Rodolfo Guzmán Huerta, commonly known as “El Santo” was a legendary, silver-masked luchador wrestler for nearly five decades, and is remembered as one of the greatest sports figures in Mexican history. Today, Google marks what would have been his 99th birthday.
Through his appearance in film and as the subject of many comic books, he became a cultural icon, representing justice and the fight against evil. Because Santo the luchador was one of the most prolific monster fighters in cinema history, he became a cultural icon, representing justice and the fight against evil. He appeared in over 54 movies, solving crimes and fighting his worst enemies inside the ring.
“Legend has it that El Santo never removed his silver mask even at home and had a special mask for eating. He went to great lengths to protect his identity, particularly when traveling. He finally removed his mask to reveal his identity on the Mexican talk show, Contrapunto,” says Google. “A week after his unmasking, El Santo died on February 5, 1984. His funeral was one of the biggest in Mexican history, attended by family, friends, and his many fans. Shortly thereafter, a statue of El Santo was erected in his hometown of Tulancingo.”
El Santo was buried wearing his iconic mask.