It’s baseball season, so let’s talk with Marlins alum Tom Koehler about pro wrestling
The MLB regular season is underway; so let’s talk with former Miami Marlins starting pitcher Tom Koehler.
About pro wrestling, of course.
Recently retired from MLB, Koehler is a big-time pro wrestling fan.
Koehler was born and raised in the Bronx, New York. He grew up a Yankees fan, idolizing Mariano Rivera, Derek Jeter and Don Mattingly, who later managed him with the Marlins.
Koehler also a fan of WWE, attending shows at Madison Square Garden, the pro wrestling mecca of the company in New York City.
Something to note about his former baseball skipper. Mattingly is friends with WWE Hall of Famer Sgt. Slaughter.
WWE wasn’t the only wrestling on Koehler’s mind. He became a fan of WCW star Goldberg.
Years later, in 2013, he caught the first pitch thrown by Goldberg, a WWE Hall of Famer, during Legends of Wrestling Night at Marlins Park. Goldberg even surprised a smiling Koehler, after the pitch.
Unbeknownst to Koehler, Goldberg speared a (planted) heckler, near the mound. Social media posted that Goldberg speared Koehler, but fortunately for the workhorse pitcher that was not the case.
What a night for Koehler. He also met Bret “Hitman” Hart, Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart, Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake, Jimmy Hart and more that night. He hit Goldberg over the head with a NASCAR car hood during practice (wrestling practice). He also got involved in a match on the concourse after the game with the Nasty Boys, Mr. Anderson, Garett Bischoff and Marlins teammate “The Mexicutioner” A.J. Ramos.
Commentary and ring announcing provided by WWE alum Craig DeGeorge, who lives in South Florida and broadcasts Marlins pregame and post-game for FOX Sports Florida TV as Craig Minervini.
DeGeorge/Minervini even wore his blue jacket from his WWF days. Koehler thought that was cool.
That event was the topper as Koehler added to his wrestling memories.
Koehler attended WrestleMania X at Madison Square Garden in 1994, and he recalls the classic ladder match there between Razor Ramon and HBK Shawn Michaels.
Koehler, who also attended an ECW show at the Mid Hudson Civic Center in Poughkeepsie, New York, is social media friends with ECW original and baseball fan Tommy Dreamer.
Speaking of ECW, Koehler starred in baseball at New Rochelle High School, where ECW star and WWE Hall of Famer D-Von Dudley graduated years prior.
In my audio interview with this pro wrestling fan and Marlins alum, Koehler discusses pro wrestling, Goldberg, Bret Hart, MSG, Becky Lynch, D-Von Dudley, Tommy Dreamer, NXT and more.
Residing in South Florida, Koehler, 33, his wife, Ashley, and their two daughters watch WWE TV programming, when they can. They all like Becky Lynch, and he likes NXT, too.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TKREFRESH22
More about Tom Koehler
After being drafted and signing with the Miami Marlins, Koehler competed for the Class-A Short-Season Jamestown Jammers of the New York–Penn League, the Class A Greensboro Grasshoppers, the Class A Advanced Jupiter Hammerheads of the Florida State League, the Double A Jacksonville Suns in the Southern League, the New Orleans Zephyrs of the Triple A Pacific Coast League.
He kept the hats.
Koehler made his major-league debut for the Marlins on September 5, 2012 against the Milwaukee Brewers. A workhorse, he spent about five seasons with the Marlins.
https://mlb.nbcsports.com/2020/03/02/tom-koehler-announces-retirement/
By DeGeorge, it’s baseball season
The Miami Marlins drop-kick off the shortened regular season on Friday in Philadelphia against the rival Phillies. Craig DeGeorge (I mean Minervini) will be hosting Marlins pregame and postgame on FOX Sports Florida TV.
My Pro Wrestling Talk on the Web and Social Media
http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/fighting/
Twitter: @jimmyv3
YouTube: jim varsallone (jimmyv3 channel)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ProWrestlingSouthFlorida/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WWE-WrestleMania-28-Miami-241160769255279/
This story was originally published July 23, 2020 at 3:29 PM.
