GoPack’s Tim Peeler Remembers Tab Thacker
A mountain of a man, the 1984 NCAA heavyweight champion stood 6-5 and weighed roughly 450 pounds. I say “roughly” because there were only a couple of places where Thacker could weigh-in, and he usually just waited until the NCAA wrestling championships every year to step on the scales.
As a junior, Thacker weighed in at 410 pounds. He worked hard on getting in condition for his senior year, because he was so driven to win a national championship. He was disappointed at having finished eighth as a freshman and sixth as a sophomore and junior. So he toned himself up, turning his ham-sized arms into muscle.
rest in peace “house”
RIP.
Wow.
Woah, Is there not a weight limit in college? I used to wrestle in high school/middle school and the weight limit was 250 in middle school and 275 in high school. I would imagine there would be a weight limit in college to keep 700 pound people from just flattening someone.
RIP Though, it’s always tough to see someone from the Wolfpack family pass away, especially at such a young age. Seemed like a character kid as well.
I lived in Raleigh for 3 years. Went to 6th-8th at Ligon from ‘82-’85. I don’t really follow westling much, but remember him nearly as well as the bball team. I didn’t know he had been in movies too. RIP Big Guy. Fond memories!
Trip-
From the N&O:
Two things I’ll always remember about Tab from college: 1) watching him play basketball on court #2 w/ the elite, and 2) seeing him get in his car one day outside of Reynolds and how it just sagged to the left under his weight. Supposedly he was an awesome ping-pong player as well. — RIP Tab.
Thacker and Sylvester Terkay. Two completely opposite body types, both the most dominating heavyweight wrestlers of their day. And, incidentally, both went on to minor acting careers (Terkay had a role on TV’s ‘Coach.’)
Saw his obituary in the Winston-Salem Journal this morning and really felt sad and sorry for his family in this time. RIP Tab.
Relevant link in light of Sylvester Terkay reference