Buddy Roberts Passes Away

WWE.com are reporting that Dale Hey, better known to pro wrestling fans as Buddy Roberts (far left), has died. He was 65.

Getting his start in wrestling as the storyline brother of Johnny Valentine, Hey would soon change his name to Buddy Roberts; a name under which he found much success. Aligning himself with Michael Hayes and Terry Gordy, the dastardly heel trio would begin calling themselves The Fabulous Freebirds, becoming one of the most infamous wrestling stables of all time and setting a blueprint for factions in the industry which is still followed today.

Finding his greatest successes in World Class Championship Wrestling, Roberts was a big part of the promotion's hottest feud, warring with the Von Erich family for a number of years. Despite brief stints in the WWF/WWE, AWA and others, WCCW was the company Roberts most closely associated with in the terrifically over Freebirds.

Surviving throat cancer shortly after his retirement in 1990, Roberts was against smoking after beating the life-threatening illness, telling anybody who would listen not to take up the habit.

In reply to CM Punk's tweet, longtime WWE announcer Jim Ross told followers, "He was a helluva PRO WRESTLER. @CMPunk: Just heard about Buddy Roberts. Sucks."

"Buddy Roberts was truly an unsung hero, He taught me a lot, when I was a kid. How to be solid, He could take anything", Kevin Von Erich added.

Shawn Michaels, who was an avid fan of Roberts, tweeted, "I'd like to send out my thoughts & prayers to the family & friends of Freebird Buddy Roberts. God Bless!!".

FSM would like to extend its condolences to Hey's family at this terrible time.