The Missouri Mauler

Larry Edward "Rocky" Hamilton[1] (April 1, 1931 – July 20, 1996), better known by his ring name the Missouri Mauler, was an American professional wrestler who competed in the National Wrestling Alliance, becoming a mainstay of the latter promotion throughout the 1960s.

[2] Making his debut in the Missouri area during the early 1950s,[1] he began wrestling for promoter Ed Don George in Buffalo, New York, where he and his brother began teaming together as the Hamilton Brothers in 1957[2] headlining an event at Madison Square Garden against Antonino Rocca and Miguel Perez the following year.

[2] Hamilton and the Masked Bolos (Jody Hamilton and Tom Renesto) faced Haystacks Calhoun and the Kentuckyians (John Quinn and Grizzly Smith) in a series of six-man tag team matches during the next year setting several attendance records in the Carolina-Virginia area including an event held the Greenville Memorial Auditorium in Greenville, South Carolina.

Following his retirement in 1981, Hamilton entered bail bonding and was involved in the St. James Catholic Church in his hometown St. Joseph, Missouri.

[1] In later years, Hamilton lived with his elderly mother and underwent hip replacement surgery,[1] but remained in relatively good health until his death from a heart attack on July 20, 1996.