Captain Lou Albano had no choice but to turn babyface because of this reason.
In an old interview recorded as part of The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! DVD Box Set Volume 1, the late WWE legend recalled starting his wrestling career in the early 1950s as a young man, seeing it as a way to earn a living.
His over-the-top persona drew intense reactions from fans, who would often heckle him and even throw objects like rocks and snowballs. The hostility became so extreme that he began to worry about his safety.
“I had the look with the Hawaiian shirts and everything, and people reacted to me like I was a moron. They were throwing rocks and snowballs at me. I’d go into arenas like Madison Square Garden, and people would be waiting outside yelling, ‘Captain Lou, you bum!’ and all that. I thought, ‘This is ridiculous. I’m going to end up getting hurt one of these days.’”
Because of that, he eventually transitioned into a babyface role, shifting his character into that of a fan favorite. Despite wrestling being entertainment, Albano emphasized the real physical risks involved, noting that he suffered serious injuries, including breaking his back twice.
“So I decided to turn things around and become a good guy, what we call a babyface in wrestling. Even though wrestling is a show, you still have to be careful. You can seriously hurt yourself. I’ve broken my back twice.
“Eventually, I decided to stop wrestling and move into managing. I started managing guys like The Sheik and the Valiant Brothers. I also worked with Cyndi Lauper on ‘Girls Just Want to Have Fun.’”
ALSO READ: WWE RAW Star Didn’t Want Any Part of Infamous Ozzy Osbourne Segment
If you use any of these quotes, please credit the original source with a link back to this article for the transcription.
