AS I SEE IT
Bob Magee
Pro Wrestling Between the Sheets
PWBTS.com
The older you get, the more of these remembrances you seem
to accumulate...
It's been 8 years ago that Kevin Hogan died. As happens way
too often about wrestling, on that sad day I found out
online, being DMd by friend Brian Picard about a rumor he'd
heard...which sadly, turned out to be all too true.
As you'll read below from my blog back then, Kevin Hogan was
no typical wrestling fan...no typical friend...and is still
missed among wrestling fans, promoters, and wrestlers like
few others.
I think the older I get, these remembrances are more and
more important...as we all seem to all be feeling our own
mortality.
But here is the original remembrance, as I told it in AS I
SEE IT 8 years ago...of one fan more special than the rest,
Kevin Hogan:
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A fan known to fans and workers of every, and I do mean
every, independent wrestling promotion within a 2-hour drive
of South Jersey...and well beyond... was killed early this
past Thursday morning in a head-on truck accident.
Kevin Hogan was killed Thursday morning after his pickup
truck collided head-on with a tractor-trailer, local police
said.
The accident took place early Thursday morning on US Route
40 directly in front of Woodstown (NJ) High School. Hogan's
Nissan Frontier appears to have been going westbound (not
unusual as he worked at the Delaware Memorial Bridge) when
it collided head-on with an eastbound tractor-trailer.
Kevin was known for attending what seems like every indie
show within 2 hours driving distance....or even as far once
a year at an IWA Mid-South King of the Death Matches weekend
in Indiana. He was a particular fan of Combat Zone Wrestling
and ECWA, along with other independents in the
Philadelphia/South Jersey area.
He was a wrestling fan but was far more, including a 20-year
employee of the Delaware River and Bay Authority (which
operates the Delaware Memorial Bridge, taken by anyone
making long drives up and down the East Coast) but was also
a well-loved member of the Franklinville (NJ) Fire
Department. The Fire Department saluted him Thursday night
with lights blazing on all vehicles as they came by the
family's house to pay respects. They also have a black
ribbon on the sign in front of their station.
He was a happy go-lucky kind of person, loved his wrestling
a lot, and will be missed very much by many in and out of
the ring. Kevin Hogan was only 42.
Among the many who remembered him locally was CZW owner
David (DJ Hyde) Markland:
"I am heartbroken to learn about the passing of Kevin
Hogan. Hogan was everything a wrestling fan should be. I
loved seeing him at every event. He was a guy who always
made me smile and loved CZW and Wrestling more than
anything. Wrestling needs more fans like him and the world
needs more people like him. He was the Whack Packer, the
muffin king. So much more I can say. I will miss him so
much.
For those who will ask CZW and WSU will honor Hogan next
week at our Anniversary events. Hogan bled Black and Yellow
as much as anyone. He was truly a part of CZW."
Sadly, many of the very people who were relieved at the news
about another wrestler who survived a prison riot, Chris
Wylde... were saddened only hours later upon getting the
news about Kevin Hogan.
One example was ECWA's Zac Connor:
Terror and fear controlled me the last two days. When
those emotions lifted, I was filled with happiness and
reprieve. Hours later, sadness seeped in as I'm told that
Tri-State area wrestling fan and friend Kevin Hogan passed
away.
The only reason a company like Michael Tartaglia's ECWA is
afforded the opportunity to present talent like myself on a
stage and platform to kick ass, is because of the fans. And
the fans that support us even further by way of buying our
merchandise. We cannot live our dream, without the pro
wrestling fan.
If Michael Tartaglia & Joe Zanolle allow it, I'm sure The
Ripper can dust off some Powerbombs in honor of Mr. Kevin
Hogan - The Muffin King.
Even Chris Wylde, the very corrections officer and ECWA
wrestler who was held hostage in the above prison hostage
situation added this:
"....Just don't feel like being around anything social or
really talking. Can't explain the feeling. It's been a
trying couple of days. I am coming on here now to pay my
respects to longtime wrestling fan Kevin Hogan."
Even those in WWE who'd made their way through Philadelphia
paid their respects including Kevin (Steen) Owens, Drake
Younger, and Chris Hero.
Steen's tweet:
Wrestling lost a die-hard fan yesterday with the passing
of Kevin "Whack Packer" Hogan. One of the good ones...May he
rest peacefully.
At least 6 indy promotions have said they will (or have
already done) a ten-bell salute for Kevin. IWA Mid-South
Wrestling did one last weekend.
Maybe someone reading this who never met him will say, why?
He's just a fan.
Here's why: Kevin Hogan supported promotions most of you
know like CZW....from day one of the company. But he also
went to shows that you wouldn't know about unless you lived
next door to the venue itself. Didn't matter if it was a
packed ECW (2300) Arena or Flyers Skate Zone...or a small
indy show in the middle of nowhere with 50 people (or less)
on a Sunday afternoon. No matter who was on the card...Hogan
was there.
Kevin Hogan was what promoters love...a fan who they could
rely on to react vocally and react "right", someone who gave
them a dollar every month that could pay the rent, or a
worker. As I said above, Kevin was a happy go-lucky kind of
person, loved his wrestling a lot, and will be missed very
much by many in and out of the ring.
So rest easy Kevin. Where you are...you can do a show every
day now and twice on Saturday.
One last thought...maybe those who know him (if they didn't
do it already this past weekend)...could have their own
Irish wake for Kevin with a cold one or two...or at least
one of his muffins.
I will.
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