Jack Lanza

Jack Lanza, born John Mortl Lanzo and better known as Blackjack Lanza, was an American professional wrestler who lived from October 14, 1935 to December 8, 2021. Born to William Lanza and Louise Mortl, he attended the University of Minnesota and worked as a sociology teacher before Verne Gagne trained him and he began wrestling in 1961. He spent years with Gagne's American Wrestling Association from 1962, working a Western cowboy gimmick under manager Bobby Heenan, and in September 1967 he beat Wilbur Snyder for the WWA World Heavyweight Championship. With his long-term partner Blackjack Mulligan he formed The Blackjacks, which won the AWA, WWA and WWWF world tag team titles. He is a member of the WWE Hall of Fame, inducted with The Blackjacks in 2016, and of the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame.