RIP: Allan "BAD NEWS ALLEN" Coage

Allan Coage, renowned far and wide as Bad News Allen during his lengthy run with Stampede Wrestling and other promotions in North America and Japan, and as Bad News Brown during his WWF tenure, passed away at 5:30 a.m. on Tuesday, March 6, 2007.

Coage was taken to Calgary's Foothills Hospital on Monday evening, suffering from severe chest pains, and went into cardiac arrest early Tuesday morning. He was 63. He had undergone hip replacement surgery three weeks previous, and apparently was recovering well.

He was originally from New York City, and took up judo at an early age, capping his career in that sport by capturing an Olympic bronze medal. Coage's professiional wrestling career started in high gear in Japan, and continued unabated in North America. The intensity of his promos was matched by very few in the business, and added to his tearaway, give-no-quarter ring style, made believers of uncounted numbers of fans. After his retirement, Bad News brought his outspoken style to the TV microphone alongside Mauro Ranallo, now the voice of The Fight Network in Canada, during some eight months with the reborn Stampede Wrestling in 1999-2000.

The members of the Cauliflower Alley Club send their sympathies to his widow Helen, and his children.