After which he put on a purple mask and returned to San Francisco as the "Purple Shadow," where he got a match against — you guessed it — Man Mountain Dean.

This time, he broke Man Mountain Dean's leg.

And then took off the mask.

And moved to St. Louis.

And Wild Bill Longson was born.

Employing such moves as the airplane spin, the flying leap and — his trademark — the pile driver, he wrestled the best of the best, including the aforementioned Gorgeous George and the legendary Lou Thesz, who went on to succeed Wild Bill as world champion in 1948. Both Gorgeous George and Thesz are fellow Hall of Famers, along with the likes of Hulk Hogan, Killer Kowalski, Andre the Giant, Ed "Strangler" Lewis, Bobby Heenan, Nick Bockwinkel and a bunch of other guys who could bodyslam you into next Tuesday.

"I just think it's something people in Utah would be interested to know," said Frank, "that somebody born and raised in Sugar House went that far."

And now has the Hall of Fame credentials to prove it.

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Lee Benson's column runs Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Please send e-mail to benson@desnews.com and faxes to 801-237-2527.