Dave Hebner, the twin brother of referee Earl Hebner, and part of one of the most famous angles of the 1980s has passed away.
He was 73 years old.
The news was first broken by friends of his online. Hebner had been in poor health for some time with Parkinson’s Disease. A post was made in May 2022 that alarmed many fans showing a noticeably ill and wheelchair-bound Hebner surrounded by friends.
Hebner was one of WWF’s main referees in the 1980s, including being the referee of the famous Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat match from WrestleMania III.
His most famous moment came on February 5, 1988, on an episode of WWF The Main Event. In a rematch from WrestleMania III, WWF Champion Hulk Hogan defended the title against Andre the Giant. During the match, Dave’s twin, Earl, switched places with him and fast-counted Hogan. Despite one of his shoulders being up, Andre the Giant was awarded the WWF Championship. It was revealed that Dave had been locked in a closet by “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase.
The angle was watched by 33 million viewers and remains one of the most famous WWF angles from the 1980s.
After having knee replacement surgery, Dave Hebner would transition to being a road agent for the company. He would hold that position until 2005 when both Hebner brothers were released from their contracts.
On behalf of the entire staff of Wrestleview, we extend our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and fans of Dave Hebner.