According to PWInsider , WWE Hall of Famer “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan was hospitalized on Friday due to an undisclosed medical issue. At the time of this writing, his family wants to keep the issue private, but it means that the legendary performer will not be able to make it to his scheduled convention appearances this weekend.
This is worrying news for fans of the Hall of Famer, as he’s been battling health problems for years. In 1998, while wrestling for World Championship Wrestling, he was diagnosed with liver cancer, but he managed to beat the disease. In more recent news, however, he was rushed to an intensive care unit last year after his heart went into atrial fibrillation.
It remains to be seen if this latest health issue is related to past problems in any way, but we won’t have any more information until his family provides an update.
The 65-year old is one of the most recognizable characters in the wrestling business. His character is a patriot who carries a 2×4 piece of plywood in one hand and an American flag in the other.
During his first stint in WWE in the late 1980s, he became the first ever Royal Rumble match winner. When it came time to wrestle for the championship at WrestleMania , however, he was unable to topple Ted Dibiase.
After leaving WWE, Duggan became a mainstay in WCW during the 1990s. While his character didn’t evolve much throughout the years, he remained a popular fan favorite whose patriotic sensibilities always gained a huge applause from the crowd.
He also served as WCW’s resident janitor in storylines in 1999, but even as a custodian, he still waved his flag and beat his opponents up with a 2×4.
During his in-ring career, Duggan was an entertaining in-ring worker who was capable of performing at a high level for decades. In 2005, he rejoined WWE for a four-year run, which saw him form a tag team with Eugene. After the team ended, he made sporadic appearances for WWE until he was released from his contract in 2009.
However, he did return to the company in 2011 for his Hall of Fame induction, followed by a surprise appearance in the 2012 Royal Rumble match.
Outside of the ring, Duggan is similar to his patriotic wrestling character. As The Inquisitr reported last year, he tore into NFL national anthem protesters for disrespecting their country and setting a bad example for children watching the games who look up to them.
