Name: Al Costello & Roy Heffernan
Year Inducted: 2003
Induction Category: Tag Team

The Fabulous Kangaroos

Although they may not have known it at the time they began as a unit, the Fabulous Kangaroos became one of wrestling's first full-time tag team specialists.

Giacoma Costa, who later changed his name to Al Costello, came up with the idea of the Kangaroos while learning his craft in his adopted Australia. It was in New Zealand that this fiery wrestler of Sicilian extraction got his first break in the game. Between the years of 1950 and 1956, Costello made a name for himself and collected several singles championships while competing in New Zealand. It was during this time he first met the former Mr. Australia bodybuilding contestant and budding wrestler Roy Heffernan.

It wouldn't be until the two crossed paths while working for Stu Hart in Calgary, Canada that the first formation of the Fabulous Kangaroos would occur. Quickly the new duo became favorite draws on the international mat scene. It had always been Al's dream to come to America and work in Madison Square Garden. His childhood dream was realized when promoter Vince McMahon Sr. called the Kangaroos to work for his Capital Wrestling company. Hours before their first MSG appearance, Costello and Heffernan dispensed 10,000 flyers, personally putting one on every other seat in the arena, proclaiming the Fabulous Kangaroos' achievements and arrival. On July 21, 1960 in Washington, D.C., Al and Roy copped the World Wide Wrestling Federation United States tag belts from Red and Lou Bastien.

After Heffernan returned to Australia, Al Costello continued to be a stellar tag team performer with partners Don Kent, Ray St. Clair, Al Snow, and Dennis Kass. Managers "Wild" Red Berry and "Crybaby" Gearoge Cannon helped to carry the Fabulous Kangaroos to innumerable ring victories.

Roy Heffernan passed away on September 24, 1992 and Al Costello died at age 80 on January 22,2000.

-Don Laible