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"Tough" Tony Borne Passes Away At Age 84

Posted: Aug 28th 2010 By: mikeiles

Anthony Osborne, better known as "Tough" Tony Borne passed away at his home this morning at the age of 84. He is the father of the original Doink the Clown, Matt Borne.

The Milwaukie, Oregon resident had been in poor health as of late and passed away just as his son was leaving home to board a flight to Dallas, Texas.

Borne most notably wrestled in the 1950s and 1960s for promoter Don Owen's Pacific Northwest territory. Alongside Lonnie Mayne, the pair held the Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship eleven times. Borne was also a nine-time Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Champion.

Borne's son Matt followed in his father's footsteps by entering the wrestling industry in 1980. He had notable runs with World Championship Wrestling as Big Josh and with the World Wrestling Federation as the first person to portray the Doink the Clown character.

After his career as a full-time wrestler concluded in the 1970s, Borne ran a well known real estate business out of Milwaukie. His daughter was briefly married to "Playboy" Buddy Rose.