by Vincent LeVine

Created on: May 01, 2008   Last Updated: October 08, 2008

Peter grew up in a densely populated section of western Pennsylvania during a time when both Bull Fighting' and The Adventures of Tarzan' could be seen on black and white TV every Saturday morning. He watched intensely as a scantily clothed white man swung from vine to vine in a jungle occupied by natives, dangerous animals, and white hunters who were always trying to capture the wild for profit. Tarzan's muscles rippled as he befriended all living creatures, communicating to them with a bellowing call that was classic Tarzan... Then there was Jane, an attractive white woman from a wealthy family, who as a result of surviving a plane crash, ended up in the jungle to become Tarzan's love interest. Peter was intrigued by it all. How could he swing from vines all day and end up with Jane too? Not knowing the answer did little to prevent young Peter from attempting to develop his own call to the wild...

Peter's father was a high school football coach and Peter grew up listening to the constant smack of Riddell helmets finding one another in the heat of gridiron battle and the piercing chorus of angry whistles that was never far behind. When his chance arrived he made the most of it, becoming a high school football star. With the nose of the ball tucked securely under his arm, Peter frequently zigzagged his way across the field, his forward progress halted only by the waiting end zone. Certainly his opportunities were better than the other candidates whose gene pools hadn't received any contributions from the coach, but Peter was a superb athlete who would become a local stand out while playing for his Dad.

Peter's athletic and academic accomplishments combined to earn him a football scholarship to Yale University. There he would be up against some of the best and the biggest. Standing just 5'7", it was his lack of size that would keep him from advancing beyond the practice squad. After surviving two humbling seasons providing pre-game chum for starting Ivy League defenses, he would give up football to concentrate on wrestling, a sport where talent is categorized by weight, resulting in a more level playing field. He dominated in his weight category, lettering in the varsity sport as a junior and becoming the team's captain, maintaining his full scholarship.

The fit, trim young man managed to get his degree from the prestigious school and major success seemed unavoidable. He married an intelligent woman who became a highly skilled eye surgeon, fathering two children

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