Troy Moon

tmoon@pnj.com

Ken Lucas, a Gulf Coast professional wrestler known for his famous finishing move "The Sleeper Hold," died Wednesday in Pensacola.

He was 73 years old.

During his decades-long career, Lucas wrestled greats such as Ric Flair, Jerry Lawler, Harley Race and Pensacola's own "Bullet Bob" Armstrong.

"That sleeper hold was like a vice," said Armstrong, 74, who wrestled against Lucas, and as his tag-team partner, throughout the decades. "He bent me backwards and I made it to the ropes. That was my only salvation."

Lucas, an Arizona native, was a local legend in the 1960s and 1970s, wrestling at venues across the Gulf Coast and against such regional favorites as Mike "The California Hippie" Boyette, The Wrestling Pro, Cowboy Bob Kelly, Eddie Sullivan and many more. He held numerous titles, including City of Pensacola Heavyweight Champion, NWA Gulf Coast Champion, NWA Mid American Champion and numerous tag team titles.

"He was one of my favorite guys in the world," Armstrong said. "It broke my heart when I heard the news."

Lucas had played bad guys (heels) and good guys (baby faces), but was best-known as a "baby face" along the Gulf Coast.

He was smaller than many of the heavyweights, but had a heavyweight's heart and a surgeon's skill, Armstrong said.

"We wrestled so many times and he always gave it to you straight," Armstrong said. "He had a lot of talent."

He lost world championship matches to Flair and Race in close matches, including one at a sold-out Pensacola Municipal Auditorium in the 1970s.

"Ken did lose that match, but all of Pensacola came out to see him," Armstrong said. "There were people outside who couldn't even get in. He was a big deal on the Gulf Coast."

In recent years, a retired Lucas became a fixture at the T&W Flea Market, where he would sell hats and other items.

"People would recognize him and just come and talk to him about wrestling," said his friend and caregiver, Ken Hudgins, 61. "He was always friendly with people."

Hudgins said Lucas never horsed-around and put him in the sleeper hold, a move that restricts blood flow to the brain.

"But he taught me how to do it," he said. "Believe me, it works."