Quick Links
"Macho Man" Randy Savage is easily one of the most recognizable professional wrestlers ever to lace up a pair of boots. He reached heights in his legendary WWE career not many others have met or surpassed and is renowned for his monumental contributions to the wrestling industry. Wrestling wasn't what Savage set out to do in his early years, though. Instead, Randy wanted to be a baseball player.
Growing Up, Randy Savage Wanted To Be A Baseball Player
As a youth, little Randy Poffo was obsessed with baseball. He spent much of his time playing catch and swinging at pitches with his brother Lanny, and he never went anywhere without his trusty baseball glove. He wanted to be a major league baseball player someday, and he started that journey at the age of ten when he joined a little league team in Downer's Grove, Illinois. Always supportive of his son's love and devotion to baseball, Savage's father, the legendary Angelo Poffo, built him a batting cage to practice year-round.
Randy was also a fitness fanatic, even from a young age. While he was in junior high, one of his physical education teachers challenged the students to see if any of them could do 100 consecutive sit-ups. Randy ended up doing over 1,000. Another time, one of his childhood friends, John Guarnaccia, saw him throwing balls with his left hand (even though Randy is right-handed). John asked him what he was doing, and Randy responded:
"Well, a coach might want me to pitch, but I don't wanna burn out my arm. So I'll learn to do it lefty, and I'll save my right for the important things."
It wouldn't take long before Randy would get the opportunity to play ball professionally.
Randy Savage Was Signed To A Minor League Baseball Team After High School
Savage signed a Minor League contract with the St. Louis Cardinals immediately after graduating from high school. In his four seasons spent with the Cardinals and Reds organizations, he had a .254 average and a .976 fielding percentage. However, Savage never advanced above Class A ball. He enrolled initially as a catcher, but he spent most of his time in the outfield while playing as a backstop and first baseman. In 1973, he suffered a separated shoulder after colliding with another player at home plate and finished teaching himself how to throw left-handed.
Randy Savage Started Wrestling While He Was Still A Minor League Baseball Player
Savage made his wrestling debut in the offseason between 1973 and 1974. He wrestled in Georgia and Florida with some help from his father. A year later, Savage decided to pursue wrestling full-time. With baseball in the past, he created the "Macho Man" persona and got a shot at AWA Southern champ, Jerry Lawler. He went on to transform from his slight frame into the beefed-out "Macho Man" Randy Savage fans love.
Savage's father established International Championship Wrestling (ICW) in 1978 to provide better opportunities for his sons' wrestling careers. Lanny Poffo and Randy Savage exchanged the ICW Championship back and forth between each other and were the main event for most of ICW's shows. However, the promotion ceased operations in 1984. After, Lanny and Savage went to Memphis to join its wrestling scene. Eventually, "Macho Man" would make his way to WWE, debuting in 1985 and missing WrestleMania I by a couple of months. He won his first WWE Intercontinental Championship the following year, defeating Tito Santana. In late 1987, Randy Savage and Hulk Hogan were the two most popular wrestling superstars in WWE. The rest is history.
Randy Savage Made A Good Decision To Focus On His Pro Wrestling Career
Randy Poffo was a good ball player, but "Macho Man" Randy Savage is a legend who excelled at being a professional wrestling personality. The wrestling world would be much different if Savage stuck with baseball and never stepped between the ropes. In hindsight, he made the right decision pivoting into his new career. As a result, he made millions and left quite a mark on pro wrestling. Savage's baseball and wrestling careers exemplify what people can do when they don't give up on their goals. It's nice to know that little Randy Poffo got to live out some of his boyhood dreams before graciously entertaining countless wrestling fans as "Macho Man" Randy Savage.