The History of Hulkamania

Wrestling legend Terry Gene Bollea, known worldwide as Hulk Hogan, died after suffering cardiac arrest at his home in Clearwater, Florida, on Thursday at age 71. The man who urged millions during the 1980s to “say your prayers and eat your vitamins” passed away around 11:17 a.m. at Morton Plant Hospital, surrounded by family members. His death marks the end of a long, wildly successful era for professional wrestling, closing the book on a career that transformed the sport from regional attraction to global phenomenon. His passing also brings renewed attention to the many controversies that surrounded Hogan, including a leaked sex tape that spurred a lawsuit that arguably changed digital media and revealed racist remarks that tarnished Hogan’s carefully crafted image.