015.