Before his career in the squared circle, professional wrestler Randy "Macho Man" Savage took to the diamond in the hopes of someday becoming a professional baseball player, according to SI.com.
Savage, whose real name was Randy Poffo, wanted to play baseball professionally from the time he was 7 or 8 years old. Growing up watching the likes of Hank Aaron, Roger Maris and Willie Mays, Poffo became a highly-touted catching prospect behind his strong will and determination. In high school, he was a strong-armed catcher with power to all fields — hitting .500 one season and .525 the next, as his high school, Downers Grove North, won back-to-back West Suburban Conference titles.
While a 102-degree temperature reportedly hindered his performance in front of scouts that had come to watch him in Illinois, Poffo's family and teammates felt as though it was his destiny to break into professional baseball. Poffo went undrafted, though, as 66 catchers were taken in the 1971 MLB draft.
Poffo reportedly pressed on, though, driving to St. Louis with his father — a professional wrestler — to attend a tryout camp. His performance caught the eye of the Cardinals, and he was offered a $500-a-month contract and an opportunity to join the team's rookie league club in Tampa.
Poffo had a few up-and-down seasons and suffered a dislocated shoulder before eventually being released, at which point he signed with the Cincinnati Reds organization.
In his final days as a professional ballplayer, he charged the mound after getting hit in the helmet with a pitch, essentially sparking his career as a professional wrestler.
Poffo — or "Macho Man" — died after suffering a heart attack while driving, and subsequently crashing last Friday.
