Al Oeming

Albert Frederick Hans Oeming (April 9, 1925 – March 17, 2014) was a Canadian wildlife conservationist, zoologist, professional wrestler and wrestling promoter. Oeming co-founded the professional wrestling promotion Stampede Wrestling and owned the largest game farm in North America.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]

Al Oeming
Oeming with his cheetah, Tawana
Birth nameAlbert Fredrick Hans Oeming
Born(1925-04-09)April 9, 1925
DiedMarch 17, 2014(2014-03-17) (aged 88)
Professional wrestling career
Billed height5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Billed weight230 lb (100 kg)
Trained byStu Hart

Early life

Oeming was born on April 9, 1925 in Edmonton to Albert and Elspeth Oeming, who had immigrated to Canada from Germany.[8]

Professional wrestling career

Oeming wrestled for the Capitol Wrestling Corporation in the 1940s on the urging of his boyhood neighbor Stu Hart whom he also served in the Royal Canadian Navy together with during World War Two. He later co-founded the Stampede Wrestling promotion with Hart in 1948.[9]

Nature activism

Oeming was the Edmonton Zoological Society's inaugural president.[10] He sought and rescued rare and endangered wild animals, particularly in northern and western Canada. Oeming toured the country attending schools with his tame cheetah Tawana to educate children about wildlife.[11][12][13] In the 1980s Oeming starred in the television mini-series Al Oeming – Man of the North.

Oeming sometimes also loaned out some of his animals to the Disney company to use in their nature films.[14]

Personal life

Oeming was married twice, first to May Dorothy Dennistoun in 1950 and then to Gina Mrklas in 1978.[15]

Championships and accomplishments
  • Canadian Wrestling Hall of Fame

See also

References
  1. Olier, Greg (April 3, 2016). "Remembering Al Oeming's days as a wrestler and promoter". Slam! Wrestling. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved 2017-02-17.
  2. Mouallen, Omar (April 9, 2014). "Al Oeming: Nature lover and wrestler was larger than life". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2017-02-17.
  3. Maimann, Kevin (March 30, 2014). "Legendary Al Oeming dies". Edmonton Sun. Retrieved 2017-02-17.
  4. Di Massa, Michael (March 24, 2014). "Polar Park founder Al Oeming has died". SherwoodParknews.com. Archived from the original on February 17, 2017. Retrieved 2017-02-17.
  5. CBC.ca staff (March 21, 2014). "Al Oeming, Edmonton conservationist, dies at age 88". CBCnews. CBC. Retrieved 2017-02-17.
  6. "Fond memories of naturalist Al Oeming". The Chronicle Herald. Retrieved 2017-02-17.
  7. Lentz III, Harris M. (2015). Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2014. McFarland. p. 262. ISBN 0786476664.
  8. Olier, Greg (April 3, 2016). "Remembering Al Oeming's days as a wrestler and promoter". Slam! Wrestling. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved 2017-02-17.
  9. Olier, Greg (April 3, 2016). "Remembering Al Oeming's days as a wrestler and promoter". Slam! Wrestling. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved 2017-02-17.
  10. Clifton, Merritt (May 14, 2014). "Al Oeming, 88, ran Alberta Game Farm for 40 years". Animals24-7. Retrieved 2017-02-17.
  11. MacDonald, Hugh Robert (2014). Funny Things Happened on My Way to the Cemetery. FriesenPress. p. 185. ISBN 978-1460246412.
  12. By staff (March 21, 2014). "Edmonton conservationist Al Oeming dies at age 88". The Canadian Press. GlobalNews.ca. Retrieved 2017-02-17.
  13. Proulx, Ben (April 3, 2014). "Regional community icon dies at 88". FortSaskatchewanRecord.com. Archived from the original on February 17, 2017. Retrieved 2017-02-17.
  14. Rennick, Penny (1993). Alaska's Bears. Alaska Geographic Society. p. 109. ISBN 978-1566610148.
  15. Olier, Greg (April 3, 2016). "Remembering Al Oeming's days as a wrestler and promoter". Slam! Wrestling. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved 2017-02-17.
  16. "Canadian Wrestling Hall of Fame". Slam! Wrestling. Canadian Online Explorer. April 3, 2016.

Further reading
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