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Brian Damage
Grappling with Tragedy is a series of articles that deal with unfortunate, tragic incidents that have occurred throughout the history of professional wrestling. It is unlike the ‘Wrestling with Sin’ series that deals more with the seedier side of wrestling like arrests, murders and suicides. Grappling looks more at particular tragic incidents that have in some instances altered pro wrestling in some way.
Iben Seleem
Iben Seleem was born in Syria in 1911 and emigrated with his family to the United States as a child. Seleem began his professional wrestling career in 1930. He wrestled under different aliases which included Charles Holloway, Antonio Carro, Habeeb Seleem and Tony Costello. Seleem became a rising star wrestling in places like Texas and New Mexico.
On February 17, 1939…Seleem and four other wrestlers which included Sailor Watkins, Walter Achui, Yaqui Joe and Buck Davidson were driving to a show in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The vehicle that they were driving in slid off the roadway and into a ravine. Seleem’s injuries were the most severe, while the others suffered minor injuries. Seleem died that night at a local hospital in Hot Springs, New Mexico. He was just 27 years old at the time of his death. The wrestling show that they were driving to was cancelled.