A DIFFERENT KIND OF GEEK: Yet another legend of the wrestling world has passed on, as longtime WWF manager "Classy" Freddy Blassie died Monday at the age of 85.
Associated with the World Wrestling Federation for nearly a half-century, Blassie got his start playing an in-ring villain in the '50s and '60s, and later became a manager, associated with Hulk Hogan when the Hulkster first invaded the WWF in the late '70s. Blassie is perhaps best known for coining the phrase "Pencil-Necked Geeks," and also for appearing with Andy Kaufman in the 1983 comedy "My Breakfast With Blassie." As a result of the latter, Blassie is immortalized in the lyric "Mr. Fred Blassie in a breakfast mess" in the R.E.M. song "Man on the Moon."
After retiring at some point in the '80s, Blassie remained with the WWF/WWE in various capacities; Blassie's WWE-published autobiography, "Listen, You Pencil-Necked Geeks," was released mere weeks prior to his passing.
Blassie's death was announced by Jim Ross during Monday's episode of "RAW" on TNN.