Adolph Albert Truesdale (September 8, 1916 â March 30, 2001), better known as Tuffy Truesdale, was an American professional wrestler.
Truesdale was born September 8, 1916, in Nokomos, Illinois. He began wrestling during the 1930s. In September 1944, Truesdale was billed as the World Middleweight Champion in the Tennessee wrestling territory. He reportedly won the title from Gust Kallio in Mexico City, Mexico the previous year. On May 31, 1946, Truesdale unsuccessfully challenged El Santo in a match for the then vacant Mexican National Middleweight Championship.
However, Truesdale later became known for his matches against animals. On March 7, 1947, he wrestled a 'Wrestling Alligator' in Wichita, Kansas. In later matches the Alligator was named Rodney the Alligator.
Later he began wrestling with a bear named Victor. Truesdale and Victor made several televised appearances, including on The Ed Sullivan Show, To Tell the Truth and Let's Make a Deal. Truesdale and Victor would also appear in Sports Illustrated in 1970.
Truesdale died on March 30, 2001, at the Oteen Veterans Administration Hospital in Asheville, North Carolina.