Born and raised in Ithaca , New York , Tim Woodin was a great amateur wrestler before entering the professional ranks in 1962. He won many titles in high school and captured three AAU national titles in the 1950s. In college, he was a two-time All-American at Michigan State University . Tim was Big Ten champion at 177 pounds in 1958, and was NCAA runner-up that same year. Known for his tremendous physical strength, Wood set several pinning records in high school and at Michigan State . He turned professional at the age of 29 and changed his name to Tim Woods. He won several titles, often competing under the name "Mr. Wrestling," and sporting a white mask. His professional career lasted 22 years, and his final match was a sellout of the Omni in Atlanta . "He is poetry in motion," famed announcer Gordon Solie once said. "What he is doing out there is displaying what the Romans had in mind when they invented the sport."